Americans Aren’t Buying Obama’s Excuses

NRCC - As President Obama took to the stump last week to defend Democrats’ failed economic policies, recent commentary noted that the “ever-present president” had “never been more public”: OBAMA “THE EVER-PRESENT PRESIDENT” HAS “NEVER BEEN MORE PUBLIC,” YET APPROVAL RATINGS “HAVE TAKEN A TUMBLE”: “President Obama has never been more public.

“Over the last month, he has conducted a flurry of press conferences, speeches and statements aimed at bringing about compromise on the debt ceiling and, in his remarks today, attempting to assuage economic fears following the downgrade of America’s credit rating by Standard and Poor’s.

“And yet, even as he has taken on a more and more public persona, Obama’s poll numbers — particularly in swing states like Pennsylvania and Florida — have taken a tumble.” (Chris Cillizza, “The Ever-Present President,” The Washington Post, 8/8/2011)

This increased public presence has not coincided with any improvement in the president’s political standing, with his approval ratings continuing to sink to new lows. Some suggest that “voters might be tuning Obama out”:

POLLSTER: “VOTERS MIGHT BE TUNING OBAMA OUT.” (Paul Bedard, “Zogby: Voters Might Be Tuning Obama Out,” U.S. News and World Report, 8/19/2011)

“OBAMA’S APPROVAL RATING DECLINE STRETCHES ACROSS EVERY DEMOGRAPHIC GROUP.” (Tweet from Nate Silver, The New York Times, 8/19/2011)

OBAMA HITS 35% APPROVAL IN PENNSYLVANIA. (Colby Itkowitz, “Dismal Approval for Obama in PA,” The Morning Call, 8/19/2011) PRES. AT 34% APPROVAL, 60% DISAPPROVAL IN MICHIGAN. (Kathy Hoffman, “More Michigan Residents Give Obama Poor Job Rating,” Associated Press, 8/19/2011)

GALLUP: OBAMA HOVERING AT 40% APPROVAL. (“Gallup Daily: Obama Job Approval,” Gallup, Accessed 8/22/2011)

MORE GALLUP: OBAMA HITS NEW LOW ON ECONOMY AS 26% APPROVE, 71% DISAPPROVE. (Lydia Saad, “New Low of 26% Approve of Obama on the Economy,” Gallup, 8/17/2011)

As the bad economic news continues to add up, it’s not hard to see why. Americans see the job-destroying consequences of Democrats’ policies firsthand, yet Democrats continue to offer excuses while refusing to take responsibility. How much longer will the Democrats’ irresponsibility continue?

28 STATES POST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE INCREASES, 13 STAY THE SAME. (“Regional and State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release,” Bureau of Labor Statistics, 8/19/2011)

KEY STATES MI, MN, OH, PA, NH ALL SEE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE INCREASES. “Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, and South Carolina recorded the largest of these (+0.4 percentage point each), followed by New Hampshire (+0.3 point) and California, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas (+0.2 point each).” (“Regional and State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release,” Bureau of Labor Statistics, 8/19/2011)

“BANKS LOWER U.S. ECONOMIC GROWTH FORECASTS.” (Scott Hamilton, “Banks Lower U.S. Economic Growth Forecasts,” Bloomberg, 8/19/2011)

MORGAN STANLEY: U.S. “DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO RECESSION.” (Lucia Mutikani, “WRAPUP 4- U.S. Regional Factory Activity Hits 2 ½ Year Low,” Reuters, 8/18/2011)

“INFLATION RESUMES ADVANCE,” SURPASSING FED ESTIMATES: “U.S. headline inflation jumped 0.5% in July, while prices rose 3.6% over 12 months, above the Fed's informal target of 2.0%.” (Andrew Ackerman and Luca Di Leo, “Inflation Resumes Advance as Jobless Claims Rise,” Dow Jones, 8/18/2011)

NEW WORRIES ABOUT STAGFLATION? “If you look beyond the latest carnage in stocks Thursday, investors are clearly sending a signal that they are worried both about stagnation and inflation. But the emphasis seems to be more on the ‘stag.’” (Paul La Monica, “Stagflation Signs Surface in Bonds, Stocks, Gold,” CNN Money, 8/18/2011)

PHILADELPHIA FED FACTORY INDEX IN “AUGUST FREEFALL,” HITS “LOWEST LEVEL SEEN IN MORE THAN TWO YEARS”: “Factory activity in the Philadelphia region weakened sharply in August to the lowest level seen in more than two years, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia said Thursday, adding to fears that the economy has ground to a halt. The Philly Fed’s business outlook survey fell to negative 30.7 in August from 3.2 in July. This is the lowest reading since March 2009.” (Greg Robb, “Philly’s Fed Factory Index in August Freefall,” Market Watch, 8/18/2011)

HOME SALES DROP 3.5%, “HIT 2011 LOW”; 2011 ON PACE TO BE WORST YEAR FOR HOUSING IN 14 YEARS: “The number of people who bought previously occupied homes fell in July for the third time in four months. This year is on pace to be the worst in 14 years for home sales, as more Americans worry that the economy could slip back into another recession.

“Home sales fell 3.5 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.67 million homes, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday. That's far below the 6 million that economists say must be sold to sustain a healthy housing market.” (Derek Kravitz, “Home Sales Dropped 3.5 Pct. in July, Hit 2011 Low,” Associated Press, 8/18/2011)

TRADE DEFICIT WIDENS, CHINA “GAIN[S] GROUND ON AMERICAN INDUSTRY”: “A decline in exports caused the monthly U.S. trade deficit to widen in June by 4.4 percent to $53.1 billion and China gained further ground on American industry, according to a Commerce Department report Thursday. … The goods deficit with China increased to $26.7 billion in June, a cause for concern for the Alliance for American Manufacturing as China continues to gain ground on American industry.” (Josh Boak, “Trade Deficit Widens as China Gains,” Politico, 8/11/2011)