Democrats Aren’t Working: America’s Middle Class is in Free Fall

September 7, 2012

Democrats Aren’t Working: Democrats Can’t Defend Their Broken Promises To America’s Middle Class

Middle Class Families Aren’t Better Off, Yet Democrats Keep Pushing Us Anywhere But “Forward,” Promising More Of The Same Failed Policy

As President Obama laid out the Democrats’ plans for the next four years in Charlotte, Dems insist they have kept their promises to “rebuild America for millions of families.”

The truth is Democrats’ failed efforts over the last four years have done nothing to stop middle class Americans’ free fall into economic despair.

Nonetheless, Democrats only solution to move the middle class forward is more of the same failed policies.

As President Obama lays out Democrats’ plans for the next four years in Charlotte, Dems insist they have kept their promises to “rebuild America for millions of families.”

OBAMA WEB AD: OBAMA KEPT IS PROMISE TO REBUILD AMERICA FOR MILLIONS OF FAMILIES: “”From cutting taxes for middle-class families to bringing about comprehensive healthcare reform to reinvesting in education and infrastructure, President Obama has kept his promise to rebuild America for millions of families,” the Obama campaign said in a statement… “President Obama has kept the promises he made in 2008 to move our country forward,” the statement continued.” (Justin Sink, “Team Obama Previews Acceptance Speech With ‘Promises Kept,’ The Hill, 9/6/2012)

DAVID PLOUFFE: CONVENTION WAS ABOUT WHO CAN HELP THE MIDDLE CLASS: “’It will be clear where he thinks we need to go,’ Plouffe said. ‘This whole week has also laid out a choice, which is — it’s a question for the American people: Who can you trust to build a kind of economy that’s going to work for the middle class?’” (Justin Sink, “Team Obama Previews Acceptance Speech With ‘Promises Kept,’ The Hill, 9/6/2012)

OBAMA: QUESTION OF THIS ELECTION IS ABOUT HOW WE’LL BE DOING TOMORROW: “The real question — the question that will actually make a difference in your life and in the lives of your children — is not just about how we’re doing today,” he said. “It’s about how we’ll be doing tomorrow.” (Michael Schrer, “Obama’s Challenge: Defining Forward As More Than Just A Slogan,” Time, 9/6/2012)

OBAMA: “WE TRIED OUR PLAN—AND IT WORKED”: (“Remarks by the President at a Campaign Event,” The White House, 7/25/2012)

BUT OBAMA ALSO THINKS “THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS DOING FINE”: (Zeke Miller, “Obama: ‘The Private Sector is Doing Fine,” BuzzFeed, 6/8/2012)

The truth is Democrats’ failed efforts over the last four years have done nothing to stop middle class Americans’ free fall into economic despair.

DEMS PROMISED UNEMPLOYMENT RATE WOULD BE AT 5.6% BY NOW IF WE PASSED THEIR STIMULUS: (American Enterprise Institute, 8/3/2012)

BUT, 23.6 MILLION AMERICANS ARE UNEMPLOYED, UNDEREMPLOYED, OR HAVE GIVEN UP LOOKING FOR WORK: (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/6/2012)

JOBS COUNCIL HASN’T MET IN MORE THAN 6 MONTHS: “At least in name, President Obama has launched several initiatives aimed at helping businesses, such as Startup America and his Council on Jobs and Competitiveness. The jobs council hasn’t met in more than six months, though the White House recently launched a website to gather tips from businesses on burdensome regulations.” (Brian Hamilton, “Three Solutions For Creating Jobs,” Washington Times, 8/7/2012)

AVERAGE FAMILY INCOME DOWN $4000 FROM $54,797 IN 2009 TO $50,964 IN Q1 2012: “Well under his leadership, the average American family saw its income go down by almost $4,000 in just three years — from $54,797 when Obama took office in the first quarter of 2009 to just $50,964 in the first quarter of 2012.” (Marc Thiessen, The Challenge To Obama 2012, From Obama 2008,” Washington Post, 9/6/2012)

“HALF OF HOMEOWNERS UNDER 40 ARE UNDERWATER”: (Ann Carrns, “Half of Homeowners Under 40 are Underwater,” The New York Times, 8/23/2012)

5.6 MILLION HOMES ARE 30 DAYS DELINQUENT OR IN FORECLOSURE: (Press Release, “PS “First Look” Mortgage Report: July Month-End Data,” Lender Processing Services, 8/29/12)

STUDY: U.S. INCOMES FELL MORE AFTER STIMULUS THAN DURING RECESSION: (Jeff Kearn, “U.S. Incomes Fell More in Recovery, Sentier Says,” Bloomberg, 8/23/2012)

AND, 23.4 PERCENT OF FAMILIES HAVE NO SAVINGS, UP FROM 18.5 PERCENT IN 2009: (Christine Dugas, “Recession Added Debt, Drained Families’ Savings,” USA Today, 5/12/12)

46.7 MILLION AMERICANS ON FOOD STAMPS, UP FROM 32 MILLION IN JAN. 2009 WHEN OBAMA TOOK OFFICE: (“Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program,” U.S. Department of Agriculture, 8/30/2012)

“US POVERTY ON TRACK TO RISE TO HIGHEST [LEVEL] SINCE 1960s”: (Hope Yen, “US Poverty on Track to Rise to Highest Since 1960s,” Associated Press, 7/23/2012)

HEALTHCARE COSTS TO RISE 7.4% AS OBAMACARE TAKES FULL EFFECT: “In 2014, health spending growth is expected to accelerate to 7.4 percent as the major coverage expansions from the Affordable Care Act begin.” (Sean P. Keehan, Gigi A Kuckler, et al, “National Health Expenditure Projections: Modest Annual Growth Until Coverage Expands and Economic Growth Accelerates,” Health Affairs, 6/12/12)

MEDICARE CUTS WILL “FORCE SENIORS TO PAY $3,700 MORE FOR THEIR HEALTHCARE BY 2017”: (Robert A. Book and James C. Capretta, “Reductions in Medicare Advantage Payments: The Impact on Seniors by Region,” The Heritage Foundation, 9/14/2010; James Capretta, “President Obama’s $700 Billion Medicare Problem,” National Review, 8/15/2012)

Health Care: Under Obama, AVERAGE YEARLY Family Health Care Premiums Increased From $12,680 To $15,073: (“Employer Health Benefits, 2011 Annual Survey, Exhibit 1.11” Kaiser Family Foundation, 2011)

TAXES: DEM-BACKED TAXMAGEDDON WILL COST AVERAGE FAMILY $4,138 IN 2013: (“Taxmageddon Costs Average Family $4,138 Next year,” The Heritage Foundation, 6/14/2012)

FOOD: FAMILIES FACING $500 A YEAR HIKE ON GROCERIES: “If USDA’s economists are correct, a family who spends $150 per week on groceries will now be spending $160 by next year, bumping their annual food budget up more than $500.” (Jim Avila and Lauren Ehrler, “Food Prices Could Rise 5 Percent in Next 5 Months,” ABC News, 7/25/2012)

College: Average Cost Of In-State Tuition At A Four Year College Has Risen 25% From $6,585 To $8,244 SINCE OBAMA TOOK OFFICE: (“Trends In College Pricing 2009,” College Board, 2008; “Trends In College Pricing 2011,” College Board, 2011)

BUT, AVERAGE STARTING SALARY FOR COLLEGE GRADUATES IS $27,000, 10% LESS THAN FIVE YEARS AGO: “The starting salary for a graduate is $27,000, 10% less than five years ago, the Rutger’s study found. ‘Unlike those who graduated five years ago,’ Zukin says, ‘the long-term expectations of this generation are not being met.'” (Quentin Fottrell, “Trading Caps And Gowns For Mops,” The Wall Street Journal, 8/23/12)

Nonetheless, Democrats only solution to move the middle class forward is more of the same failed policies.

“STRONG QUOTIENT OF POLICY STATUS QUO” IN OBAMA PROPOSALS: “The theme of Obama’s campaign is ‘forward,’ chosen to convey the impression that the country is moving in the right direction. A majority of the country believes otherwise. So far there is a strong quotient of policy status quo in what Obama has talked about.” (Dan Balz, “What Is Obama’s Second-Term Plan?”, The Washington Post, 9/4/2012)

OBAMA “HAS SUGGESTED THAT THE POLICIES HE HAS PURSUED ARE WORKING” AND WANTS MORE OF THE SAME: “He has suggested that the policies he has pursued are working and that, given time, they will lay the foundation for a strong recovery sometime into the future.” (Dan Balz, “What Is Obama’s Second-Term Plan?”, The Washington Post, 9/4/2012)

WASHINGTON POST: OBAMA HAS LEARNED NOTHING, “HAS NEVER REALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HE MADE MISTAKES”: “He has never really acknowledged that he made mistakes — other than saying he didn’t do an adequate job telling a better story about his accomplishments.” (Dan Balz, “What Is Obama’s Second-Term Plan?”, The Washington Post, 9/4/2012)

“SECOND-TERM PRIORITIES REMAIN LARGELY OPAQUE”: “And third, descriptions of second-term priorities remain largely opaque, leaving voters to wonder where a reelected Obama would take the country.” (Major Garrett, “Chasing Romney, Losing Himself,” National Journal, 9/3/2012)

VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN INSISTS AMERICANS ARE “BETTER OFF” AFTER FOUR YEARS OF OBAMA, CALLS FOR MORE OF THE SAME: “I’ll say it to the press. America is better off today than they left us.” (Michael D. Shear, “G.O.P. Seizes on a Question: Are You Better Off Than You Were Four Years Ago?”, The New York Times, 9/3/2012)

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