Obama, the Beleagured Pitcher
In a staff editorial published on Friday, the good folks over at Investor's Business Daily did a bang up job of putting this "economic recovery" in context. To wit:
Sure, the jobless rate is falling. But according to the Congressional Budget Office, we are going through the longest stretch of high unemployment since the Depression. The rate has been higher than 8% since February 2009, the month after Obama took office.
And, says the CBO, it is expected to stay above 8% through 2014.
Even worse for an administration straining to make the case that it deserves to be around for another four years is the real unemployment rate. It's not 8.3%, but closer to 15%, a figure that reflects those who "would like to work but have not searched for a job in the past four weeks as well as those who are working part time but would prefer full-time work," says the CBO.
Another White House problem comes from this in the CBO report: "The share of unemployed people looking for work for more than six months — referred to as the long-term unemployed — topped 40% in December 2009 for the first time since 1948, when such data began to be collected; it has remained above that level ever since."
This, it seems to me, is the broader case that the Republican nominee -- particularly if it's Mitt Romney, who has staked his entire candidacy on his economic competence -- needs to be making come the fall. The American people should not accept a reduction in their economic expectations so dramatic that they're willing to consider the president a master chef just for pushing a few table scraps their way.
With the final days of the election coinciding with Major League Baseball's playoff season, may I suggest that the Republican nominee employ a baseball analogy? With Obama on the mound, we've been getting blown out. He's given up eight runs and left us deep in the hole. Now he thinks he should stay in the game just because he got one lucky strikeout? The GOP's standard-bearer ought to suggest that there's only one rational thing to do under such circumstances: look to the bullpen while there's still enough time to win the game.
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May '10
Re: Obama, the Beleagured Pitcher
The President's lone redeeming quality is his support of the Chicago White Sox. But, frankly, this recovery feels more like a line drive caught at the warning track than a strikeout. Love the sports analogies, Troy, we can have fun with this.
Jul '11
Re: Obama, the Beleagured Pitcher
Can a GOP ad feature Obama throwing like a girl( a non athletic girl ).
Can the GOP help the American populace understand a figure beyond 8.3%.
Mar '11
Re: Obama, the Beleagured Pitcher
If voting were like coaching, I'd buy what you're selling.
But voters will treat this more like an All-Star Ballot. "I heard he was pretty good..." *check*
Sep '10
Re: Obama, the Beleagured Pitcher
When the sports guy was interviewing Obama at this game, he asked Obama who his favorite CW Sox players were over their history. He could not name one. He blamed it on not being able to catch the games when he was a kid in Hawaii. He's been playing the "poser" in the bar trying to impress girls his entire life. Pathetic.
Mar '11
Re: Obama, the Beleagured Pitcher
Troy: agreed. Barack Obama's change up isn't cutting it any more; his off-speed delivery won't cut it against this challenging a line up.
Give us the closer who throws strikes.
Mar '11
Re: Obama, the Beleagured Pitcher
Ah, yes, but he has mandated free contraceptives for all (whether they want 'em or not) - a slow, curve-ball?
Apr '11
Re: Obama, the Beleagured Pitcher
Unemployment looks to be going back up to 9% according to Gallup. I wonder how they'll spin that?
Mar '11
Re: Obama, the Beleagured Pitcher
9 is just a 6 upside down.
Dec '10
Re: Obama, the Beleagured Pitcher
Here's a fascinating analysis from the HotAir Green Room:
Sep '10
Re: Obama, the Beleagured Pitcher
Here is Romney in his own words from his book No Apology (not the paperback version):
--continued below
Edited on February 21, 2012 at 10:15pmSep '10
Re: Obama, the Beleagured Pitcher
Romney continued:
The sentence in bold is the infamously redacted one from the paperback edition.
Edited on February 21, 2012 at 10:16pmFeb '12
Re: Obama, the Beleagured Pitcher
According to Jay Carney, it is a good thing that so many have dropped out of the work force to go back to school and gain more skills. I went to school and have plenty of skills... but still struggle to find reliable work. I may be underemployed but, hey, at least I am and underemployed AND have thousands more in debt now.
And that's a good thing.
Sep '10
Re: Obama, the Beleagured Pitcher
Now you can read that as the last sentence above in bold declaring Romneycare a solution at the federal level for the entire nation or as a solution adopted over time by each state. I tend to believe that Romney does wish to leave each state to seeks its own solution but it isn't clear.
Edited on February 21, 2012 at 10:36pmMar '11
Re: Obama, the Beleagured Pitcher
"Go to the bullpen and elect me?" I'd call that self-damnation with faint praise.
Dec '10
Re: Obama, the Beleagured Pitcher
Jacob Foxx
According to Jay Carney, it is a good thing that so many have dropped out of the work force to go back to school and gain more skills. I went to school and have plenty of skills... but still struggle to find reliable work. I may be underemployed but, hey, at least I am and underemployed AND have thousands more in debt now.
And that's a good thing. · 35 minutes ago
You helped ensure full employment for your teachers AND their ability to charge more in tuition. So there's that.
Apr '11
Re: Obama, the Beleagured Pitcher
What if Vin Mazzaro is warming up for the GOP in the bullpen?
Re: Obama, the Beleagured Pitcher
He could name Jerry Reinsdorf though (the owner.) Your anecdote is probably my favorite Obama gaffe- while the 57 states thing is hilarious, he couldn't name his favorite baseball player growing up! Not to sound like a lunatic racist-nut, but that's almost un-American! Go Cubs.
Dec '10
Re: Obama, the Beleagured Pitcher
Jacob Foxx
According to Jay Carney, it is a good thing that so many have dropped out of the work force to go back to school and gain more skills. I went to school and have plenty of skills... but still struggle to find reliable work. I may be underemployed but, hey, at least I am and underemployed AND have thousands more in debt now.
By the way, what do you do for a living and what region do you live in? Maybe one of the Ricocheteers knows of something that could be of help to you.
Jul '11
Re: Obama, the Beleagured Pitcher
My brother has lost his life's work and is filing bankruptcy this week or the next. I'm sure Carney could spin that positively somehow too.
Dec '10
Re: Obama, the Beleagured Pitcher
My regrets and sympathies to your brother and his family.
A hint:
Perhaps Carney would venture that your brother set his sights too high in his "unrealistic ambition" to have a "life's work." He should have just tried to keep his head down and scrape by, because in Obama's America, the nail that sticks up must be hammered down.