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The Spectacle Blog
In 1992, Bill Clinton ran for president against the “worst economy in 50 years” and a recession he blamed on Reagan-Bush economic policies. The problem? The recession had technically ended before Clinton even declared his candidacy. Yet when George Bush and his supporters pointed this out they appeared out of touch. Many Americans were still feeling the aftershocks of the recession and were either unemployed or working in jobs that paid less than their previous employment. To them, it was a recession no matter what the formal statistics said.
According to a Washington Post/ABC News poll, Barack Obama is on similarly shaky ground when he tries to defend his economic policies based on the (weak) recovery: 76 percent of the American people believe the economy is still in recession. That not only includes 85 percent of Republicans but also 68 percent of Democrats and 77 percent of independents.
Will Obama appear out of touch when he claims the stimulus worked or that the economy can withstand his proposed tax increases? If public opinion holds, the correct answer is Sarah Palin’s: “You betcha!”
View all comments (10) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by W. James Antle, III
http://spectator.org/blog/2012/04/11/76-percent-believe-us-economy
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Purple Lips| 4.11.12 @ 4:38PM
That's okay. If you believe ABC News, the Buffet Tax is just what the Doc ordered. If implemented, it will pay for exactly 20 minutes of government spending. Oh Happy Day!
Jack in Wi.| 4.11.12 @ 7:30PM
The collapse of the economy is the only thing the Republians have going for them. Heaven knows that they have no positive program of change. Romney is just Bush term no 4. Maybe the people in desperation will buy that. I don't think so. Romney is like the Jim Bachus character on Gilligan's Island. He belongs on the beach in La Jolla surfing with his rich friends.
LiveFreeOrDie| 4.11.12 @ 4:44PM
Let's say you're right. The managing of a country in economic free-fall will have no reward. In 2016 a democrat becomes the next two-term President because the independent vote will swing back to the dem's and their promises of freebies and handouts. 2024 anyone?
PattyMor| 4.11.12 @ 5:37PM
Ok, few people believed that the stimulus stimulated anything but Democrat party constitutencies. There are no jobs for the average folks, the construction workers, the drillers, miners and many others. Only the sychophants really believe O'Disaster anymore and they're the ones with the drool down their chin and the thrills going up their legs.
Drek| 4.11.12 @ 6:08PM
So with that statistic, -------------- can't we conclude that obama CAN be beaten?
Is that a stretch?
And that he can be beaten, and that EVEN Romney can go on to defeat him in November?
The doom and gloom pervading some of the other comment threads about how we're assured of defeat because we went with Romney is wildly emotional.
bagittagit| 4.11.12 @ 6:27PM
The big concern isn't that Obama can't be beaten, he in fact will require Hugo Chavez style fraud in order to win. The fear is that Romney wins, but not much changes. Big handouts for his contributors, TARP bailouts, European bailouts, loose money policy, inflation, stagnant wages, etc. Things were not all that great before the Obamanation of Desolation and we radical changes in policy if we're to ever get out of this hole, changes that will not be forthcoming from Romney.
Drek| 4.11.12 @ 6:48PM
I understand that fear that Romney will prove unequal to the challenge of the hour if he should prevail.
I get that.
Which is why I've urged all of us to make provision against that, by contacting our representatives and putting them on notice immediately, that we expect conservative governance, and if that if we don't get that conservative governance, there will be widespread primary challenges to Republican office holders in 2014.
And that's just for starters.
We have to do our bit to make sure that the Romney's deeds in office match the rhetoric of the last five years.
PCP Smoker| 4.11.12 @ 9:44PM
Candidate Mitt Romney is not part of that 76%. He has professed his belief in a growing economy. Green shoots Mitt, green shoots.
Mark Anderson| 4.12.12 @ 1:27PM
Why don't you list how many years we've been out of the recession, if you like it was June 2009. Of course you wouldn't wanna do that.
Everett Hale | 4.12.12 @ 7:46PM
You're exactly right. It's because of things like this that I decided to launch my website, Team Liberty.