Quick, but specific snapshot overview - separate the wheat from the chaff
There is much conjecture about what a President did do or can do and what effect he is having. So, we need to identify the actual specifics that he is actually accountable for and see if that is what we want in our President. Here are the unarguables. (Link to Arguables.)
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SLOWEST RECESSION RECOVERY since the Depression - Despite highest "stimulus" spending of $5 trillion of deficits.
HIGHEST SPENDING, BY FAR - 2007, $2.8 trillion; 2013, $3.8 trillion (like a teenager with no restraint?)
BUDGETS REJECTED BY ALL in both parties - Senate 97-0; allows Reid to not submit required
Senate budget for more than 3 years.
NO WRITTEN OR SPECIFIC PLANS to address key financial issues, actual $5 trillion/year deficit
Not addressed Social Security liabilities of $16 - $20 trillion (per Trustees Report)
Not addressed Medicare unfunded liabilities of $35 - $60 trillion (per Trustees Report)
Not submitted spending reductions (only do some when forced to do so)
REGULATIONS HUGELY INCREASED, by 40+%, very costly, idealistic and impractical, increases costs
to individual public.
OIL PRODUCTION "HINDERED" - Claims credit for increased oil production, while he has actually reduced drilling on Federal lands, with large drop in permits, and states and private have increased dramatically. See Obama And Oil Facts.
Delayed Keystone Pipeline until after election (acknowledged by both parties as political)
IMMIGRATION NOT ADDRESSED. Failure to address or do a plan for immigration (though promised to do in the first year) (politically too risky?; failure to enforce existing law)
UNCIVIL LANGUAGE - Insisted on civil, but does the opposite to the extreme: fat cats, rich pay "fair share" (currently top 1% pay 37% of all taxes), mocking, Repubs want dirty air, water, autism not to be covered, push grandma over the cliff...
BLAMING, EXCUSES - It's the Republicans, not me (though he raised tax request by $400 billion, to blow agreed Grand Bargain). It's oil companies, rich people, business, Bush, etc. and etc. See actual causes for Inequality And Poverty. (Obama's Integrity And Responsibility, and the effect on the national conversation.)
BUSINESS UNCERTAINTY HIGHEST, most cash kept on sidelines in history - Seen as anti-business. Drives more investment overseas.
UNECONOMIC DECISIONS on alternative energy -
BIN LADEN - Mechanism already set up in prior administration, but he made the decision
ON THE JOB TRAINING EFFECT - From state senator to President in four years, lack of experience and knowledge causes problems (read Confidence Men historical book, Suskind)
HELD 3 TRADE TREATIES ON DESK FOR THREE YEARS - From the prior administration, he delayed submission to Congress, which immediately approved it. Was it for political purposes? Who know. But it appeared to be unacceptable behavior.
Objectively speaking, would you evaluate the items above to indicate whether this President should hired for a second term. Would you and the rest of the nation be better off hiring him against even an average competitor? Clearly, Romney would be a far above average competitor, so you'd have to determine what results he would probably produce and how likely that is. See What You'll Get If These People Are President (and look at the more detailed one on Obama).
