John Ensign's new ad,
available here to people with the right browsers, tells Nevada voters that the economy is doing great. It may look that way from his perch in Washington atop the highest income bracket. But every day Nevadans know that what Ensign says in his new ad just isn't true.
We here at the Carter Campaign have been having fun taking apart the ad. Some of our thoughts are below. If you have anything to add, join in on the fun!
[Update: previously entitled "Ensign's new ad -- the economy is GREAT!" but when Buffalo Girl is right, she's right. I bow to her humorousity.]
Aside from wearing a veterinarian's coat and playing with puppies -- and may I say that, while he does not wear a white coat, Jack Carter will not be outpuppied by anyone! -- Ensign lets Nevadans know that all of their economic worries are just in their heads. Here are his headlines:
ENSIGN SAYS THAT "TAXES ARE LOWER" - BUT THE DEFICIT IS HUGE
While Bush and Ensign have lowered taxes - mostly for the wealthy - they have also increased federal spending and gotten the U.S. committed into a war costing taxpayers $2,000,000,000 per week that they refuse to figure out how to end - with threats of another war in Iran on the way. Bush and Ensign have ballooned the deficit: which will raise future taxes on America's children and grandchildren, who will be paying for their irresponsible policies for decades. Jack Carter will cut the deficit, ensuring lower taxes not only for us, but for our children.
ENSIGN SAYS THAT "THE ECONOMY IS BOOMING" - BUT JUST FOR THE RICH
The economy is booming for those in Bush and Ensign's high income bracket -- a.k.a. "the base" -- but the broad middle class and the working poor know that things are tough. Gas prices are through the roof under Bush and Ensign's energy policies - $2.96 in mid-August compared to $1.38 in 2000 - while Bush and Ensign have given only lip service to developing alternative energy and didn't promote energy conservation because it's not the "American way of life." Housing process are falling due partly to the Bush-Ensign deficit, taking away the shelter many Americans have had for the past few years. Taxes that most American's don't have to pay - the estate tax, capital gains taxes - are down. That helps George Bush and John Ensign - but not most ordinary Nevadans.
ENSIGN SAYS THAT "MORE NEVADANS ARE WORKING" - BUT FOR LESS MONEY
Nevadans are working as hard as they can to make ends meet. Census figures show that the median Nevada income has dropped by 5.8% from 1999 to 2005. One of the cruelest votes John Ensign cast this year was to refuse to raise the minimum wage - which is at its lowest level in real dollars in 56 years - unless it was tied to a tax giveaway for the extremely wealthy. Jack Carter would have voted to raise the minimum wage, without conditions or political games. Nevadans need that extra money not only for high Bush-Ensign gas prices, but to pay for the skyrocketing cost of health care that has left over 100,000 Nevadan children uninsured. Jack Carter will work for broader access to health care - to help the economy and our families.
WHY DOES JOHN ENSIGN THINK THE ECONOMY IS SO GOOD?
From where John Ensign sits in Washington, things look great. From where Jack Carter sits, in Nevada, you can't miss seeing these economic problems. Today's ad showed John Ensign being Washington's voice to Nevada, saying that everything is rosy under Bush. Nevadans know that isn't true. Jack Carter will be Nevada's voice to Washington, saying that we need to recognize our economic problems and work hard to fix them. John Ensign can't see economic problems, maybe because he doesn't have them. He has not done his job for Nevadans in the Senate. Jack Carter will see the world as it is and will get the job done.