One thing both parties can do is spend trillions of dollars they don't have in the name of saving the economy. And even better, at the end of the day there is almost nothing of lasting value to come out of it.

Alan, I agree. The stimulus should has been direct spending, not 40% TAX CUTS, tax cuts don't work.

Conservatives have no problem spending money, they just have a problem paying for it, liberlas would happily pay for their spending.

except an improving economy. Republicans spend their money on tax breaks an wars, while the dems spend it on things we actually need. Like helping less fortuanate americans climb out of the basement, and infrastructure. Never once in history has an economy recovered by budget cuts alone.

Forget the rhetoric. Look at history.

The economy got better after Bill Clinton was elected. It got a whole lot better after Clinton was re-elected.

The economy got worse after George W. Bush was elected. It got a whole lot worse after Bush was re-elected.

The economy got better after Barack Obama was elected.

The dems do spend it on helping those in need, they don't really spend it on infrastructure. We have the worst roads, bridges, rail in the industrial world.

One thing both parties can do is spend trillions of dollars they don't have...

Don't you mean money that we don't have?

SI

I do agree with the first part but let's finish that sentence......

We the corporations? - liberlas would happily pay for their spending -

with money they don't have!

No president can run on the economy. There isn't even anything in the constitution about his abilility to control the economy. All economic and monetary powers, most notably the powers to tax and spend, the powers to create laws and tariffs, are ceded to Congress, Boenhead.

We have already seen how Republicans handle the economy. After 8 years of Bush the national debt was doubled, adding $6.1T. The economy went from healthy and vibrant to the worst depression since the 1920's.

And Boehner was a big help in all of this. He voted for every debt ceiling increase during Bush's two terms: 7 times! almost once a year! but then Obama was elected and suddenly national debt became a priority. But not such a priority that Boehner could actually help pass a $4T reduction in the debt over 10 years. No, he had to walk away from this and settle for a paltry $20B reduction.

Boehner is the one who can't run on his economic record. Hypocrite!

@EEngineer,

Boy do you know the real account of events - You are spot F-n ON! Awesome job.

Could not have said it better myself.

We the corporation

liberlas would happily pay for their spending.

surely you jest. I've worked for both conseratives and liberals. The conservatives are more generous. Liberals are happiest when others pay for what the liberal wants done.

EEngineer - economics is clearly not your forte.

Debt in 8 years under bush went up 4.899 trillion. In LESS than 4 years under Obama it has gone up 5.027 Trillion. http://cnsnews.com/news/article/5-trillion-man-debt-has-increased-under-obama-502776147648456

Arguing over raising the debt ceiling is political football. You cannot support Obama when he resisted raising the Debt ceiling as a senator and then support Obama when he demands a debt ceiling increase while he is president.

As for Depression. Obama and company want to call it only a recession when they talk about what they are doing and call it a Depression when they talk about Bush. You cannot have it both ways.

No surprise here. This is why Obama's campaign strategy is to formulate class warfare and racial/gender division. And let us not forget his propensity for blaming everything bad on others. He figures once he attempts to address his record of incompetence and failure, he's pretty much finished unless his entitlement voting block can come to the rescue.

I have heard Republicans calling names, making dismal predictions, and just seem to say anything that comes to their minds, but the two things I have NOT heard is (1) their justification for the name calling and/or the facts that they rely upon to support their dismal predictions; and (2) what exactly is the Ryan Plan about if it's not about more tax cuts for millionaires and more pay cuts for American Workers.

Obama / Biden 2012

DB Akron

EEngineer - economics is clearly not your forte.

Debt in 8 years under bush went up 4.899 trillion. In LESS than 4 years under Obama it has gone up 5.027 Trillion. http://cnsnews.com/news/article/5-trillion-man-debt-has-increased-under-obama-502776147648456

Arguing over raising the debt ceiling is political football. You cannot support Obama when he resisted raising the Debt ceiling as a senator and then support Obama when he demands a debt ceiling increase while he is president.

As for Depression. Obama and company want to call it only a recession when they talk about what they are doing and call it a Depression when they talk about Bush. You cannot have it both ways.

The 2009 budget was still a Bush budget.

The National Debt as of 09/28/2001 = $5,807,463,412,200.06 ... as of his last budget year 09/30/2009 = $11,909,829,003,511.75 ... thats a little better than doubling it, or increasing by $6.1 Trillion

You do know how budgets work right??

And last but not least you do know that he left a 1.42 trillion dollar deficit right?? Deficits add to debt.

Obama has added about a trillion dollars to the debt since he came into office.

TO: Wet Willy who wrote:

"... This is why Obama's campaign strategy is to formulate class warfare and racial/gender division. And let us not forget his propensity for blaming everything bad on others..."

You're not talking about President Obama, you're talking about Republicans' Class Warfare against the middle class and against working Americans, and Republicans have done that by putting the full weight of the National Debt on the backs of American Workers while Republicans continue to give more and more tax cuts to mega-millionaires.

You're not talking about President Obama "propensity for blaming everything bad on others", what you're really talking about is Republicans inability to take responsibility for all the harm they've caused the American People, and you're talking about Republicans absolute refusal to fix all the things Republicans have broken during their 8 devastating Bush years and their "culture of corruption"!

We know how George W. Bush destroyed the entire United States Economy, and we've seen Republicans use one excuse after another for stalling our Recovery, now the next thing we're going to do is vote all those Republicans out of office who destroyed our economy and stalled our recovery!

Vote a straight Democratic Ticket this November!

Obama / Biden 2012

2009 bush last budget 3.517 trillion dollars.
Minus 185 billion for ARRA, thats "Obama spending".

Bush had requested 3.11 trillion dollars for fiscal year 2009
This also included appropriations for the war that werent plan of the the budget, Obama made sure they were added.

In the end we end up with 3,517 trillion budget for 09.
Minus 187 equals 3,332 of total Bush budget for 09 the rest is Obama spending.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Historicals Table 1.3

2010 Obama budget 3.456 trillion

2011 Obama budget 3.603 trillion

2012 Obama budget 3.795 trillion

(187 b in 09 for ARRA)+3.456+3.603+3.795 = trillion dollars average a year.

3.680 minus 3.330 = 350 billion average Obama spending in hes first term every budget.

A total of 1 trillion added to the debt. Bush added 6.1 trillion and left a 1.4 trillion deficit.

DB Akron

EEngineer - economics is clearly not your forte.

Debt in 8 years under bush went up 4.899 trillion. In LESS than 4 years under Obama it has gone up 5.027 Trillion. http://cnsnews.com/news/article/5-trillion-man-debt-has-increased-under-obama-502776147648456

Arguing over raising the debt ceiling is political football. You cannot support Obama when he resisted raising the Debt ceiling as a senator and then support Obama when he demands a debt ceiling increase while he is president.

As for Depression. Obama and company want to call it only a recession when they talk about what they are doing and call it a Depression when they talk about Bush. You cannot have it both ways.

From the article: At the close of business on Jan. 20, 2009, the day Obama was inaugurated, the federal government’s debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08,

You don't start counting the money Obama has added to the debt from the day he took office but from the day hes first budget started. CBS must know that... right?? Plus i don't see anywhere in the article mentioning the Bush 1.42 trillion deficit.

DB clearly telling the truth is not your forte.

Boehner - "Obama can't run on the economy."

Translation - "Obama, please don't run on the economy."

"The Ohio Republican tells CBS News that he and Obama were close to a deal to break the budget stalemate when Obama "lost his courage."

What a crock of crap! Boehner can't get any deals through because of the Teabaggers in Congress who won't do what Boehner tells them to do. We've seen this before -- Boehner cuts a deal with the POTUS, and the Teabaggers tell Boehner to go pound sand. Lying cry-baby Boehner!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Alex Cali, President Obama could spend a million trillion dollars and I would NOT care because President Obama spends our American Taxpayer Dollars IN the United States ON the American People in order to repair our economy and all the damage Republicans did during the Bush years and during Republicans' "culture of corruption".

Bush spent trillions and trillions of American Taxpayer dollars NONE of which were spent in the United States and NONE of which was spent on the American People, no, Bush just borrowed and spent like hell and then left us stuck with all the bills, then Bush crashed our eocnomy on his way out door!

Obama / Biden 2012

Romney - "Obama is engaging in a war on women."

Translation - "We GOP'ers have tried every way we can to defeat equal pay for women, eliminate access to birth control, outlaw abortion, take away daycare funding and other supports that let women work, and reduce voting by minority women by creating all sorts of voter ID requirements (but not, of course, for all those GOP voters who vote by absentee ballot). People are starting to grumble, so let's accuse Obama of doing it first. That way anybody blaming us just sounds like "you too!""

alex cali

The 2009 budget was still a Bush budget.

The National Debt as of 09/28/2001 = $5,807,463,412,200.06 ... as of his last budget year 09/30/2009 = $11,909,829,003,511.75 ... thats a little better than doubling it, or increasing by $6.1 Trillion

Obama took office January 20, 2009. So many of you accuse Bush of spending "Off the Books" but apparently you think that he does not know how to do that. What actually happened in 2009?

In fairness, however, Obama can’t rightly be held accountable for the 2009 budget, which he didn’t sign (although he did sign a $410 billion pork-laden omnibus spending bill for that year, which is nevertheless tallied in Bush’s column). Rather, Obama’s record to date should really be based on actual and projected spending in fiscal years 2010 and 2011 (plus the $265 billion portion of the economic “stimulus” package, which he initiated and signed, that was spent in 2009 (Table S-10), while Bush’s should be based on 2002-09 (with the exception of that same $265 billion, which was in no way part of the 2009 budgetary process).

http://startthinkingright.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/who-spent-more-average-bush-vs-average-obama-spending-per-day-proves-obama-most-reckless-and-irresponsible-ever/

If Obama has a "war on women", did Bush have a "war on men"?

http://www.factcheck.org/2012/04/obamas-war-on-women/

(This article from FactCheck.org includes a great chart on jobs)

By EVERY economic measure, the economy is doing MUCH better since when Obama took office.

The Repubs want Americans to believe that we are still in a recession (we are not) because it'll be good for their election prospects.

Can you imagine what would have happened if we had just continued Bush policies like McCain wanted to and Rpmney wants to return to?

Rick-312779

alex cali

The 2009 budget was still a Bush budget.

The National Debt as of 09/28/2001 = $5,807,463,412,200.06 ... as of his last budget year 09/30/2009 = $11,909,829,003,511.75 ... thats a little better than doubling it, or increasing by $6.1 Trillion

Obama took office January 20, 2009. So many of you accuse Bush of spending "Off the Books" but apparently you think that he does not know how to do that. What actually happened in 2009?

In fairness, however, Obama can’t rightly be held accountable for the 2009 budget, which he didn’t sign (although he did sign a $410 billion pork-laden omnibus spending bill for that year, which is nevertheless tallied in Bush’s column). Rather, Obama’s record to date should really be based on actual and projected spending in fiscal years 2010 and 2011 (plus the $265 billion portion of the economic “stimulus” package, which he initiated and signed, that was spent in 2009 (Table S-10), while Bush’s should be based on 2002-09 (with the exception of that same $265 billion, which was in no way part of the 2009 budgetary process).

http://startthinkingright.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/who-spent-more-average-bush-vs-average-obama-spending-per-day-proves-obama-most-reckless-and-irresponsible-ever/

Obama added 185 billion for ARRA in the 2009 budget. Can you please show how he spent 400 billion???

you do know that the war spending was being done trough appropriations? If you add that t the supposedly 410 billion spent then i think that's still Bush spending.

That website you provided is an opinion website there's no actual real facts.

Bush had requested 3.1 trillion in 09 budget. Tell me in real numbers when was the last time the budget actually reflected what was requested??? it has never happened and it always has been more than what was requested.

Like i said Bush is responsible for 3,330 of the 09 budget.

Boehner is taking a big risk - challenging Obama to run on the economy. The economy has improved dramatically since Obama was inaugurated. The stock market has recovered. Corporate profits are up. Banks are healthier. Trade balance has improved. The Federal tax burden on the economy has gone down. The number of bankruptcies are stabilizing. There has been consistent job growth.

Romney is running on the economy (I think. At least, that is what Romney says.) What are Romney's economic credentials? That he made money using vulture capitalism to game the system?

Are the Republicans really sure they want to compare Obama's economic record to Romney's record? Because Obama does have a record he can run on. What is Romney's record?

Boehner wants his campaign to be about anything except his lack of ability to control the Republican House. Boehner will be campaigning against Obama - and - certainly not campaigning on HIS record as Speaker of the House.

American Girl-724855

Alex Cali, President Obama could spend a million trillion dollars and I would NOT care because President Obama spends our American Taxpayer Dollars IN the United States ON the American People in order to repair our economy and all the damage Republicans did during the Bush years and during Republicans' "culture of corruption".

Bush spent trillions and trillions of American Taxpayer dollars NONE of which were spent in the United States and NONE of which was spent on the American People, no, Bush just borrowed and spent like hell and then left us stuck with all the bills, then Bush crashed our eocnomy on his way out door!

Obama / Biden 2012

agree!!

We..."Conservatives have no problem spending money,..."

Well if they're spending money like Democrats, they're not really conservatives are they.

Ever heard the term RINO? That is what the vast majority of people claiming to be Republicans are today.

Boehner is up for reelection, too. Boehner wants his campaign to be about anything expect HIS record as Speaker of the House. Boehner wants his campaign to be about Obama, Reid, Pelosi, the GSA, the Secret Service - anything except Boehner.

Kind of interesting that the Republicans do not have any positive record to support their own campaigns. The Republicans claim Obama blames Bush for everything - while they blame Obama for everything. Why is an 'it's Obama's fault' campaign any different than what the Republicans claim Obama has done?

The Republicans appear to like the word 'NO'. So give 'em plenty of NOs this NOvember. A Republican NOvember is the 'path to obscurity'.

I agree with rrobeson. The budget belongs to Congress, not the President. All presidents can run on is foreign affairs.

Alex - The article IS the correct way to look at it. Obama ADDED 1.1 Trillion in spending to the Bush signed budget. Ethically, you cannot hold Bush responsible for what HE did not okay or for that matter what he did not ask for either!

By calling Bush on the whole fiscal year, you are HIDING Obama and company spending to blame Bush.

This also doesn't include over $400 billion of spending the Democratic controlled congress ADDED to the Bush Proposed Fiscal budgets of 2008 and 2009.

So Really, Bush is really responsible for $4.5 Trillion in Deficits.

Can you be any more partisan?

Rick - I love the "off the books" charge. How the republicans wrote it was because the democrats would not let them put it in the regular budget because "it wasn't paid for".

It's hard to beat the Democrats political smarts. Everything is about setting up a negative issue to stick the Repbulicans with.

hs321 - Well, considering the Republican party is now the most conservative it's been in 100 years, if these are "RINO's", your "real Republicans" must be "tyrannosaurus rex" (and soon to be extinct as well).

Political Scientist: Republicans Most Conservative They've Been In 100 Years

DB Akron

Alex - The article IS the correct way to look at it. Obama ADDED 1.1 Trillion in spending to the Bush signed budget. Ethically, you cannot hold Bush responsible for what HE did not okay or for that matter what he did not ask for either!

By calling Bush on the whole fiscal year, you are HIDING Obama and company spending to blame Bush.

This also doesn't include over $400 billion of spending the Democratic controlled congress ADDED to the Bush Proposed Fiscal budgets of 2008 and 2009.

So Really, Bush is really responsible for $4.5 Trillion in Deficits.

Can you be any more partisan?

No way!!!!

Look at post 1.18 website. How does Obama add 1.1 trillion??? OMG!!!!! you cant be serious.

For Obama to add 1.1 trillion the Bush budget would have to have been 2.3 trillion and there's no way thats was Bush last budget.

Dude where are you getting your info from??

If im not mistaken you think Obama spent ARRA in hes first year? or the ominbus bill?

You are mistaken, ARRA will take ten years to be fully spent. can you please show the link to where you are the getting the 1.1 trillion?

Funny I advocate raising taxes on the rich too.

And I realize this will likely raise my taxes as well. I'm not rich but I'm fairly well off. I consider it my duty to help others get a leg up. It's what being American means.

Those to whom much is given much is expected.

Why do we even have to elect a democrat or a republican? Why the dichotomies? As a result of this look where we are today. Time to think out of the box

Mj.

Couldn't agree with you more. I'm a 1%'er myself and I also won't mind my taxes going up. In fact, most 1%'er's I know won't mind their taxes being increased. (Very publically - look at Buffet).

Polling wise, the people who are most against tax increases on the wealthy make between $100k to $250k per year (so any proposed tax increase that was on the table recently actually WON'T affect them at all). Above that the numbers turn around and people start being in favor of tax increases on the wealthy.

The problem is here the American Dream. People want to cover themselves IN CASE they win the lottery. They assume they'll end up being a 1%'er at some point in their life, which of course is not true for 99% of people (blinding flash of the obvious there...). It's not bad having ambitions but people actually VOTE on those - even though it may be completely against their own current economic interests at the current time.

e.g. Great example - by far the majority of people are against increasing the estate tax, yet it affects less than than 0.1% of families over their lifetime. But no, we need to abolish the estate tax because you THINK you're going to need to be taxed on it when you die. You should be so lucky.

Tax increases on the wealthy affects so few people that it should be a completely fringe voting block (let's say 0.5% of population actually gets affected AND care that they do). So nobody should actually be able to run on it. Yet, as we know it continues to be a massive wedge issue.

I don't know what we can do to fix this, except to raise my children to have realistic expectations in life.

Easy, Start with the stupid $850 Billion of stimulus that didn't work! How about the Billions in the GM & Chrysler that the Republican plan wouldn't have spent. How about the solydra money and all the other billions loaned to currently belly up "Green" energy ventures.

There is much, much more. I suggest you don't play golf with me. I'll know when you shoot 6, call 5, and write 4!

Let's all understand a few things;

The Economy of the United States is so big it has inertia. Something like the iceberg that sank the Titanic.

Once you get that iceberg rolling it is very difficult for it to change course. So keeping in mind inertia when the economy goes into a downward spiral as it did over the last several years of the Bush administration it takes 4-5 years for any corrective action to take place and be felt in any "normal" economic recovery. When we have people making money on artificial "bubbles" such as electronics or real estate that simply slows down the natural flow of the economic cycle.

The best possible thing for the Average American worker is a stable set of economic ground rules coupled with a dose of fairness that lasts not in 4 year cycles but in 20+ year cycles - possible if congress would do what is good for the nation not what is good for their own wallets and wallets of their puppet masters.

What I find funny is that the automotive rebound would have happened sooner or later as people may defer purchasing a new car but when ole Nellie won't turn over they have to buy a new car. The only thing the auto company loans did was to bridge the gap which would not have happened if the Union Workers had used a bit of common sense in their pension demands and some of the more stupid work rules.

TO: Alex cali who wrote:

"...2010 Obama budget 3.456 trillion

2011 Obama budget 3.603 trillion

2012 Obama budget 3.795 trillion..."

I thought Republicans' chief complaint is that President Obama never had a budget.

Obama / Biden 2012

DB Akron

Easy, Start with the stupid $850 Billion of stimulus that didn't work! How about the Billions in the GM & Chrysler that the Republican plan wouldn't have spent. How about the solydra money and all the other billions loaned to currently belly up "Green" energy ventures.

There is much, much more. I suggest you don't play golf with me. I'll know when you shoot 6, call 5, and write 4!

Do you actually know how to read and comprehend what im saying?? ARRA did not get spent fully in 2009... get that trough your head. Only 185 billion were spent for Arra in 09. THE REST IS A BUSH BUDGET!!!

Solyndra??? ok many green companies are failing, they cant compete with THE Chinese. But if you take a look at the whole picture only about 5 to 6 % is failing of the 42 billion Obama is spending for the department of energy.

play golf? dude i suggest you go and look at the AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT OF 09 and catch up on your reading. golf?

American Girl-724855

TO: Alex cali who wrote:

"...2010 Obama budget 3.456 trillion

2011 Obama budget 3.603 trillion

2012 Obama budget 3.795 trillion..."

I thought Republicans' chief complaint is that President Obama never had a budget.

Obama / Biden 2012

passing a budget means that both sides agree and they pass a budget. since the beginning of our country the founding fathers knew that passing a budget everyone would agree on was going to be difficult so they allowed for reconciliation bills to go trough.

American girl, im going to vote for Obama in 2012 but me posting here what Obama has spent all his time has nothing to do with me trying to make him look bad. what im saying is that many people on here claim that Obama has SPENT trillions of dollars since he came into office. My numbers prove that he has spent a trillion dollars. And all of it to help us the American people.

Criticism of the President from the guy who’s done every thing in his power to block any efforts to improve the economy. As usual Boehner stands before a microphone and lies through his teeth. The increasable thing about Republicans is their ability to repeat the same lies over and over again and do it with a straight face. It’s painfully obvious that not one Republican politician will ever speak the truth because if they did the American public would tar and feather every one of the two faced GOP jerks.

To DB,

It's the republicans who can't run on their economic record. Just because orange boy says Obama can't, doesn't make it so. Unlike your ilk, us Democrats remember under who's watch the economy tanked. We know that the Bush tax cuts, wars and depression are the cause of the national debt being out of control. We know the CBO stated that the deficit in the next decade is going to be 10T unless the Bush tax cuts are allowed to expire when the deficit would be 2.3T, less than the Iraq war, less than the 4T the president was willing to negotiate, less than the cost of the depression from GW Hoover. We know Boehner reneged on these negotiations with the president because of the tea party. We know the debt ceiling debacle was Republican inspired and did real damage to the economy. We know that millions are currently employed because the president had the courage to buck the Republican obstructionists, like Boehner. We know Norquist is a traitor and has the republicks under his thumb. We know the Republicks would never allow their lobbyists to contribute a dime from their Caymen accounts to the American people. We know tinkle down has not worked and indeed was never intended to work for the middle class.

Spin it all you want to but look at the facts:

1) Obama has borrowed more money in 3 years (over $5 Trillion) than ANY president did during their entire time in office (and, yes, that includes George W. Bush)

2) Unemployment rate (and the number of unemployed) INCREASED over the first 3+ years of the Obama administration.

3) Most unemployed for 26 weeks or more in nearly a century

4) Most on Food Stamps than any other time since the program has started

5) Most as a percentage of the population on Welfare in nearly 40 years (since early 70's)

6) Lowest amount of workers in the labor force in nearly 40's

7) Consumer and business confidence incredibly low

8) A Democrat Senate who hasn't even bothered to bring a budget up for vote since Obama has been elected.

9) Projected borrowing over the next 10 years ANOTHER $10 TRILLION!!

10) A president who has created divisiveness between white and black, rich and poor, men and women, business against labor, Republican against Democrat, Christian against non-Christian, and so on.

This president CANNOT run on his record so he must try to create distractions. Sorry, in 2008 the naive and uninformed fell for the "Hope and Change" and "no blue states and no red states but purple states" but they are not that stupid the second time around. This time only the incredibly naive and the incredibly uninformed will vote for Obama to keep his catastrophic policies another 4 years........

Bonehead is one of the biggest phonies in this Nation, John Boner has been accused of an affair with a lobbiest lisbeth lyons, so much for Boners family values !!!!!!!!!!

First consider the source. Boehner, run along and take the week off, hit the links and have another drink.

Everyone except the FOX Noise "true believers" know President Obama's record on the economy is way better than the Teapublicans who took this nation into the Great Depression to begin with, and then obstructed all efforts to improve conditions. The real question is, can Romney and his Bush advisers run on continuing Bush/GOP economics but even more "severely?" NO. The nation does not want a plutocrat at the helm, with the Teapublican oligarchy currently in congress, and GOP/TP autocrats running many of our states.

If voters want their votes to count and to have their voices heard, they must put an end to A.L.E.C., put an end to Citizen's United, and throw the Teapublicans out.

Seattle Indie

The economy got better after Barack Obama was elected.

Really? Procrustes, when you make a blanket statement like this you should offer some support for it. For example:

Has unemployment increased or decreased under Obama's watch?

Technically speaking, Obama entered during the worst part of the recession. To be exact, unemployment peaked at 10% under Obama's watch (not his fault, as stimulus didn't go into effect yet), and has since slid down to 8.2%. So technically, unemployment has decreased under Obama's watch.

Are there more chronically unemployed or less?

Less, considering that 3 million jobs have been created over the past 2 years and for the reasons stated above.

Are people becoming wealthier or poorer?

The middle class has seen it's wages gone down, both because of the economic slowdown and because over the past decade (including under Bush), income for the middle class has gone down. The wealthy, however, are still getting richer, probably because their profits are recovering substantially.

Has the rate of inflation gone up or down?

Has the price of gas went up or down?

I am not sure about the trajectory of inflation, but I think that it has mostly stayed constant at around 2%. As for the price of gas, Obama has no control over that (neither did Bush). Obama simply enacted policies to force the Iranians to stop their nuclear program (under pressure by Congress and Israel), frightening speculators with the threat of a war in the heart of the world's energy supply and pushing the price of gas higher. It would still be going up if the Republicans had their way with Iran.

Is deficit spending increasing or decreasing?

Deficit spending is decreasing, as the $1.4 trillion deficit for 2009 has shrunk to about $1.1 trillion in 2012.

Is the rate of economic growth reaching a level that could be considered "healthy" since Obama took office?

Well, considering that the economy went from hemorrhaging growth at -6% a year before Obama came to office to about 3% last year, I'd say yes. A healthy level of economic growth in my opinion is about 3% a year, with 4% being extremely good. Since we are expected to go at 2.5% this quarter, I would say that it is acceptable considering the economic headwinds here (partisan gridlock, oncoming fiscal hurdles) and abroad (Europe debt crisis, slowdown in China).

Please, enlighten me.

SI

Essentially, the economy is improving. Jobs are being created at a steady rate, unemployment is going down, and growth is returning. The only problem is that wages have to increase instead of being stagnant. The GOP cannot blame Obama because on their watch during the Bush administration wages for the middle class were still stagnant. Gas prices are plateauing but are still high because of tensions with Iran, and deficits are still high because of a lack of consensus in Congress that we need smart spending cuts AND tax increases, and all of that to be down in a way that does not derail the economic recovery.

OBAMA BIDEN 2012

ProBusiness, the problem with your comment is that you fail to mention that Obama came into the WORST RECESSION SINCE THE GREAT DEPRESSION. No other recession (including the Depression) is like this financial collapse. Not to mention the obstructionist GOP. So far, I think it's a godsend that we have come this far without going into a double-dip recession like in 1937...

OBAMA BIDEN 2012

Another story written by, and signed by "The Associated Press" Nobody else.

Who the heck is this man or woman "The Associated Press"?????

Do we question reporters and decide if we want to trust them anymore these days? Call me old fashioned but heck, I have to wonder, Is the news we read these days just a program and its all we need to be stimulated? I don't know about you guys but it bugs me when I can not hold a person reporting accountable.. It feels to much like a state ran media country.

Boehner, don't you have some spring cleaning to do, like putting a muzzle on Allen West and his double-down on McCarthyism (to raise more campaign funds)? Really? The Teapublican Party has come to this? Get control of your members, man, before you worry about what is going on across the aisle.

The Ohio Republican tells CBS News that he and Obama were close to a deal to break the budget stalemate when Obama "lost his courage."

Obama lost his courage???? It was Boehner who walked away. You righties are just ashamed that you gave up on a great deal because of your young and restless Tea Party masters!!!!!

OBAMA BIDEN 2012

As of March 2012, the National Debt has increased more during President Obama's three years and two months in office than it did during 8 years of the George W. Bush presidency. Debt rose $4.899 trillion during the two terms of the Bush presidency. It has now gone up $4.939 trillion since President Obama took office.

As of March 2012 the published unemployment rate is 8.2%. The real unemployment rate could be anywhere from 14 - 23% when factoring in those no longer on the unemployment roles, no longer looking for work, and those that have settled for part time labor just to get by.

Freshieee

Has unemployment increased or decreased under Obama's watch?

Nice try, but the correct answer is increased. Unemployment rate was actually 7.6% when Obama took office, it is now 8.2%.

Are there more chronically unemployed or less?

The correct answer is more. The labor force participation rate has dropped from 65.7% to 63.8% under Obama's watch. Clearly, if the size of the work force is shrinking relative to the population there are more people chronically unemployed. That is the problem using the U3 unemployment rate as it does not account for those who have become discouraged and are no longer seeking employment. It is also why you recently saw the U3 drop from 8.3% to 8.2%.

Are people becoming wealthier or poorer?

Poorer. The poverty rate (households making less than $22,314) has increased from 14.3% in 2009 to 15.1% in 2010 and an estimated 15.6% in 2011.

Has the rate of inflation gone up or down?

Technically up because in January of 2009 the inflation rate was 0%(really), and currently it's at 2.7%. 2.7% isn't bad considering we were seeing a rate close to 6% at the end of 2008. Still, if you told my wife that, she would laugh in your face. Given the current cost of gas and groceries I wouldn't blame her.

Is deficit spending increasing or decreasing?

C'mon, 5 trillion dollars in 3.5 years. What do you think?

Is the rate of economic growth reaching a level that could be considered "healthy" since Obama took office?

A "healthy" growth rate should be around 4%. Current estimates have it considerably lower than this at just above 2%.

Alex in Cali is LYING!

I have discussed the Bush 2009 budget with him before. I told him that the 2009 Bush budget DID NOT PASS!!!

I told him that THE DEMOCRATS instead passed a continuing resolution to fund the govt thru March 2009.

I told him that THE DEMOCRATS waited for Obama to be sworn in so they could do a budget together. They are still waiting. The pathetic attempts he has made were shot down 97-0 in the Senate and 414-0 in The House.

I provided him with links.

http://www.opencongress.org/wiki/Consolidated_Security,_Disaster_Assistance,_and_Continuing_Appropriations_Act_of_2008

I used to think the Fake Liberals here were incredibly stupid. Now I laugh when I see them demanding somebody prove something, when they know it was just proven to them 2 days ago on a different thread.

The Fake liberals are manipulative liars who think it is thier job to somehow alter the perception of the masses regarding the colossal failure of Obama.

Real Liberals want and end to the wars.

Real Liberals want freedom, NOT the NDAA, and certainly NOT the patriot act.

Real Liberals are HORRIFIED when The President has his "justice dept" issue a legal opinion stating that if The President decides to have you asassinated, that constitutes due process.

Real Liberals are sick of Obama saying he wont enforce the federal marijuana laws, and then sending in feds with machine guns to kick in the doors of medicinal clinics.

Real Liberals want to bring our troops home NOW, something Obama could do whenever he wants to.

Ron Paul 2012.

President Harry Truman 1948: “The Republicans … will try to make people believe that everything
the Government has done for the country is socialism. They will go to the people
and say: "Did you see that social security check you received the other day—you
thought that was good for you, didn't you? That's just too bad! That's nothing
in the world but socialism. Did you see that new flood control dam the
Government is building over there for the protection of your property?
Sorry—that's awful socialism! That new hospital that they are building is
socialism. Price supports, more socialism for the farmers! Minimum wage laws?
Socialism for labor! Socialism is bad for you, my friend. Everybody knows that.
And here you are, with your new car, and your home, and better opportunities for
the kids, and a television set—you are just surrounded by socialism! Now the
Republicans say, ‘That's a terrible thing, my friend, and the only way out of
this sinkhole of socialism is to vote for the Republican ticket.’"The republicanCrimeCartel has been doing exploitation of Americans for 64 Years Now. DO NOT VOTE Republican; as a vote for ANY republican is a vote against Your and Your Family's WellBeing, Like asking Dracula, romney, to guard our BloodBanks.

Like a true alcoholic, Boehner doesn't remember what the economy was when Obama took office. the loss of blood from all of the knives in the back placed by Eric "sneaky boy" Cantor are sapping the speaker's somewhat diluted strength.

First of all dik - name calling seems to be your millieu - however since you have nothing but that - I ask you - when is the National Inquirer going to release the names of Boehner's girl friends? I understand one is a lobbyist - the other is an aide

Looks like he's following in the Newt's footsteps

Hidy Ho - no wonder Cantor has him by the cajones - blackmail is a wonderful thing don't you think?

Google - Who is Bohner's girlfriend? I love it - where is Mrs Boehner or doesn't she care?

1) Consider the source.. Boehner? Seriously? He lost relevance long ago. His "jobs" mantra of the last 4 years in baseless and only a front for his real personal goal of... of... getting reelected.

2) Whether or not the economy is recovering "good enough" is complete OPINION. The facts are that it IS recovering... but enough? Opinion. Debatable.

3) Most of us have serious issues with going back to a time greed and lax and underfunded regulators and auditors... which is exactly what killed the economy in the first place... and what Boehner and the GOP represents.

4) NOBODY has a lock on economic performance... the "I know how to run a company" coming from Mitt actually makes some of us "corporate experienced" skeptics throw-up. The business model of late excludes people from consideration in favor of short term results. And venture capitalists are known more for the "illusion" of success in order to artificially pump up the value of a company for sale. I don't think Mitt "cares" enough to be president.

Personally, I would rather the devil I know given the risk of the devil I see coming. Steady growth with an eye on the poor and the middle class is EXACTLY what's needed. And I just don't see Romney in that picture.

Remember the GOP... unbridled wall street... unregulated and unaudited big business... big oil run a muck... an under funded and dysfunctional (yes, it could be worse) government... tax cuts for the rich... support cuts for those in need... "cowboy" foreign relations... and the "illusion" of success trumps a healthy and viable society.

The devil I know is looking pretty good at the moment.

EEngineer - economics is clearly not your forte.

Debt in 8 years under bush went up 4.899 trillion. In LESS than 4 years under Obama it has gone up 5.027 Trillion. http://cnsnews.com/news/article/5-trillion-man-debt-has-increased-under-obama-502776147648456

That article is a bunch of BS as it lumps Bush spending into Obama spending. It starts counting on Jan 20th, 2009, which of course is the DAY Obama took over but NOT the day that Obama SPENDING took over. The fiscal budget for 2009 (the one with the $1.4T deficit) was a BUSH budget!!

Go learn how fiscal years work and come back to us....

Easy, Start with the stupid $850 Billion of stimulus that didn't work!

/palmface

You really need to learn how budgets work...

1) Obama has borrowed more money in 3 years (over $5 Trillion) than ANY president did during their entire time in office (and, yes, that includes George W. Bush)

false

Well, John of Orange, it's kind of hard to fix the economy when you and your teabagging brethren do everything in your power to prevent our economy moving forward. A great thing to start with is repairing our dismal infrastructure. I mean, it's not like it will create jobs and pump consumer spending up in order to move the economy forward. No, it's much easier to piss, moan, whine, stamp your feet and hold your breath while presenting absolutely nothing in terms of an alternative plan. Oh. Wait. John of Orange and his teabagging brethren just want to cut taxes for the "job creators" while pulling the rug under those who aren't "job creators." That'll stimulate the economy! Oh. Wait. The "job creators" have enjoyed 10+ years of tax cuts but have been hording their cash instead of ... creating jobs.

It's infinitely more important to wage a war against women then we can cowardly and lamely project the war we created onto President Obama! It's more important to pull the safety net out from millions of Americans then we can hide behind mommy's skirt and blame Obama! It's our JOB to destroy the middle class and working poor! Let's help the bumbling fool Dumbya McFlightsuit keep two wars and tax cuts off the books and then feign innocence when President Obama does the RIGHT thing and ... puts the costs on the books! Then we can fake outrage and claim that the deficit's the black guys fault ... @!$%#ing GENIUS!

Well, I think the Weeper of the House should just knock back another bottle of scotch while trolling the golf course, thinking of other ways he and his teabagging brethren can block further efforts to get this country moving again. I mean, their priority isn't moving forward ... as they've publicly stated, ad nauseum, that their priority is making President Obama a one term president. @!$%# the masses! Let them slip further into poverty while we can watch the carnage from the ivory towers of our wealthy masters! As long as Obama's a one term president, who gives a rats ass about the state of the country!

vfeinstein,

Well said!

ProBusiness:

A president who has created divisiveness between white and black, rich and poor, men and women, business against labor, Republican against Democrat, Christian against non-Christian, and so on.

People create divisions among themselves--take some responsibility, for Heaven's sake. If the President did anything, it was to get the people on the losing ends of those divisions to realize that the divisions were there and that they shouldn't be okay with that.

Alil Common Sense,

I'm almost there with you on Ron Paul, but then you have to add one point:

"Real Liberals don't want to tell women what to do with their own bodies."

Now I know you couldn't be in the Republican race this years if you weren't running on a platform of setting back women's rights by 40 years. But if he did and actually broke rank and file there, I would have seriously considered him as a candidate.

Pitty. It would have been so nice seeing 2 candidates running purely on the merits of big government vs. small government (which is what it SHOULD be about) as opposed to civil liberties vs. religious dogma.

Alil Common Sense-

Not all of us liberals are a fan of legalizing marijuana. Or opposed to the Justice Department approving the killing of Anwar al-Awlaki, who in my opinion either renounced his citizenship or used it to evade death.

Obama was not a colossal failure. He fixed a lot of things; the auto industry, the economy, the war in Iraq. He also made some great reforms for healthcare. Real liberals know that he is not a failure; that he did succeed in many areas. Go ahead and spout the logic of Ron Paul, the guy who promises prosperity but will destroy this nation with his insane policies if elected. Just keep your insults to a minimum, and stop sputtering lies. Alright???

OBAMA BIDEN 2012

TO: dikdialook who wrote:

"american girl sounds like a dumb brainwashed bitch to me..."

Wrong! I am NOT Republican!

Only Republicans have to "brainwash" their followers and use "talking points" and "mantras".

Liberals are people who care about things like clean air and water, global warming, and brotherly love.

We liberals don't have any need for hate speech or threats towards people who disagree, but we do make an effort to correct wrongheaded thinking, and/or not thinking at all.

Obama / Biden 2012

Thank you! Came here specifically to point out that the only "courage" Obama might have lost was in the form of any faith he might have had that Boehner and his colleagues on the right might actually work with him last summer for the betterment of the nation instead of playing politics. Alas, the Republicans in congress decided they would rather spit in the President's face in a misguided effort to try and bolster their own reelection chances by denying Obama a perceived "victory" than uphold the oaths they took to do their jobs. Boehner was even embarrassed by his colleagues, who effectively pulled the rug out from under him just when he seemed to be doing an effective job. Had they gotten something -- ANYTHING -- done, they could have shed the "do-nothing" label and the all-too-appropriate "party of 'no'" moniker. I guess we'll see what that gets them in a little under 7 months...

@Tony_Baloney,

Boy do you know the real account of events - You are spot F-n ON! Awesome job.

Could not have said it better myself.

Sober up John, do you think the GOP can run on their economic record? If the American Voter can remember it was you guys that CRASHED the economy under Bush and Dick.

WHAT A CROCK OF CRAP INDEED!!

You liberals lie and spin constantly.

I personally believe the taking of a human life in any other situation other than self defense is murder. You @!$%#s could care less. We could make it law that everyone adopt my Christian views as far as birth control is concerned but you hypocrites not only deny my Christian views but employ activist judges to take them away from me. That way you cannot only deny my first amendment rights but you can force you eugenicist methods on an unsuspecting population in order to reduce populations of certain people YOU find to be undesirable.

If any group is denying women's health it would be the President and the democrats for withholding funds from state health care programs because they won't support the liberal democrat's agenda.

What got us into this economic mess were policies put in place by democrats and democrats resisted any effort to fix them during the Bush administration.

And before you ask......Yes, I do have links to back all this up but apparently most of you liberals are too dumb to understand the information provided in those links.

As far as Boenher walking away from a 4Trillion deal. It was Obama that waffled out of it by asking for more money after the deal was done.

Stop with the religion rick.............just a "tad" off topic.

Rick, I'd ask you for the links, but I have seen all of them before. Then when I shoot them down because you only give one half the story from RNC talking points at best or fiction from Rush, Fox News, Koch brothers, and Carl Rove you won't believe it anyway. So why bother?

To the question at hand, Democratic policies, economic or otherwise, stand up favorably to the Republican agenda. Romney promises to double down on the Bush policies. Then, who knows what Romney will do, he may pleasantly surprise you, but I doubt it.

"House Speaker John Boehner says President Barack Obama can't run for re-election on his economic record..."

And Boehner can't run on his integrity or honesty. He and Cantor are the laughing stock of congress. embarrassment to our government.

Not suprisingly most don't take time to fully research issues. Clinton had dot com boom (no stopping the economy), Bush had 9/11 (takes cuts pulledus out), Housing bust that was implemented under Clinton during economic boom. Everyone is to blame for ths mess. Obama can't look in the mirror and say he has madethings better in anyway.

Facts Republicans Hate:

• Job losses per month in January 2008: 700,000
• Job gains last month: 120,000
• 25 straight months of private sector gob growth
• GDP growth in 2008: negative 6%
• GDP growth last year 2.9%
• Dow Jones Average in January 2008: Under 8000
• Dow Jones Average today: 13,000+
• Record domestic oil production
• GM – all time record profits
• Near record corporate profits across the board

You are on the ball. Love it

Please.....the man is a hopeless alcoholic and a buffoon not to mention a terrible liar (watch the twitchy lip). Boehner, take a hike, boy, let the grown-ups work......

Looks like Boner is on that Moonshine again !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think He just got in line with the rest of the LIEING Republicans. Does he think the American people have already forgotten that HE the speaker of the House could not get the House Republicans to do anything except say NO OBAMA.

What a lier.

Boehner's close on this, the President can't run on Boehner and the GOP Congress's economic record. The one that tried to subvert the recovery and block the legislative process from working. The one that went negative and produced nothing. The Boehner economic record that couldn't even find consistency within his own party. Yet, in spite of Boehner and the GOP, Obama made incredible progress on jobs, the economy, reforms, terrorism, and ending the wars. The improved economy is only one part of this Administration's many accomplishments. Boehner and the GOP are mired in false rhetoric and voter alienation and it is destroying their image and their party. They are going to lose in 2012, count on it.

As is the normal republican tactic, "my problems are your problems," or, "I'm rubber, you're glue." The only ones that can't run on the economy are the people that tanked it: that's right, the GOP/Ayn "I get mine, screw you," Rand party.

The president did such a good job averting a depression, that we didn't get the populist anger that we needed to get real regulations back in place. Now, we'll have to go through another one before anything gets fixed.

In fact, the only thing the GOP can run on is, "we know how to destroy the economy, and delay a recovery." That's a pretty weak platform, but that's what they did, so that's what they have.

Instead, of course, they will run on their usual combination of dividing Americans, creating fear, stoking anger, pandering to bigots, and, the big one, an ocean sized stream of outright lies.

Nothing has changed, except that the GOP has finally pissed of the people that really count: women.

The hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world. Just like it always has.

Hey Tan Man -- what's YOUR economic record? You and your teatard buddies ran on jobs, jobs, jobs but haven't managed to pass a single jobs bill in the House.

Exactly.... Since when did the Speakers only job become criticising the president. This is the one and only thing that this guy does well, so he just keeps doing it. What gets me is that there are people that actually listen to this guy. Has everyone just forgotten that Congressional Leadership is what gets things done. I wish they were all up for election right now!!!! Just like in business, you have to increase revenue, you can't just cut your way out of a decline. Every one that signed that tax pledge violated the oath of office by entering into an agreement that limits their ability to govern.

funnystuff888

Hey John, hows the american car industry?

Well, under Obama, one (Chrysler) is now Italian and one (General Motors) no longer exists.

Hey John, how many jobs have you created since becoming speaker?

About 1.8 million since he became Speaker.

Hey John, what is congresses approval rating?

According to pollingreport, Republican congress members are rated higher than Democratic congress members.

@armurray

Are you out your F-n Mind?

Really Jon created 1.8 million jobs by not governing, his own party pull the orange off his face and told him hell NO YOU CAN'T to a 4Trillion Dollar debt deal with President Obama.

Go on your spin machine FOX EXTREME NEWS and talk that trash to someone who's stupid which is all of FIX NEWS watchers, that includes you bone head.

funnystuff888

If you would get your head out of your arse long enough to just look around you would have an answer to your questions

Solutions, Republcans like cry-baby Boehner and his followers HAVE to lie like cowards, because otherwise it would be called "treason".

If Republicans lived in any other country in the world and crashed and sabotaged the economy of an entire country they way they have ours, they'd be dealt with very harshly, and I don't mean sent to bed without dinner.

Obama / Biden 2021

If Obama was leader in another country he would be out on his ear by now.

TO: alan_static who wrote:

"The dems do spend it on helping those in need, they don't really spend it on infrastructure. We have the worst roads, bridges, rail in the industrial world..."

Republicans blocked spending on infrastructure.

Republicans promised that they would do everything in their power to make America and the American People fail, which has stalled our economy.

So everytime you hit a pothole that makes you think you're going to blow a tire or damage your car, you can thank a Republican for voting against infrastructure spending.

Obama / Biden 2012

TO: Rick-312779 who wrote:

"If Obama was leader in another country he would be out on his ear by now."

Wrong! All you have to do is look at how Democrat President Bill Clinton is loved and welcome all over the world.

But we did see what other countries think about Republican George W. Bush when a guy in the audience took off both of his shoes and threw BOTH of his shoes at Bush's face!

Big difference between Democrats who are loved and welcome all over the world, and Republicans who are cussed at and have shoes thrown at them. Uh huh.

Obama / Biden 2012

Did you know a military grade satellite-under cover of FBI investigations-destroys citizens by manipulating their health without the target even knowing and sometimes using the same program the FBI can use a series of perfectly synchronized investigative pretexts to derail the target from employment, relationships, friends, ect also usually without the target ever knowing it where war time powers are concealed within the safety of national security investigations...

If that statement were to be true, what do you think the public's reaction to it should be?

Bonehead can care less about his own State of Ohio !!!

the republican party does not appeal to half the country

thank you captain obvious, that half would be called democrats and independents who lean democrat, the real question is who can pull more of the true independents since the two partisan sides are already spoken for, right now it is Romney, according to the latest gallup poll, where he has a 4% advantage over Obama, now 4% is basically a tie in polling terms, so anyone who says for sure they no how this election will turn out is either a liar or a fool, or both.

Boner and his buddies, the tea tards did everything in their power in Sabotaging this country, if anything they should be put in jail !

Lol...in your dreams.

In the bizarro world of FAUX Noise and the GOP where every statement made is opposite of fact I suppose your comment is true. Have fun in the land of delusion sparky....

The world of FIX NEW EXTREME Boozoos is out today.

If that's all you can contribute to the conversation you might as well wait for Nov and vote for Romney Noodle and shut your pie hole.

The only good BoneHead 'The Weeper of the House' does is increase the need for towels! Talk about cry me a river, this incompetent legislator could cry an ocean. Of course that's good, cause he needs the tears to put out his pants on fire! Wouldn't it be nice if Mitt chose him for VP, or better yet how 'bout obstructionist Mitch McConnell!

You and Romney Noodle are the real losers.

Mr I can fix the economy because its my turn - F-n Loser Who says that Sh!T? Only an arrogant loser who hate poor people. Which is all of the republican party but what that forget is poor people vote too and they at a 10 to 1 ratio. Try to win the election on those odds. Loser Can't wait for Nov

better get used to him Dean, he's going to be your president for another 4 yrs

You want to be really frightened - "the Mittens" want to nominate Bork for a Supreme Court Judge - yes'sir the same Bork who sided with corporations to sterilize women or fire them - if they refused to abide by the corporations demands

The same Bork who thinks the First Amendment does not pertain to Corporations -

Think - the next President if Romney will turn this country into something you never imagined when only corporations rule your lives - as if not now and it will be worse

Anyone who believe corporations are people too,need to take another look at Mitt Romney.As a citizen of this beautiful country where everyone has the opportunity to prosper or settle for less but comfortable.People who drafted the constitution may be all white,caucasian,but may have a vision for this country as we called it America today.these people are visionaries, and pioneers. With their unselfishness, these people knew that in the future some day there are people like Mitt Romney, and Republican GOP who will attempt to turn this beautiful God country into a Marxist regime.This is why they drafted the constitution in the way they did where no corporation can just step in and take over.Why for the these past 10,20, years the politicians both republicans, and some democrats were pushing some of these amendments to empower corporations......Barbara,you're right.

The economy is coming back due to the Bush tax cuts. Only smart thing that Obama has done is to renew them after they expired in December, 2010

Another supply sider speaks. Extending tax cuts stimulate demand and jobs. It is not even close to being the most efficient. Most of the dollars were saved or spent on imported products. Allowing the government to spend the money on repairing and building infrastructure would be far more efficient in creating American jobs. Why can't the supply siders realize that there is not a business man in the country who will create a job when there is no demand for the product?

The sooner the supply siders realize the supply side, trickle down, VOODOO theory of economics is a failure and has been for over 40 years, the sooner we can work for sane policies to create a vibrant economy.

Are you freakin kidding me Rick??? You are trying to "rick roll" us....right???? Hahahaha...

Hey Rick, thanks for agreeing the economy is coming back!!

Obama/Biden 2012

Rick-312779

The economy is coming back due to the Bush tax cuts. Only smart thing that Obama has done is to renew them after they expired in December, 2010

Ha. It was the stimulus that got the ball rolling, not the tax cuts. Ask any economist, Rick Roll.

OBAMA BIDEN 2012

Allowing the government to spend the money on repairing and building infrastructure would be far more efficient in creating American jobs.

1.Until the roads are fixed and the infrastructure is built in which case all that would be left is the maintenance jobs which would be a tiny fraction of the jobs needed to keep up with the new entrees into the work force. And would still require more federal spending when we are already running massive deficiets, so where does the money come from?

2.Obviously Obama felt that the tax cuts would help the economy or else he would have opposed them, wouldnt he? Obama knew his stimulus might get the ball rolling but without the tax cuts it would soon come to a stop again, the stimulus is like pushing the rock, tax cuts and stimulus is like pushing the rock at the top of a hill. the rock wont move by itself, but just pushing it once wont keep it moving unless some other force takes over.

Hey Rick - I guess you missed Willard sitting down with HAND PICKED Republicans at the picnic bench - when they said THE STIMULUS WORKED - but since it stopped - they would opt for AN INCREASE IN TAXES

Did you ever learn to hear- read - comprehend - or are you deaf - dumb and blind?

Sorry for shouting - but I have to assume you're hearing aid is not working!

JackofSpades:

You are correct, spending on infrastructure only creates short term jobs. What you fail to realize are that infrastructure spending and tax cuts are short term solutions to short term problems. Both should be used in a time of recession to stimulate the economy and stop the recessionary spiral to the bottom. The infrastructure improvement also has the benefit of making the economy, as a whole, more efficient thus leading to longer term employment. But alas, politicians refuse to consider solutions that can't be converted into votes in their next campaign.

Your second point is where we differ. As I said tax cuts are a short term solution. You would be more correct in assuming that the President knew that. The previous President knew this otherwise the legislation would not have a sunset clause and if he didn't then it was just a cheap political ploy to make the next President raise taxes.

Cutting taxes has been proven not to create jobs for the long term. It does create long term debt. I know you won't believe this because it doesn't follow the conservative meme. Reagan and Bush both cut taxes and presided over the biggest deficits since WWII. With the tax cuts also came increased debt. Both parties are standing firm in their positions. Democrats for the working class, Republicans for the upperclass.

US taxes are the lowest as a percentage of GDP since Eisenhower. Do you feel that taxes are too high? Could it be that there has been a slow and gradual shift of the tax burden from the wealthy to the working class? Could it be that the working class is feeling the pinch of an economy, for the last 40 years that has given us actual declines in median income while those at the top took all of the gains in productivity?

Supply side, trickle down theory does not work or as George HW Bush called it VOODOO economics. The last 40 years has proven it. It is time for the people who reaped all the benefits in productivity to start paying higher wages or start paying their fair share of the taxes.

Fact: you're full of crap and even though you have a right to an opinion, you don't have a right to your own set of facts or to misconstrue facts. Only on FOX Noise is that permissible.

drano - you try hard, you truly do, but come up empty here. You are intellectually lazy.

At least I try rather than simply spew the opinions of FOX and Limbaugh. btw... if the GOP has it's way that "extraordinary one time event" would become ordinary. You idiots on the right learn nothing from our experiences. Like Obama said, you cling to religion, guns and apparently stupidity.

You cannot refute so you denigrate. My opinions are my own. I read - do you? Short answer: doubtful.

...but it does not erase the fact thatObama in 3 years has created more national debt than all 8 of the Bush years.

I call BS! The numbers are clear. Find them here.

Bush inherited a national debt of $5.7T in 2000. The last budget he signed for 2009 (with a record $2T deficit) raised the national debt to $11.9T! An increase of $6.2T over 8 years.

Obama inherited a national debt of $11.9T ( the 2009 budget was signed by Bush, he had no control over the budget until Oct, 2009). The current national debt is $15.6T. That's an increase of $3.7T, nowhere near dubya's record!

Facts are stubborn things - and mostly ignored by Republicans seeking to regain power when they have already proven they aren't worthy of it!

That economic expansion your talking about Rebelwcause was mostly due the banking and mortgage bubble that collapsed near the end of GWB's last term!

@rebelwcause

@EEngineer

That is nice of you to forget 8 years of bush - the worse terrorist attack in history - went to war in Afgan - Manufactured a war in Iraq - Gave Paulson a check for 790 Billion Dollars based on a 3 page memo, because the greedy banking and financial industries collapsed out economy - Gave the rich 4.3 Trillion Dollars in tax cuts - Medicare Part D ---------- Which NONE OF IT WAS PAID FOR.

Then we elect President Obama and you claim after 1 day in office he destroyed the economy.

OH REALLY ?

EEngineer has a short circuit in his cranium.

One of the things I most enjoy about Newsvine is the liberals posting well thought out observations backed up with links to references. I reall like it that liberals do not indulge in petty name calling.

Keep on keeping on liberals so we know how educated you all are. (<_<)

rebelwcause

This is an excerpt from an article I read a while back. It has been addressed in several articles I have read over time. I will paste it here along with a link to the entire article.

In fairness, however, Obama can’t rightly be held accountable for the 2009 budget, which he didn’t sign (although he did sign a $410 billion pork-laden omnibus spending bill for that year, which is nevertheless tallied in Bush’s column). Rather, Obama’s record to date should really be based on actual and projected spending in fiscal years 2010 and 2011 (plus the $265 billion portion of the economic “stimulus” package, which he initiated and signed, that was spent in 2009 (Table S-10), while Bush’s should be based on 2002-09 (with the exception of that same $265 billion, which was in no way part of the 2009 budgetary process).

http://startthinkingright.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/who-spent-more-average-bush-vs-average-obama-spending-per-day-proves-obama-most-reckless-and-irresponsible-ever/

Grow up little ricky. Name calling isn't exclusive to the libs and you damned well know it. Word press???? Hahahahaha........

Okay,

For you debt conscious Republicks. The CBO projected deficit for the next ten years is 10 Trilliion dollars. However, letting the Bush tax cuts expire would reduce this to 2.3 Trillion. This proves the debt was the RESULT of the cuts, unfunded part D, unpaid for wars, and the closest thing to Hoover since Hoover. (this all ended badly for Republicks the last time in 29, they didn't get the confidence of the American people for what fifty years)

This was the economy. This was the tanked economy on Republick koolaid. ssssssssssssizzle. The only thing "conservatives" want to conserve is upper class privilege and tinkle down economics.

The Republican House derailed his policies and not the man. Obama has saved nothing - he has accumulated more debt in 3 years than all 8 of the Bush years.

Which again begs the question - what has Obama saved? Why has unemployment risen on his watch? Why have 10M more peoples entered the ugly category of poor? Why are more people now, more than at any time in our history, forced to use food stamps to survive?

Because his policies of govt. mgmt. of the economy do not work. Nor does increasing public sector jobs to affectuate that policy. Period.

rebelwcause: try spewing your garbage to an autoworker and catch their reaction. Unemployment rose due to the Bush administration, everyone knows that a new presidents policies don't have any effect in his first days in office, unemployment has since started to decline and the economy has started regaining strength, despite the treasonous actions of the GOP to obstruct him at every turn. Go back to sleep!

Look up Bush's unemployment numbers up to a one-time extraordinary event in Sept. '08 and get back to me - don't eat any drano first. It has an adverse impact on the mind.

Autoworkers would have survived just fine whther Obama bailed them out (which he did purely as a political matter i.e. buy Union votes) or if they had reorganized in Chapter 11.

I might ask you to inquire to the 500+ delaers that were closed by Obama's govt. mgmt. team at GM and Chrysler how they feel about Obama.

One time extraordinary event??? Are you serious? Who...pray tell caused the event? Oh yeah...it must have been President Clinton's fault right? Uggggggggggggh.......you cons. if nothing else are consistent in trying to dodge the bullet on behalf of your Bush the Beloved.

TO: Mr. Quinn who wrote:

"John you look like the lies are starting to wear you down pretty bad, defending lies to try and hurt a President and team who actually saved us when your guys wanted us to hit rock bottom. Yeah the lies have become confusion and you guys can't keep up with all of them. You say the President can't run on his economic record? Sure he can its like this you gave him all the help he needed when you did nothing to help but try and derail him and derailing the country at the same time. You sounded so reluctant to endorse Mittens, but its your own fault that he is what you ended up with. You guys were so focused on the President when everyone should have been focused on the United States of America. Hey John..... Obama 2012 baby!!!!"

Amen!

Obama / Biden 2012

eggberta - the banking collapse of Sep. '08 happened on whose watch? Who was responsible for oversight power of that sector? And had the power to affect change when trouble was identified if that oversight was accomplished satisfactorally?

That would be U.S. Rep Barney Frank and Sen. Chris Dodd who were respectively chairmen of the Banking Committees.

Fact: Bush's #2 at Treasury visited these two as ranking minority members of their committees in 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2007 re: credit requirements need to be tightened at Fannie and Freddie because they are holding too many high-risk loans in their portfolios.

Bush's #2 was verbally abused by Frank and Dodd simply felt he was trying to "keep people who otherwise could not afford a home from home ownership".

The facts are in writing. Look it up.

That's exactly what they do. If Romney makes it into office they'll be some new disease, virus, plague that's going to kill us all. They love scaring Americans into thinking they're looking out for us. Then they'll say there is a miracle drug which is convenient made by their biggest donors company. Sound about right?

rebel - and you really are the village idiot. Go back to FOX and bond with your inbred brothers....

Republican JOBS JOBS JOBS turned in to VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA. Watch those VAGINAS come and vote the perverts out in November.

CANT WAIT.

You wish, Alina. But a 54% plurality of single and head of household women for Obama surely will not accomplish your goal.

Nor will Obama's 42% approval rating.

Rebel, it won't just be those Americans voting for Obama this time. I've talked with plenty of fed up Republicans who have told me that their party has left them behind for the extremist elements and that they WILL be voting for Obama this election season! One lady in particular is a 91 yo lifelong Repub who told me she just didn't recognize her party any longer!

What is Romney's approval rating... Oh.. in the mid 30's.. and what is his approval rating with women?? probably in the single digits.. i could talk about all other non rich white male groups but i think you get the point... if you dont, what i mean to say is this will be a bigger blow out in November than what the Rangers did to my Redsox last night..

Nor will Obama's 42% approval rating.

Typical GOP spin....Obama's approval rating is 47%, it was 42% in Dec, but hey Rebel, don't let facts get in the way of that sponge you call a brain and the single digit IQ it provides you. Like I said before, slither on over back to FOX or Limbaugh where 2 + 4 = whatever is convenient and stupidity is the norm. btw, Obama's 47% approval rating today is much better than the GOP alternative Willard.

drano brain -

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking_poll

Rasmussen has proved to be the most accurate pollster over the last two election cycles whether it is a Democrat or Republican that is the subject.

Obama is at 42% today April 18. If he remains in that real estate no way he can possibly win in November. Nor should he considering how foreclosure rates have skyrocketed his 3 years in office.

But this country is better off now then when President Obama took office and that is fact.

Yankee Boy-957719

Hey! The economy has added more jobs after the republicans took over the house even with all the obstructionism from Reid and the Senate. At least Obama was smart enough to renew the Bush tax cuts.

Rick thanks for pointing out how President Obamas policies started changing things around until the GOP was elected to the house and refused to do anything , they even wanted to shut down the govt. So pointing out how the first 2 yrs made a difference.

Rassmeussen?? Are you serious? Most right slanted polling in the country..but nice try. Valiant effort but "fail"!!! Rebel...................

eggberta, how about a little gallup for you then? Or is that too another right slanted polling place?

48% to 44% in favor of Romeny in a trial heat, which is basically a tie given the margin of error

47% approval rating for Obama, which is no where near high enough to ensure a victory, all the signs say this election is right now a toss up, anyone who says otherwise is engaging in wishful thinking.

Sorry Rick - you are one sick puppy - need a Vet check as if that would help

But what would help is just go away and hunt some rabbits - you add nothing to these discussions - just same old same old - how tiresome you are - YAWN!

Poor boring old Rick - needs to read or most of all apply for a passport - the Euro is really low now - they say travel broadens one - get out and travel - get out of your rut - then come back and post

Until then you're nothing but a bore!

Jack - thats with white men.

Dont forget about women, latinos and African Americans which the GOP has attacked at every step of the primary.

The Gallop also said that Obama/Mccain was 45/42 and we know how that turned out. Blowout.

what are you talking about pissedoff? No where in the gallup poll does it say the sample is of white men only, if it were Romney's numbers would be much much higher, and the 2008 election came out 52/45 in the popular vote, the blowout was it the electoral collage because Obama edge McCain in several battleground states so gallup was still pretty close in terms of the popular vote.

At the beginning of President Obama's first term, Republican Mitch McConnell stood up in the well of Congress and announced to America and the world that the Republican Party would do EVERYTHING in their power to see to it that Mr. Obama was a "One Term President." I submit to you that in their effort to do so, the Republican Party has since worked overtime seeing to it that everybody BUT the wealthiest 1% of Americans got thrown under the bus. How, exactly, is this President then supposed to get ANYTHING done with roughly half of Congress actively working to defeat him and anything HE proposes?

Then there's this: During the first term of George W. Bush, the first year he was in office Democrats regularly "crossed the aisle" to help President Bush pass initial legislation that he deemed important, in a show of Bipartisan cooperation. And what did President Obama get during HIS first year in office, from the REPUBLICAN side of the aisle? That's right: ZIP, ZILCH, NADA. And that's not my opinion, that is a fact of historical record. Go look it up.

Deflecting? Try reflecting on the abject failure of this current Presidency.

While President Obama has the power to propose, it's CONGRESS that actually disposes. And this Congress flat refuses to do ANYTHING that might (God forbid it) actually HELP the American People. Reflect on THAT. And I noticed you conveniently ignored my talking points, btw, and that's fine by me. I'm done with this conversation now. Your mind isn't just closed, it's nailed shut. Go back to sleep.

Diogenes47

I would suggest that you not look in the mirror because you are not going to find an honest man there.

Obama's first year in office was overshadowed by his ramming down our throats legislation that the country did not want. Those across the aisle got "We Won" and "You need to move to the back of the bus".

Ronald Reagan worked with a democrat congress and got the country to going pretty good. Bill Clinton worked with a republican congress his second term and the country experienced the first budget surplus in decades.

So now Obama comes along, nothing gets done and suddenly it is the republican's fault? You are going to have to come up with something better than that.

"Leaders do not strive for consensus, true Leaders mold consensus."MLK BHO is an abject failure as a leader.

At least those on the poverty rolls are alive. Better than thousands of young men and women that Bush the Butcher sent off to a war of choice. Right dahly????

Yes that last Ryan budget was a real winner, even the Catholics Bishops say it failed 'the moral test'. Of course as usual with his so-called budgets, it was all for the 1%.

Hard to get much done with the party of NO hangin around.

Hope wilson?? Nope. But if that's all ya got..I feel for you. Mitt the Twit..fail. Or is it flip flop..or etch a sketch....or is he cat scratch feverish?? You get the picture................

STILL blaming Bush?? When does it become Obama's economy??

Of course we are still blaming the moron who caused the problem. We are also blaming the other Republicans who caused the debt. Reagan, Bush 1 and Bush 2 combined to incur $9 Trillion in debt. The GW took a balanced budget, a budget surplus and a thriving economy and turned it into the worst economic disaster in nearly 100 years.

The additional debt incurred by Obama was necessary to stave off the George W Bush Depression.

Now Republicans are doing everything they can to stifle economic growth for purely political reasons. Unfortunately for the Repubs the economy is growing. And the very incompetent crybaby Boner just makes things up, just like every other Republican.

Of course we are still blaming the moron who caused the problem. We are also blaming the other Republicans who caused the debt.

The dems have had the White House for 4 years and had congress since 2006 until 2010 and still have the Senate...and our current situation is STILL all Bush's and the republican's fault?

Why will not a SINGLE democrat answer the question? When are Obama and the democrats responsible for the economy if 4 years of the White house and 4 years of Congress and 6 years of the senate aren't "enough?" Anyone? Is it just impossible for a democrat to answer this simple question?

The additional debt incurred by Obama was necessary to stave off the George W Bush Depression.

You mean the debt that KEEPS growing? You mean, we have to go deeper in debt to "avoid" a depression? Hilarious.

I love how dems think. "Gas was cheaper and unemployment was lower when we got in...it's such a mess now!! So, we can just keep spending money like a drunk sailor because spending money always solves a debt problem...and since it will never be our fault anyway, let's just go even deeper into debt!!" Brilliant.

The only one clueless is obama and you! This country doesn't need a president to put us in a socialist system so our kids are broke! Its bad enough but we need some real change like mit says time to downsize these gov agnencies. Get rid of the Dept of Ed. because it is worthless, the states can handle local ed. we don't need some dumb people in DC who don't have a clue. Obama's the guy at Harvard who loved Marx!

Why is it that no Republicans recognize that they are the cause of or economic problems. The debt was incurred by Reagan, Bush 1 and Bush 2.

The economy is progressing despite the fact that Republicans are intentionally doing everything they can to damage it. If Romney is elected we will have another Republican caused Depression, just like the one they caused in 1929 and 2007.

Every time republican economic policies have been implemented, they have caused a recession.

You should remove your head from your posterior and get some facts. Stop watching Faux News and read a few papers. Stop spewing the nonsense your leaders tell you to spew.

Speaker John Boehner should really not about seawing nonsense, he has been doing it for years.....