For the better part of the last year, there was one claim Mitt Romney made more than any other: President Obama, he said, made the economy "worse."
Reality makes clear that the dubious claim just isn't true, but the Republican presidential hopeful repeated it anyway, ad nauseam, in nearly every speech, interview, and public appearance. It became the central point of the former governor's entire campaign: Obama made the economy worse, and Romney would make it better.
As national conditions improved, the argument became untenable, and the shift in Romney's rhetoric tells an important story.
Mitt Romney on Thursday night admitted that the economy is improving. "I believe we're in a recovery mode, finally," Romney told Fox News' Sean Hannity. "I think it's likely things will get better."
This isn't the first time Romney has grudgingly acknowledged that the economy is improving. He started moving in this direction two months ago, slowly acknowledging the economic upswing, but urging voters not to give Obama credit for the better conditions.
At a certain level, that's not an unreasonable point of discussion -- if Republicans want to debate Democrats over how and why the economy strengthened, it'd be a debate worth having.
But to have that debate is to concede the underlying point that the economy has obviously gotten significantly better since Obama became president. For the GOP, that's extremely dangerous -- going into a presidential election, Republicans will find it very difficult to win if the larger dispute boils down to "the nation is better off, and Obama deserves a second term" vs. "the nation is better off, but vote against Obama anyway."
For Romney, who likes to pretend the economy is his strong point, this is especially problematic. He can argue Obama made the economy "worse," and he can concede the "we're in a recovery mode," but he can't say both at the same time, at least if he wants to be taken seriously.
The more Romney acknowledges the facts -- Obama inherited an economic crisis, then helped turn things around -- the harder it is to imagine him winning in November. This clip from January continues to stick in my mind as one of the most important of 2012:
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The economy and foreign affairs are always important issues, but ultimately the Republicans will always fall back on their "look at the monkey in that tree" strategy. They don't have anything else.
I just wonder if Republicans are as sick of listening to Romney's lies (hey,hey,hey) as I am or if they swallow the BS.
just askin'
They're sick alright, sick in the head.
Think about the facts..... Obama lied about everything. All democats are buffaloed by his so called change. He wants us all to depend on the government. He lied about the oil drilling. Economics 101, you can't print/borrow money to get out of debt. He is the only president that has taken money from the tax payers and increased the size government by 23% or more. The first president to go to war without the approvals of the congress, the 1st president to held in contempt of court, unconstitual forcing the American people to be mandated to have health insurance, the lying list goes on. Him and his administration claim to be for womens rights in healthcare he is an absurd individual. I have never in my life heard so much crap. He was on vacation, and came back and still took 9 months to present a budget. He does not know the meaning of that word. He is good for vacations, on MY DIME, but he can NOT run this country. Now that I have let the world know that I do not agree with his policies I guess, I will now be called a racist!!!!
no1curr michelle
Not sure what that means MechTrek, but I probably concur.
Just slang for "'no one cares' [about your fact-free frothy rant]" ;)
It's funny how this was the premise put forth by Benen and the first Romney defender can't talk about the merits of this statement, but only the merits of how much they hate Obama. And MechTrek is right- fact free doesn't even begin the description.
Look if you want to argue that the economy will do better regardless of the President's actions that's an OK position to take. If you want to argue that the President's actions have made the economy worse this is also an OK position although I would disagree w/ you on this particular point. But you cannot argue both points simultaneously.
Predictable. No one can know what's in your heart unless you tell them, michelle, so you may or may not be a "racist". Since that possibility obviously concerns you, though, one could conclude the chances are very good you do recognize the absurdity of your so-called arguments, but offer them up perhaps as a distraction anyway. If not, then you've merely relied exclusively on woefully misinformed sources for data to form your opinions. Those are the facts you should yourself think about.
WTF, I guess that was a troll That wasn't Palin was It? That was scarry, all those lies at once.
Much as childrens' behavior improves as Christmas approaches, so does the economy as Romney's inauguration nears.
I know this, because Larry Kudlow said so!
Well, he could argue that while the economy is improving, it's still worse than it would have been if different policies had been followed.
But he'd have a lot of trouble getting such a complex concept across to the average political journalist, let alone the average voter, let alone the average GOP voter. Too many subjunctive clauses.
Consider how much the Republicans have invested in denying counterfactuals over the last three years:
Democrat: "Yes, the economy sucks. Just imagine how bad it would be without the ARRA and auto bailout!"
Republican: "Stick to the facts: the economy sucks, it's your watch, and everything else is speculation."
Good thing for the Republicans that the public has the attention span of a moth.
You can certainly make that argument... IF there's one to make. But going back to the 2008 election season, GOP candidates and ranking members flat out predicted that under their plans we'd start seeing the economy go into recovery mode in around 2016! McCain predicted an 8 - 10 year turn around cycle, with unemployment getting into 15-20% range...
So for them to all of a sudden try to make an argument that their policies would have been better would be a stretch... esp considering that most of their policies (then and now) are no different that the policies GWB had in place throughout the 2000s.
So please... by all means, try to push that argument!
I forgot, explain to me again how Rmoney has helped our economy. What was it again that he did? Did he have food baskets delivered to the poor people in Mississippi where he just visited? Has he taken the time to visit the Veterans hospital? I just can't seem to remember what his contribution was that helped this economy. Oh, I forgot we're just muppets,slang for puppets.
Is Unemployment higher or lower since Obama took over?Is the economy growing?Are gas prices higher or lower?To Shumuwada.Would you like to compare the charity and works of Romney and compare it to Obama BEFORE Obama became president?Obama spent his entire life giving 1% of his income to charity UNTIL he became president.He is the most miserly,cheap human being on the face of the earth and has done NOTHING to help anyone but himself and Rev. Wright.
Billy, let me type real slow so you might get it. Romney has all his money in Cayman Islands and other off shore accounts so he doesn't pay taxes. Obama has gotten us OUT of Iraq and has ordered the troops that killed Osama Bin Laden, provided healthcare for 30 million people that could n't have gotten it before. You are a rotten piece of sh&t and the most worthless person on the face of the earth. Go read a newspaper or listen to CNN or HLN or MSnbc and get off the faux Noise channel you might learn some FACTS!
Wow, only a left-wing liberal fool would say a guy who paid over 20 million dollars in taxes last year doesn't pay his taxes. Mary, maybe you're one of the 49% in this country who pay zero taxes and suck up to Obama when he says everyone should pay their fair share.
ajp
If you (Romney) makes $250,000,000 a year a pays 20% in taxes your effect tax rate is less than a secretary making $60,000 a year. Call a tax lawyer and ask him/her to explain it to you.
It is lower
By all objective measures (such as the most recent CBO report) yes
Comparatively they are lower than they were during the first term of the Bush Administration, but they may in fact be on track to be higher by the time we reach mid summer
I am not sure what this point proves. Obama's total net worth is less than 10% of the total net worth of that of Mitt Romney. 1% given from Obama is a higher percentage of his net income than 1% given by Romney. Is your point here that Obama should have given a higher percentage or that you don't understand the comparative income differences between the two?
Also notice how, again, Benen gave people an opportunity here:
Yet instead of engaging in this discussion (as is pertinent to the conversation) you deflect by attacking PBO. I'm seeing a pattern form here...
Billy, you forgot to compare skin colors. . .
Mitt Romney's treatment of Mutt Romney shows how charitable he really is. How a person treats his dog is a fairly good indicator of how he treats people. One of the early indicators of sociopathic traits is animal cruelty.
President Obama is extremely lucky when it comes to the economy. If you look at the sources of the economic recession; too much leverage in the system, the reason we entered the recession; abuse of the financial system by the financial industry and the greatest effect of it; the loss of the average Americans greatest source of wealth, their home he has done nothing. He is lucky because this the American Taliban does not wish to discuss this in any form or fashion as their policy is no different
The President HAMP program and its successors are abject failures by his own administration's reports. The President Obama and the AG are on record saying that the financial industry are guilty of only unscrupulous behavior, yet they enter into a settlement that prohibits criminal prosecution on foreclosure abuses. When it comes to clear cut criminal activity the President ignores<a href="http://usmilitary.about.com/od/sscra/l/blsscra4.htm">The soldiers and sailors relief act</a> and offers military personnel, whom served under fire, a little money. Nor has the President offered any real relief such as introduction of legislation that would allow first homes into the bankruptcy proceedings, an action that would penalize financial institutions for the absolute abrogation of their fiduciary responsibilities and benefit the homeowner. the benefit is a lower valuation of their home, hence a lower mortgage payment allowing a home owner to keep their largest source of wealth.
Your whole premise is not true. In fact, DoJ is going after mortgage lenders big time. Try to keep up.
Umm, I just clicked to watch the video and was disgusted to see an ExxonMobil ad touting the keystone pipeline. Sabotage, I hope?
advertising/editorial wall. think of it as exxon throwing money away on the people least likely to be influenced.
Of course he can say 2 opposite things at once. He has been doing it all of the primary season. Like I'm proud of the health care law creating individual mandates but I oppose Obama's plan for doing the same thing, or I'm for Planned Parenthood and I'm against it, or the same with global warming. Problem is the Republican base is not that smart so he has to throw them red meat.
Mitt is so full of himself, the only thing that comes out of his mouth is wisecracks.He said that "freedom runs this economy", that's a lie, the 98% of us who get up everyday and go to work run this enconomy. If he thinks he can get up on his termite infested stump and read from perpared statements and still screws up, maybe he needs to get a teleprompter.