A Quick Look Back At The Past Six Years

The critics say that the president’s policies are bad for the country. They say his agenda hurts our economy, kills jobs here at home and weakens our positioning on foreign affairs. They site his “mishandling” of the circumstances surrounding Bowe Bergdahl’s return as just one more example of his incompetence. They say that a vote for “Obama’s (Democrat) candidate” this November is a vote to continue his ruinous, dangerous policies.

The president’s critics are correct in this respect. A vote for a Democrat in the mid-terms IS a vote to continue Barak Obama’s policies. With that in mind we thought that we would cut through the partisan rhetoric, hate speech and, yes, racism, to take an honest look at what this president has wrought upon our country over the past six years.

In order to put things into perspective it is important to note where we were as a country when Barak Obama took office in 2008.
In 2008 we were engaged in two costly, unpaid for, unwarranted, wars with no exit strategy to be found. Our economy was in the middle of the worst recession since the Great Depression. The stock market had crashed, losing 50% of its value, and the banking industry was on the verge of collapse. The American auto industry was about to close its doors. Unemployment was skyrocketing. The private sector was losing 700,000 jobs per month. Millions of Americans were losing their homes. The cost of health care was spiraling out of control. Tens of millions of Americans, unable to afford health insurance, were risking bankruptcy. Millions were being refused coverage due to pre-existing conditions. Millions more were being kicked off their policies. Retail sales were down. Manufacturing, down! Construction, down! Housing starts, non-existent! The Bush administration had turned a $200 billion surplus into a $5 trillion deficit.

When Barak Obama took office he enacted a number of bold and controversial measures to address the country’s problems. The president ended the war in Iraq and announced that we will be out of Afghanistan in 18 months. A depression was averted and today the economy is growing. The stock market is posting all time record highs. The auto industry is thriving and 3,000,000 at risk jobs have been saved. The banking industry has stabilized. Retail is up! Manufacturing up! Construction up! Housing starts up! Unemployment, once pushing 9%, now stands at 6.3%. The private sector, once losing 700,000 jobs per month is now creating 220,000 jobs per month. For the first time in 40 years health care costs are on the decline. Millions of Americans now have access to affordable health care while millions more no longer live in fear of losing their coverage.

Have there been failures? Certainly! Guantanamo is still open. Comprehensive immigration reform is still but a dream. Our infrastructure is still in dire need of attention. The number of people looking for work far exceeds the jobs that are available. Medicare and Medicaid still threaten our long term financial security and millions of Americans with mental health issues still roam the streets; bearing arms that would rival a well equipped Marine.

Do the president’s accomplishments outweigh his failures? By any fair measure, they do.

So as you watch the 2014 election season unfold think back to where we were when this president took office and where we are today. Then ask yourself, do I want to send people to congress that will help this president continue with his agenda or do I want to impede his progress.