NRD Editor’s Note: This column originally appeared at TheHill.com.
By Rick Manning — Fewer Americans are employed today than when Barack Obama became president in January 2009. That’s right, the actual number of people with jobs is down by 86,000 since Obama took over the economy. In August alone, 119,000 fewer workers have jobs.
Fewer Americans are employed today than when Barack Obama became president in January 2009. That’s right, the actual number of people with jobs is down by 86,000 since Obama took over the economy. In August alone, 119,000 fewer workers have jobs.
So, a reasonable person might ask how can the unemployment rate drop from 8.3 percent to 8.1 percent when fewer people are employed? The answer — the civilian labor force contracted by 368,000 people in August, and a total of 581,000 fewer Americans were in the workforce at all in August compared to July.
This wholesale exodus from pursuing the American Dream is a direct result of Obama’s economic policy.
In spite of last night’s soaring rhetoric that was oddly reminiscent of that which we heard from candidate Obama four years ago, Obama cannot pretend that he hasn’t been president since 2009. He owns this economy and cannot escape the searing reality that he has created a profound hopelessness in our great land.
Team Obama had hoped that the August jobs report would put an exclamation to his forward campaign theme.
In fact, it has in a way that he never thought possible. Going forward with Obama is going forward to a future of despair, giving up on the expectation that your kids will have a higher standard of living than when you grew up.
Going forward with Obama is accepting that lofty ivory-tower promises are more important than what is actually happening in your family, community and country.
Going forward with Obama is accepting that this is as good as it gets, and you better just accept your lot in life. A life spent envying those who have succeeded against the odds with no real belief that you can make your own lot better.
In August 119,000 fewer Americans had jobs than the month before. Think about that fact, when you reflect on last night’s pitch for four more years.
Obama has had his chance. He has failed. It is time for change.
Rick Manning is the communications director of Americans for Limited Government. The views expressed are his own.
