Clarifying Reaganomics vs. Obamanomics

By Tom Quiner

Team Obama will say anything to get elected.

Campaign Manager, Stephanie Cutter, cut loose with another factually-impaired whopper recently. She said:

“Over the past, you know, 27 months, we’ve created 4.5 million private sector jobs; that’s more jobs than in the Bush recovery, in the Reagan recovery…”

You know, Stephanie, you’ve got your numbers wrong, just as our president did when he promised us all of those shovel-ready jobs a few years ago if we’d just let him “stimulate” the economy. Remember?

We’re still holdin’ the shovel waitin’ for the jobs, Stephanie.

Let’s cut through campaign rhetoric for concise numbers comparing Obama and Reagan’s track record at creating jobs.

For the first 37 months of the Obama “recovery,” the economy has generated 2.7 net new jobs.

For the first 37 months of the Reagan recover, the economy generated 9.8 net new jobs.

Our population was smaller in the 1980s than now. If you adjust for today’s larger population, the Reagan track record would be 12 million net new jobs.

There is no comparison.

It gets worse: under Obama, the civilian labor force participation rate keeps falling. Under Reagan, it kept rising. Just glance at the chart above from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan would signal a return to the policies used by Ronald Reagan to reignite prosperity in America.

If you’re looking for a job, vote Romney/Ryan.

If you’re looking for a welfare check, for Obama/Biden.

The choice is that simple.

2 Comments

  1. illero on August 28, 2012 at 9:05 pm

    I fear that the problem with the “simple” choice you offer is that millions upon millions of Americans could take it too literally — and choose the welfare check — and vote Obama/Biden back into office. What Republicans/conservatives may need is some way to convince the hard core welfare recipients that this is BAD for them — something that gets them to WANT a job — right NOW..



    • quinersdiner on August 28, 2012 at 10:35 pm

      I think it is very doable, but we approach a dangerous tipping point if too many more get on the public dole. That’s why this election is so important. Obama’s track record is horrendous, even by Democrat’s standards. But Republicans can only win if they present a positive, alternative vision. They got off to a good start at tonight’s convention.