Associated Press
What kind of record has Obama put together since this night four years ago?
The more Republicans talk about President Obama lacking a record of accomplishments, the more disjointed the GOP's line of attack becomes.
Just across the state from where the Democratic National Convention is set to begin tomorrow, Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan warned North Carolinians not to believe what President Obama says in Charlotte.
"Let me quote President Obama four years ago: 'If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from.' Ladies and gentleman, that is exactly what Barack Obama is doing today. You see, the president has no record to run on," Ryan said here on the campus of East Carolina University.
Often, the Republican line takes the opposite tack -- Obama has done too much, approving too many policies that are too progressive. Ryan is now saying, in effect, "Never mind all of those accomplishments we condemned, the new line is the accomplishments don't exist."
People can and should argue about whether Obama's successes have been worthwhile, whether they were ambitious enough, and whether they were effective, but whether one approves of the president or not, the fact remains the successes are real.
This is a president who passed a health-care reform breakthrough 100 years in the making. He also imposed the most sweeping Wall Street reforms since the Great Depression. Obama also rescued the economy from collapse, rescued the American auto industry, ended the war in Iraq, decimated al Qaeda and killed bin Laden, reformed the student loan system, ended "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," vastly improved fuel efficiency standards, helped topple the Gaddafi regime, negotiated the New START treaty, improved food safety protections, cracked down on credit card company abuses, expanded stem-cell research, and signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.
Republicans disapprove of these measures, as is their right. But to say the president "has no record to run on" is kind of silly, even by Paul Ryan standards.
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Hope and Change is alive and well, thank you very much. From saving the economy from another Great Depression to thirty straight months of private sector job growth. From the signing of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to ending the War in Iraq. From ensuring that patients with preexisting conditions can never be turned away from access to health care to saving the American auto industry. From overhauling the student loan program to ending DADT. From nominating the third and fourth women to ever serve on the Supreme Court to providing tax cuts for 98% of all working families and individuals. From increasing fuel efficiency standards for all new cars and trucks sold in the U.S. to the largest spending increase in 30 years for Department of Veterans Affairs. From the creation of the Consumer Protection Financial Bureau to taking out Bin Laden and keeping the country safe from another 9/11-type attack.
No one said that Hope and Change would be easy. And no one said that we wouldn't have to roll up our sleeves and fight for Hope and Change. For those who were under the illusion that Hope and Change was passive, and that Hope and Change wouldn't take the fight to those who seek to diminish hope and obstruct change, they don't understand our history. Progressive change in this country has always been a battle, but it is battle worth fighting for. Hope and Change is moving forward.
Well said, kane. The endless whiny laments from Republican stooges claiming that Obama hasn't done a thing couldn't be further from the truth, and all of this with an obstructionist GOP hellbent on demonizing the President rather than protecting its constituency. Other Chief Executives have faced hostile opposition parties but never one so willing to sacrifice the interests of the people in order to undermine the President. In that respect, Obama may indeed rank as the most accomplished President ever.
LOL really you think we are in a better spot than 4 years ago ? nothing has changed at all , we as a country have been in a downward spiral for a long time and one man isnt going to fix this , no matter who is president it will be like this.
Hey Pablo! Look at the markets. They are up over 100% since Obama has been in office. The only reason the rest of the economy hasnt rebounded as well is because the Repubs did everything they could to make sure NOTHING happened. The Repubs only care about one thing, getting Obama out of the Whitehouse and they dont care how they do it.
You can't argue with Pablo. People who say we are worse of or no better now are using subjective measures. At best they are looking at their own situation independent of the big picture. I happen to be worse off now. But I recognize most things are better. What is more is that I realize that my challenges are a direct result of the last GOP administration coupled with current GOP attacks on the public sector (I'm an unemployed teacher). I recognize Democrats are ready to do things to get me an opportunity to get back to work without attaching strings like giving up reproductive choice, marrying I want, or any of the other wonderful stuff that Republicans like to attach to bills to keep democrats from voting yay on them.
Great is the enemy of good. We are electing a president, not a Supreme Being!
"Better off" is subjective, and means different things to different people.
The Dow Jones has gone from 6,000 to 13,000 under Obama. Millions of people now have health care. We are no longer at war in Iraq.
Any of those three things make life a LOT better for many!
Quantitatively, It's easy to compare the numbers and say I'm better off. The ARRA was signed in February 2009, and the S&P bottomed out at 683 in the first week of March. The "Failed Stimulus" immediately reversed the market fall, and it's back to 1400+. (December 31, 2000, it was at 1320, and the last thing I need is another W. taking us into the toilet.)
Qualitatively, since I have a pre-existing condition for a chronic disease (yeah, I'm not a cheap date - but I'm actively involved and work hard to keep the cost down), I now at least have the option to walk away from a position that's getting to be too much, but still affordably share the risk. That makes it bearable. PPACA is real, and it helps.
So if someone were to ask how that "hopey-changey" thing was working out, I'd have to say pretty good.
well just i still think its bad and wont get any better if it does for a long time no matter who is president , im in good situation so me personally , I have not been affected by the economy.
http://youtu.be/NO4yL568NJI
Holy @!$%# jupiter! (I'm totally turning that into a catchphrase to replace Jimmy Jillikers!) This is probably the most honest and sincere and accurate statement uttered on this blog. Good going jupiter (in case it's not clear I'm not being sarcastic here- this is a genuine compliment)
Jupiter lol
'If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from.'
Which perfectly describes the Romney Campaign. Why do they always do that projection thing??
After Bush, Mitt is the second coming of "Oh, Christ".
K n Kansas2, it's not projection it's obfuscation. They claim the left is guilty of that which they are guilty, so the left can not use the attack back on them. If the left does use the same line of attack then a: they are accused of a childlike "nuh-uh, YOU'RE the poopyhead" attack that is unseemly, and b: they serve to confuse an already confused voting public who are simultaneously told by each side that other side is guilty of the exact same things. It's where you often get that "both sides" suck" argument which convinces some people too busy or lazy to do the research that voting doesn't matter because either way you're voting for a douche bag. And that's how Republicans win, if they can't block you from voting, they'll convince you voting is futile.
What I don't understand is why all the lies from the Repubs. Oh, I forgot, so many Repub voters don't think. They are lot zombies, the do as they are told. Still, why the lies? They have nothing better? Why the lie about Ryan's marathon times? I mean, what difference does it make how fast he ran, it doesn't matter! But it does show his character...he's a liar and that is probably why Romney picked him besides the fact that he has some ideas, even though they are not only lame they are dangerous to the citizens, women in particular. But then, it is more than Romney has had. Maybe Romney realizes that most voters can see through his secrecy. He is hiding something no matter what his pretty wife says. She will benefit from a Presidency for him, even at the cost of her fellow ladies that she supposedly "loves" so much. We high functioning thinkers need to be sure to vote so we can have a country when this is all over. We need to vote more than Romney's zombies because we will fall along without nation and Romney's zombies.
Wow! What a concept! Romney Ryan telling lies? That is so hard to believe ... except, it's the only way they know how to communicate.
They use the Big Lie to scare people into voting for them; the only ones who are left to vote for them are the right-wing-nuts and racists, or filthy rich.
Am I angry? Only because it would be nice to hear the ring of truth from the GOP but they lost track of how to determine what is the truth.
Okay, end of rant; I'll take my soap box and go now.
http://www.opednews.com/articles/A-Potpourri-of-Lies-Innue-by-Alex-Howard-120831-613.html
Obama hasn't run an under 3 hour marathon, so there!
Ha ha. I suppose he could LIE about it (like some people....)
Neither has Ryan. His time was just about 4 hours in the only marathon he ran. Check the figures.
Sarah Palin ran a marathon in 3:59. Ryan got beat by a girl.
And if you think any of this matters, Shrub beat both of them. And we all know how great he was at the job.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/reliable-source/post/sarah-palin-beats-paul-ryan-in-gop-marathon-time/2012/09/03/bc8b7dea-f611-11e1-8398-0327ab83ab91_blog.html
"Cracked down on credit card company abuses". One tangible thing I noticed on this issue concerns "special promotions". Many times I've signed up for a deal where, if I pay something off in a specified period of time, I pay no interest, ie "6 months same as cash". BUT, the monthly statements used to have a payment due date AFTER the promotion end date. So if you were paying each month to get it paid off in the pre-set time period, and made your last payment on the payment due date, the promotion would have expired and you'd be liable for the entire 6 months' worth of interest. This no longer happens. The monthly statements now explicitly say when your balance needs to be paid off to avoid the accrued interest. Thank you, Mr. Obama! :-)
I asume you bought from Rooms To Go.
I didnt know he did that, thats good. It is a form of fraud.
It was Radio Shack. I assume Obama's reforms were responsible. You had to pay close attention to your contract and make sure you made the last payment early to avoid the accrued interest. Anymore, statements have a special section on the first page that says when you need to pay off the balance to avoid the charges.
Excellent post, Benen! As for Paul Ryan - what standards? This is a guy who can't even tell the truth about his running time! And what has Ryan accomplished in twelve years in Congress? Exactly jack-all. Mitt Romney was a one-term governor who left office with a low approval rating and with a job-creation record of 47th out of 50 states. Is it any wonder Mendacious Mitt and Lyin' Ryan have nothing to offer but utter made-up nonsense?
I keep asking WHO keeps voting for lyin ryan ? Has anyone responded why he keeps getting re-elected. The man is a disaster, and seemingly lies about everything. The country needs to wake up and get rid of these odious liars and thieves.
All the things he did, however, just helped the middle class and working poor. It did nothing for the 1% and unfortunately they are the ones with the money and power. All the rest of us have is determination and most improtantly the VOTE. As a woman who worked for over 50 years at some minimum wage jobs as well as middle income jobs I will vote for Obama. Not because he is protecting Medicare and SS or a woman's right to determine her own heath care needs but because I want my children to have a future where the rights we have fought for will still be available to them.
What he's done did help the 1% when you consider the 600+ point hike in the DOW and the record profits most companies have made. Their memories are short tho b/c he wants to reward those who operate IN America and take away the benefits from their off-shoring and outsourcing! But this country is better off than it was four years ago for all of us, some more than others.
Bravo. Even if Obama did no campaigning now and had actually accomplished nothing there are two reasons I would still not vote Republican in this cycle.
Thanks President Obama. You have served your country well, the Republicans are constantly trying to ignore your accomplishments. They are are behaving like a child that is refusing to grow up, because they will have to admit what really matters in life is caring about your community.
They fail to understand how to connect the dots so a clear picture will show. Instead they want to randomly connect the dots on the childrens picture puzzle so it will look more like a scribble than a finished piece of art that all can appreciate.
It is basically that the Repubs want exclusion; the Dems want inclusion.
Mittens and Lyin' Ryan have issues with the truth. In fact, these two politicians are leading a party that continues to prove daily that they are becoming totally disconnected from reality. Apparently they think all of us just swallow their ineffectual and blatant lies without remembering where the U.S. economy stood when President Obama took office on January 20, 2009. This President came into office with a perfect storm of economic issues confronting him. On top of that, the Republican opposition cannot be described as the "loyal" opposition. They are not loyal to the interests of this country or of its citizens. They are loyal to their own political agenda of greed and corruption that grants control and tax benefits to the wealthiest on the backs of the rest of the country. Fighting economic turmoil that could have totally lead to a second great depression as well as a Republican opposition that used the filibuster to block progress on jobs bills and other bills, this President has still managed to accomplish so much. He deserves re-election and will be re-elected. The lying ticket running in opposition offers no specifics to the country concerning how they will accomplish all the "wonderful" things they say they can do. In two speeches last week, they told us nothing. And Mittens couldn't even bring himself to mention the troops in Afghanistan. Shameful!
It says a lot when even FOX News tells people about Ryan's lies.
Conservatives will be very happy for you to run on that list of accomplishments and of course we'll note a few more....
Keep up the good work.
shooter242
June 11, 2012 at 6:54 am
I’d like to encourage more trollery on left wing sites. Specifically pushback on common memes such as identified by Jonah Goldberg as unchallenged cliches. It can actually work, and it can actually change the course of debate.
For instance, I always challenge “the rich take too much of the pie” meme. There is no pie, no one decides who gets what, and the “pie” is a measure of contributions to a total. Ergo the rich don’t take they contribute. It’s been gratifyingly effective.
Try it you’ll like it. Don’t curse and keep the personal insults to a bare minimum, don’t allow moving goal posts or distractions. Ignore trollish responders, and be four times more civil. They hate that.
http://moelane.com/2012/06/09/troll-hunting-101/
Yup Shooter, Real unemployment IS lower than it was 4 years ago. Thanks for reminding me! Oil production IS up higher than it was under Bush. Thanks for reminding me of that, too. 'Course, so is natural gas production, wind production and solar..., but if your not in the pockets of big oil, those things are basically "he who must not be named!"
So rollo, What part of that comment offends you? Pushback or the call for being nice?
And melop, you be wrong.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/wonkbook-the-real-unemployment-rate-is-11-percent/2011/12/12/gIQAuctPpO_blog.html
Drilling is up on private land, 13% down on Federal land.
http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/040912-607160-obama-bans-drilling-to-raise-gas-prices-webhed-how-obama-restricts-oil-supply-to-raise-gas-prices.htm?p=full
Could you cite your "facts" with credible sources, such as the documents that did these things?
I think the point rollo is trying to make (correct me if I'm wrong, rollo) is that it's ridiculous to argue with you, because you're only trying to stir sh*t up for the sake of stirring sh*t up. You don't care about honest healthy debate, you want liberals frothing at the cyber mouth with rage at you...
which you then use a masturbatory aid.
OK, Rollo might not have insinuated that.
But I am.
And I'm right.
Rachel,
Love the show, but sweeping changes to Wall Street? C'mon, with Goldman not being prosecuted, and Corzine going free, his Justice Dept is asleep at the wheel!! LIBOR is not being prosecuted? He is showing himself to be another Wall Street lackey!
This has nothing to do with this story but if you are reading this Rachel I wish you or someone would do a story on Entitlements as they are so called today.. Where does this money come from that the Government is giving those who receive entitlements from these programs.. I say this is paid for by taxes, others say there is no need for taxes.. It is my belief that these people many of them receiving entitlements weather it be Social Security Disability or Social Security Supplement income, or food stamps, tanif medicaid, medicare etc.. Many of these people that are on these programs don't want to pay taxes they believe that taxes are nonsense.. Please someone set the story straight..
happee, you have paid in taxes and fees over your lifetime as part of your contributions to society. "Benefits and entitlements are largely deferred pay...Workers have paid into Social Security, Medicare,, and unemployment insurance, and these are forms of deferred pay".
THE LITTLE BLUE BOOK by George Lakoff
Rachel,
I love your show, but sweeping Wall Street Reform?? Please!!! Goldman gets off scott free, along with Corzine. No LIBOR prosecution!!! His Justice Dept is asleep at the wheel!! He is proving himself to be a Wall Street lackey. I support his efforts on most things, but he needs to show some guts and prosecute these bastards!!! Not just be another brick in the wall of corruption.
Not for nothing, John - but Goldman was fined $500 million in 2010 on Obama's watch, and another $22 million in April of this year, and it seems to me they've been uncharacteristically reeling (I believe they've even just received a downgrade today). And seriously, if Wall Street loves Obama so much, why do they go feral every time they hear his name? Yes, people may want to see more heads on pikes now!, but what's that saying, the wheels of justice grind slowly.
well just to knock on one of those; you do realize that that the keystone pipeline will be fracking poisonous gasses right over our High Plains Aquifer, it crosses and supplies the drinking water to eight states at least. 174,000 square miles from the Dakotas to Texas. 20% of irrigation farmland depends on that aquifer, so it isnt just drinkng water but also food supply.
Now picture an accident like the BP spill in the gulf , only this time it isnt pouring into the gulf, it is pouring into the water supply of 8 states. This isnt a question of if, this is a matter of when because of how fracking is done, it isnt so easy as skimming off the top , as if you could even do that .
Here is a link to the untrusting.
http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/ogallala-aquifer-6531527
Now you tell me if Obama is stupid for being cautious about letting that pipeline go.
It is my understanding that in Nigeria, the leaking (all of them eventually leak) oil pipeline has contaminated the drinking water such that people have to buy bottled water, and cases of vandalism regularly cause deaths.
Regarding the Canadian oil fields, the consistency is not crude oil, but contains earthen contaminants so extensive that extracting the oil may take more energy than the oil would provide.
The US is already pumping more oil than in previous history, it is the lack of adequate refineries that has not met demand or lowered prices at the pump. By expanding green energy and improving efficiency, we can reduce our national dependency on Middle Eastern supplies.
Yes it infuriates me when I hear people say "the President has no record to stand on"! It infuriates me even more when I don't hear the President's surrogates, and democrats, defending his record. Conventional wisdom is wrong, the President has a remarkable record to run on -- as democrats, if we do not understand what those accomplishments are then we need to educate ourselves.
No record of accomplishments? I love what Andrew Sullivan said about that in Newsweek a couple months back: "Politifact recently noted that of 508 specific [campaign] promises, a third had been fulfilled and only two have not had some action taken on them. To have done all this while simultaneously battling an economic hurricane makes Obama about as honest a follow-through artist as anyone can expect from a politician." Yesiree!
Under Bush American's 401K went from over 14,000 to 6547. Two days after Obama took office it was at 8077.56 and this morning it's at 13,090.84. If your 401K became a 201K under Bush, with Obama, you got almost all of it back. The Republican Imaginary Obama didn't do that, the REAL Obama did.
(sorry; double post)
I have to take issue with the last sentence of the blog. Candidate Ryan, always the trailblazer, has set brand new standards for silly in a very short time, and I'm betting he will surpass his own silliness mark as soon as this week.
lyin ryan is not silly. He is a LIAR. Let's call it what it is ,intentional distortion and lying about the facts .
The most important thing is not who said what or who did what. The most important thing is we have to go out and vote and we have to encourage folks to do the same. We need Obama to win !
We gave Bush a second chance and he didn't do anything the second turn. Why not give Obama a second chance and see what he will do.
Oh, common on pianodan. Ryan can get more silly standing on his head. The man doesn't have to tell the true or be ridiculously inane to get votes from Romney's zombies. They fall in line because they have no brains. If any one of the zombies checked what the Repubs are putting out, they would run for the exits. The Repubs will take their money and degrade and boss their women just like those of the Democratic Party and the, I don't care to vote or can't get the required documents citizens at the same time. I sometimes wonder if the zombies are the result of the so called ineffective teachers the Repubs don't want to pay to educate the children. I do know they want a lower class of citizens for the Repubs to rule which is why they don't want education. They don't want to see poor people, therefore they will starve them and deny them medical care (oh, yeah, that goes for the rest of you who cannot get medical care because you can't get insurance or a job). They want to put women back in the kitchen, barefoot and pregnant. That's not for me, my daughter or granddaughters. They do want to build up the firepower of the military because they feel our defenses are being short changed or is it because every major power who has a despot leading them, builds up the military to kill descenters and wants to be protected so they don't have to kill the citizens with their own hands. They are still guilty of killing men, women and children by withholding entitlements which we and they paid for in their lifetime in taxes. Bet you anything, the 1% may face the military if they descent but they will be able to afford food, housing, medical care, etc. You guys need to be careful of following your "leader." Some "leaders" are not worth the cost.
Perhaps if you got the irrationa hate mongers like boehmer et.al. out instead of obama, we COULD move forward. It is they who place country second to politics and they who should be acountable for the lack of progress they now complain about.
Ok folks here is the deal...What MSNBC/NBC really needs is fair reporting without the hidden agendas. Ms. Maddow is no dummy but she needs to look at the other side of the fence also. As an example, i wonder if Ms. Maddow will mention the wife of the current president failed to mention that she only felt proud of America only two times in her life during her speech at the DNC.
Aaaaaannnd...this is relevant, because.....? Come on, help me out here. What am I missing?
No deal. Look up the logical fallacy, "begging the question."
The Republicans say he doesn't have a record to run on because he's an invisible man as far as they are concerned. They are blind to every accomplishment and incapable of giving him credit for anything. The empty chair skit was an apt metaphor for their treatment of Obama the past 4 years.
Some accomplishment links to spread around FB & Twitter:
http://www.democratichub.com/obama-administration-accomplishments.aspx?o=ps&t=lc
http://obamaachievements.org/list
http://www.barackobama.com/jobsrecord?source=OM2012_LB_YT_desc_jobsgraphad&subsource=youtube&utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=jobsgraphad_desc
Stalled: http://m.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/09/08/fact-sheet-american-jobs-act
And a couple of
prehistoricpre-midterm election articles back you up:I'd almost forgotten all those legislative achievements. We've got to regain a majority in the House and a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate or else the party of Angry White Guys will make sure that any future legislation comes at a dear price.