Just who is anti-jobs?

Sunday, July 11, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.

Republicans have continued their disingenuous attack on President Barack Obama, blaming him for the economic recession, in hopes of attracting votes this fall. House Minority Leader John Boehner’s office has spearheaded the effort, last week calling Obama “anti-jobs” and “anti-business” even though those charges are patently false. Other Republican leaders grumble about “socialism,” which is ludicrous.

In his speech Friday at UNLV, Obama once again made the record clear, and if Republican officials were listening, instead of offering knee-jerk reactions, they would be hard-pressed to disagree with the president.

“The private sector, not government, is, was, and always will be the source of America’s economic success,” Obama said. “That’s our strength, the dynamism of our economy. And that’s why one of the first things (Senate Majority Leader) Harry Reid did, one of the first things we did, was cut dozens of taxes — not raise them, cut them — for middle class and small-business people. And we extended loan programs to put capital in the hands of startups. And we worked to reduce the cost of health care for small businesses.”

Obama said the role of “government, especially in difficult times like these, is to break down barriers that are standing in the way of innovation. It’s to unleash the ingenuity that springs from our people. It’s to provide an impetus for businesses to grow and expand.”

The president noted the variety of things his administration and Reid have done to spur the economy, and he noted that the private sector has started to see an increase in jobs. Obama mentioned a tax credit program that helps renewable energy companies and noted solar panel manufacturer Amonix, which will receive tax credits for building a plant in Southern Nevada. The facility is expected to employ nearly 300 people.

The administration wants to expand the tax credit program, and the president said that if Congress approves $5 billion, it “would generate nearly 40,000 jobs and $12 billion or more in private-sector investment, which could trigger an additional 90,000 jobs.”

Obama said there has been some Republican support for the program, which is unusual given their antagonism of the president. Republican members of Congress have complained loudly about the president and his economic policy, trying to saddle him with a recession that blossomed during Republican President George W. Bush’s term. By refusing to work with the Democrats, and blocking them whenever they’ve been able to, the economic recovery has been slowed.

Had the Republicans had their way, the Wall Street banks would have collapsed, and that would have created a domino effect through the economy, toppling other companies and sending unemployment soaring. Foreclosures would have soared even higher than they did. And without a stimulus package, millions more Americans would be out of work.

Now Republicans are blocking an extension of unemployment benefits, which will take money out of the pockets of millions of Americans and hurt consumer spending.

The bottom line is this: Before GOP leaders start labeling Obama as “anti-jobs,” they ought to look in the mirror.