Sen. Graham: Obama’s policies ‘stifle’ job creation, economy

The nation’s sluggish economy and dismal employment picture are unlikely to improve until President Obama shifts course from his policies that are “stifling” to both, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Sunday.

During an interview on CNN, Graham was highly critical of the president’s handling of the bleak economic situation, and said the 2012 race for the White House is the Republicans’ to lose.

Obama’s health care, job-creation and tax policies “will stifle job growth until they change,” Graham said, adding the president’s policy approach in each area has created too much uncertainty for businesses and individuals.

“What I hear at home … is you can’t borrow money,” Graham said, blaming, in large part, companies being unsure about future health care costs under the Obama-pushed reform law.

Graham said he might be able to support some parts of Obama’s job-creation plan, such as a payroll tax cut and some infrastructure spending.

But, he said, the latter would go for things like “bridges” that only would help his state’s economy over the short term. “People need certainty” over the long term, he said.

Appearing earlier on the show, the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, Dick Durbin (Ill.), plugged the Obama jobs plan.

The massive stimulus bill passed shortly after Obama took office kept the recession from growing worse, Durbin said. The $400 billion jobs plan is needed to “move this economy forward.”

Congressional Republicans only want to safeguard wealthy Americans from paying more in taxes, Durbin added.

The White House plans to propose raising taxes on the wealthiest American taxpayers.

Durbin said wealthy people he knows have all said they are willing to take on a tax hike to help the economy.

But Graham panned the idea as “class warfare.”

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