The Obama economy

[KennedyBrothers]

What do you think of the job President Obama is doing as it relates to the economy?

The American Pundit, a political writing contest sponsored by San Francisco-based Allvoices.com, gives you a chance to win $250 by sharing your thoughts.

Details here: http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/15107551-american-pundit-writing-assignment-aug-115-the-obama-economy

When Barack Obama was elected president in 2008, it was due in large part to the fact that the US economy collapsed under his predecessor, George W. Bush.

Nearly five years later, mixed economic signals make it hard to say how well Obama has governed from an economic perspective, but two polls released in late July both found 45 percent of Americans approve of the job Obama is doing on economic issues. In an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, 51 percent disapproved, while an ABC News/Washington Post poll found that 49 percent disapproved.

Obama shifted public focus back to the economy with a July 24 speech in Galesburg, Ill., saying Washington has “taken its eye off the ball” on economic issues and blaming partisan squabbling for the lack of progress.

“…America has to make the investments necessary to promote long-term growth and shared prosperity,” Obama said, a stark contrast to Republican leaders who advocate steps such as giving more tax cuts to the wealthy, cutting food stamp benefits for the poor and a repeal or delay of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, as ways to revive the economy.

The Aug. 1-15 segment of The American Pundit asks writers to assess Obama’s economic performance, taking into account as much personal experience as they deem relevant, and offer suggestions on what should be done next:

Is the Obama economy getting better, worse or just treading water? Are you better or worse off than you were when Barack Obama became president? What can be done to ensure improvements come sooner rather than later?

Details here: http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/15107551-american-pundit-writing-assignment-aug-115-the-obama-economy

[AnotherMcIntosh]

1. If it was getting better, it is unlikely that he would have offered to cut SS with a chained-CPI.

That is, if it was getting better for average Americans rather than the rich and international super-rich.

[Skittles]

2. he has done far better than any repuke would have done

but not nearly as much as a real progressive could have done

[Euphoria]

3. +1

in a nutshell

[frazzled]

4. There really is no such thing as an "Obama economy"

After managing to eke through a modest, much needed stimulus package at the opening of his first term, every major effort he has made to get Congress to make further improvements--the American Jobs Act, various infrastructure and research initiatives, recent (last week) repetitions of spending programs he feels are needed to boost the economy both now and for the long term--have been obstructed or voted down by a large segment of Congress that is intent on preventing him from acting, and from helping the country.

He has managed to do things through the Executive Branch that are within the scope of his powers, but they are not the kinds of things that produce a major impact. Still, the stimulus, various things snuck into the budget that managed to stay, and executive actions have made this economy much better than it would have been absent these efforts.

But it cannot be said to be an Obama economy. It's not the economy or the policies he's advocated and wanted. It's the Obama-Republican Obstruction economy. Let's call it ORO.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

5. Thank you so very much. I don't understand why even DUers don't get this. We are more well informed

than the average American who's not paying attention. They want more progressive policies, but Republicans are obstructing everything. None of them can explain to me how we get more progressive policies.

[Igel]

6. It's astonishingly familiar.

Looks a lot like the Bush II economy.

Same anemic job growth. TARP killed off most of the financial crisis, leaving recession. Bigger than most, the recovery was slow and unremarkable.

One has to wonder if the first stimulus for the last recession made the recession worse, better, or simply slowed it down.

At this point we're oddly arguing out of the other side of our mouth, however. In 2005, with low job creation, vaguely declining manufacturing, and increasing numbers of low-paying service jobs, the deficit was deemed fatal to the economy. It was a horrible thing, truly nasty. In 2013, pretty much with the same conditions--a few years out of recession, low job creation, manufacturing that's only increasing because it's still recovering 4 years after the recession ended, the deficit, 150% of what it was in 2005, is now deemed much too small.

No matter. Job growth is likely to continue to be slow. It's odd--we argue that individuals don't make history but the masses do; then we ascribe all the economic activity of 300 million people to one man.

[Zoeisright]

7. He has done a very good job in the face of complete

repiglican obstructionism.

I'm much better off than in 2008, thank you very much.

[boguspotus]

8. Totally Agree!

My wife and I are much better off too. Back then, I was shaking in my shoes after every time a job layoff happened at my company.