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Barack Obama by jamesomalle
The Federal Reserve has officially revised its economic outlook downward today. In April the Fed predicted economic growth would be between 3.1-3.3 percent and by the end of the year unemployment would rate would drop to between 8.4-8.7 percent.
Now the Fed believes growth will be only 2.7-2.9 percent with unemployment will only drop to 8.6-8.9 percent by the end of 2011. Most important politically, they are predicting unemployment will drop to only between 7.8 and 8.2 percent in 2012.
That would mean the unemployment rate going into the 2012 election could easily be technically above 7.8 percent, the unemployment rate in January of 2009 when President Obama took office.
The Obama campaign is already struggle with the fact that 44 percent of voters feel they are worse of then when Obama took office. If unemployment is officially higher in the months leading up to the general election than it was the day Obama first took office, that fact could be turned into devastatingly powerful political talking point for the Republican candidate hammer non stop.
83 Comments
Yo Mr. President: How’s that whole Larry Summers, Timmy Geithner thing workin’ out for ya?
And speaking of Timmeh…
If that happens, Obama himself will be out of a job come January 20, 2013; and he’ll have a good three decades to reflect on the folly of not having addressed the problem of jobs when his party controlled the White House and both houses of Congress.
Way to go O’bummer. I think that we are headed for a series of one term presidents until 2020.
Geez, this man must be an idiot. What more can you say.
It’s all starting to crystallize, isn’t it? Just amazing. Did they not think of this ahead of time? You’d think that in 2009 they’d all look at each other and go “no matter what happens, unemployment needs to be lower in order to get re-elected, and we have to spare nothing to do that if that’s what it takes.”
But no. Honestly, I’m thinking that the stupefying amounts of money involved when we talk about federal electeds is what makes them just not give a shit. If you get elected to Congress JUST ONCE, you’re set for life if you play your cards right. And in Washington, there are always plenty of well heeled enablers dying to show you how to play your cards. That is the single biggest reason that we don’t have any accountability and also why they just don’t care about stuff like this.
Not to worry, Obama will just cave in quicker to the Republicans and banksters, after all he needs a job on Wall Street come Jan 21, 2013.
Ah yes, let’s rely on the Fed for “forecasts”? Sure, hwy not, it’s not like they have a history of being completely wrong and incompetent and fraudulent to the very core, right?
How can unemployment improve when jobs are still being shipped overseas? Am I missing something? We make nothing, except for debt. And with everyone but the rich, going down, down, and way down, who can afford to buy anything, even if they have a job?
Then of course there these “jobs” I’ve heard people speak of. McDees? Service jobs? And more of the this?
You can barely survive on these. Checked the price of rent recently? How about food? Oh ya, and then there’s gas?
Have a family? Forget about it. No way, no how can you make minimum wage stretch it for a family. As I mentioned above, rent, food, and gas???
And of course since AHA didn’t fix the problems, the cost of health insurance, not health care which no one but the rich can afford to use, has increased and WILL continue to increase.
And how many McDee-like jobs can there possibly be that unemployment will go down?
This is preposterous. The Fed is delusional or just plain lying. I know, shocking, right?
That what you get when you react to everything the faux funnnies and re-pugs say, and put all your marbles in wall street…..
I cannot wait to leave the POTUS portion of my 2012 ballot blank, or vote for the Green candidate (if they make my state’s ballot).
I’ll say this… If he can get himself re-elected with those kinds of unemployment numbers, he’ll deserve another 4 years as Emperor.
“How do you know Obama isn’t a Muslim? Because he kills so many of them.”
Agreed. Losing your seat or POTUS title might sting for a few minutes, but then it is on to making windfall $$$$
Blair last year made $50 million. Most of it from sitting on boards of banks and as a consultant to the oil industry. he still gets the ability to show up on MSM as an expert on blah, blah, blah. just like Clinton, and so on
AHA certainly didn’t “fix” the price of health insurance. Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan has slapped us with two rate increases since this train wreck legislation passed. Since I turn 60 this fall, I expect to be hit with another rate hike.
The FED is a private criminal cartel working for the international criminal banking cartel, and from their point of view things are going exactly to plan. make no mistake
Obama’s campaign hope is that the GOP candidates are just too crazy to lose to. For our sakes I hope that’s true, because Obama sure has bungled running things. He’s like having Nixon as president. Not great, but the modern GOP is so much worse than we can fathom.
“I’m Barack Obama, vote for me because I, uh, um…”
Dumbness rules.
In the WH for not immediately taking a more aggressive job creation position.
Everybody else for thinking any president can undo 30 years of bad economic policy in two years. (Not that he’s actually tried)
Anybody else amused by the Liberty U ad in the middle of the page?
I hope these negative comments about Obama will translate into votes against him. I doubt many who make them voted against him in 2008. It’s time to stand up for what you say you think: anyone but Obama in 2012, even if it means focusing on 2016.
My guess is, based on the maturity of the ongoing commentary, that 90% of FDL people will cave and vote again for the worst president for the liberal movement in this country in its history.
In regards to Mr. Walker’s diary and jobs/lack of jobs.unempoyment rate:
Plain as day.
It will be the ONE thing that will sink the shit out of this admin.
Not LGBT rights, civil rights, antiwar, gutting social services, gutting education, failing environmentalism.
Unemployment, lack of jobs.
N that my dear Puppers, is the single and most broad key to turn if yer thinking about change in the voting system (hear me NPA?) or without the voting system to empower the masses.
ANY one who begins to use a megaphone on a street corner decrying the lack of jobs and blaming Congress and this admin will rouse the ire of passerby’s . . . every one of them regardless of sexual orientation, color, religion, citizen status, income level (well, ok, not th rich).
THIS is the issue that forced change in our nations past. THIS is the issue people fought and died for as labor organized.
THIS is the key political button that reaches all, touches all, and will rouse all.
Get to it you proggy’s . . . the kindling is set, the fire is stoked and jobs is the match to strike.
Once set, this fire will rapidly spread to all the other social issues of our day . . . . from gay equality to antiwar . . . to environmentalism.
Great read Mr. Walker, I hope FDL will ride this pony and ride it hard.
It’s the only leading and singular issue that will unite the masses rapidly and have ANY chance of creating change to benefit we the people.
Obama will reflect on no such thing. He isn’t made that way, which is why we’re in the desperate straits of today. Clinton can’t get off his economic dime, either. If Bill Clinton would do the right thing, stop laughing until I’m finished typing, and admit what a naive idiot he was about his economic Iagos, Obama and his cabal would have no place to hide and nothing to excuse their treacherous self-serving. Then we might get a sensible economic plan in action.
What I can say bluedot (and have been saying for well over a year) is this:
Is Obama incompetent (Peter Principle), or does he simply not give a shit?
Because outside these two possibilities, nothing else makes any sense.
Yep. No adverse consequences for them.
I dont get that sense from any commentary here at FDL.MyFDL.
Sure there are Obama bots, some afraid of what’s worse within the GOP, but in general?
I disagree with yer guess.
Bring back Henry Paulson, quick! Never should have let him go!
Both, actually, they aren’t mutually exclusive.
No, we make drones. Lots and lots of drones. And under Preznit Peace Prize, we’re going to continue making drones.
And we use them too!
Do you mean Pat Paulsen? He got a few votes that year.
Neither Peter Principle nor apathy, but Occam’s Razor: he is simply executing his plan.
The reality is #3 and as plain as day if one has any sense at all of the past two years of proggy research, reporting and writing.
He’s a staunch corporatist, we live in a corporate fascist run country where the Judiciary, Congress, Executive and Military are all owned and run by the 1% corporate fascists.
He’s not stupid, he’s not a shirker or uncaring person, he’s pillaging and raping the masses world wide for all it’s worth Just as his corporate overlords expected him to do.
You do injustice to the truth by alluding to bungling or indifference.
I’d be willing to bet that unemployment won’t drop below 8% at all, unless so many people drop off the radar when they stop extended benefits at the end of 2010 that it lowers the rate dramatically. This is going to kill the Democrats.
I’d bet against that. I can’t fathom 9/10 FDLers voting for the 0.
Thank you.
Simple as that.
(on health insurance).
Get ready. Once you turn 60, you’ll get his with rate hikes every six months. I know, I’ve been there.
Look for them over American cities in the next seven years or so. They’re great crowd control, which may be a large item in the homeland security budget as the economic decline continues for ordinary people.
It’s rather a ludicrous statement to make (his not yers) in the first place methinks, sooooo, concern trolling rears it’s ugly head once again.
OO, have loved yer recent items . . . I was away festivating, sanging, pickin, sippin n suppin till Monday.
Good work, a few quibbles on my part that are rather meaningless . . . n Kevin G too, has put up some good things.
What I like about both of you is you identify the faux proggys within the so called proggy blogosphere . . NN11 and NN for example.
*G*
FDL/MyFDL for the most part do real well . . . n Pups in general bring the truth to most of THEIR diaries and comments, too.
So, all in all . . . . for THIS Larue this is the place to be to learn, gripe, and consider action.
*G*
I agree Obama is a corporate whore, like too many Dems, but why is he a corporate whore? He didn’t run like one. Which brings me back to either he is in over his head or he just doesn’t care.
He ran like someone who wanted to be elected. Now he’s acting like who he really is.
Black box voting machines don’t care what the unemployment numbers are or will be.
yes, jobs. That will trigger all other issues. Instead of debt, jobs, that is what matters.
No, Henry. But I wish Pat was alive and running.
He didn’t run like one because he was lying.
This is schoolyard stuff, blue . . . anyone who has been following this stuff from the moment he announced his admin choices knew we’d been fucked.
Yer either really, really far behind things or . . .
Yep. We are in total accord on this.
The Dem goverenor in the state beside me is working like crazy to get jobs in, while the repug house is fighting her every move. On the state and local level I see that the repugs are keeping the jobs from happening just to wipe out Obama and the Dem congress.
Media won’t even talk about the jobs bills going on at the Hill and how the repugs are voting them all down.
Well I hate to see more people out of work but if this gets Obama out of office, good. What a moron.
I can agree with everything you wrote, but he is incompetent. He’s in way over his head and he doesn’t know it, will never admit it, won’t make the changes in supporting cast he should. He doesn’t have to be expert but he has to know which end of any issue to get hold of and since his only abiding issue is himself, he is his priority. You can see him advancing himself in everything he’s done.
Funny, Dayen and FDL are usually all OVER this stuff.
Have they not covered this, if it’s true?
Lib, he’s not WORKING for you, there is no incompetency here.
He’s working for your enemies, the ones taking away your rights and lifestyle.
N he’s doing a FINE job for your enemies.
So, I just disagree with your statement . . . again, you and others almost seem to offer apology for his work, like he was stupid.
He’s not. He’s just not INTERESTED in you . . . he works for your enemies.
Simple.
Why let him off that hook, Lib, why?
Yes, they do to a point. They can’t be everywhere all the time. It is Gov. Beverly Purdue, NC that I am talking about. Not to mention that the repugs just voted against another job bills in the house today!
Obama is a Benito Musolini wanna be! He has managed to take every step needed to help bring this country into modern day fasicist which I call the Corporatist Nation.
From FDL News today – Democratic Message: Republicans Are Deliberately Destroying the Economy
Which brings up the question of WHY he wanted to be elected if he wasn’t going to actually do anything.
to be the first black president
to get filthy rich
to live the rest of your life in a state of complete deference from most people
EGO
or something like that
Obama’s Accomplishments: Non-Stimulatng Stimulus, Not Closing Gitmo, Petronobyl, Non-Hostile Kinetic Military Action, Indefinite Detention Still Going On Indefinitely, War On Whistleblowers – WHAT A RECORD!
maybe except…. He could be impeached for the war in Lybia from all I’ve read here. If so, why would he risk his corporate office and millions by not asking for congress to approve? He may simply be in over his head with a little of that well known Bush hubris thrown in for good measure – -just enough to make him a freaking idiot as well as dangerous.
Even though Obama is the poodle of the Upper 1%, it’s starting to look like the PTB might just wanna put one of their nutbar poodles putatively “in charge” in 2012. But then what do I know?
From where I sit, I see Barry Zero is neither incompetent or in over his head or stupid or whatever.
I think Barry Zero is actually very smart, very with it, very competent. It’s just that he’s WORKING for the upper 1%. From their perspective: what’s not to like? Obama’s Admin has been a dream come true for the fabulously wealthy, the well-connected, the MIC, etc. A DREAM come true.
But whomever “wins” in 2012 will be whomever the PTB tell the black boxes to tick the most number of ballots. Take that to the bank. The only “choice” we serfs will have is “guessing” who the PTB feel like being their poodle in 2012. That’s all. Just Kabuki Show, my friends. Every last little bit of it.
And no, no way in h*ll will I vote for this corporate whore for anything ever again. Gimme a break. I “got” the picture. It doesn’t really matter any more, unless or until citizens get offa their butts and do a general strike for real (see Athens). Otherwise: game over, my friends.
This is not news:
http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/10/iraq_billions200710
Yep.
Duly noted that *somehow* as if by magic, aren’t the Obama’s now multi-millionaires after just 2 years in office?? Waddup? Didn’t happen by accident and it ain’t from O’s stupid book sales, either. shuh…
That sounds about right.
Thanks for that info. Color me utterly unsurprised. That’s why there’s all this unmitigated phony “libertarian” crap being touted by the propoganda machine… whyever should horrid terrible “socialist” govt attempt to “create jobs”??? Why the outrage of that!! Citizens need to learn to stand on their own 2 feet and create their own jobs. Stop being so “socialist”!!!
That’s what all that fake libertarian b.s. is about… setting the stage for the dittoheads to *agree* blissfully with the corporatists *blocking* the creation of jobs. Just like the corporatists got a certain segment of the populace to *agree* that it’s “terrible” that cops, fireman & teachers, you know, expect a living wage… why how “socialistic” is that?
No doubt Rush is ranting away right now *venerating* the T-GOP for blocking the creation of jobs, and the dittoheads are blissfully agreeing with him. It’s the way things are.
I’m not in agreement. I think Obama’s totally competent. He’s just not competent in a way that inures to the benefit of *most* citizens. It’s about shifting your perspective and seeing it from the perspective of someone super super wealthy & super well-connected. I’m sure they are all very very happy with the job that O is doing. JMHO, of course.
I wonder what Republican will be president in two years? Not that it actually matters.
Here is a great sign for the unemployed in the US:
NY Times article: “While President Obama’s announcement of troop reductions is not expected to change much here right away, American and Afghan officials are already worrying about the impact of the eventual withdrawal of international forces on Afghanistan’s struggling economy.”
Good to know that the administration is worrying about somebody’s economy!
That’s the destructiveness of partisan, electoral politics. That’s why we need a new system that replaces elections with the random selection of limited-term representation. It would be a civic duty like jury service, except those unable or unwilling to make the commitment would be excused and the next randomly selected person on the list would be asked to serve.
Well it could be Obama again…. /sadly NOT snark
I hope he doesn’t castigate the “fucking retards” again in 2012 for refusal to help re-elect his useless ass. The fucking retards tried to get through to him that Reaganomics, Wall Street romancing, and Republican health care bills are bad for re-election attempts, but all they got for their efforts was a knife in the back. And then another, and then another…
Government numbers regarding GDP, unemployment and everything else are lies. They are lying now and they will be lying next year.
The Oligarchs don’t need jobs. And they don’t need Obama to be reelected. They want low wages, low taxes and and lots of war. What y’all want is just not relevant.
yep
Minor correction:
—> struggling
4 years of democrat actions at work. Time to face up to the fact that these policies are destroying economic growth in this country.
He needs to establish that he can go to war without the congressional rubber stamp so you can wake up someday and read that he has attacked Iran.
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That would be Obama, assuming he’s re-elected.
The jobs being created are jobs that will Win The Future. Gotta keep up on this stuff. Recovery Summer and “Healing from Being Hit by a Truck” have been right under your nose all this time. The AHA is right on track for solving the health care problem, right on schedule for 2014 – a safe time to say results will start appearing, because it’s safely after Obama’s re-election effort (you didn’t expect the Democrats to solve anything before 2014, did you?) I know right NOW the health insurance racket is ratcheting up prices, but just you wait until everyone is legally required to buy their private insurance and the government subsidizes it – then they’ll REALLY have an incentive to cut their prices and profits.
Honestly, I don’t know how anyone could do the intellectual contortions necessary to work on convincing voters to vote for most of this administration of assclowns, even if they could choke back the bile and do so. How do you tell voters that reality is something other than the sum of their experiences with this administration? I simply couldn’t do it, for Bush or Obama – I actually have to have some basis of belief in something when I’m trying to persuade someone else of my argument.
Is this supposed to be a surprise? People get paid for these predictions? A sixth grader could do the math on this.
Now that’s just inaccurate.
All of America, except the rich, got a knife in their backs from O.
O don’t discriminate. He just doesn’t care about people. Only about getting paid by his masters.
“even if they could choke back the bile and do so”
yup. That’s a lot of bile.
I guess if the Banksters still have their jobs, it’s been a succssful Obama Jobs Program. Yup. Extremely successful.
Summed up very very well, and accurately.
You’re putting words in my mouth. I didn’t propose any of that. He is incompetent. He was selected as electable, supported as electable by professional politicians who saw his electability potential. He saw great opportunity. But he isn’t and never was leader material. He’s the guy holding the center of the floor in the faculty lounge bull sessions. Beyond that, no material accomplishment. What used to be called all show, no go. Of course he’s working for himself, who else matters? And what else could he do given his inability to actually get something done without being carried across the finish line?
Hank Paulson? You’re kidding, I assume. The Goldman Sachs shiv.
Clearly the whole problem is; we are not clapping loud enough…/s
I don’t think they will and I most certainly won’t. How do you arrive at such a conclusion?
We have been on this neo-liberal/neo-conservative economic path of destruction for the middle and working classes in this country for over 30 years now. Why the President thought it was a good idea to continue the same failed policies is beyond me…unless he only cares about a small group of wealthy industrialists and elite in the country.
If both parties continue the same failed neo-liberal economic policies, then yes, it will be a back and forth each term among the parties. UNLESS, middle and working class Americans finally wise up to the failure of BOTH parties and demand representation.