High unemployment numbers, foreign policy crises, and a six-trillion dollar increase in the national debt, yet President Obama maintains four more years of the same, lame-duck policies are in the nation’s interest.
On January 20, 2008, the then junior senator from Illinois became the 44th President of the United States. Almost four years later, improvement has been minimal, and the partisan political nature in Washington is worse than it has ever been.
President Obama’s handling of the economy is rightfully subject to much scrutiny and criticism. The Obama economy began with a $10.6 trillion national debt, a 7.6% unemployment rate, and a legislature eager to pump stimulus money into circulation.
When discussing the economy during an interview on February 2, 2009, the young President said the now infamous words, “If I don’t have this done in three years, then there is going to be a one term proposition.” Later in the month, the American people were introduced to a $787 billion stimulus package, which quickly passed through the House and Senate. One can compare the effect of the stimulus to a post-convention poll ranking: short-lived.
Beyond the stimulus bill comes the appalling jobs reports each month. Presently, the jobless rate sits stubbornly at 8.1%, more than the 7.6% he inherited. To make matters worse, job creation consistently fails to exceed or even meet forecasts, and more people give up the search for employment each month. The economy is most certainly not an issue on which the President can run.
Mitt Romney actually understands the economy. After all, he did spend most of his career working in the private sector as founder and CEO of Bain Capital. He produced thousands of new jobs and invested in start-ups such as Staples and Sports Authority.
In 2003, when Romney became governor of Massachusetts, the state’s unemployment rate was at 5.6% and the state sat as 47th best in job creation. On the day he left office in 2007, the unemployment rate was at 4.6%, and Massachusetts jumped to 27th best in job creation rankings.
Governor Romney also passed a balanced budget each year in office, which the President has failed to do, even risking the fiscal order of the federal government through a shutdown. Even worse, our country’s credit was downgraded by S&P in August, 2011. President Obama greatly mishandled a situation, for which he will rightfully be held accountable.
Leaving economic issues aside, there are many other ways in which the candidates differ. First comes the fight over foreign policy. Mitt Romney promises to do everything in his power to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. President Obama, however, insists on letting sanctions play their course. But time is running out.
According to recent reports, Iran is less than a year away from obtaining nuclear weapon capabilities. The President is very quick to blame problems on the Republican-controlled House. Although when Romney was governor of Massachusetts, he managed to pass many laws including the now-legendary Romneycare, with 85% of the State Legislature being Democrats.
Republicans, Independents, and Democrats alike can all agree in saying this country is not in a good state. We face ridiculous amounts of spending and a thoroughly mismanaged federal government.
If the American citizens elect Mitt Romney on November 6, we can get back to the glory days, and the United States will once again be what Ronald Reagan deemed “a Shining City on a Hill.”
Written by Oliver Kornberg’16
