Joe Reacts to Current Economic State

Yesterday afternoon Joe Garcia sent out two media releases. They were a reaction to two important economic news articles. First he spoke out about the irony that while we are paying over $4.00 at the pump, oil giants like Exxon are reaping in record breaking profits. Secondly, he reacted to the unemployment rate spike, which has not been this high in years. Below you will see what the campaign sent out to the media.

Thanks,
Melissa

Exxon Mobil Profits While Floridians Suffer at the Pump

Miami, FL – In spite of the economic downturn, the oil giant Exxon Mobil reported record setting second quarter earnings of $11.68 billon. Clearly, based on today’s disclosure, oil companies have profited while Florida’s families have suffered. This reality is particularly egregious given that Exxon Mobil donated thousands of dollars to the Diaz-Balart campaign.

"For far too long, oil companies and their lobbyists have set the agenda in Washington while politicians, like Mario Diaz-Balart, continue to accept thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from oil PAC's. Mario Diaz-Balart accepted $70,000 in big-oil campaign donations, while concurrently voting against anti-price gouging measures in June,” said Joe Garcia. “Unlike Mario Diaz-Balart, I do not take campaign contributions from oil companies. It's time for a new energy policy that provides families with immediate relief and offers long-term solutions that free us from the tyranny of oil."

Background Information

Just three weeks before opposing an important House measure which would have enforced civil penalties on oil companies guilty of price gouging, Mario Diaz-Balart accepted a $2000 check from Exxon-Mobile.

On June 24, Rep. Diaz-Balart voted against H.R. 6346: Federal Price Gouging Prevention Act, to protect consumers from price-gouging of gasoline and other fuels. The act would have been enforced by the FTC via civil and criminal penalties against a gas price that (1) is unconscionably excessive; or (2) indicates the seller is taking unfair advantage of the circumstances of an emergency to increase prices unreasonably.

To date, Diaz-Balart has accepted over $70,000 from energy companies. (Center for Responsive Politics)

Diaz-Balart has received a total of $8,000 from Exxon-Mobile since 2002 (Federal Election Commission)

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Washington Mismanagement Leads to another Spike in U.S Unemployment Rate

Miami, FL – The US Department of Labor today announced that the number of new lay-offs rose to 448,000 employees last week, which represents the highest figure in five years. This news illustrates what Floridians already know: Washington is broken. Unemployment is on the rise, and Floridians are suffering from Washington’s continued mismanagement of the economy.

"Today's news is an indication of how out of touch Washington is with the needs of working families. While the unemployment rates rose, Mario Diaz-Balart sent his constituents a newsletter letting them know that job opportunities were increasing,” said Joe Garcia. “We need a new direction for South Florida, with immediate relief for homeowners, tax-cuts for middle-class families and investment in small businesses that will create thousands of new, better jobs in our community."

Background Information:

• The unemployment is at its highest point since March 2004. (Bureau of Labor and Statistics)
  

• Wages and salaries of American workers, adjusted for inflation, fell 1.7% in June from a year earlier, the fourth decline in the last five years. (Bureau of Labor and Statistics)
  

• Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for June 2008 is 5.5 percent, which represents 508,000 jobless people. (State of Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation)
  

• Both Collier County and Miami Dade County have cities ranked within the top 20 cities for unemployment. (State of Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation)

• David Wyss, Chief Economist for New York’s Standard & Poor, stated that "The basic pattern is clear; this is becoming a W-shaped recession."

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