Balderas touts Obama’s economic plan

State Auditor Hector Balderas promoted the economic plan of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama today in a conference call with reporters.

He said, during the call hosted by the Obama campaign, that the economic situation in New Mexico and across the nation is deteriorating, and only Obama offers solutions.

“We’re greatly concerned. Unemployment is up nearly 1 percent and it is greatly impacting the New Mexico families,” Balderas said. “… Increased gas costs, health insurance rising in New Mexico and basically straight job losses for six months, it’s greatly impacting the families in New Mexico.”

Balderas said Obama presents help in the short term with a $1,000 tax credit for working families and in the long term with a $50 billion economic-stimulus plan. By contrast, he said Republican presidential candidate John McCain “has fallen a little short” on solutions to help struggling New Mexicans.

Obama Economic Advisor Jason Furman, who joined Balderas on the call, cited New Mexico’s growing unemployment rate and said Obama has a vision to help the economy through investing in education, infrastructure, science, technology and creating green jobs. It won’t cost more, Furman said, because Obama will cut government spending to pay for his economic-stimulus plan.

Balderas, 34 and the youngest Hispanic statewide elected official in the nation, is aiding the Obama campaign as it attempts to reach out to Hispanics. He was named one of the 100 most influential Hispanics in the nation last year by Hispanic Business Magazine.

You can read about Obama’s economic plan by clicking here. Read about McCain’s plan by clicking here.

Update, 2:40 p.m.

McCain spokeswoman Whitney Cheshire had this to say:

“Senator McCain’s plan to grow jobs and help a struggling economy will benefit all New Mexicans. He supports tax relief, balancing the budget and energy independence,” she said. “Barack Obama has said that he isn’t even trying to balance the budget and his plan for the economy will include higher taxes and a loss of jobs across the country, including here in New Mexico.”