David Brooks is off today at the NY Times, so, Paul Krugman steps in with a howler, because Obama is totally a success, so much so that people don’t really know it. Because there is a media that votes 90% Democrat to let us know, and we can totally learn from Obama
Learning From Obama
(A blurb about Obama’s supposed rising poll numbers to start off)
Well, one answer is that voters have lately been given a taste of what really bad leaders look like. But I’d like to think that the public is also starting to realize just how successful the Obama administration has been in addressing America’s problems. And there are lessons from that success for those willing to learn.
I know that it’s hard for many people on both sides to wrap their minds around the notion of Obama-as-success. On the left, those caught up in the enthusiasms of 2008 feel let down by the prosaic reality of governing in a deeply polarized political system. Meanwhile, conservative ideology predicts disaster from any attempt to tax the rich, help the less fortunate and rein in the excesses of the market; and what are you going to believe, the ideology or your own lying eyes?
But the successes are there for all to see.
For all to see! What are they?
Start with the economy. You might argue that presidents don’t have as much effect on economic performance as voters seem to imagine — especially presidents facing scorched-earth opposition from Congress for most of their time in office. But that misses the point: Republicans have spent the past seven years claiming incessantly that Mr. Obama’s policies are a “job killing†disaster, destroying business incentives, so it’s important news if the economy has performed well.
And it has: We’ve gained 10 million private-sector jobs since Mr. Obama took office, and unemployment is below 5 percent. True, there are still some areas of disappointment — low labor force participation, weak wage growth. But just imagine the boasting we’d be hearing if Mitt Romney occupied the White House.
So, except for the 92 million who’ve dropped out of the labor force, quite a few in despair, and huge number who can only get low wage service industry jobs, many of which are part time (which we were told were bad jobs when Bush was president, and I bet a search would unveil Krugman complaining about them), and wage growth stinking up the joint like a corpse plant, everything is awesome!
Then there’s health reform, which has (don’t tell anyone) been meeting its goals.
He gives more to it, but, let’s consider that the one purpose was to cover the 40-45 million without health insurance. Ocare obtained less than that. Another part was to make it affordable. It’s there in the name of the act. Yet, it’s too expensive deductible wise for a goodly chunk to use it. And, it is not revenue neutral. And, people lost the plans and doctors they liked.
Krugman goes on to discuss financial reform, which is a success in that it hasn’t caused an implosion in the financial markets and banks, but, is still rather toothless, as well as Obama’s tyranical executive orders, such as the Clean Power Plant order, which will cause financial harm to the middle and lower classes. But, is Krugman kidding about this all?
All in all, it’s quite a record. Assuming Democrats hold the presidency, Mr. Obama will emerge as a hugely consequential president — more than Reagan. And I’m sure Republicans will learn a lot from his achievements.
April fools!
Yes, Obama is an April Fools joke. And so is attempting to defend his poor record. But, hey, if you’re a super rich guy like Krugman, things are fine.
Crossed at Right Wing News.
Read: Excitable Paul Krugman Thinks Obama’s “Successes” Are April Fools Day Jokes »
