By State Representative, Leon D. Young
Leon D. Young
From Russ Limbaugh to Karl Rove, and in most Conservative circles in between, Republicans now find themselves in a new defensive position – discrediting President Obama not because of the faltering economy, but rather casting political aspersions (and untruths), because the economic state affairs in the country is improving. Moreover, the absurdity of the new wave of criticisms surrounding the president is absolutely mindboggling.
Republicans are completely put out over the recent economic forecast. The unemployment rate now stands at 8.3 percent (the lowest it has been in the last three years) and, what’s even more disconcerting (for Republicans) is the news from the U.S. Labor Department that the private-sector added a net total of 257,000 new jobs in January.
Russ Limbaugh has gone on public record in declaring that these new economic numbers are bogus and even going as far to assert that “Obama is cooking the books.” Limbaugh continues his mindless rant by suggesting that the only reason that the unemployment rate has dropped is because of the millions of Americans who have stop looking for work, and are no longer counted in the employment statistics.
Mitt Romney has tried to put his own spin on the president’s improving prospects. Romney now talks about the millions of underemployed Americans who are struggling under this administration’s policies. Interestingly enough, this is a subject that Mitt Romney is well-equipped to discuss. His tenure as a “vampire capitalist” at Bain Capital speaks for itself. After all, it was Romney’s job to come in and dismantle existing companies in order to make millions in profit for Bain Capital, diminishing thousands of full-time employees to the ranks of the “under” and “unemployed.” Moreover, Romney’s full support of Congressman Paul Ryan’s Tax Plan would cause additional financial hardships for most working class American families.
Republicans must be feeling betrayed by the ghost of Ronald Reagan. They have tried to undermine Obama’s legitimacy as president by alleging that he was foreign-born. They have tried to thwart his policy agenda by refusing to compromise and saying “no” to everything. And finally, they are now resorting to outright delusion, by refuting empirical evidence of an improving economy.
What’s next advocating that we establish an American colony on the moon?