Paul Revere by Cyrus Dallin, North End, Boston

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Thursday, September 27, 2012

Denialism vs. Reality

UPDATE BELOW


In the blindly partisan world of extreme rightwingers, President Obama has done nothing right. As proof, they offer up only the negatives and never, never, never do they consider the positives that exist in all presidencies.  This skewed view of Mr. Obama's presidency now has them yawping like deranged hyenas over the leads Mr. Obama is, so far, enjoying in the polls, citing all the unfinished work the president faces as "failures."  They've even gone so far as to suggest that polling firms like Gallup, and others, are deliberately slanted in Mr. Obama's favor--an incredibly dumb suggestion, since these polling companies depend on their accuracy to stay in business.  Why would they all damage their reputations?  But don't go looking for logic where the fringies live.

Some of these extremists need a "reality bitch slap."    In the last 3 1/2 years, Mr. Obama's presidency has been mixed with good and bad, but you'll not drag any of the good out of the yawpers.

Below are some to consider.  These are facts that the wingers refuse to acknowledge, because they don't fit the narrative they've conjured up in their minds of a losing, failing, Marxist, Socialist, Commie, Kenyan Hawaiian Devil Baby.  And they truly believe that Mr. Obama is losing, or will lose, to Mr. Romney; that the polling firms that show leads in critical swing states are deliberately falsifying numbers; and that only their polling tells the truth.

When folks believe only what fits their prejudices, and deliberately stay blind to what IS instead of what they want it to be, they generally need some reality bitch slapping to wake them up:


Bloomberg

Factory Job Gains Under Obama Best Since Clinton: BGOV Barometer

In an election focused on jobs, President Barack Obama can boast of crossing one milestone: the longest stretch of employment gains in manufacturing in almost two decades.

The BGOV Barometer shows U.S. factory positions have grown since early 2010, arresting a slide that began toward the end of the 1990s. It’s the best showing since the era of Bill Clinton, the only president in the last 30 years to leave office with more factory jobs than when he began.

“The gain in manufacturing jobs is certainly helpful, it is one way to show we’re moving forward,” said Terry Madonna, a political science professor and director of the Franklin & Marshall College poll in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. “President Obama has to create a psychology all over the country that things are getting better. This is a piece explaining that idea.”









NBC News:
New U.S. single-family home sales eased in August but held near two-year highs and prices vaulted to their highest level in more than five years, adding to signs of a broadening housing market recovery.

PBS NEWSHOUR

The Case-Shiller index is out this morning, and housing prices continued to rise last month. Except perhaps for those shopping for homes, this is unambiguously good news. The more housing wealth, the greater the "wealth effect": the propensity to spend. The greater the spending, the less unemployment. The wheel then turns. Maybe we're heading for a Titanic iceberg, as some of my friends predict. Maybe the fiscal cliff bodes ill. But for those who think we can hang in there and muddle through, good news.


JOB GROWTH:



The Wall Street Journal:


Middle East Officials Praise Obama Speech



"...Middle Eastern officials said they valued Mr. Obama's call for tolerance.

"It was a very good opening speech," said Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati. "I agreed with it 99%, particularly his point that we need to expect and have openness, before it is too late."

Mr. Obama in his address called on new rulers around the world to govern fairly and openly, to permit dissent but discourage violence.

One Arab diplomat who was not authorized to speak publicly to the press, said: "The key message was that we need to fight for tolerance and accept people as they are. This was very important. We cannot be dragged down into violence by what is after all a very small minority."

The Wall Street Journal:

Putin on U.S. Vote: Obama 'Genuine,'Romney 'Mistaken'

MOSCOW—Russian President Vladimir Putin said the re-election of President Barack Obama could improve relations with the U.S., but that he was also prepared to work with Mitt Romney, calling the Republican candidate's tough stance on Russia "pre-election rhetoric."

In contrast to what had been viewed as a chilly attitude toward Mr. Obama, Mr. Putin called his U.S. counterpart "a genuine person" who "really wants to change much for the better."

Fellow blogger Infidel753 puts it this way:

"This is a high-stakes election. The stakes are theocracy vs. secularism, denialism vs. reality on global warming, Randian laissez-faire and an unregulated financial parasite class vs. a rational mixed economy, mythology vs. science in public schools, insurance-company death panels vs. a major step toward universal coverage, Bible-based bigotry vs. marriage equality, relentless attacks on abortion and even birth control vs. individual choice, cave-man foreign policy vs. informed diplomacy. And don't forget Supreme Court appointments."

UPDATE:

A tiny, routine revision in some jobs data could have a big political payoff for President Obama.




The Labor Department on Thursday morning quietly released a new benchmark for payroll employment in the U.S. It turns out that with the revision, there has been net job growth -- not much, but more than nothing -- during Obama's first term.



According to the revision, total non-farm payrolls stood at 133.686 million jobs in August, up from 133.561 million in January 2009, when Obama's first term began. Before the revision, payrolls were at 133.300 million in August.



In other words, 125,000 jobs have been created, in total, during Obama's first term, compared with a prior estimate of a loss of 261,000.



This is obviously a very small difference, but it takes away a weapon that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the Republican nominee for president, has used repeatedly to hit Obama: the claim that there has been a net job loss since he took office.



That claim was arguably unfair in any event, given the state of the economy when Obama took on the worst job in America: The economy was shedding about 750,000 jobs per month just before and after his inauguration. With the new benchmark revisions, it added about 194,000 jobs per month in the year up to March 2012, according to Wharton economics professor Justin Wolfers.


H/T HUFFPOST

16 comments:

Beatriz09 said...

Romney said the country had lost more than half a million manufacturing jobs in the past four years. "This is not the path we want for America," he said.

What he CONTINUES to hope is that we won't know that these jobs were mostly lost BEFORE Obama's policies could take effect, during his first year in office.

What he also hopes is that we won't discover that after that, during the last three years Obama ADDED hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs.

And he'll CERTAINLY fears the moment that we discover that that actually happened for the first time in ... two decades.

Because then we'd know that Myth Romney is LYING again, simply because he believes that it's enough to fool "you people" in order to get to the highest office in the greatest country on earth.

Jerry Critter said...

As I have said before, it is important to look at the trends over the last 3 1/2 years, not just now and Jan 2009.

Anonymous said...

SF's cheap shot at the taker class--not waking up until noon, insults his pals, the red staters, they're the ones who pay fewer taxes than anyone else.

But he's too dumb to get it.

Republican Racism said...

SF and RN are only hear to try and destroy a great and well respected liberal blog. They are true soldiers of Republican talking points.
Have fun toying with them (and you do a great job of that).
Both these guys are racists and prove it in their writings.

Les Carpenter said...

And this differs from progressives how? O am not expecting an honest or bipartisan answer from PE.

Les Carpenter said...

Republican Racism said... "SF and RN are only hear to try and destroy a great and well respected liberal blog. They are true soldiers of Republican talking points.

Have fun toying with them (and you do a great job of that). Both these guys are racists and prove it in their writings."

Per usual the deluded RR preaching to the choir w/out facts or references. As he has absolutely NOTHING to offer at all, other than his hatred, bigotry, and general BS, he resorts to unfounded allegation of raaaaacism against those with MUCH stronger arguments.

Go look in the mirror RR.

Republican Racism said...

Facts and references?
Must I really reprint your anti-Semitic comments
The proof and facts of your racist hate have been printed to many times.
You are a sad person.
Lie about what has been proven, a true Republican.

Republican Racism said...

RN's written words from his blog:

RN-USA: "American Jews are the offspring of the pacifists that willing were led to the gas chambers in Hitlers Holocaust."

This is one of the stereotype anti-Semite comments from the 20th century.

Except YOU can't spell correctly, another trait you have in common with racist, white supremest, haters.

Please prove this hate filled statement is true.

Then there was the comment you made saying (I'll quote you):

"Obama economics are the same as Hitler economics."

Please prove this hate filled statement.

Then there is your support for the "McCarthy" like comments of Rep. (R) Allen West, which just the other day you wrote a post supporting him. Calling Mr. West one of the best representatives in Congress. Yes, the same West who claims there are "79-81 members of the Communist party in the Congress."

Please prove this hate filled statement. What's your count of Communist members in Congress?

Then you wrote a post praising Rep, (R) Michell Bachmann. Another "McCarthy" like hater who said on Chris Matthews, "The Congress should be investigated to expose the anti-American members of Congress." She also claims there are many members of the Communist party in Congress.

Please prove this hate filled statement. Just how many Communists are in the Congress Mr. HATE?

When your hate buddies call the president "half savage" did you speak against that racist remark? NO !

Just today you blast American Muslims for their right of free speech, just because they said something you disagreed with.

Please explain how American (Muslims) don not have the same right of free speech you enjoy?

The list of your racist, hate comments are long, and have been exposed many times on different blogs.

Shaw may not post this, but then this information on the hate you push is repetitive and has been posted by Shaw before.

Your words, written by you, and posted on your blog.

I am not interested in your twisted explanations. I have heard them all before from other hate filled bigots and racists.

Other commentators have mentioned how condescending you are, I agree. That comes from a typical egotistical, white superior attitude common in all racist, bigots.

Republican Racism said...

RN said,

"Per usual the deluded RR preaching to the choir w/out facts or references."

I posted facts and references, but Shaw decided not to post it.

RN wins with his lies again.

Shaw Kenawe said...

Here's your statement RR.

I'd rather not have my comment section turned into a punching match with RN.

I'll delete anymore comments that have nothing to do with the post.

Les Carpenter said...

RR, So like you, snippets taken out of the full context of my posts. As you attempt to guide others into believing your slanderous commentary.

In fact you have edited a couple. But I, and most others of rational mind realize... expect nothing less from you.

Why didn't you just post the the link to each individual post you referenced and let those who wish to do so check out the full post and comment at RN USA on their perspective of my post if they like?

Les Carpenter said...

Shaw, My previous comment not is not meant to be a punch at RR. It is truthful and my question for him (or her) is a reasonable one.

If you chose not to post my previous comment I respectfully ask you e-mail me and let me understand why you chose not to.

Thank you in advance.... (There is no need to post this comment (obviously).

Anonymous said...

what haystack did you dig these needles out from?

Shaw Kenawe said...

RN,

I've published all the comments that were awaiting moderation.

If you don't see one here that you wrote, then it was inadvertently deleted when I deleted trolls.

I've done that more than once to lots of other commenters, and have apologized to people when that's happened.

Les Carpenter said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Les Carpenter said...

RR, Why don't you start your own blog? That way you can write anything you choose. You can spew your hate filled rhetoric for me with abandon.

I promise to visit every day so you can throw punches at me at will.