The Hill News

A House Democrat went on the attack on Thursday against the Obama administration's economic team for "a sense of floundering and indecisiveness" on its handling of the economy.

Rep. John Yarmuth (Ky.), a second-term Democrat who serves on the budget and tax-writing committees in the House, accused the White House's top officials on economic issues of favoring Wall Street over the rights of workers in its approach to economic policy.

"I'm not real happy with our economic team in the White House," Yarmuth said at a gathering of union workers in his district, as reported by The Associated Press. "They think it's more important that Goldman Sachs make money than that you make money. And that's where we've got to change the attitude of this country.! "

The congressman's remarks might in part reflect the growing political pressure on lawmakers like Yarmuth, who's being targeted in this fall's elections and could fare poorly as long as the economy continues to flounder.

Yarmuth starts his reelection bid with a 23-point lead over Republican Todd Lally, according to a new poll released by Kentucky news station cn|2. More than 52 percent of respondents backed the two-term Democrat, while only 28 percent favored Lally. An aide noted that the criticism wasn't politically motivated, noting that the 23-point lead is fairly sizable.

The comments also come on the heels of frustration toward liberals voiced this week by White House press secretary Robert Gibbs, which prompted some backlash from liberals in Congress and a spate of activists.

Yarmuth's considered more of a centrist, but lashed out more forcefully toward Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and Larry Summers, the director of th! e National Economic Council (NEC).

"When Tim Geithn! er and L arry Summers talk about the economy, it's like it doesn't involve real people," he said.

But he also saved words of criticism for Republicans, especially fellow Kentuckian and Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, who he said would do no better.

Republicans, Yarmuth said, "would rather inflict more pain on the American people and the American economy to win a political battle than they would to see this country move forward."

Sean J. Miller contributed to this report. Updated 3:41 p.m.