No Job? Obama Stumping for Your Vote
- Posted on October 27, 2010 at 7:59am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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WOONSOCKET, R.I. (AP) — Economy is destiny for the Democrats and President Barack Obama, who began his campaign week in Rhode Island, where unemployment is measured at 11.5 percent. He has stops planned in Pennsylvania (at 9 percent), Illinois (9.9 percent) and Ohio (10 percent) before Election Day.
Just as striking as the jobless figures is the calculation that those are among the states where the president might make a difference in the final days of the campaign, perhaps helping salvage a handful of key races for the beleaguered Democrats. He won those four states and their 70 electoral votes in 2008, some handily, some not, and will need them again in his re-election campaign in 2012.
On a one-day trip to the nation’s smallest state on Monday, Obama presented a pair of arguments to voters still making up their minds.
The first asserts that the Republicans drove the economy into the proverbial ditch over the eight years of the Bush administration and now offer a return trip to the wreckage. The second, more forward-looking, says that due to policies his administration and Democrats in Congress put into place — no thanks to the GOP — improvement is in the air.
“It needs some body work, needs a tuneup. But it’s pointing in the right direction. The engine is turning and it’s ready to go,” he said at a fundraiser in Rhode Island, where joblessness is fourth highest in the country.
Earlier, Obama described a factory he had just toured in the same upbeat terms in which he wants voters to view the overall economy.
“Like most small businesses, American Cord and Webbing has gone through some tough times in the past few years,” he said. “Early in 2009, they lost customers and had to lay off some workers. … And then invested in new products and pursued new customers. And over the past year, they’ve hired back all the workers they had to lay off. And today business is going well.”
Ascendant Republicans seem content to let Obama try to explain the past and peer into the economic future.
They focus on the present in the form of a question — Where are the jobs? — first asked months ago by Rep. John Boehner, the Ohioan in line to become speaker of the House if his party wins control.
In fact, there is no disputing that Republicans opposed, slowed and obstructed legislation that Obama sought and Democrats passed.
Call it crass political opportunism, as Obama does, or principled disagreement, as Republicans do, the result was the same. Trench warfare gripped Congress for nearly two years amid high unemployment and a wave of home foreclosures, bank failures and personal bankruptcies. And now comes a political campaign in which the economy is the central issue.
The partisan lines firmed up quickly after the 2008 elections.
In the House, nary a Republican voted for the $814 billion economic stimulus bill that passed in February 2009. In the Senate, the GOP sent a signal of opposition, erecting a 60-vote requirement that Obama and the Democrats were able to overcome only with the help of three renegades.
Republicans attacked the bill as unnecessary federal spending, choosing to overlook that it included $400 tax cuts for most individuals and $800 for couples. “The bill that was about jobs, jobs, jobs has turned into a bill that’s about spending, spending, spending,” Boehner said moments before it passed the House, contemptuously letting a copy of the 1,071-page measure fall to the floor.
Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele spoke scathingly of a bill that expanded unemployment benefits, food stamps and other programs designed to ease the impact of the worst recession since the 1930s. “The Democrat plan focuses on putting Americans on the public dole,” he said.
The stage set, Republicans and Democrats played out their roles on the big items that followed — the health care bill, a measure to regulate Wall Street, small business legislation and more.
Each time a bill passed over strong opposition, Obama and Democrats hailed their triumphs, Republicans called it more big government spending. Joblessness rose, impervious to political argument.
GOP critics claimed cause and effect, which is easy to argue and all but impossible politically to refute.
Democrats said that they had inherited an economy in worse shape than even they expected and that without their policies, unemployment would be even higher.
“In the six months before I took office, we lost 4 million jobs in America,” Obama said at a fundraising event on Monday. “We lost 750,000 the month I took office, 600,000 the month after that, 600,000 the month after that.”
To sign the stimulus bill 21 months ago, the president went to Denver.
“I don’t want to pretend that today marks the end of our economic troubles,” he said. “But today does mark the beginning of the end.”
At the time he spoke, unemployment stood at 7.6 percent.
In the months since, it has risen by nearly one-third.
____
EDITOR’S NOTE — David Espo covers politics for The Associated Press.
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voted against carter
Posted on October 28, 2010 at 9:26pmAre you Fn Kidding me!?? I got my pink slip 2 weeks after this A Z Z H O l E took office. I came in to work on a Fri. morning and myself and 30 of my fellow workers were called in to a conference room and given our pink slips in mass. The dumbOcrats have NO CLUE on how to get the economy back on track.
Report Post »Ruler4You
Posted on October 28, 2010 at 4:54pmSorry, I don’t buy most of the B.S. in this article. The GOP did non ‘obstruct’ the socialist agenda. DemocRATS controlled both houses of congress with “filibusterer proof” majorities, just exactly what they wanted. As it turns out even that major advantage couldn’t convince some dems to vote the party line hence the need to blame the GOP for not coming out as full blown socialist supporters.
Next, ohbummer has had the reigns for nearly two years. He has borrowed and spent more money than even a fool could dream of. Had he just handed out $100M to every American it would have been far cheaper.
Claims that he has ‘stimulated’ the job market are cruelly hysterical falsehoods if not out and out lies. He has blatantly made pay offs to cronies, fraternity brothers and fellow socialist ideologues to say the least. His policies have done what he said they would do before he was elected: destroy the remnants of free market.
Do I need a job? YES! I’m desperate for meaningful employment. My previous $31.00 an hour job is history. And $10.00 an hour hardly pays for the fuel to get to work and are nearly the only jobs available today. Plus as a 50+ year old it’s difficult to get hired, despite a resume full of great employment, achievement, experience, training and tenure.
Face it, ohbummer had even less qualification for the office of president than Jimmy Carter did. And his performance has demonstrated that in spades.
Report Post »jagr1850
Posted on October 27, 2010 at 8:24pmvote the o’dummy out of office and wemight see more jobs suddenly happen !!!!
Report Post »sdparker
Posted on October 27, 2010 at 7:29pmThe only job your going to get from Obama, is a low paying janitor job. In socialist countries, child labor is common, too. Check out the pay scale in socialist/communist countries, then ask yourself if you want to work for Obama.
Report Post »historypaper
Posted on October 27, 2010 at 3:52pmYou dont need a job to vote Obama and friends out of office. Just wait till next time. My sentator is hiding in the shadows. He thinks we dont have his voting record. One communist at a time, they’re all gone in time. The bad economy is going to save America. We’re wide-awake.
Report Post »eyestoseeearstohear
Posted on October 27, 2010 at 12:58pmWhether Obama OPENS THE FLOOD GATES ON JOBS OR NOT….
HE STILL MUST GO!
This man is MENTALLY UNSTABLE…and UNFIT to be President of the United States.
HE is the “Enemy” of the United States.
HE is the greatest “Threat” to the United States.
HE is the “Divider” of the United States.
WHO IS THE ENEMY?
HE IS.
Report Post »mjbeejr
Posted on October 27, 2010 at 11:24amQ: What does an endorsement by Barack Obama get an entrenched politician?
A: Retirement. -mjb
BLAZER’S: Feel free to reply with your own answer to my riddle!
Report Post »heavyduty
Posted on October 27, 2010 at 10:50amObama stumping his toe is more like it. Everyone knows just exactly what he is capable of now. There are no surprises left that he can throw at us. All he will have left after Nov. 2. will be a dictatorship role. He will just have to declare martial law over the whole U.S. in order to get anything done. All he can do now is keep playing the race card to try to get the illegals out to vote for him. Because you have to be brain dead in order to believe anything he says from now on.
Report Post »newsguyfyi
Posted on October 27, 2010 at 10:35amObama Holds Huge Rallies at Unemployment Offices Around the Country http://optoons.blogspot.com/2010/10/obama-holds-huge-rallies-at.html
Report Post »OBAMAWORSHIOER
Posted on October 27, 2010 at 10:33amWe are purposely taking actions to stop the creation of jobs. We are forcing up taxws, food costs and other living cots to drive you to chaos. Then we will step in and save you.
Report Post »AmericanSince1619
Posted on October 27, 2010 at 9:34amAmerican businesses are paralyzed due to the uncertainty the administration has introduced, what will health care cost them, what about taxes and capital gains?
If Obama was not in office this recession would probably be over by now.
Dems running the economy is like a monkey typing Shakespeare, they might eventually do it, but will anybody still be alive by then?
Report Post »Chett
Posted on October 27, 2010 at 9:06amugh. The point it fails to make is that with the Dems fully in control of both houses and the admin any party fighting is pure fiction. there was nothing republicans could do but complain and imo they didn’t do nearly enough of that.
Report Post »AmericanSince1619
Posted on October 27, 2010 at 9:37amTotally agree, can’t anybody see the blatant B.S. of dems having enough vote to ram healthcare through, but not enough votes to fix the economy. If his lips are moving, he’s lying.
Report Post »Swizzle Stick
Posted on October 27, 2010 at 8:52amNo stand on issues and avoidance of achievements that were forced upon a disscenting public…leaves nothing but emotion to appeal to as 2 NOV approaches. No job? No worries! You can draw unemployment for an extended period of time (2 years?). Isn’t that what OB said during the Gulf oil spill and drilling moritorium? Never mind that unemployment does not pay the bills and leads to more dependence on government programs, which plays into the liberal/progressive game plan.
Report Post »Stu Pedaso
Posted on October 27, 2010 at 8:50amDid the “pres?” and Franken read from the same script? isn’t the car thing sort of lame. Maybe they should try that in Detroit. Oh I forgot they don’t make cars there any longer. Tired of the same old blame game. Get off your ass mister president and do some real work for once in your worthless existence.
Report Post »BehindBlueEyes
Posted on October 27, 2010 at 8:26amI wonder how many tax dollars are spent sending Obama and his entourage around country campaigning for the progressives. Why does this clown get to skip work and promote his/Soros‘ agenda of fulfilling the fundamental transformation of America at the taxpayers’ expense? Sitting presidents should not be allowed to campaign on our dime.
Report Post »HKS
Posted on October 27, 2010 at 8:46amThis is all he knows how to do and he has done it all his life, and his fathers life, and his grandfathers life. It’s in his DNA, he was bread for it.
Report Post »NHABE64
Posted on October 27, 2010 at 8:14amDoes this cockroach President spend ANY time in the White House or is he doing the only thing he knows how to do, simply lie and try to jerk off the American public ? One would think with so many pressing matters that this running scared so called President would be attending to matter in the White House. I mean at least go back to your watching the Sports Channel Barack which people know is your favorite pastime. There seems to be no end to this remarkably unqualifired and incompetent person who actually thinks America is NOT on to him He uses so much rhetoric and stupid analogies, one has to wonder when will it end. On 2 November Americans will have their chance to finally starting taking the country back out of the hands of those who would destroy us. I know God is on our side, now all we have to do is get those Patriots to the polls. You can be sure the cockroaches from ACORN will be out there doing their worst, but as there are more of us then them let‘s get r’ done America!
Report Post »gbandy
Posted on October 27, 2010 at 8:13amIn California we have a 12.4% unemployment. Certainly this is growing as California as Forbes says is the worst State to start a business. Dun and Bradstreet also have similar views of the Business enviornment. Now we have 12% of the US population, yet we also have 35% of all welfare. We somewhat welcome Illegal aliens with sanctuary cities, but we chastize those who hire them well perhaps better said we chastize GOP candidates that hire them as Meg Whitman can tell. We have the highest taxes highest business taxes, highest utility rates. Yet we wonder why no large or small company wants to re-locate here. Obama and his crusaders namely Pelosi and Boxer want it this way in California as the more on entitlements the more Dem votes. After all we might have the highest Lazy Class but even they would not bite the hand that feeds them.
Report Post »snowleopard3200
Posted on October 27, 2010 at 8:09amMr Obama still uses the tired old rhetoric over and over of the blame game for everything that is not going his way.
The car example suits his administration just fine, its in the ditch, the tires are flat, the windows are busted, and the doors are open while water floods in rapidly. Also the car is on fire at the same time that he claims “Dont worry, everything is fine’ standing on the hood.
Mr Obama – Get real and get out.
Report Post »sweetbees
Posted on October 27, 2010 at 8:48amClueless Commander in Chief!!!
Report Post »snowleopard3200
Posted on October 27, 2010 at 9:01am@Sweetbees
Good one, I must remember that!
Report Post »Cemoto78
Posted on October 27, 2010 at 9:56amI’m hoping to see Obummer, Pelosi, Reid, Franks, Franken, and the other ilk, to experience unemployment first hand beginning November 3, 2010.
Report Post »tower7femacamp
Posted on October 27, 2010 at 10:20amObama vs Bush they all are related
Genesis 6
Report Post »1And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
2That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
3And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
4There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
If you want more then go here
http://video.godlikeproductions.com/video/One_Family_One_Bloodline_One_Rule
this explains how Satan holds power over us.
AngryTexanFromAmarillo
Posted on October 27, 2010 at 1:26pm@tower7femacamp
Report Post »In Hebrew the term Sons of God are referred to as a DIRECT creation of God, also translated as nephilim or Angels (fallen Angels) to be exact.