The Media has been completely dishonest in their coverage of President Obama's accomplishments. I've blogged about the truth over the past three years and decided to compile a summary of my findings in one list as follows.
“I ended the war in Iraq!”
Actually it was ended
according to an agreement with the Iraqi government that Bush negotiated. The best
President Obama can claim is not getting in the way of what Bush planned and
promised (ie, by the end of 2011). This was Bush’s accomplishment, not Obama’s.
In fact, he was able to do that because of the troop surge that Obama
vehemently opposed as senator. If it weren’t for that surge, Obama would have
had a real mess on his hands there when he took office.
“I removed our troops from
combat in Iraq!”
Actually, while campaigning
for president, then senator Obama promised to bring our troops home six months
earlier than Bush’s plan. Only after he was sworn in did he move it out
to 2011, the date that Bush had promised to withdraw them himself. The best
President Obama can honestly(!) claim is not getting in the way of what Bush
planned and promised. This was Bush’s accomplishment, not Obama’s.
“I’m bringing troops home
from Afghanistan!” (as if he’s doing something that Bush wouldn’t have or that
Romney wouldn’t have)
Yes he is. However, did you
know that he’s doing it according to the same plans as Bush? All Obama rightly
can claim credit for relative to Bush is having the same plan and doing it
basically the same as Bush would have. Don’t believe me? Check this out: http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/12/03/afghanistan-the-obama-bush-exit-strategy/
“I have deported more
undocumented immigrants than any other president!” True but the policy
that got it done is Bush’s. Bush doubled the number of border patrol agents.
Obama therefore inherited from Bush double the ability to deport more people. It
would have been gross incompetence by President Obama if he had not deported
far more undocumented immigrants. Again the best he can truthfully take
credit for is not getting in the way of Bush’s plans/actions for increasing
deportations.
“I got health care reform
done!”
Actually he didn’t get it
done as he promised. Remember that the title of the legislation is “The
Affordable Care Act”. In fact, it is significantly increasing the cost of
medical care. In addition, many of the other key things he promised
won’t happen. For ex, “you can keep your health care and doctor if you want”.
Not true by a long shot. “Everyone will have affordable health care.” So not
true. There are still millions without coverage because they cannot afford it
or if they’re on Medicare doctors anywhere near them will no longer accept
Medicare patients. Many businesses are no longer providing health care coverage
for employees because it’s now too expensive for them to do so. In fact, many
businesses are turning full-time positions into part-time positions so they can
avoid having to pay for health care coverage.
“We’ve increased oil
production!”
Oil production has only
increased on privately owned lands that the federal government had nothing to
do with. In fact, Republican governments in most of those states can honestly
take way more credit for making it possible and making it happen. The best
President Obama can honestly claim is not getting in the way of what states
want to do with private land.
“My policies decreased
private sector unemployment!”
So not true. Unemployment has
decreased but almost all of it has happened in Republican-led states where
Republican governors have instituted business and tax reforms that encourage
business growth and hiring. Republican Governments’ policies, not
Obama’s, created most of the new jobs. The increase in employment is almost all
due to what Republicans have done in the states that are leading the recovery.
Texas, for example, has had the greatest employment increase and it is totally
due to the Republican governor there lowering taxes and regulations on businesses.
Obama has no factual basis on which to claim his policies did this. His
policies mostly helped the public sector, not the private sector where the
health of an economy is determined. The best President Obama can
honestly claim credit for is not getting in the way of Republican state
governments’ economic reforms.
“Better international
relations!”
Hogwash! Israel’s leadership
is nothing but upset with his policies in the region and with them directly.
His so-called reset with Russia has resulted in what? They oppose us more than
ever on everything. Iran’s leadership despises him at least as much as any
previous president and won’t do anything he wants them to do. The war on
terrorism is not over as he claimed; it has gotten much, much worse and
he won’t be honest with us about that.
“I’ve tried to work with
Republicans” & from his 2008 victory speech: “In this country, we rise or
fall as one nation, as one people. Let’s resist the temptation to fall back on
the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our
politics for so long.” Then this happened on major political issues:
President Obama’s
divisiveness in action and speech exceeds all presidents in my memory. As a
matter of historical fact (see the above link), he wasted very little time
reneging on his claim to lead bipartisanship. Now he’s pitching bipartisanship again!
Why would a rational person believe he has any intention of practicing
it on nationally important matters when his record and, apparently his
instincts, are to do the opposite?
“Bush’s tax policies caused
us to stop producing the budget surpluses that Clinton achieved!”
Factual nonsense. It’s a
documented fact that the federal budget stopped making a surplus beginning the
end of March 2000, a full ten months before Bush was sworn in, due to the
collapse of the high tech sector. By the time Bush took office, deficits were
guaranteed no matter what Bush did.
“Bush’s tax cuts hurt federal
revenue!” so “We need to increase the tax rate on the rich to reduce our
deficits!”
Factual nonsense. About 3 or
4 months after 80% of Bush’s tax cuts were enacted at the end of May 2003,
federal revenue turned around and after 3 ½ years had set a new federal revenue
record at $2.5Trillion, a full 25% higher than even Clinton achieved. It was
congress’ spending that caused the increasing debt during Bush’s terms in
office.
“Bush’s tax cuts hurt
employment!” so “We need to increase the tax rate on the rich to get our
economy going again!”
Factual nonsense. Only one
month after 80% of Bush’s tax cuts were enacted at the end of May 2003, the
unemployment rate turned around and after 3 ½ years we were back to full
employment. The unemployment rate lowered to 4.4%, just a few tenths above
Clinton’s best year.
“I created more jobs in one
year than Bush created in eight!”
Since both Bush and Obama
inherited recessions the day they took office, Obama’s statement compares
apples to oranges. Comparing it for one man from the start of the recession he
inherited to the other man’s best year regarding employment numbers is
illogical, dishonest and unfair. There are two ways to make a fair and honest
comparison. Guess what? Obama loses on both in a very big way.
1.
Compare term in
office to term in office.
Net
# jobs created while Bush in office: 1 Million
Net
# jobs created while Obama in office: 61,000
2.
Compare the same
periods after each man’s economic recovery actions are fully in place.
# jobs created in 3 ½ years following Bush’s economic stimulus (May 28,
2003): 8 Million
# jobs created in 3 ½ years following Obama’s economic stimulus: 4.4
Million
NOTE: 1. Bush’s tax cuts for everyone worked far
better than Obama’s $800 Billion giveaway. The only logical conclusion
(assuming common sense matters): tax cuts DO work and government money
giveaways are far less effective. One has to ignore factual historical
records (ie, truth) to conclude otherwise.
2. Reference for both comparisons is
Bureau of Labor Statistics.
3. Additional reference where a
variety of similar info is compiled from the BLS:
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