Boehner: Good Jobs Data Due To Tax Cuts (Not Obama Stimulus)

Enlarge this image toggle caption Mark Humphrey/AP Mark Humphrey/AP

Economists at the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office may credit the economic stimulus enacted by President Obama and the previous Congress for boosting economic growth and jobs through the end of last year (and presumably into this year.)

But Speaker John Boehner and the House GOP won their majority in part by arguing that the stimulus was a bust.

Because congressional Republicans view federal spending as the economy's main threat and tax cuts as the real stimulation for economic growth, Boehner credited the December deal to extend the Bush tax cuts for February's positive jobs data.

The U.S. Labor Department reported that the economy produced 192,000 jobs in February with the jobless rate falling to 8.9 percent, dropping below 9 percent for the first time since Spring 2009.

In a statement, Boehner said: