The AP/Politico just can’t find it in themselves to put any blame on the policies of Obama and Democrats
(Politico) U.S. holiday retail sales this year grew at the weakest pace since 2008, when the nation was in a deep recession. In 2012, the shopping season was disrupted by bad weather and consumers’ rising uncertainty about the economy.
A report that tracks spending on popular holiday goods, the MasterCard Advisors SpendingPulse, said Tuesday that sales in the two months before Christmas increased 0.7 percent, compared with last year. Many analysts had expected holiday sales to grow 3 to 4 percent.
“Analysts” always seem to expect something big over the past 4 years, and always seem to be surprised when the numbers typically come out low. Anyhow, 4% growth is considered “healthy”.
Shoppers were buffeted this year by a string of events that made them less likely to spend: Superstorm Sandy and other bad weather, the distraction of the presidential election and grief about the Dec. 14 massacre of schoolchildren in Newtown, Conn. The numbers also show how Washington’s current budget impasse is trickling down to Main Street and unsettling consumers. If Americans remain reluctant to spend, analysts say, economic growth could falter next year.
See? They just can’t find it in themselves to put any blame on Obama/Democrats. Now, if Bush was president, we all know he’d be the one to be Blamed. The Stimulus was a failure, along with all the other stimulus spending. $16 trillion plus in debt. Massive deficits. No budget in over 3 years from the Dem controlled Senate. Demonization of business and “rich people”. Constant calls for tax increases. Obamacare. A storm of regulations, especially those announced once the election was over. A president unwilling to do anything but negotiate for more taxes and spending. An economy that has been sputtering since the end of the recession in summer 2009. These are the major forces.
Certainly, the Newtown murders and Superstorm Sandy were bad, but they only truly affected the economic activity of a small portion of the US. The presidential election? Please. That has nothing to do with Christmas spending. But, hey, 52% of the country was dumb enough to re-elect Obama, now they can sleep in the bed of economic malaise. Unfortunately, the rest of us have to suffer along.
Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU.
Dow doubled under Obama and unemployment has been trending down. Most Americans think Obama is doing OK his poll numbers are also trending upward. And yes Teach most Americans do blame Bush for destroying the economy. And Obama’s recent approval rating have all been higher than the percent of Americans that voted for him. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/president_obama_job_approval-1044.html Even Rasmussen gives him 56%
His approval rating is about twice as high as Republicans in Congress.
Yet, the economy still blows chunks, John. Chronic unemployment is high, U-6 is high, real wages are down, buying poet is down, confidence is down, things just suck all around. This is Obama’s world. He owns it. Can’t keep blaming Bush for the ineptness of YOUR president