Many lefty bloggers have explicitly accused the Republican Party of intentionally sabotaging the US economy for political gain. I am proud to be counted as one of them, and even predicted in 2007 that Republicans, knowing they were on the way out, would do just that so they could blame Democrats for mess and present themselves as saviors. I’m surprised and saddened that one virtually never hears such claims from our elected officials, until now, as Greg Sargent reports.

Today Senate Dems went there: They accused Republicans of deliberately sabotaging the economy in order to further their own political interests. And a senior Dem Senate aide tells me that Dems will not shy away from making that case in the weeks to come, if the Republicans keep blocking their efforts to spur job creation.

Senators Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin made the charge in remarks to reporters today. Durbin said: “Unfortunately our Republican colleagues in the House and Senate are driven by putting one man out of work — President Obama.”

Schumer seconded:

“Do Republicans really oppose a tax cut for businesses that created jobs? This is sort of beyond the pale. If they oppose even something so suited to their tastes ideologically, it shows that they’re just opposing anything that helps create jobs. It almost makes you wonder if they aren’t trying to slow down the economic recovery for political gain.”

Schumer is referring to GOP opposition to a White House proposal for a new temporary payroll tax cut as a means for job creation. Dems want the idea included in the forthcoming deficit deal; Republicans have opposed it, arguing that what we need are permanent tax cuts. This, plus GOP opposition to reauthorization of the Economic Development Agency — which provides grants to local projects and once was supported by Republicans as good for job creation — finally prompted Dems to accuse Republicans today of deliberately trying to harm the economy for political reasons.