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Obama's First Two Years a Disaster for America
American Thinker ^ | 03/16/2011 | Chad Stafko

Posted on 03/16/2011 7:05:36 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

Recall the euphoria that surrounded Barack Obama during the 2008 election season and after he was inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States.  Life was going to be blue skies and rainbows, or at least we were told, with hope and change on the way.  The American people would be better off and so would our nation with Obama in control.  After a little more than two years as the President, those blue skies have turned gray with not the slightest hint of a rainbow.

Some professed that with Barack Obama as President, the staples of life would become affordable if not altogether free.  Surely you remember Peggy Joseph who said, at a Barack Obama campaign event in August 2008, that she would not have to worry about paying for her gas and mortgage.  Consider what has happened to those staples of life during the Obama presidency.

As of March 14, the average price of regular unleaded gasoline was $3.57/gallon.  When Obama took office in January 2009, the price was $1.81/gallon.  That represents more than a 90% increase in just over two years.

To put that in perspective, assume you have a 40 mile round trip commute to work, your car gets 20 miles per gallon and that prices remain the same going forward.  Relative to January 2009, you are paying about $18 more per week and about $72 more per month at the pump.

The pertinent question we might ask is, "What has President Obama done in the past two years to limit the rise of oil and gasoline prices, if anything?"  The answer is...nothing.  If anything, his policies have contributed towards rising prices.  Recall the moratorium he enacted on oil drilling following the BP oil spill that further limited the supply of the commodity from our own waters.  His failure to support drilling in ANWR and his overt allegiance to the anti-drilling environmental fringe has also directly contributed to less supply of oil and therefore higher oil prices.

Ms. Joseph also looked forward to Obama paying her mortgage.  Well, many Americans don't have to worry about a mortgage anymore, as they've had their houses foreclosed.  In 2009, a record 2,824,674 foreclosures took place, while 2,872,892 foreclosures occurred in 2010.   In other words, 5.7 million families have lost their homes, but at least they're not up all night wondering how they will pay their mortgage.

It just wasn't supposed to be this way, at least in the eyes of the 53% of voters who cast their ballot for Barack Obama.  After all, President Obama's policies were going to reignite the economy and keep the unemployment rate below 8% at least that is what we were told, thereby making those aforementioned mortgages affordable.  The opposite has occurred. 

In December 2008, President Bush's final full month in office, the nation's unemployment rate stood at 7.3%.  From that point until December 2010, a period in which Obama benefited from accommodative Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, the unemployment rate rose to 10.1% at one time and remained at or above 9.5% from July 2009 until November 2010. 

This resulted despite unprecedented government spending labeled as "economic stimulus."

What happened?  Instead of a surge in America's economic growth, we've seen a surge in America's deficit.  Under the direction of President Obama, the United States has seen its deficit increase by more than $3 trillion or by nearly $10,000 for every man, woman, and child in America.

Then there was the promise of "When there's a bill that ends up on my desk, as President, you, the public, will have five days to look online to find out what's in it before I sign it...." Again, the reality has been the complete opposite. 

Rewind to March 2010, when then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in reference to the ObamaCare bill, said, "We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it."  Really?  I thought that 2,700 page bill would be posted on the Internet for all to view for five days.  Instead, it was rushed through and pushed down our throats, despite most Americans not in favor of it.  Again, Obama failed to deliver, as he has time after time.

We are now just after the halfway point of the Obama presidency.  Based on the facts, we are no better off as a nation than we were when Obama took office.  The average American citizen has failed to see an improvement in his or her lifestyle versus two years ago.  This is a presidency, up to this point, that has been an absolute disaster for our nation and our people.

Chad Stafko is a writer and political consultant living in the Midwest.  He can be reached at stafko@msn.com


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: administration; disaster; obama; obamanomics
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1 posted on 03/16/2011 7:05:40 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

It’s the economy stupid!


2 posted on 03/16/2011 7:07:41 AM PDT by yldstrk (My heroes have always been cowboys)
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To: SeekAndFind
Recall the moratorium he enacted on oil drilling following the BP oil spill...

True, but don't forget he authorized $7 billion for oil development...

Oh, wait a minute...your $7 billion in tax dollars was sent to Brazil, and not spent here at home.

Never mind...

3 posted on 03/16/2011 7:10:25 AM PDT by econjack (Some people are as dumb as soup.)
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To: yldstrk

Earlier article stated that Unemployment will (be manipulated to) fall to 7.7% by November 2012!!


4 posted on 03/16/2011 7:13:06 AM PDT by catman67
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To: SeekAndFind

And another thing, (as Rush mentioned a week or so ago), not a peep about the “homeless”, despite so many loosing their homes. Wonder what happened to all of them?


5 posted on 03/16/2011 7:13:35 AM PDT by kevslisababy
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To: SeekAndFind

I was just as depressed the day after Obama was elected as I was the day after Clinton, and for exactly the same reason: I was in no way fooled by the hype that seems to attend Democrats in national elections. Not clear why so many Americans were so intent on being fooled because it really took an effort to look past the problems and bad prospects, but there it is.

I am sorry so many are being so cruelly disabused of their fantasies and futile expectations, but I am glad it is happening quickly rather than being something yet to expect. If you do something for which you’ve got to pay, best strategy is to own up and pay early. The cost is only going to rise if you don’t.


6 posted on 03/16/2011 7:13:49 AM PDT by BelegStrongbow (St. Joseph, patron of fathers, pray for us!)
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To: econjack

True but it does not appear the GOP is going to be the antidote to the poison.


7 posted on 03/16/2011 7:17:31 AM PDT by screaminsunshine (34 States)
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To: econjack

And, despite everything this man has said and done (and undone) and acted outside the law, there’s a sizable number of Americans who applaud him or are in total denial that a POTUS could hate Americans and do harm to the country. Like, you know . . . Duhhh.


8 posted on 03/16/2011 7:17:45 AM PDT by MasterGunner01 (To err is human; to forgive is not our policy. -- SEAL Team SIX)
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To: SeekAndFind
There is not one thing that has changed for the better. We all knew this would be the case. I am not interested in a GOP candidate who will incrementally turn this back around. The fix has to be at least as dramatic as BHO’s assault on our freedom.

It is time for the RINOs to hold THEIR nose and vote for a right-wing radical conservative.

9 posted on 03/16/2011 7:21:18 AM PDT by Never on my watch (WTF happened to my country?)
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To: SeekAndFind
Surely you remember Peggy Joseph who said, at a Barack Obama campaign event in August 2008, that she would not have to worry about paying for her gas and mortgage.

Some reporter needs to follow up with her, see how that hopey changey thing is working for her

10 posted on 03/16/2011 7:25:57 AM PDT by MileHi ( "It's coming down to patriots vs the politicians." - ovrtaxt)
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To: kevslisababy

There are no poor, hungry, sick, or homeless people when a (d) is in the White Hut.


11 posted on 03/16/2011 7:27:00 AM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (TX and MI - When the going gets tough, the dims run and hide.)
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To: MileHi
"Some reporter needs to follow up with her, see how that hopey changey thing is working for her"

I wonder how she enjoys putting gas in her car today!

12 posted on 03/16/2011 7:30:57 AM PDT by Baynative (Truth is treason in an empire of lies)
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To: Baynative
I wonder how she enjoys putting gas in her car today!

Might make a great rant for youtube.

13 posted on 03/16/2011 7:33:39 AM PDT by MileHi ( "It's coming down to patriots vs the politicians." - ovrtaxt)
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To: All
Obama's in b-i-g trouble.

Obama invokes religious themes as 2012 campaign nears
washington examiner | 2/05 | julie mason
Posted on Sunday, February 06, 2011 by RummyChick

"When I wake in the morning, I wait on the Lord, and I ask Him to give me the strength to do right by our country and its people," Obama said. "And when I go to bed at night, I wait on the Lord, and I ask Him to forgive me my sins, and look after my family and the American people, and make me an instrument of His will." Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://washingtonexaminer.com/politics/white-house/2011/02/obama-invokes-religious-themes-2012-campaign-nears#ixzz1DEJDFIhg

LAST YEAR'S OFFICIAL DNC POSTER


THIS YEAR'S OFFICIAL DNC POSTER

"Voters, Obama is baptized in the fire of faith."
"Obama's been saved. Thank you, Jesus."
"Voters, let's hear an Alleluia and an Amen."

===========================================

THIS SAYS A LOT Obama's recent Boston fundraiser started out as a $5,000 a plate then dropped to $500 a plate ... but he still could not fill the room——ended up talking to a little over 100 people. Heh---nice to see Ohaha between a rock and a hard place. In a word----l-o-s-e-r.

===================================================

Wisconsin (with other states following) has got the Dems scared big time. A key provision of Walker's WI law is not only to eviscerate unions' bargaining power but ALSO the state's obligation to collect union dues out of employee's paychecks---(most of which goes to Dem campaigns). The libs are paranoid that Obama did not join them in WI as he promised he would during the campaign. He couldn't go----B/C he couldn't appear to side with violent union workers intent on keeping collective bargaining "rights" ...rights Ohaha's army of federal employees do not have.

14 posted on 03/16/2011 7:49:59 AM PDT by Liz (A taxpayer voting for Obama is like a chicken voting for Col Sanders.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Obama wanted gas at $5 a gallon.

Many of his wishes are coming true...all at the expense of America.


15 posted on 03/16/2011 7:51:30 AM PDT by PBRSTREETGANG
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To: All
LAUGH BREAK: Obama meeting with potential DNC donors
San Diego Union-Tribune (AP) ^ | MARCH 14, 2011
FR Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2011 by South40

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is meeting with about 50 donors and potential donors to the Democratic National Committee as he gears up to raise money for the approaching 2012 campaign. ((snip)) Obama raised a whopping $750 million for his 2008 presidential bid. His re-election campaign could raise in excess of $1 billion. (Excerpt) Read more at signonsandiego.com ...

===============================================

So when will Obama be meeting with all those "anonymous foreign donors" who flooded his 2008 campaign with hundreds of thousands of relatively small, untraceable illegal donations?

Heh----Obama's gonna hafta think up a new scam to account for all those "zillions in campaign contributions" he's got stashed offshore (looted from the US Treasury during the infamous "bailout)."

=====================================

Reminds me of the excellent book---"Flawless"-----about the Antwerp diamond heist, looted of half a $billion. The crooks couldn't spend it, of course, without calling attention to themselves.

So they had to invent a highly visible money-maker to account for their spending.......they pretended a multi-million dollar movie deal about their heist was in the works.

ROTFL. Then again, Obama is not that clever.

16 posted on 03/16/2011 7:51:30 AM PDT by Liz (A taxpayer voting for Obama is like a chicken voting for Col Sanders.)
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To: SeekAndFind
I would NEVER allege that this guy is a Muslim but boy, he sure acts in the same way as those Middle East dictators: he rapes the Public Purse so that he can party, party, party - (golf, domestic and overseas trips in AF1, lavish events at the WH, meetings with celebrities). He (tries to) impose his will without regard to what the public wants and of course the overriding desire to stay in power - for ever. Makes you wonder how his upbringing affected him!
17 posted on 03/16/2011 8:01:57 AM PDT by I am Richard Brandon
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To: SeekAndFind

In accounting, a reversing entry is made to correct an error.

In exactly 600 days, America will have an opportunity to correct another.


18 posted on 03/16/2011 8:16:36 AM PDT by Christian4Bush (Happy New Year. As of 3/16/11, 600 days until regime change in America. (November 6 2012))
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To: SeekAndFind
We still get two more wonderful years of 'the recovery.'

Barry must be thrilled. Time for some hoops. Time for some ice cream. Time for a swim. Up yours America.

There's so much to hammer on here with this administration.

Time to step up Republicans!

Running left - Where's Waldo1sm
A National Embarrassment

19 posted on 03/16/2011 8:16:51 AM PDT by BobP (The piss-stream media - Never to be watched again in my house)
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To: BelegStrongbow
I was just as depressed the day after Obama was elected as I was the day after Clinton, and for exactly the same reason: I was in no way fooled by the hype that seems to attend Democrats in national elections.

I have a young Canadian friend who, otherwise a very conservative thinker, apparently drank the Obama koolaid. Right before the election, after many after-work discussions of politics with a number of mutual friends, she pulled me aside and asked me why I was so against Obama. I said that my problem with him was that his words were indicating he was going to socialize everything he could, I remember warning her "he's going to attempt to turn us into Cuba".

She's a very sweet person, a good friend, and later I began thinking I had maybe been too harsh by selecting Cuba. Maybe France would have been more appropriate. Now of course, I realize how right all of us were to fear this guy.

I'm not sure if she's a citizen or not, so I don't know if she voted for him, but I do know she doesn't like talking politics now. Isn't that interesting.

20 posted on 03/16/2011 8:26:30 AM PDT by wayoverontheright
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