Reacting to Republican “snake oil and economic lies,” back in February President Obama made a powerful speech — “a dose of truth” — on the 7-year anniversary of the Recovery Act alerting voters to Republican economic lies and shenanigans.
The President was speaking to employees at the Saft America Advanced Batteries Plant in Jacksonville, Florida.
You can read the full remarks here and listen to them below.
Here are some of the highlights.
Back then [seven year ago], all around us, the economy was in a free fall — 800,000 Americans were losing their jobs every single month. That’s almost the entire population of Jacksonville joining the unemployment line every few weeks. Families lost their homes, families lost their savings. And people here in Florida were especially hard hit — the unemployment rate here in Florida hit 11.2 percent, which was even higher than the national average.
Fast-forward today. Businesses like yours have created jobs for 71 straight months — 14 million new jobs overall. We’ve cut the unemployment rate by more than half. Nationally, the high was 10 percent — it’s now down to 4.9 percent. And here in Jacksonville, it is even lower. Our auto industry just had its best year ever. We’ve created more than 900,000 new manufacturing jobs in the past six years.
Meanwhile, our high school graduation rate is at an all-time high. Nearly 18 million Americans have gained health care coverage — although here in Florida, there are a whole bunch of folks who haven’t because the state hasn’t expanded Medicaid, but that’s another topic. Businesses like Saft are leading a clean energy revolution that’s creating jobs and making our planet safer and more secure at the same time.
Now, you don’t hear a lot about this from the folks who are on the campaign trail. They’re spending all their time talking down America. I don’t know when it became fashionable to do that…anybody who says we are not absolutely better off today than we were just seven years ago — they’re not leveling with you. They’re not telling the truth. By almost every economic measure, we are significantly better off, and Florida is significantly better off. Jacksonville is a whole lot better off.
The President continued to illustrate why America is much better off than seven years ago when a Democratic administration took over from the disaster that was the Bush regime.
He concluded:
The future is ours. But to finish the job requires steady, persistent effort. We can’t grow complacent. We can’t chase false promises. We’ve got to be smart. We’ve got to work together. But I’ve never been more optimistic than I am now that we will get to where we need to go, because I’ve seen what you can do. And if we keep working together, everything is possible and our best days are just ahead.
What an uplifting, positive message and what a contrast to the dark, doom and gloom vision of America painted by Trump & Co.
The President did not use as many statistics as he could have to corroborate his claims, but they are abundant and overwhelmingly positive.
In his “Just the Facts, the Stock Market” Ned Lips provides exactly such irrefutable data on the amazing recovery of the stock market since Obama took office and promises to continue to provide a “moderate’s view of the facts.” Much needed and much appreciated, Ned.
As I have written previously, I am not a poet, but I admire those who are, especially those who can take political issues and turn them into smooth, “rhyming” poems.
How about going one step farther and include well researched statistics, percentages, numbers and facts into a poem?
Address the Dow, unemployment –“U-3 and U-6 numbers” — the deficit and inflation in a poem?
My “good friend, a combat vet and a patriot” has done exactly that and, in my opinion, done it well.
Here it is:
Obama: A Zero – or Hero?
Opinions differ across the political divide
Let’s look at some facts to help us decide
When Obama came The Dow was at eight thousand and went even less
Now it is more than double – to an all-time high – but he’s called anti-business
Unemployment was 7.8% then went up to 10% before the current downward fall
Now it’s 5.0%, but of course it had nothing to do with Obama at all
And Jobs lost in G.W. Bush’s final days -Were 800,000 a month and more on the way
Now all those jobs lost during G. W’s swagger
Are recovered (longest positive job growth ever) – But Obama is still called a laggard
From Clinton G.W. Bush started with a surplus of 100 Billion and more –
And ended with a deficit of one trillion four – When Obama took the floor
It has been cut way more than half as of this date – But Obama they still hate
So the market is up and the deficit and unemployment are down
Yet Republicans still make a booing sound
“Obama care will break the bank, inflation will skyrocket and the dollar will fall”
Now nothing like that has happened at all
Immigration reform, minimum wage increase – we reject them because you are you
The Republican rank and file – Have a mission to continue to put feet in the aisle
Oh, “Obama is on foreign policy weak, he doesn’t fight; it’s just talk that he seeks.”
But he simply followed Bush’s Iraq disengagement plan, which should be admired
And he has not got us into a Syrian ground war quagmire
He recognizes the complicated Middle East mess needs a hand that’s steady
He choose a measured response not “fire – aim – ready”
Republicans spout we’re not safe in our land until there’s a gun in everyone’s hand
While shooting in several cities have gone up, overall we’re in a safer land
Obama to his principals is persistent: despite mighty Republican resistance
Republicans claim they’ll change our country around because it’s a mess
Before you believe that just review the above as a reality test
So before you go into the voting booth – look for the truth
For a great case can be made: Obama is a Hero and not a Zero
Lead chart: Employment Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
The author is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and a writer.