Spokesperson: Most Difficult Job
President Obama just lost one and moved down a notch. He no longer occupies the most difficult job in the world. That position is now the domain of his spokespersons.
These hapless individuals have the task of explaining almost four years of monumental failures. As the following statistics establish, since Obama took office, what is supposed to go up has gone down and what is supposed to go down has gone up.
Consider:
Pre Obama Now
AAA Credit Rating AA Credit Rating
7.8% Unemployment 8.1% Unemployment
$1.81 Gal of Gas $3.50+ Gal
$10 Trillion Debt $16+ Trillion Debt
26 Wks Unemployment 99 Wks Unemployment
Annual Budget No Annual Budget
In addition, drilling permits for oil and gas on federally controlled land were up 116% under George W. Bush, but down 36% under Obama. The total annual welfare spending by the federal government has increased from $500 billion in 2000 to more than $700 billion today. Food stamp dependency has increased from 23.5 million individuals under Bush to 39.5 million under Obama; hence the name Food Stamp Presidency.
Put another way, here are some records set on Obama’s watch:
As noted in the credit rating above, the downgrade in the U.S. sovereign debt was the first in American history.
Federal spending at 25% of GDP and a budget deficit of 10% of GDP are the highest since WW II.
The federal debt at 67% of GDP is the highest since just after WW II.
Only 58% of the population is employed. That is the lowest rate since 1983.
The increase in non-farm payroll employment that began 28 months ago is the slowest growth after a severe recession since WW II.
The home ownership rate of 59.7% is the lowest since 1965.
Only 47% of American taxpayers pay federal income tax, which is the lowest rate in the modern era.
Also, 47% of the American population now receive some type of federal benefit payments. This includes earned benefits such as social security and retirement payments and unearned benefits such as food stamps
and housing assistance. That is the highest percentage of such payments in American history.
Add to these dismal statistics the current fiasco of the administration paying $70,000 to air an apologetic video in Pakistan while Muslim terrorists are in the streets attacking American embassies and not watching TV.
Convincing voters that statistics and actions like these justify another four years of class warriors being in charge to reverse the “change” they brought about is a daunting task. They are not helped when the only assistance they get from Obama is his big smile and the usual, “It’s not my fault. This was all left to me by Bush and three and a half years just is not enough time to correct all of his mistakes.”
Their task, however, is made somewhat manageable by two external factors.
First, a substantial number of voters have nothing but disgust for the current campaigns. They are watching TV programs like “Dancing With the Stars” or “Survivor,” have no interest in information or statistics like these, and cannot understand them if they happen to catch a glimpse of a discussion of the issues.
Second, and more important, they have a hard working ally in most of the national media. The media is, for example, very eager to portray Romney as too quick on the draw by criticizing the State Department for apologizing for causing the destructive and deadly attacks on American property “before he had all the facts.” A week later, however, when Jay Carney, the President’s Press Secretary, admits that the murder of Ambassador Chris Stevens was “obviously a terrorist attack,” principal media outlets like the New York Times did not even report it.
Even some honest social warriors are now stating publicly that it is clear that much of the national media is committed to proving themselves right by insuring that the first Black President of the United States gets a second term.
So here’s the perspective.
National polls indicate that the presidential race is in a dead heat or tie. Keeping Obama in that position indicates that those with the hardest jobs in the world are doing well in confusing the public about the record recounted above.
Confusion, however, may not be the only reason for the close vote. Another explanation is that there are still many voters who give no more thought to the election than the old belief of voting for class warriors because “that’s the way my daddy voted and how his daddy voted.”
For those interested in trying to get the nation’s fiscal house in order, one hope is to remember the photo of Harry Truman grinning over a newspaper headline that read, “Dewey Beats Truman.” Those born after 1948 may have to ask their parents or grandparents about the significance of that photo.
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