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News & ArtsFriday, June 8, 2012
2012 To the Delight of Republicans, President Obama Says "The Private Sector Is Doing Fine"
Posted by Paul Constant on Fri, Jun 8, 2012 at 10:15 AM
Let's hope that this is the end of President Obama's terrible week: This morning, he held a press conference to talk about Europe, our economy, and to push Congress into passing his jobs bill. Here's the whole Q&A portion of the press conference:
But the thing that Republicans are going to talk about from now until the election is this:
"The truth of the matter is that, as I said, we've created 4.3 million jobs over the last 27 months; over 800,000 just this year alone," Obama said. "The private sector is doing fine."
Mitt Romney, of course, jumped all over this:
Mitt Romney quickly pounced on President Obama’s statement Friday that “the private sector is doing fine,” accusing him of making an “extraordinary miscalculation” that will “go down in history....He said the private sector is doing fine,” Romney said. “Is he really that out of touch? I think he’s defining what it means to be detached and out of touch with the American people. Has there ever been an American president who is so far from reality?”
The Obama campaign could use some seriously good news next week.
1
Dear Governor Romney:
Yes, yes there was. You might remember him - he was first "elected" (a term I use very loosely) back in 2000.
Yes, yes there was. You might remember him - he was first "elected" (a term I use very loosely) back in 2000.
5
Compared to many parts of Europe, yes, our private sector is doing quite well. Thriving, in fact.
But the Republicans can't abandon their position, even in the face of those pesky things the rest of us call "Facts."
But the Republicans can't abandon their position, even in the face of those pesky things the rest of us call "Facts."
6
When that bad jobs report came out last week, it got reported as though it was the report itself that was the problem for Obama. Rather than the problem for Obama being the conditions that it was reporting on. Is this not a confusion of the map with the territory? Are we supposed to believe that people pick up the paper, read "Bad Jobs Report!" and because of *that*, they decide to vote for Romney?
And this kind of thing seems the same. It does not seem plausible to me that what Obama *says* about the economy is more important, electorally speaking, than the economy itself.
And this kind of thing seems the same. It does not seem plausible to me that what Obama *says* about the economy is more important, electorally speaking, than the economy itself.
7
Colbert Report had a hilarious piece on the extended Republican party's (Faux News, Joe Scarborough) whining about the NYT piece in the Home section on Romney's elevator for his garage in La Jolla.
8
All I can tell you is that, five years ago, four years ago and three years ago, they were laying off people in my department. Until this year, they kept making lots of noises about repeating the feat.
This year, we've hired four and are on track to hire four more, effectively doubling my work group, and others are being hired throughout my department.
We'll probably get a lot more responsibilities to accompany the new heads, and this is just a small slice of a larger economy, but....
This year, we've hired four and are on track to hire four more, effectively doubling my work group, and others are being hired throughout my department.
We'll probably get a lot more responsibilities to accompany the new heads, and this is just a small slice of a larger economy, but....
11
@4: I think a better question for you would be why do you support Romney when history teaches us that the economy always does better when a democrat is in the white house, unemployment rises when a republican is in the white house, trickle down economics is a lie, republicans create deficits and inflate the national debt, and he wants to strip you of your human rights (if you are in fact a gay dude)?
I can't for the life of me understand: they hurt the economy, hurt the middle class, and do not think you are an equal citizen...if you are a real person, you must really hate yourself.
I can't for the life of me understand: they hurt the economy, hurt the middle class, and do not think you are an equal citizen...if you are a real person, you must really hate yourself.
13
"Has there ever been an American president who is so far from reality? No? Well, let's elect one! Vote for me!"
14
@5, @8: Everything is relative. An anemic recovery is better than none at all. Contractors and vendors are doing fairly well, but companies, take Microsoft for example, are very skittish about hiring FTEs.
The question becomes what are the goals depending on your political ideology.
We can do better.
The question becomes what are the goals depending on your political ideology.
We can do better.
15
Hmm...let's see: in 2008 my company was laying off people left and right, everyone who was still around was working part-time on Workshare, and jobs were shutting down due to lack of available financing.
As of today, we've hired over a dozen people in the past year, jobs are starting up again and new work is coming in. From where I'm sitting, the private sector is making positive gains. I don't think "fine" is a mischaracterization at all.
What's Mitt's reference point? The pre-recession housing bubble economy? We all know how that turned out. Of course, everyone in his income bracket has always been just fine.
As of today, we've hired over a dozen people in the past year, jobs are starting up again and new work is coming in. From where I'm sitting, the private sector is making positive gains. I don't think "fine" is a mischaracterization at all.
What's Mitt's reference point? The pre-recession housing bubble economy? We all know how that turned out. Of course, everyone in his income bracket has always been just fine.
18
The opposition's only successful narrative is that things are still crappy and getting crappier. Any good news at all weakens their chances in November. Thus, the rhetoric.
20
@14:
"Because the economy is not recovering fast enough by my completely arbitrary rubric, Obama is a failure."
Answer my question in #11 please, as I am honestly confused at how you can support the GOP in any way. They are anathema to modern economies, they kill jobs, and do not believe you deserve rights. What is the appeal?
"Because the economy is not recovering fast enough by my completely arbitrary rubric, Obama is a failure."
Answer my question in #11 please, as I am honestly confused at how you can support the GOP in any way. They are anathema to modern economies, they kill jobs, and do not believe you deserve rights. What is the appeal?
21
Well, Mitt, is the private sector doing better or worse than poor people? Since, according to YOU, poor people are doing just fine.
23
Also, if Obama had said "The private sector is NOT doing just fine," then Romney would say something like "Even the president admits that the economy is fucked up! Vote for me!"
24
Has there ever been an American president who is so far from reality?”
That sounds like a $10,000 bet I'd take from a guy with a dozen houses and full-time lobbyist to get a car elevator installed in one of them.
That sounds like a $10,000 bet I'd take from a guy with a dozen houses and full-time lobbyist to get a car elevator installed in one of them.
25
@16, Gay for Mittens is just an American Crossroads astroturfer. It would be great if it were Karl Rove himself, but it's just a CHUD collecting a paycheck.
26
"The Private Sector" means a lot of things. I assume O means corporations - got to be precise when there's an army of flying monkeys ready to pounce and spin. Corporate profits are up, CEO pay is way up, and what @9 said.
Fuck Rmoney.
Fuck Rmoney.
28
@14: Microsoft is always skittish about hiring FTEs. Their pay rate is fantastic, and their benefits package is a strong contender for best in the world, so they only hire those that they know are good long-term investments.
29
The facts are with Obama on this one. The private sector has been hiring and growing, it's the layoffs and contraction of the public sector -- state and local governments, meaning teachers, social services, administration -- that have most impacted overall employment numbers. And that's precisely due to the budget-cutting austerity philosophy that Romney and the Republicans have been espousing. So it's really Romney who is out of touch.
30
The wealthy in America have never been doing better under Obama. Not sure why the GOP doesn't like him more. And he even appointed one of their bankers to the Supreme Court.
But any talk of a jobs program or any other program during an election year is pointless bullshit to be used only for stump speeches this summer. And even if by chance it makes in to some form of legislation, it will be gutted so much as to be useless. Healthcare reform comes to mind. You know, the healthcare reform that was written by the health insurance industy.
But any talk of a jobs program or any other program during an election year is pointless bullshit to be used only for stump speeches this summer. And even if by chance it makes in to some form of legislation, it will be gutted so much as to be useless. Healthcare reform comes to mind. You know, the healthcare reform that was written by the health insurance industy.
31
@25: Believe it or not, I honestly do not think anyone is paying him to do this.
Exhibit A:
http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archive…
This is a six-day circle jerk between Gay Dude and fairly.unbalanced, where they basically just slapped at each other. It is loaded with sophistry and fallacy, and helps nobody understand anything. NO WAY someone paying Gay Dude to astroturf would keep him around after that momentous waste of time/resources, and after he came off looking like such a childish douche.
This does not preclude the idea that perhaps a different turfer was hired and is using the same name, but I really do think this is just a guy who wants Romney to win, and thinks he can win converts on news blogs/forums.
But damn, he does act like a paid plant.
Exhibit A:
http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archive…
This is a six-day circle jerk between Gay Dude and fairly.unbalanced, where they basically just slapped at each other. It is loaded with sophistry and fallacy, and helps nobody understand anything. NO WAY someone paying Gay Dude to astroturf would keep him around after that momentous waste of time/resources, and after he came off looking like such a childish douche.
This does not preclude the idea that perhaps a different turfer was hired and is using the same name, but I really do think this is just a guy who wants Romney to win, and thinks he can win converts on news blogs/forums.
But damn, he does act like a paid plant.
32
@20: Actually, the GOP, America's original party of equality, is in favor of individual rights from an intrusive government which affect my life as a gay person as much or more than marriage equality rights. Such as:
- Not be able to choose or keep a preferred doctor as it’s no longer promised under Obamacare.
- Have your health care subject to guidelines and review by the Department of Health and Human Services?
- Have your health insurance mandate status tracked by the Internal Revenue Service?
- Be required to file a 1099 for every business transaction over $600.00?
- Be required to pay Medicare a percentage when you sell your home?
- Have your business required to provide status reports to the Office of Financial Research as part of Dodd Frank?
- Not be able to appeal EPA decisions.
- Have your food choices increasingly limited, or convenience limited, because of the government's anti-obesity campaign?
- Deal with the sense of sense of shared misery because government, not the individual, is the most valued?
I’m not saying that any of these are more important than marriage equality rights. The SCOTUS will ultimately decide.
Just as politicians have to make compromises to pass legislation, voter have make compromises when it comes to electing presidents. It’s ALWAYS A SELECTION BETWEEN THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS. Since Theodore Roosevelt and the start of the 20th century, there have been 11 Republican presidents and 8 Dems. So it really is amazing that, as you see it, half the country has been hating itself for this long!
@22: You're absolutly right. Serious it is. Daddies are very fetishible.
- Not be able to choose or keep a preferred doctor as it’s no longer promised under Obamacare.
- Have your health care subject to guidelines and review by the Department of Health and Human Services?
- Have your health insurance mandate status tracked by the Internal Revenue Service?
- Be required to file a 1099 for every business transaction over $600.00?
- Be required to pay Medicare a percentage when you sell your home?
- Have your business required to provide status reports to the Office of Financial Research as part of Dodd Frank?
- Not be able to appeal EPA decisions.
- Have your food choices increasingly limited, or convenience limited, because of the government's anti-obesity campaign?
- Deal with the sense of sense of shared misery because government, not the individual, is the most valued?
I’m not saying that any of these are more important than marriage equality rights. The SCOTUS will ultimately decide.
Just as politicians have to make compromises to pass legislation, voter have make compromises when it comes to electing presidents. It’s ALWAYS A SELECTION BETWEEN THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS. Since Theodore Roosevelt and the start of the 20th century, there have been 11 Republican presidents and 8 Dems. So it really is amazing that, as you see it, half the country has been hating itself for this long!
@22: You're absolutly right. Serious it is. Daddies are very fetishible.
34
Yep, we've had a bad week. But it's only June. Hardly anyone will remember this week come November.
35
@ 29: and it is the effects(decline in purchasing power etc.) of those public sector layoffs that are proving to be a large ball & chain on the overall economy and sustained growth.
aka; the Grover Glenn Norquist effect.
aka; the Grover Glenn Norquist effect.
36
@32: I actually work in the health care industry, so you may want to know you are wrong about most of that.
-You already do not get a choice about what doctors are covered under your plans. Look up what an EPO, PPO, and an HMO is.
-Health care is already heavily regulated by the government. This is not going to change at all under PPACA.
-Mandate status is already tracked by local and federal governments, in addition to private industry.
-Obama repealed that 1099 requirement a year ago.
-You already pay taxes on that, and guess what, some already goes to medicare!
-Regulation is how we ensure businesses can't recklessly steal and tank the economy, as they recently did. It has been in the news. Also, if you pay taxes, the government already knows how well your company is doing (if you do not lie and steal).
-Supreme Court struck that down unanimously a couple months ago...even the liberals!
-What anti-obesity campaign? What have they told you that you can not eat or drink? Where is the enforcement?
-This is just stupid
Stop talking out your ass. Got anything else?
-You already do not get a choice about what doctors are covered under your plans. Look up what an EPO, PPO, and an HMO is.
-Health care is already heavily regulated by the government. This is not going to change at all under PPACA.
-Mandate status is already tracked by local and federal governments, in addition to private industry.
-Obama repealed that 1099 requirement a year ago.
-You already pay taxes on that, and guess what, some already goes to medicare!
-Regulation is how we ensure businesses can't recklessly steal and tank the economy, as they recently did. It has been in the news. Also, if you pay taxes, the government already knows how well your company is doing (if you do not lie and steal).
-Supreme Court struck that down unanimously a couple months ago...even the liberals!
-What anti-obesity campaign? What have they told you that you can not eat or drink? Where is the enforcement?
-This is just stupid
Stop talking out your ass. Got anything else?
37
@32: Yeah, Teddy Roosevelt would be totally be accepted into (nay, nominated to lead!) today's GOP. No question.
38
The job report looks worse because the public sector is shedding jobs while the private sector is adding them. This was Obama's point, and it seems like everyone is ready to ignore the fuck out of it.
39
@36: Thanks for the updates on EPA and 1099 ones, that's good to hear.
It's very telling that you just blew away the last bullet; and that is because you can't fathom it or refuse to believe it.
The role of goverment is not to make us healthy or happy. That's the people's job!
It's very telling that you just blew away the last bullet; and that is because you can't fathom it or refuse to believe it.
The role of goverment is not to make us healthy or happy. That's the people's job!
40
@39
No, I did not answer it because it is a position of something that is essentially faith. You believe it because you need to, nothing I say or show could possibly dissuade you from this.
It is a statement of no substance, only rhetoric. It is sophistry, and so needs no refutation, and none would suffice.
The only thing I could possibly say to that would be the fact that our taxes are lower than anywhere in the developed world, as is our scope of government power. The basis of our electoral and justice systems is built on the importance of the individual, and other developed countries think our focus on the individual is basically religious in its hold on our public.
So there it is I guess...so you have eight lies, and one statement of subjective opinion that can not possibly be refuted to your satisfaction. Great job!
No, I did not answer it because it is a position of something that is essentially faith. You believe it because you need to, nothing I say or show could possibly dissuade you from this.
It is a statement of no substance, only rhetoric. It is sophistry, and so needs no refutation, and none would suffice.
The only thing I could possibly say to that would be the fact that our taxes are lower than anywhere in the developed world, as is our scope of government power. The basis of our electoral and justice systems is built on the importance of the individual, and other developed countries think our focus on the individual is basically religious in its hold on our public.
So there it is I guess...so you have eight lies, and one statement of subjective opinion that can not possibly be refuted to your satisfaction. Great job!
41
@39 It's very telling that you just blew away the last bullet; and that is because you can't fathom it or refuse to believe it.
Uh, let's see. What was your last bullet? Oh, yeah, "Deal with the sense of sense of shared misery because government, not the individual, is the most valued?"
@36 didn't engage it because it's not expressed as a point of fact that can be confirmed or refuted. It's not even a sentence. Are you a non-native speaker of English? Or possibly a robot? If you're a robot, I'm not talking to you anymore.
Uh, let's see. What was your last bullet? Oh, yeah, "Deal with the sense of sense of shared misery because government, not the individual, is the most valued?"
@36 didn't engage it because it's not expressed as a point of fact that can be confirmed or refuted. It's not even a sentence. Are you a non-native speaker of English? Or possibly a robot? If you're a robot, I'm not talking to you anymore.
42
@40: I advise caution getting too comfortable with the word "sophistry" as it can easily reflect back on you.
43
@32,
Like wiretapping citizens?
Like ordering women who want abortions to undergo involuntary internal ultrasounds?
Like the whole Terri Schiavo fiasco?
Sounds pretty intrusive to me.
the GOP, America's original party of equality, is in favor of individual rights from an intrusive governmentLike the Patriot Act?
Like wiretapping citizens?
Like ordering women who want abortions to undergo involuntary internal ultrasounds?
Like the whole Terri Schiavo fiasco?
Sounds pretty intrusive to me.
45
@Gaydude, the fact that you are not aware of those changes to the law and their coverage of them in the media really makes me wonder how informed you are. Looking at pre-Reagan republicans track records aren't very telling of the current GOPs governing policies.
46
@45 I think this must be the fake Gay Dude For Romney. Remember that inanity from two weeks ago? There's really no other explanation for it.
47
@46 nah. This one is the real one. Writing style is the same. The fake was one was gav, had a different letter capitalize or used one of those alt-### to make a letter hidden. He wasn't hacked just played.
48
@45: However, a Republican president would never even think of that IRS 1099 requirement or EPA immunity from appeals. So I get half credit on those points.
@47: Then how come there are two "Gay Dude for Romney" profiles? Click on mine from my screen name link under my comment here, and here is the impostor's:
http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Profi…
Note that the impostor's screen name was the same as mine, "Gay Dude for Romney", not Gav (that was clearly a separate account someone else did).
That's more than just being "played".
I trust, from the Webmaster, that my impostor is can no longer log in to that account.
@47: Then how come there are two "Gay Dude for Romney" profiles? Click on mine from my screen name link under my comment here, and here is the impostor's:
http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Profi…
Note that the impostor's screen name was the same as mine, "Gay Dude for Romney", not Gav (that was clearly a separate account someone else did).
That's more than just being "played".
I trust, from the Webmaster, that my impostor is can no longer log in to that account.
49
@48. The EPA was started by Nixon, I'm assuming neither of use can speak to or for the dead, so that one is hard to say. But if we give you half points that's still a failing grade. As far as your imposter goes I'm sure they used a alt-### to create a 'false space' it's not that hard to do on any ol' pc.
The that bugs a lot of pro-health folks is that the opposition hasn't provided any alternatives to what is a major factor in ruining the US economy. Simply repealing it is maintaining a broken status quo. As a governor Mitt understood this. He may lack an emotional IQ but he does understand business, that's why this whole repeal thing seems silly and shortsighted.
Since you're on his side, can you explain has platform on fixing this mess?
The that bugs a lot of pro-health folks is that the opposition hasn't provided any alternatives to what is a major factor in ruining the US economy. Simply repealing it is maintaining a broken status quo. As a governor Mitt understood this. He may lack an emotional IQ but he does understand business, that's why this whole repeal thing seems silly and shortsighted.
Since you're on his side, can you explain has platform on fixing this mess?
50
@49: So a false space was in the impostor's screen name? And it snuck by the screen name screen matching?
As far as fixing health care, I can't explain any more at this time without researching.
As far as fixing health care, I can't explain any more at this time without researching.
51
Theodore, as they noted on the Daily Show last night, we'd call it a circle jerk, but even those have an end in mind. These circle jerks are really designed to discourage and disenfranchise. Karl Rove, Crossroads and Gay for Mitbot are hoping no one votes. They have a better chance of winning by thwarting democracy.
52
@31: Also, funny how you say I act as a childish douche, and then later say I act like a paid plant.
53
"The truth of the matter is that, as I said, we've created 4.3 million jobs over the last 27 months; over 800,000 just this year alone,"
More than 7 million people have dropped out of the labor force since jan1, 2009: http://www.zerohedge.com/sites/default/f…
More than 7 million people have dropped out of the labor force since jan1, 2009: http://www.zerohedge.com/sites/default/f…
54
@27 - That was awesome, Urgutha.
@41 - those weren't mistakes; they were just lies from a serial liar. He knows better; he just hoped he wouldn't get corrected.
@41 - those weren't mistakes; they were just lies from a serial liar. He knows better; he just hoped he wouldn't get corrected.
55
The private sector got several bail outs. The talk around the town became, wall street (private) got bailed out main street (public) got cut. Many people in the private sector socialized their losses with the government, and privatized the gains. I'm sure people who care about politics don't much care about those details though, it's why I won't bother wasting my time studying or analyzing this crap. It's just a game to them. Facts don't matter.
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