Last Friday Mitt Romney spoke before a gathering of Americans for Prosperity, the Koch-funded lobbying group that bankrolls the Tea Party. In response to a question, Romney stumbled over language that comes perilously close to a lynching reference:
“Do you remember that during the Ronald Reagan-Jimmy Carter debates, that Ronald Reagan came up with this great thing about the Misery Index? And he hung that around Jimmy Carter’s neck and that had a lot to do with Jimmy Carter losing. Well we’re going to have to hang the Obama Misery Index around his neck. And I’ll tell you, the fact that you’ve got people in this country really squeezed with gasoline getting so expensive, with commodities getting so expensive, families are having a hard time making ends meet. So we’re going to have to do talk about that, and housing foreclosures and bankruptcies and and higher taxation. We’re going to hang him with that — uh, so to speak, metaphorically, with, uh, you have to be careful these days, I learned that — with an Obama Misery Index.”
With so many examples of overt racism threading through the fabric of modern Republicanism, it is tempting to interpret every alleged gaffe in the most negative light. While Romney should know better than to juxtapose the words “hang” and “Obama” so closely (and his attempted recovery shows that he does know), I don’t think this qualifies as a racist remark. He is clearly using the metaphor of “hanging an albatross” around one’s neck, not a noose dangling from a tree. However, he’s still not off the hook (if I may mix my metaphors).
His remarks begin by attributing the Misery Index to Ronald Reagan. That isn’t true.
“The misery index is an economic indicator, created by economist Arthur Okun, and found by adding the unemployment rate to the inflation rate.”
What’s worse though, from a strategic perspective, is that the Misery Index under Reagan averaged 12.19. Under Obama, so far, it is only 11.48. And that doesn’t take into consideration that Reagan had eight years to spread the misery out. Obama was saddled with the worst economic calamity since the the Great Depression and has only had two years to try to correct it. Nevertheless, he is still outperforming Reagan.
In addition, an analysis of the Misery Index from the Truman administration to the present shows that the misery produced by Republicans (10.64) was significantly worse than that by Democrats (9.17). So if Romney wants to raise the issue and hang it around anyone’s neck, he might not want to stick his out so far without looking at the facts.
Anyone who thinks that Obama will be anything other than the worst president in U.S. history is a fool. Sure, he was “saddled” with a bad ecomony… one that he and his democratic buddies were instrumental in creating. But, what has Obama done to improve the situation NOTHING! Instead he has made the situation worse and there is no end in sight because he is blinded by power and ambition and cares nothing about the people he was elected to serve. The reality is he doesn’t know how to do anything but campaign. His campaigning never ceases. Neither do his parties, he is playing and partying while the country goes down the tubes.Party on Barrack!
George W. has that “worst president” thing sewn up for the next century or so.
Since Obama took office the stock market is up over 40%. We have positive growth in private sector jobs (under Bush it was declining). 35 million more Americans are covered by health insurance. And if the People’s budget passes the budget will be balanced 10 years sooner that with the Republic budget proposal (and without cutting services to senior citizens and kids.
There is still a ways to go, but things are way better than they were under Bush.
Aw Skippy, I’m sure you can come up with some more cliches and talking points. You’re missing a few.
And now that Osama bin Laden is dead, I’m sure you’ll either disappear, or find some far-flung conspiracy, or give credit to Bush.
Too bad the Republicans took away the stimulous. I’ve been spending money as quickly as I can, trying to cash in on rebates for energy efficient upgrades to my home. I’ve just recouped 1500.00 on the new roof I installed last year on my income taxes, This new roof will reduce heat infiltration for the next 50 years at least.
I wish that I could install a new pellet furnace but we’ve lost the 30% rebate we could have had. Thanks Republicans!
Obama spent money, yes. That is the same thing Republicans would have done had they produced a legitimate candidate who could have beaten the Dems. The only difference is that I would not have been able to draw from the stimulous, only the super rich could have.
Pellet stoves are great, you should get one (or more) anyways!!