The president has a lot to be held to account for:
The problem for Obama is that his predictions were not only wrong; they were terribly wide of the mark. For example, since the president was sworn in, America has suffered a net decline of roughly half a million jobs. According to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average annual premium for family health coverage through an employer reached $15,073 in 2011—an increase of 9 percent, or $1,303, over the previous year. The 9 percent increase in family premiums between 2010 and 2011 followed an increase of 3 percent between 2009 and 2010. Under Obama, the number of foreclosures was the worst in history. In addition, last year was the worst sales year on record for housing, while home values are nearly 35 percent lower than they were five years ago.
Meanwhile, the unemployment rate has been above 8 percent for 41 consecutive months. The deficit was around $1.3 trillion the day Obama took office in the midst of the financial crisis; according to the Congressional Budget Office, in the current 2012 budget year, the deficit will be around $1.25 trillion. And a record 46 million Americans are now living in poverty.
In addition, during the Obama years we’ve experienced the weakest economic recovery on record. America’s credit rating was downgraded for the first time in our history. The standard of living for Americans fell more steeply than at any time since the government began recording it five decades ago. Income for American families has actually declined more following the economic recession than it did during the official recession itself.
Change!
[Update a few minutes later]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWNJlc-IylY
Sorry, too easy. 🙂
The problem with Obama is not Obama. It’s all the idiots that voted for him.
They left off Obama offshoreing his campaign call centers.
And in that whole article, they didn’t blame Bush once!!! Well WHY not!?
After all, it’s all BUSH’s fault isn’t it!!
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Wodun,
spouting facts is no way to fight against fiscal stupidity and overbearing foolishness in an election year. It just won’t work.
I thought the Republicans used to say you only got to see the effect of an executive around the middle of the second term or something. Regardless there is a recovery in progress taking into account the indicators you mentioned even if it is lackluster. I think the whole US system where it is cheaper to get the health coverage through the employer rather than purchasing it separately by yourself is terribly misguided and leads to all sorts of issues regarding job mobility and social stability. Low house sales are only natural since the market is saturated. In fact it was the obsession with increasing house sales that lead to the present problem to begin with. There are better economic indicators around than that.
The deficit should have been smaller and unemployment could be lower although it is still reasonable unlike in some EU countries where unemployment is twice as high or worse. I would be more concerned with the balance of trade, deficit, personal and private debt levels as indicators right now. Until the mass of debt is reduced it is going to be real hard to start a recovery .
Well, as Jim noted long ago, the President has positions not promises.
Maybe some day we’ll be a little more careful around politicians who never make promises.
“The problem for Obama is that his predictions were not only wrong; they were terribly wide of the mark.”
So, in this particular context, he seems like a pretty mainstream “liberal.”