A little over a year ago I wrote a column in which I declared, facetiously, that I had decided to become a liberal Democrat in the mold of President Barack Obama:
“Bingo!! There it is. While the recession may have begun under President George W. Bush, the “recovery” is all Mr. Obama’s. All of the major stock market indices have recovered and/or surpassed their pre-recession highs. Wall Street moneychangers and investors like me have increased our net-worths beyond pre-recession levels even when adjusted for inflation. Thank you very much Mr. Obama – the overwhelming campaign contributions given to you have paid off handsomely. (Well, the money changers’ campaign contributions, not mine – there are some things not even a pig will do.)”
I’ve sort of let that weak attempt at humor lie fallow since then. But this past week Mr. Obama re-ignited my fervor to become an Obama liberal. In a speech given before a Labor Day rally in Milwaukee, WI, Mr. Obama stated:
Our revelry was short lived. Those damn conservatives and Republicans (they aren’t always the same) started intruding on Mr. Obama’s self-congratulatory remarks with – of all things – facts. (I just hate it when they do that.)
Mr. Obama reported that more Americans are working than when he took office. While that is true, there are also more Americans that are unemployed than when he took office. The only accurate guide to America’s employment picture is the labor force participation rate because it compares the number of people working and seeking jobs to the total available workforce. When Mr. Obama entered the presidency that number stood at 66.2 percent. The latest figures available from August of 2014, show that percentage continuing its decline to 62.8 percent – the lowest it has been in over three decades. Those pesky facts demonstrate that while there are more people working, a smaller percentage are working and that job creation has not kept pace with working age population growth.
This unfortunate fact was reinforced by an article on Bloomberg by Victoria Stilwell on May 2, 2014, which noted in part:
But let’s not be bothered with that because we Obama liberals are much better off.
But then someone started talking about wage income and annual income declines. Oh yes, it was Vice-president Joe Biden speaking at another Labor Day gathering in Detroit (apparently he didn’t get the memo):
A lower percentage of the American population can find jobs and those who do are earning about the same as when Mr. Obama took office. Well maybe they’re not better off, but they’re no worse off. That is unless you are one of that growing number of people who cannot find jobs but we Obama liberals already know you are going to vote for us so what the hell.
I just cannot take anymore of this conservative negativism – these facts – these details – that get in the way of Mr. Obama’s narrative. Who are you going to believe, Mr.Obama or your lying eyes?