GOP slams record U.S. unemployment

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 (UPI) -- The stubborn U.S. unemployment rate and duration is the fault of Democrats, Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., said Saturday in his party's weekly media address.

Burr maintained the Republican barrage against President Barack Obama's policies, suggesting the country's woes began soon after Obama won the presidency.

"For 32 straight months now, unemployment in this country has been over 8 percent," Burr said. "Thirty two months -- that's a national record."

The senator struck a libertarian chord in denouncing the Democrats' economic policies in the face of nearly $15 trillion debt.

"Congress should lead by example and get the nation's fiscal house in order," he said "The government of the future has to be smaller and less expensive if we want the prosperity of the American people to win out."

In Obama's weekly media address Saturday, the president alluded to previous Republican administration's borrowing.

"Over the past decade, we spent a trillion dollars on war, borrowed heavily from overseas," Obama said.

Meanwhile, Burr said Republicans, who have a House majority and Senate minority, remain committed to cutting taxes, reducing alleged stifling government regulations and increasing domestic energy production and foreign trade.

"The longer we kick the can down the road, the more difficult it will be to address our real problems and spur real job growth," Burr said.