OBAMA DEBATE RESPONSE

BUDGET & DEFICIT BUDGET & DEFICIT BUDGET & DEFICIT BUDGET & DEFICIT BUDGET & DEFICIT DEFENSE/FOREIGN POLICY DEFENSE/FOREIGN POLICY DEFENSE/FOREIGN POLICY DEFENSE/FOREIGN POLICY ECONOMY ECONOMY ECONOMY ECONOMY ECONOMY ECONOMY ECONOMY ECONOMY ECONOMY ECONOMY EDUCATION ENERGY & ENVIRO ENERGY & ENVIRO ENERGY & ENVIRO Debt Deficit $4 Trillion Deficit Reduction Failure To Lead Broken Promises: Cut Deficit In Half, Net Spending Cut, Spending Freeze Sequestration Spending Cuts Libya, Israel, Iran, China, Russia Leading From Behind/Standing Foreign Policy Angle Unemployment Rate/Joblessness Stimulus Failed Middle Class Poverty Responsible For The Economy Foreclosures/Homes Underwater Obamas Tax Increases Broken Promises: Focus On Jobs, 5 Million New Jobs Manufacturing College Affordability And Student Loan Debt No Coherent Energy Policy Foreign Oil Dependency Keystone

ENERGY & ENVIRO ENERGY & ENVIRO ENERGY & ENVIRO ENERGY & ENVIRO ENERGY & ENVIRO ENERGY & ENVIRO ETHICS/SCANDALSETHICS/SCANDALSETHICS/SCANDALSHEALTH CAREHEALTH CARE-

Gas Prices Coal Domestic Oil Production Broken Promises: Plug-In Hybrids, Green Jobs, Double Renewable Energy EPA Regulations Solyndra Fast And Furious MF Global GSA ObamaCare Broken Promises: Reduce Cost, Reduce Premiums, Keep Your Plan, Protect Medicare Medicare - includes Lie of the Year Not Better Off Under Obama Failed To Change Washington Lobbyists Negative Ads/Going Negative Transparency Didnt Keep Promise Gaffes Responsibility & Excuses Abortion, Gay Marriage Not Better Off Under Obama Tri Care Not Better Off Under Obama

HEALTH CAREHISPANICS/LATINOS HOPE & CHANGEHOPE & CHANGEHOPE & CHANGE HOPE & CHANGE IMMIGRATION OBAMAOBAMA SOCIAL ISSUES VETERANS VETERANS WOMEN -

FAILED TO LEAD ON THE BUDGET

[P]residents Work Their Will Or Should Work Their Will On The Important Matters Of National Business. Obama Has Not. It is a fact that President Obama was handed a miserable, faltering economy and faced a recalcitrant Republican opposition. But presidents work their will or should work their will on the important matters of national business. There is occasional discussion in this book about Presidents Reagan and Clinton, what they did or would have done. Open as both are to serious criticism, they nonetheless largely worked their will. Obama has not. (Bob Woodward, The Price Of Politics, 2012, p. 379) By The End Of July 2011, It Was Increasingly Clear That No One Was Running Washington. That Was Trouble For Everyone, But Especially For Obama. It was increasingly clear that no one was running Washington. That was trouble for everyone, but especially for Obama. Though running things was a joint venture between the president and Congress, Nabors thought a president had to dominate Congressor at least be seen as dominating Congress. If the president succumbed it could be fatal. Reagan and Clinton were seen as presidents who had gained and largely held the upper hand with Congress. The last president to fold was George H. W. Bush, who gave in to Democrats demands that income taxes be raised in a 1990 budget deal. And Bush had been a one term president. (Bob
Woodward, The Price Of Politics, 2012, p. 313)

Reids Chief Of Staff To Obama In A July 2011 Oval Office Meeting: And It Is Really Disheartening That You, That This White House Did Not Have A Plan B. Sitting there on the Oval Office couch, Krone either would not or could not conceal his anger. Wait a second, the president said, interrupting someone else who was about to speak. David has something else. I can tell David has something else to say. It wasnt hard to reach this conclusion. Krone was tightly wound. Mr. President, I am sorrywith all due respect that we are in this situation that were in, but we got handed this football on Friday night. And I didnt create this situation. The first thing that baffles me is, from my private sector experience, the first rule that Ive always been taught is to have a Plan B. And it is really disheartening that you, that this White House did not have a Plan B. (Bob Woodward, The Price Of
Politics, 2012, p. 317)

The Washington Post: The Final Budget Of His First Term Does Not Reflect The Leadership On Issues Of Debt And Deficit That Mr. Obama Once Vowed. (Editorial, Obamas
Budget Falls Short, But It Beats Many Alternatives, The Washington Post, 2/13/12)

The New York Times: "What Mr. Obama's Budget Is Most Definitely Not Is A Blueprint For Dealing With The Real Long-Term Problems That Feed The Budget Deficit..." (Editorial, "The Obama Budget," The New York Times, 2/14/11) Los Angeles Times: Obama Offers No Real Solution To The United States LongTerm Fiscal Problems. The day after the Greek Parliament approved another round of deep spending cuts in the face of violent protests, President Obama released a budget proposal for the coming fiscal year that offers no real solution to the United States' long-term fiscal problems. (Editorial, What About The U.S. Debt? Los Angeles Times,
2/14/12)

USA Today: The Best Test Of A Budget Proposal These Days Is Whether It Reins In The National Debt The Election-Year Budget President Obama Sent

To Congress On Monday Fails That Test. The best test of a budget proposal these days is whether it reins in the national debt, which is projected to equal a troubling 74% of gross domestic product this year. The last time the publicly held debt was that high as a percentage of the economy was in 1950, when the nation was still paying off the stupendous amount of money it had to borrow to fight and win World War II. The election-year budget President Obama sent to Congress on Monday fails that test. (Editorial, Obamas Budget Plan Leaves Debt Bomb Ticking, USA Today, 2/14/12) The Dallas Morning News: Obamas Budget Proposal Is A Sign He Has Abdicated Leadership. But this newspaper sees problems in his fine points, beginning with his almost total dodge on entitlement reforms. Obama identified only about $300 billion in Medicare and Medicaid savings. And not a single detail about overhauling Social Security. Washington cant fix the $14 trillion debt problem without overhauling those programs, which are big debt drivers. The president knows all this and simply abdicated leadership. (Editorial, Editorial: Gang Of 38 Offers A Better Debt
Approach, The Dallas Morning News, 9/19/11)

DEBT & DEFICIT

Debt THEN: In 2008, Obama Said Adding $4 Trillion To The National Debt Was Irresponsible And Unpatriotic. OBAMA: The problem is, is that the way Bush has done it over the last eight years is to take out a credit card from the Bank of China in the name of our children, driving up our national debt from $5 trillion for the first 42 presidents number 43 added $4 trillion by his lonesome, so that we now have over $9 trillion of debt that we are going to have to pay back -- $30,000 for every man, woman and child. That's irresponsible. It's unpatriotic. (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks At A Campaign Event, Fargo, ND,
7/3/08)

NOW: The National Debt Is Now $16.2 Trillion ($16,196,052,388,163.26). (US Department
Of The Treasury, TreasuryDirect.gov, Accessed 10/22/12)

Since Obama Took Office, The National Debt Has Risen $5.6 Trillion, An Increase Of Over 52 Percent. (US Department Of The Treasury, TreasuryDirect.gov, Accessed 10/22/12) Under Obamas Watch, Each Citizens Share Of The National Debt Has Risen $18,038 To A Total Of $52,458. (US Department Of The Treasury, TreasuryDirect.gov, Accessed 10/22/12) Obama Has Added An Average Of $4,071,034,605 To The National Debt Every Day. (US Department Of The Treasury, TreasuryDirect.gov, Accessed 10/22/12) On Average, Obama Has Added $1 Trillion To The National Debt Every 246 Days. (US Department Of The Treasury, TreasuryDirect.gov, Accessed 10/22/12)

The U.S. National Debt Has Topped $16 Trillion As Chronic Government Deficits Have Piled More Than $50,000 Worth Of Debt Onto Federal Ledgers For Every Man, Woman And Child In The United States. (Andrew Taylor, U.S. National Debt Hits $16 Trillion, The Associated
Press, 9/4/12)

Obama Is The Undisputed Debt King Of The Last Five Presidents. So by this measurement -- potentially a more important one -- Obama is the undisputed debt king of the last five presidents, rather than the guy who added a piddling amount to the debt, as Pelosis chart suggested. (Nancy Pelosi Post Questionable Chart On Debt Accumulation By Barack Obama, Predecessors,
Politifact, 5/19/11)

CBO: The Amount Of Federal Debt Held By The Public Has Skyrocketed In The Past Few Years, Rising From 40 Percent Of GDP At The End Of 2008 To An Estimated 73 Percent By The End Of This Year. (An Update To The Budget And Economic Outlook: Fiscal Years 2012 To 2022,
Congressional Budget Office, 8/22/12)

According To The CBO, Federal Debt Held By The Public Will Reach The Highest Levels Since The 1950s. Federal debt held by the public will reach 73 percent of GDP by the end of this fiscal yearthe highest level since 1950 and about twice the 36 percent of GDP that it measured at the end of 2007, before the financial crisis and recent recession. (An Update To The Budget And Economic Outlook: Fiscal Years 2012 To 2022,
Congressional Budget Office, 8/22/12)

Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke Says U.S. Debt Level Is Unsustainable Which Could Cause Interest Rates To Spike And Cause Financial Instability Like We Saw In Greece. But Ben Bernankes recent warning is ominous. The Fed chief calls Americas debt level unsustainable and says if financial markets lose confidence, interest rates could spike and cause financial instability like we saw in Greece. (Editorial, Heed Bernanke On Federal Debt,
The Denver Post, 6/20/10)

Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs Of Staff Warned That The National Debt Is The Biggest Threat To National Security. Adm. Mike Mullen also renewed his warning that the nations debt is the biggest threat to U.S. national security. (Roxana Tiron, Joint Chiefs Chairman
Reiterates Security Threat Of High Debt, The Hill, 6/24/10)

Our Rising Debt Levels Poses A National Security Threat . . . It Sends A Message Of Weakness Internationally. (Secretary Of State Hillary Clinton, Remarks At The Council Foreign Relations, Washington,
DC, 9/8/10)

Deficit PROMISE: In February 2009, Obama Said That He Would Cut The Deficit In Half By The End Of [His] First Term In Office. OBAMA: Yesterday, I held a fiscal summit where I pledged to cut the deficit in half by the end of my first term in office. (President Obama, Address to
Joint Session of Congress, 2/24/09)

BROKEN: Obama Will Fall Far Short Of His Goal To Halve The Deficit In Four Years. President Obama's proposed 2013 budget will forecast a $901 billion deficit for next year, falling far short of his goal to halve the deficit in four years. (Richard Wolf, Obama Budget To Miss Deficit
Goal, USA Todays The Oval, 2/10/12)

The Congressional Budget Office Estimated The FY 2012 Budget Deficit At $1.1 Trillion, The Fourth Straight Year Of Trillion Dollar Deficits On President Barack Obamas Watch. A new estimate puts the deficit for the just-completed 2012 budget year at $1.1 trillion, the fourth straight year of trillion dollar deficits on President Barack Obama's watch. The result was a slight improvement from the 2011 deficit of $1.3 trillion. The bleak figures from the Congressional Budget Office, while expected, add fodder for the heated presidential campaign, in which Obama's handling of the economy and the budget is a main topic. (Andrew Taylor, CBO Tallies 2012 Deficit At $1.1T, The Associated Press, 10/5/12) Obama Promised To Cut The Deficit In Half By The End Of His First Term, But Deficits Have Instead Remained At Eye-Popping Levels Obama inherited an economy in recession and a deficit in excess of $1 trillion. He promised to cut the deficit in half by the end of his first term, but deficits have instead remained at eye-popping levels, including a record $1.4 trillion deficit in 2009 and deficits of $1.3 trillion in each of the past two years. The 2012 deficit was 7 percent of the size of the economy, an unsustainably high level. (Andrew Taylor, CBO Tallies 2012 Deficit At $1.1T, The Associated Press, 10/5/12) This Is The Fourth Straight Year That The Deficit Will Exceed One Trillion Dollars, All Under President Obama. (Erik Wasson, CBO Says 2012 Deficit Has Reached $1.17T, The Hill, 9/10/12) Obama Had Already Racked Up The Three Largest Deficits In U.S. History. The U.S budget deficit for fiscal year 2011 is $1.299 trillion, the second largest shortfall in history. The nation only ran a larger deficit for the 2009 fiscal year, which

included the dramatic collapse of financial markets and a huge bailout effort by the government.(Erik Wasson, Treasury Announces 2011 Deficit Is Second Highest In History, The Hills On The Money,
10/14/11)

Obama Has Long Since Stopped Talking Up His Old Goal Of Reducing Deficits In Half. (Tom Raum, THE RACE: Deficits To Be Hot Topic In 1st Debate, The Associated Press, 10/1/12) The CBO Estimates That The Federal Budget Deficit Was About $1.1 Trillion In Fiscal Year 2012. (Monthly Budget Review: Fiscal Year 2012, Congressional Budget Office, 10/5/12) FY2009: The Federal Budget Deficit Was $1.413 Trillion, The Highest In U.S. History. (Monthly Budget Review: November 2011, Congressional Budget Office, 11/7/11) FY2010: The Federal Budget Deficit Was $1.294 Trillion, The Third Highest In U.S. History. (Monthly Budget Review: November 2011, Congressional Budget Office, 11/7/11) FY2011: The Federal Budget Deficit Was $1.299 Trillion, The Second Highest In U.S. History. (Monthly Budget Review: November 2011, Congressional Budget Office, 11/7/11) FY2012: The Federal Budget Deficit Was $1.1 Trillion, The Fourth Highest In U.S. History. (Monthly Budget Review: Fiscal Year 2012, Congressional Budget Office, 10/5/12)

Obamas $4 Trillion Deficit Reduction Co-Chairs Of Obamas Fiscal Commission Erskine Bowles And Alan Simpson On Obamas $4 Trillion Target: Unfortunately, His Proposal Falls Short Of This Goal We are encouraged that President Obama has embraced the goal of stabilizing the debt and the target of achieving at least $4 trillion in deficit reduction. Unfortunately, his proposal falls short of this goal by counting war savings that were already planned; and while it does (barely) stabilize the debt, it does so at a dangerously high level and with no margin for error. We are disappointed, too, that the president did not address the longterm solvency of Social Security. (Alan Simpson And Erskine Bowles, Op-Ed, Go Big, Be Bold, Be Smart, The
Washington Post, 10/2/11)

The Washington Posts Glenn Kessler: The Repeated Claim That Obamas Budget Reduces The Deficit By $4 Trillion Is Simply Not Accurate. Virtually No Serious Budget Analyst Agreed With This Accounting. (Glenn Kessler, Fact Checking Bill Clintons Speech And Other
Democrats At The Convention In Charlotte, The Washington Posts The Fact Checker, 9/6/12)

Independent Budget Experts Say Obamas Debt Plan Falls Short Of Its Claimed $4 Trillion In Savings. President Obama projects that his new plan for reducing the federal debt will save more than $3 trillion over the next decade by raising taxes on the wealthy and slashing spending on a host of government programs, from farm subsidies to federal worker pensions. But independent budget experts said the blueprint that Obama unveiled Monday which White House officials say would save more than $4 trillion when added to earlier budget deals this year appears to fall short of his target. (Lori Montgomery And Jia Lynn
Yang, Budget Analysts Say Obama Deficit Plan Is Likely To Miss Its Targets, The Washington Post, 9/19/11)

Credit Rating Downgrade

Standard & Poors Lowered The U.S. Credit Rating For The First Time, An Ignominious Legacy For Obama. (George E. Condon Jr., What A Week: Afghan Deaths, S&P, And Debt Limit Debate
Challenge Obama, National Journal, 8/6/11)

The Downgrade, Hours After Markets Closed On Friday, Is A First For The United States Since It Was Granted An AAA Rating In 1917. (Paul Wiseman, US Downgrade Raises Anxiety, If
Not Interest Rates, The Associated Press, 8/6/11)

BROKEN PROMISES ON SPENDING

Deficit PROMISE: In February 2009, Obama Said That He Would Cut The Deficit In Half By The End Of [His] First Term In Office. OBAMA: Yesterday, I held a fiscal summit where I pledged to cut the deficit in half by the end of my first term in office. (President Obama, Address to
Joint Session of Congress, 2/24/09)

BROKEN: Obama Has Racked Up The Three Largest Deficits In U.S. History. The U.S budget deficit for fiscal year 2011 is $1.299 trillion, the second largest shortfall in history. The nation only ran a larger deficit for the 2009 fiscal year, which included the dramatic collapse of financial markets and a huge bailout effort by the government.(Erik Wasson, Treasury
Announces 2011 Deficit Is Second Highest In History, The Hills On The Money, 10/14/11)

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Is Predicting The Fourth Straight Deficit To Exceed $1 Trillion At $1.1 Trillion. Congress' nonpartisan budget analysts are projecting a $1.1 trillion federal deficit for 2012, the fourth straight year the government's shortfall will exceed $1 trillion. (Analysts Project $1.1T Federal Deficit This Year, The Associated Press, 8/22/12) CBO: The Federal Budget Deficit For Fiscal Year 2012 Will Total $1.1 Trillion Marking The Fourth Year In A Row With A Deficit Of More Than $1 Trillion. (An Update
To The Budget And Economic Outlook: Fiscal Years 2012 To 2022, Congressional Budget Office, 8/22/12)

FY2009: The Federal Budget Deficit Was $1.413 Trillion, The Highest In U.S. History. (Monthly Budget Review: November 2011, Congressional Budget Office, 11/7/11) FY2010: The Federal Budget Deficit Was $1.294 Trillion, The Third Highest In U.S. History. (Monthly Budget Review: November 2011, Congressional Budget Office, 11/7/11) FY2011: The Federal Budget Deficit Was $1.299 Trillion, The Second Highest In U.S. History. (Monthly Budget Review: November 2011, Congressional Budget Office, 11/7/11) FY2012: The Federal Budget Deficit Was $1.1 Trillion, The Fourth Highest In U.S. History. (Monthly Budget Review: Fiscal Year 2012, Congressional Budget Office, 10/5/12)

Net Spending Cut PROMISE: In 2008, Obama Promised A Net Spending Cut To The Federal Budget By Going Through The Federal Budget Line By Line, Page By Page. OBAMA: But there is no doubt that we've been living beyond our means and we're going to have to make some adjustments. Now, what I've done throughout this campaign is to propose a net spending cut. (Third Presidential Debate, Hempstead, NY, 10/15/08) OBAMA: We need to eliminate a whole host of programs that don't work. And I want to go through the federal budget line by line, page by page, programs that don't work, we should cut. (Third Presidential Debate, Hempstead, NY, 10/15/08)

BROKEN: Federal Outlays Have Increased By 20.4 Percent Since Obama Took Office. The federal government spent $3.1 trillion in FY2008 in inflation adjusted dollars. Under Obama, in FY2012 the federal government spent $3.8 trillion dollars. (Table 1.3 Summary Of
Receipts, Outlays And Surpluses Or Deficits In Current Dollars, Constant (FY2005) Dollars, And As Percentages Of GDP: 1940-2016,

Office Of Management And Budget, Accessed 5/16/12; Budget Of The United States Government, Fiscal Year 2013, Office Of Management And Budget, 2/13/12)

Obama Proposed FY2013 Budget Calls For Increasing Government Spending Well Above Historical Norms. From 1969 To 2008 The Federal Government Spent An Average Of 20.6 Percent Of GDP, Obamas Proposed FY2013 Budget Calls For Spending 22.8 Percent Of GDP By FY2022. (Table 1.2 Summary Of Receipts, Outlays And Surpluses Or
Deficits As Percentages Of GDP: 1930-2016, Office Of Management And Budget, Accessed 5/16/12; Budget Of The United States Government, Fiscal Year 2013, Office Of Management And Budget, 2/13/12)

Government Spending As A Share Of The Economy Has Hovered Around 24% During The Obama AdministrationElevated From The Historical Average Of 20.7% Over The Past 40 Years. Government spending as a share of the economy has hovered around 24% during the Obama administration, several percentage points higher than under President Bush, according to Congressional Budget Office data. It's also elevated from the historical average of 20.7% over the past 40 years. (Tami Luhby, Did Obama Really Make Government
Bigger? CNN Money, 1/25/12)

The Washington Posts Fact Checker: Obamas Spending Has Hit Highs Not Seen Since The End Of World War II Completely The Opposite Of The Point Asserted By Carney. In the post-war era, federal spending as a percentage of the U.S. economy has hovered around 20 percent, give or take a couple of percentage points. Under Obama, it has hit highs not seen since the end of World War II completely the opposite of the point asserted by Carney. Part of this, of course, is a consequence of the recession, but it is also the result of a sustained higher level of spending. (Glenn Kessler, The Facts About The Growth Of Spending
Under Obama, The Washington Post, 5/25/12)

Politifact: As A Percentage Of Gross Domestic Product Discretionary Spending Under Obama Reached Its Highest Level In About Two Decades As a percentage of gross domestic product -- which is a measure of the nations economy -- discretionary spending under Obama reached its highest level in about two decades, according to figures released by the White Houses Office of Management and Budget. (Bill Wichert, Cory Booker Claims Obama Has Overseen Nations Lowest
Discretionary Spending Weve Had In Decades, Politifact, 5/28/12)

Spending Freeze PROMISE: Obama Promised To Pay For His Deficits With A Three-Year Discretionary Spending Freeze. OBAMA: So tonight I'm proposing specific steps to pay for the trillion dollars that it took to rescue the economy last year. Starting in 2011, we are prepared to freeze Government spending for 3 years. (President Barack Obama, Address Before A Joint Session Of Congress On
The State Of The Union, Washington, D.C., 1/27/10)

FAIL: White House Official Admitted So-Called Spending Freeze Mainly For Larger Symbolic Value. It is the growth in the so-called entitlement programs Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security that is the major factor behind projections of unsustainably high deficits, due to rapidly rising health costs and an aging population. But one administration official said that limiting the much smaller discretionary domestic budget would have larger symbolic value. (Jackie Calmes, Obama Seeks Freeze On Many Domestic Programs, The New York
Times, 1/25/10)

Liberal Economist Brad Delong Says Obamas Proposal To Freeze Discretionary Spending Is A Perfect Example Of Fundamental Unseriousness Of Obamas Commitment To Tackle Deficit. [T]his is a perfect example of fundamental unseriousness: rather than make proposals that will actually tackle the long-term deficit come up with a proposal that does short-term harm to the economy without tackling the deficit in any serious and significant way. (Brad Delong,
Barack Herbert Hoover Grover Cleveland Obama? Brad Delongs Grasping Reality With Opposable Thumbs , 1/25/10)

SEQUESTRATION
It Was The Obama White House That Devised Sequestration, Which Would Result In Nearly $1 Trillion In Devastating Cuts To National Security The Obama Administration Proposed That Half Of The Cuts In The Sequestration Trigger Should Come From The Defense Budget. Lew, Nabors, Sperling and Bruce Reed, Bidens chief of staff, had initially decided to propose using language from the 1985 Gramm-Rudman-Hollings deficit reduction law as the model for the trigger. It seemed tough enough to apply to the current situation. It would require a sequester with half the cuts from Defense, and the other half from domestic programs. There would be no chance the Republicans would want to pull the trigger and allow the sequester to force massive cuts to Defense. (Bob Woodward, The Price Of Politics, 2012, p. 341)

White House: We Have An Idea For The Trigger. Sequestration. At 2:30 p.m. Lew and Nabors went to the Senate to meet with Reid and his chief of staff, David Krone. We have an idea for the trigger, Lew said. Whats the idea? Reid asked skeptically. Sequestration. Reid bent down and put his head between his knees, almost as if he were going to throw up or was having a heart attack. He sat back up and looked at the ceiling. A couple of weeks ago, he said, my staff said to me that there is one more possible enforcement mechanism: sequestration. He said he told them, Get the hell out of here. Thats insane. The White House surely will come up with a plan that will save the day. And you come to me with sequestration? Well, it could work, Lew and Nabors explained. What would the impact be? They would design it so that half the threatened cuts would be from the Defense Department. I like that, Reid said. Thats good. It doesnt touch Medicaid or Medicare, does it? It actually does touch Medicare, they replied. How does it touch Medicare? It depends, they said. Theres versions with 2 percent cuts, and theres versions with 4 percent cuts. (Bob Woodward, The Price Of Politics, 2012, pp. 326)

Obamas FY 2013 Budget Cuts Defense Spending By $487 Billion Over The Next Ten Years. An array of military programs, from fighter jets to retiree benefits, would be nicked to squeeze savings in the Pentagon's $525 billion budget for 2013, according to officials and documents released Monday. The proposed 2013 budget represents the Pentagon's first installment in a plan to reduce its projected spending by $487 billion over 10 years. Congress must approve the changes. (Tom Vanden Brook Pentagon Budget Calls For Cuts To Jets, Benefits, USA
Today, 2/13/12)

Another $500 Billion Will Be Cut If Sequestration Goes Into Effect In January 2013. The cuts, roughly $500 billion to both defense and non-defense spending, were set in motion after the supercommittee failed to find more than $1 trillion in deficit reduction last year. The Obama administration has said its not yet planning for the cuts, instead arguing they were never intended to be implemented and urging Congress to find a fix. (Jeremy Herb, Pentagons No. 2 Joining Budget Director At Sequester Hearing,
The Hill's DEFCON Hill, 7/11/12)

Sequestration Would Indiscriminately Cut Funding For The War In Afghanistan And Operations In The Persian Gulf, As Well As Training Programs, Equipment Maintenance And Military Benefits. Sequestration compounds the damage because the

cuts would be automatic and indiscriminate. The Pentagon now concedes that funding for the war in Afghanistan would be hit, contrary to past assurances. So would current operations in the Persian Gulf. Training programs, equipment maintenance and military benefits are affected too. Defense contractor Lockheed Martin says the law obliges it to send layoff warnings as soon as October to most of its 123,000 workersthe kind of manufacturing jobs Democrats claim to love. (Editorial, The Coming Defense Crack-Up, The Wall Street Journal,
7/20/12)

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta Says Cuts To Defense Will Result In The Smallest Ground Force Since 1940, The Smallest Number Of Ships Since 1915 And The Smallest Air Force In Its History. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta spelled out a doomsday scenario Monday that he said could occur if Congress fails to take action to avoid a $1 trillion cut in defense spending over the next decade. Panetta, responding to a letter from Republican Senators John McCain and Lindsay Graham, said cuts of nearly $100 billion a year would leave the United States with its smallest ground force since 1940, the smallest number of ships since 1915 and the smallest air force in its history. (David Alexander, Panetta Spells Out Budget Cut Doomsday Fears, Reuters,
11/14/11)

Defense Department May Have To Force Soldiers, Marines Or Other Members Of The Military Out Of The Services For The First Time Since The Aftermath Of The Cold War. The Defense Department may have to force soldiers, Marines or other members of the military out of the services for the first time since the aftermath of the Cold War to achieve the spending reductions in its budget proposal. The Pentagon plans to cut 67,100 soldiers from active and reserve Army units and the Army National Guard in the five years starting Oct. 1, as well as 15,200 from the active and reserve ranks of the Marine Corps as part of an effort to save $487 billion over a decade, according to the budget sent to Congress today. The Navy and Air Force would lose fewer people 8,600 and 1,700 respectively because of their role in a strategic shift toward the Asia-Pacific region and the Middle East. (Viola Gienger and Roxana Tiron, Pentagon May Oust Troops Involuntarily Under Budget Cuts,
Bloomberg, 2/21/12)

Total Defense Cuts Would Put Up To 1.5 Million Jobs At Risk. Sequestration ($1 trillion in cuts) assumes across the board spending cuts with losses peaking in the 2013-2014 time period, with 1 million to 1.5 million jobs lost and that could increase the U.S. unemployment rate by nearly 1 percentage point in the near term, said Lt. Col. Elizabeth Robbins, a spokeswoman of the Department of Defense. (Sean
Gorman, Rep. Randy Forbes Says 1.53 Million Defense Jobs Are At Risk, PolitiFact, 10/12/11)

Despite The Danger Of Sequestration, Obama Has Promised To Veto Any Attempt To Avert These Additional Defense Cuts. OBAMA: Already some in Congress are trying to undo these automatic spending cuts. My message to them is simple: No. I will veto any effort to get rid of those automatic spending cuts to domestic and defense spending. There will be no easy off ramps on this one. We need to keep the pressure up to compromise, not turn off the pressure. (President Barack Obama, Statement On The Supercommittee, Washington, DC, 11/21/11)

DEFENSE CUTS
Obamas FY2013 Budget Will Force Soldiers Out Of The Military And Cut Critical Defense Programs Obama Proposed A Historic Shift In Military Capabilities, Leaving The Army Unprepared To Fight Two Wars At Once. President Barack Obama on Thursday proposed a historic shift in the U.S. military's size and ambitions, scaling back its ability to wage the type of war and occupation that just concluded in Iraq as the administration seeks to cut defense spending over the next decade. Under the proposal, the Army would face a 14% reduction in troopsleaving it with too few to conduct two grueling ground wars at once, long a strategic imperative of the Defense Department. (Julian Barnes and Nathan Hodge, Military
Faces Historic Shift, The Wall Street Journal, 1/6/12)

Defense Department May Have To Force Soldiers, Marines Or Other Members Of The Military Out Of The Services For The First Time Since The Aftermath Of The Cold War. The Defense Department may have to force soldiers, Marines or other members of the military out of the services for the first time since the aftermath of the Cold War to achieve the spending reductions in its budget proposal. The Pentagon plans to cut 67,100 soldiers from active and reserve Army units and the Army National Guard in the five years starting Oct. 1, as well as 15,200 from the active and reserve ranks of the Marine Corps as part of an effort to save $487 billion over a decade, according to the budget sent to Congress today. The Navy and Air Force would lose fewer people 8,600 and 1,700 respectively because of their role in a strategic shift toward the Asia-Pacific region and the Middle East. (Viola Gienger and
Roxana Tiron, Pentagon May Oust Troops Involuntarily Under Budget Cuts, Bloomberg, 2/21/12)

The New Defense Budget Will Reduce Pay Raises To Below Private-Sector Levels. The Pentagon called for retiring some planes that transport troops, including 27 C-5As and 65 C-130s. It said it planned to reduce pay raises to below private-sector levels, with troops receiving 1.7 percent raises for the next two years, followed by 0.5 percent increases in 2015 and 1 percent hikes in 2016. (Nancy Youssef,
Heaviest 2013 Defense Budget Cuts Would Fall On Troops, McClatchy, 2/13/12)

The Budget Would Also Delay The Purchase Of Several Weapons Systems. The budget also would delay the purchase of several weapons systems notably 179 of the controversial F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, the most expensive weapons system in U.S. military history. (Nancy Youssef, Heaviest 2013 Defense Budget Cuts Would Fall On Troops,
McClatchy, 2/13/12)

LIBYA, ISRAEL, IRAN, CHINA, RUSSIA

Obama Contradicted His Own Administration On Libya On September 20, Obama Contradicted His Administration When He Said We Still Did Not Know If Terrorists Had Attacked The Benghazi Compound, Claiming, What We Do Know Is That The Natural Protests That Arose Because Of The Outrage Over The Video Were Used As An Excuse By Extremists QUESTION: We have reports that the White House said today that the attacks in Libya were a terrorist attack. Do you have information indicating that it was Iran, or al Qaeda was behind organizing the protests? OBAMA: Well, were still doing an investigation, and there are going to be different circumstances in different countries. And so I dont want to speak to something until we have all the information. What we do know is that the natural protests that arose because of the outrage over the video were used as an excuse by extremists to see if they can also directly harm U.S. interests QUESTION: Al Qaeda? OBAMA: Well, we dont know yet.
(President Barack Obama, Remarks At The Univision Town Hall, Miami , FL, 9/20/12)

On September 24, Obama Appeared On The View And Again Refused To Call The Attack Terrorism, Only Saying That The Attack Wasnt Just A Mob Action. President Barack Obama said Monday that the Sept. 11 attack that claimed the life of the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans wasnt just a mob action, but he stopped short of explicitly labeling the assault as an act of terrorism. Obamas comments came as he taped an interview with The View during a brief trip to New York to address the annual United National General Assembly. He had been asked whether the attack on the U.S. Consulate compound in the city of Benghazi was a terrorist act. (Olivier Knox, Obama: Libya Attack
Wasnt Just A Mob Action, Yahoo News The Ticket, 9/24/12)

Intelligence Already Reported To The Obama Administration That The Attacks Were Not The Result Of A Spontaneous Mob Against The Video On September 14, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney Insisted That The Attack Was In Reaction To The Film, Despite Being Told That The Pentagon Had Briefed The Senate That The Attacks In Benghazi Were Staged By Terrorists. ABCs JAKE TAPPER: While we were sitting here, Secretary Panetta and the vice chair of the joint chiefs briefed the Senate Armed Services Committee, and the senators came out and said their indication was that this for the attack on Benghazi was a terrorist attack organized and carried out by terrorists, that it was premeditated, a calculated act of terror. Levin said Senator Levin, I think it was a planned premeditated attack, the kind of equipment that they had used. There is evidence it was a planned premeditated attack. Is there anything more you can now that the administration is briefing senators on this, is there anything more you can tell us? WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY JAY CARNEY: Right. Well, I think we wait to hear from administration officials. Again, its actively under investigation, both the Benghazi attack and incidents elsewhere, you know. And my point was that at we dont have and did not have concrete evidence to suggest that this was not in reaction to the film. (Jay Carney,
White House Press Briefing, Washington, DC, 9/14/12)

Click To Watch

The CIA Reported To The Obama Administration Within 24 Hours Of The Benghazi Attack That Militants Were Responsible, Not A Spontaneous Mob Upset About An Online Video. The CIA station chief in Libya reported to Washington within 24 hours of last month's deadly attack on the U.S. Consulate that there was evidence it was carried out by militants, not a spontaneous mob upset about an American-made video ridiculing Islam's Prophet Muhammad, U.S. officials have told The Associated Press. It is unclear who, if anyone, saw the cable outside the CIA at that point and how high up in the agency the information went. The Obama administration maintained publicly for a week that the attack on the diplomatic mission in Benghazi that killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans was a result of the mobs that staged less-deadly protests across the Muslim world around the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks on the U.S. (Kimberly
Dozier, CIA Found Militant Links A Day After Libya Attack, The Associated Press, 10/19/12)

Obama Administration Offering Different Accounts Of Benghazi Biden: We Werent Told They Wanted More Security. We Did Not Know They Wanted More Security There. (Vice Presidential Debate, Danville, KY, 10/11/12) Click To Watch

Biden Appeared To Contradict Other American Officials When He Declared That The Administration Did Not Know About Requests For More Security In Libya. Mr. Biden defended the administrations handling of the episode, saying it was disclosing information provided to it by the intelligence agencies. He placed the responsibility for the changing narrative squarely on those agencies. But Mr. Biden appeared to contradict other American officials when he declared that the administration did not know about requests for more security in Libya. On Wednesday, two former security officials in Libya testified before a House committee that they repeatedly requested more security, but that the requests were denied by the State Department. (Mark Landler, On Foreign Policy, Rivals Differing In Style But Often Similar In
Substance, The New York Times, 10/12/12)

Biden Seemed Unaware That The Administration Had Been Implored To Beef Up Security At The U.S. Consulate In Libya Before The Deadly Terrorist Attack There. Anyone who paid attention to a hearing in Congress this week knew that the administration had been implored to beef up security at the U.S. Consulate in Libya before the deadly terrorist attack there. But in the vice presidential debate Thursday night, Joe Biden seemed unaware. (Calvin Woodward, Fact Check: Slips In Vice President's
Debate, The Associated Press, 10/12/12)

The State Department Has Made Clear That They Were Aware Of Diplomats Calls For More Security. Biden was soaring along on foreign policy at the start of the debate, making a clear argument in response to a question about what happened in Benghazi until he said that the administration didnt know that diplomats there had wanted more security. In fact, the State Department has made clear they did, which is among the many issues at play in the investigation into what happened in the violence that left four Americans dead. (Maggie Haberman, 7 Takeaways From The Danville
Debate, Politico, 10/12/12)

Politifact Rated Bidens Comment Mostly False, Noting That Even If He Was Not Directly Aware Of The Request, It Was Made In The State Department, Which Is Part

Of The Obama Administration. Vice President Biden said We werent told they wanted more security. That statement is accurate only if you define we to mean people at the White House. A State Department officer in Libya said that he requested additional guards and was turned down by at least one other official in the State Department. The White House said Biden meant that the security requests had not been conveyed to him and others in the executive office. Its possible that Biden and Obama were unaware of that request. Still, it was made in the State Department, which is part of the Obama administration. Even if it didnt make its way up through the bureaucracy, a request was made. We rate the statement Mostly False. (Jon Greenberg, Biden Says We Werent Told About Libya Security
Requests, PolitiFact, 10/12/12)

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney Reinforced Bidens Comments By Saying The State Department, Not The White House, Was Responsible For The Security Decisions Made In Libya. White House press secretary Jay Carney on Friday doubled down on charges by the Obama campaign that Republicans are politicizing the raid in Benghazi. Carney reinforced Vice President Joe Bidens assertion during Thursdays debate that neither Biden nor the president was informed about requests for additional security in Benghazi ahead of the attack on Sept. 11. And he said decisions about security levels there -- and at thousands of other U.S. missions around the world -- are appropriately made by security professionals at the State Department. (Donovan Slack, Carney
Finds GOP Worries About Diplomatic Security Rich, Politicos Politico 44, 10/12/12)

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney Refused To Say That The Buck Stops With Obama In Matters Of Diplomatic Security. FOX NEWS ED HENRY: Can you say on Libya, that basically the buck stops with the State Department on security then, it doesnt stop at the White House? WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY JAY CARNEY: Well thats an unartful, made for television phrasing, Ed. But the fact of the matter HENRY: So youre saying its up to the State Department, that the President cant, that basically, he doesnt make those assessments, is what you said the first time. CARNEY: There are thousands of diplomatic personnel across the world. There are countless facilities around the world. And I am saying when it comes to the number of personnel who are in place at consulates and embassies and other diplomatic facilities around the world, those decisions are appropriately made at the State Department by security personnel. When it comes to funding, yeah, this president fights to make sure that embassy security and diplomatic security is adequately funded and make sure that that funding is restored when efforts on Capitol Hill are made principally by House republicans, including Congressman Ryan to slash it in order to cut taxes for the wealthiest 2% in this country. You bet thats the Presidents responsibility and he has demonstrated that hes kept that responsibility. (White
House Press Briefing, Washington, DC, 10/12/12)

Obama Has Failed On Addressing The Attack In Libya Every Aspect Of Obamas Initial Narrative On Libya Has Unraveled. Three weeks after an attack in Libya killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans, we now know that it did not spring from a spontaneous protest, spurred by an anti-Muslim video, as the Obama administration originally described it. In fact, every aspect of the early account peddled most prominently by U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice has unraveled.
(Editorial, Shifting Libya Attack Story Raises Red Flags, USA Today, 10/1/12)

After Days Of Linking The Attack To Protests Against An Anti-Islam Video, The Obama Administration Finally Reached The Belated Conclusion That The Attack Was A Coordinated Assault By Terrorists With Connections To Al Qaeda. For days after the attack, intelligence officials and the Obama administration said it was likely the outgrowth of protests sparked by an anti-Islamic video made in the U.S. Intelligence officials now believe the attack was carried out by local militants who were in contact with regional members of al Qaeda-affiliated groups, using the eruption of protests elsewhere as an opportunity to mount an assault on U.S. installations. That belated conclusion has raised questions about the adequacy of intelligence and security preparations at U.S. diplomatic posts abroad as they confront both old and newer risks. (Siobhan Gorman And Matt Bradley, Militant Link
To Libya Attack, The Wall Street Journal, 10/1/12)

The Benghazi Attack Calls Into Question The Accuracy Of Intelligence-Gathering And Whether Vulnerable American Personnel Overseas Are Receiving Adequate Protection. But the questions are likely to come not just from partisan Republicans. The Benghazi attack calls into question the accuracy of intelligence-gathering and whether vulnerable American personnel overseas are receiving adequate protection. Even allies of the president like Senator John Kerry, a Massachusetts Democrat and the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, have petitioned the White House for more information about how the government protects diplomatic installations abroad. (Mark
Landler, Shifting Reports On Libya Killings May Cost Obama, The New York Times, 9/28/12)

A U.S. Official Admitted That The Obama Administration May Have Had A False Sense Of Security About The Benghazi Compound. A speedy, effective response by newly trained Libyan security guards to a small bombing outside the American diplomatic mission in Benghazi in June may have led United States officials to underestimate the security threat to personnel there, according to counterterrorism and State Department officials, even as threat warnings grew in the weeks before the recent attack that killed Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans. The guards aggressive action in June came after the missions defenses and training were strengthened at the recommendation of a small team of Special Forces soldiers who augmented the missions security force for several weeks in April while assessing the compounds vulnerabilities, American officials said. That the local security did so well back in June probably gave us a false sense of security, said one American official who has served in Libya, and who spoke on condition of anonymity because the F.B.I. is investigating the attack. We may have fooled ourselves. (Eric Schmitt, David D. Kirkpatrick and Suliman Ali Zway, U.S. May Have Put
Mistaken Faith In Libya Sites Security, The New York Times, 9/30/12)

State Department Contradicts Obama White House Story About Benghazi Attack The State Department Revealed That Prior To The Attack On The U.S. Mission In Benghazi Late In The Evening On Sept. 11, There Was No Protest Outside The Compound. Prior to the attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi late in the evening on Sept. 11, there was no protest outside the compound, a senior State Department official confirmed today, contradicting initial administration statements suggesting that the attack was an opportunistic reaction to unrest caused by an anti-Islam video. In a conference call with reporters Tuesday, two senior State Department officials gave a detailed accounting of

the events that lead to the death of Amb. Chris Stevens and three other Americans. The officials said that prior to the massive attack on the Benghazi compound by dozens of militants carrying heavy weaponry, there was no unrest outside the walls of the compound and no protest that anyone inside the compound was aware of. (Josh Rogin, State Department: No
Video Protest At The Benghazi Consulate, Foreign Policys The Cable, 10/9/12)

The State Department Says It Never Concluded That An Attack That Killed The U.S. Ambassador To Libya Was Simply A Protest Gone Awry, A Statement That Places The Obama Administrations Own Foreign Policy Arm In Sync With Republicans. The State Department says it never concluded that an attack that killed the U.S. ambassador to Libya was simply a protest gone awry, a statement that places the Obama administrations own foreign policy arm in sync with Republicans. That extraordinary message, appearing to question the administrations initial description of the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, came in a department briefing Tuesday a day before a hearing on diplomatic security in Libya was to be held by the Republican-led House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. (Larry Margasak and Bradley Klapper, State Dept. Description Of Attack In Sync With GOP, The
Associated Press, 10/10/12)

State Department Officials Told Reporters That It Was Not Our Conclusion That The Libya Attack Was Linked To Protests Against The Anti-Muslim Video. Briefing reporters Tuesday ahead of the hearing, department officials were asked about the administrations initial and since retracted explanation linking the violence to protests over an American-made anti-Muslim video circulating on the Internet. One official responded, That was not our conclusion. He called it a question for others to answer, without specifying. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they werent authorized to speak publicly on the matter, and provided no evidence that might suggest a case of spontaneous violence or angry protests that went too far. (Larry Margasak and Bradley Klapper, State Dept. Description Of Attack In Sync With
GOP, The Associated Press, 10/10/12)

The State Departments Statement Raises Further Questions About Why The Obama Administration Initially Used That Explanation After Assailants Killed Four Americans There. A senior State Department official says his department never concluded that the consulate attack in Libya stemmed from protests over an Americanmade video ridiculing Islam, raising further questions about why the Obama administration initially used that explanation after assailants killed four Americans there. Briefing reporters Tuesday, officials provided a more detailed rundown of the Sept. 11 attack in Benghazi. They said the attack came without warning and involved multiple groups of men armed with weapons such as machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. But asked about the administrations initial explanation linking the violence to the video, one official said, That was not our conclusion. The official called it a question for others to answer.
(Larry Margasak, State Department: We Didnt Link Libya Attack To Video, The Associated Press, 10/9/12)

State Department Officials Testified Before Congress About Benghazi State Department Officials Told Congress That They Had Rejected Requests For Increased Security Personnel In The Months Before The 9/11 Benghazi Attack. Senior State Department officials acknowledged to Congress on Wednesday that they had turned down requests to send more U.S. military personnel to guard diplomatic facilities in

Libya shortly before the Sept. 11 attack that killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans. Wood's team left Libya in August after Lamb had refused to approve extending its assignment for a second time. She said the State Department planned to turn over most basic protective duties to a Libyan guard force, part of a decade-long shift away from using U.S. Marines to protect embassies. Lamb said the mix of State Department officers, Libyan guards and militiamen could do the same function as the U.S. military. (Ken
Dilanian and Kathleen Hennessey, U.S. Declined Requests To Boost Security In Libya, Congress Told, Los Angeles Times, 10/10/12)

Security Officers Testified Before Congress That The State Department Responded To Their Requests For Additional Security In Libya With Cutbacks. The State Department scaled back U.S. security staff in Libya in the weeks and months before the Sept. 11 attack in Benghazi that killed four Americans, despite requests for additional personnel, former U.S. security officials told a politically charged congressional hearing. (Jay Solomon and Dion Nissenbaum Security Cut Before Libya Raid, The
Wall Street Journal, 10/10/12)

The Hearing Highlighted The Obama Administration's Continued Difficulty Presenting A Consistent Explanation About What Happened In The Benghazi Attack. The hearing highlighted the Obama administration's continued difficulty presenting a consistent explanation about what happened in the Benghazi attack. In appearances on television shows the next Sunday, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, cast the attack as a spontaneous uprising prompted by the inflammatory video. (Jay Solomon
and Dion Nissenbaum Security Cut Before Libya Raid, The Wall Street Journal, 10/10/12)

The Hearing Came Just After The State Department Distanced Itself From Obamas Libya Narrative, Saying They Never Suspected That The Benghazi Attack Was Linked To Protests Against An Anti-Islam Video. Wednesdays highly anticipated hearing came as the State Department disclosed for the first time that it never concluded that the consulate attack was fueled by furor over an antiIslam video circulating on YouTube an explanation that congressional Republicans have long publicly doubted. (Seung Min Kim, Partisan Fireworks At Libya Hearing, Politico,
10/10/12)

U.S.-Israeli Relations Are At Their Lowest Point In Decades Obamas Israeli Policy Has Floundered. Republicans have yet to find a wedge issue on foreign policy, said former Democratic Representative Lee Hamilton of Indiana, a veteran voice on foreign policy and now director of the Center on Congress at Indiana University in Bloomington. The Iran situation is the toughest one for the president, and the one that could explode before the election, Hamilton said. His Israeli policy has floundered. Iran is going to stay on the front burner because of the nuclear program. (Terry
Atlas, Obamas Pretty Strong Teflon Deflects Foreign Policy Criticism, Bloomberg, 2/28/12)

Obamas Relationship With Netanyahu Has Been Complicated By Misunderstandings, Diplomatic Miscues And Occasional Differences Of Opinion. President Obama's relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been complicated by misunderstandings, diplomatic miscues and occasional differences of opinion. (Aamer Madhani, Iran Further Complicates Relations Between Obama,
Netanyahu, USA Today, 2/29/12)

The Washington Post: The Administration Has Few, If Any, Achievements To Brag About Despite Having Invested Significant Diplomatic Capital In The Israeli-Palestinian Issue. After 2 years, the administration has few, if any, achievements to brag about despite having invested significant diplomatic capital in the Israeli-Palestinian issue. If anything, one could make a case that the two sides are further apart because of the administrations actions, though, to be fair, ultimately it is up to the Israelis and Palestinians to make peace, not the United States. (Glenn Kessler, Obama and Israel: Stalled Diplomacy Or Suspicion And Distrust? The Washington Post's Fact
Checker, 7/11/11)

Obama Offered Adversaries Olive Branches While Publically Confronting Strong Ally Israel. The new administration has pushed a reset button with Russia and sent new ambassadors to Syria and Venezuela; it has offered olive branches to Cuba and Burma. But for nearly three months it has been locked in a public confrontation with Israel over Jewish housing construction in Jerusalem and the West Bank. To a less visible extent, the two governments also have differed over policy toward Iran. (Editorial, Tough On Israel, The Washington Post, 7/30/09)

Obamas Opposition To Settlements Caused The Worst Strains In A Decade Between Israel And U.S. A reactivated U.S. role in Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking is also seen as a major part of Obama's effort to repair America's image in the Muslim world. However, his administration has made little headway in clearing obstacles to negotiations on an agreement to create a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and resolve disputes over the future of Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees. Relations between Washington and its close ally Israel are facing the worst strains in a decade with Netanyahu's right-leaning government resisting U.S. pressure to halt settlement expansion. (Matt Spetalnick and Jeffrey Heller, Hopes Low For Obama-Led Mideast Summit In New York, Reuters, 9/22/09) Ambassador Michael Oren Called The Public Fight Over Settlement Construction The Lowest Point In U.S.-Israeli Relations Since The Mid-1970s. Ambassador Michael Oren told Israeli consuls in the US during a conference that a nearly week-old public fight that broke out during Vice President Joe Biden's visit marks a low point in diplomatic relations since the mid-1970s when the Ford administration reassessed ties with Israel over a disengagement agreement with Egypt and froze arms shipments. (Joshua Mitnick, US Israel Settlements Fight Marks Lowest Point Since
1970s: Ambassador, Christian Science Monitor, 3/15/10)

Obama And Netanyahu Are Sharply At Odds Over Irans Nuclear Program, Sending Relations To A New Low On The Presidents Watch. Obama has found himself sharply at odds with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over how to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions, a dispute that sent relations between the two close allies to a new low on the president's watch. (Matt Spetalnick, Obama Foreign Policy Bright Spot Now Looking Dimmer, Reuters, 9/23/12) Obama Dismissed Netanyahus Calls For Stronger Action Against Irans Nuclear Program As Noise. CBSs STEVE KROFT: You don't feel any pressure from Prime Minister Netanyahu in the middle of a campaign to try and get you to change your policy and draw a line in the sand? You dont feel any pressure? OBAMA: When it comes to our national security decisions-- any pressure that I feel

is simply to do what's right for the American people. And I am going to block out-any noise that's out there. (CBSs 60 Minutes, 9/23/12) Despite Making Pro-Israel Statements, Obama Struggled To Convey A Strong Solidarity With Israel In Ways That Are Greater Than The Sum Of Specific Policies. American Jewish supporters of Israel have gotten used to presidents conveying a sense of solidarity with Israel in ways that are greater than the sum of specific policies, said Nathan J. Diament, the executive director for public policy of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America and an Obama acquaintance at Harvard Law School. President Obama, despite making pro-Israel statements, had trouble finding his voice to express that sense early in his presidency. George W. Bush did not visit Israel until late in his second term, and Ronald Reagan did not visit at all yet neither faced the same doubts about their attachment to the nation. Neither did Bill Clinton, a master empathizer who eulogized Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin after his 1995 assassination. (Scott Wilson, Where Obama Failed
On Forging Peace In The Middle East, The Washington Post, 7/14/12)

Obama Completely Lacked An Emotion-Based Relationship With Israel. What you saw, at several turns during Obamas management of this, was a complete lack of an emotion-based relationship with Israel, said a former Palestinian political adviser to the Palestine Liberation Organization, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide a candid view. The Cairo speech was excellent, important, the adviser said. But it didnt preclude a Jerusalem speech. It didnt show any emotional smarts. (Scott Wilson, Where Obama Failed On Forging Peace In The Middle
East, The Washington Post, 7/14/12)

Where, Then, Does A President Who Promised A New Approach To The Old Middle East And Ultimately Failed To Deliver Begin If He Wins A Second Term? (Scott Wilson,
Where Obama Failed On Forging Peace In The Middle East, The Washington Post, 7/14/12)

IRAN
Obama: Without Going Into Specifics, What I Do Believe Is That Iran Has Legitimate Energy Concerns, Legitimate Aspirations. (Obama Interview: The Transcript, BBC, 6/2/09) Iran Has Significantly Advanced Its Nuclear Program Under Obamas Watch Obamas Policy Of Engagement Has Failed To Stop Irans Continuing Quest For Nuclear Weapons. The regime scoffed at Mr. Obama after he delivered a conciliating message for the Persian New Year in March, scoffed again after he mildly criticized its postelection crackdown and killing spree in June (following days of silence), and scoffed a third time by rejecting the Wests offer last month to enrich Irans uranium for it. Yet the Administration insists the enrichment deal is still Irans for the taking. (Editorial, 500,000 Iranian
Centrifuges, The Wall Street Journal, 11/29/09)

Iran Is Ahead Of Schedule In Its Enrichment Work According To Israeli And Western Intelligence Agencies. Iran's nuclear enrichment program is progressing faster than western intelligence had initially realized, raising the stakes in Tehran's showdown with the international community over the controversial program. The assessment that Iran was ahead of schedule in its enrichment work is based on new information gathered by Israel and several other western intelligence

agencies, according to reports by Israeli newspaper Haaretz. (Carlo Munoz, Report: Iran's
Nuke Work Moving Ahead Of Schedule, The Hill's DEFCON Hill, 8/7/12)

Iran's Nuclear Ambitions Have Far Exceeded Previous Assessments By The United States And Its Allies. Senior diplomats from the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Israel have reportedly agreed the new-found information proves Iran's nuclear ambitions have far exceeded previous assessments by the United States and its allies, according to the report. Citing sources with knowledge of western efforts to gain access to Tehran's nuclear facilities, signs of the advanced state of Iran's nuclear program began to emerge in February. (Carlo Munoz, Report: Iran's Nuke Work Moving Ahead Of Schedule, The Hill's DEFCON Hill, 8/7/12) Iran Has Enough Enriched Uranium For Almost Five Nuclear Bombs. Iran now has amassed roughly 225 pounds of 20% uranium and 11,000 pounds of 3.5%, sufficient for almost five nuclear bombs. Rather than stand by its initial demands, however, the P5+1 is now seeking merely the cessation of Iran's 20% enrichment, the removal of its 20% stockpile, and the closure of the facility at Qom. Arguably, this would be the first stage in the phasing out of Iran's nuclear program. But Iran has rejected even this preliminary gesture. (Michael Oren, Op-Ed, Time Is Short For Iran Diplomacy,
The Wall Street Journal, 8/6/12)

The Wall Street Journal: The Current U.S. Approach To Sanctions Is Destined To Become Increasingly Ineffective Over Time. It Also Doesn't Help That The Administration Is Waging A Behind-The-Scenes Campaign To Water Down Existing Sanctions. All of this means that the current U.S. approach to sanctions, which depends on the ability and willingness of the Administration to go after individual Iranian or foreign companies, is destined to become increasingly ineffective over time. It also doesn't help that the Administration is waging a behind-the-scenes campaign to water down existing sanctions by granting nearly every available waiver to countries that continue to buy Iranian oil. (Editorial, Iran Sanctions Test, The Wall Street Journal, 7/31/12) The Obama Administration Has Now Granted Waivers To All Twenty Of Irans Major Trading Partners, Including China, For Their Efforts To Reduce Iranian Oil Imports Ahead Of The Sanctions. Though economic sanctions still haven't slowed or stopped Iran's nuclear drive, the Obama Administration has decided to make them even weaker. The Iran sanctions regime is looking like the U.S. tax codefilled with loopholes. It's so weak, in fact, that all 20 of Iran's major trading partners are now exempt from them. We've arrived at a kind of voodoo version of sanctions. They look real, insofar as Congress forced them into a bill President Obama had to sign in December. The Administration has spoken incantations about their powers. But if you're a big oil importer in China, India or 18 other major economies, the sanctions are mostly smoke. (Editorial, Obamas Iran Loopholes, The Wall Street
Journal, 7/2/12)

Fearing Higher Oil Prices And Political Trouble In An Election Year, The Administration Has Resisted Taking Strong Action Against Irans Nuclear Program. Officials fear that too powerful a blow to the world's third-largest oil exporter could cause an oil price increase, damaging the global economic recovery, undermining international

support for the sanctions campaign and creating political trouble in an election year. (Paul
Richter, Obama Administration Takes Back Seat On Iran Sanctions, Los Angeles Times, 2/17/12)

The Washington Post: The Result Is That President Obama Is Not Even Leading From Behind On Iran; He Is Simply Behind. The result is that President Obama is not even leading from behind on Iran; he is simply behind. At the forefront of the Western effort to pressure Tehran is French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who issued a statement Monday calling on the European Union, the United States, Japan, Canada and other willing countries to immediately freeze the assets of Irans central bank and suspend purchases of Iranian oil. (Editorial, More Half-Measures From Obama
Administration On Iran, The Washington Post, 11/22/11)

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta Acknowledged That International Sanctions Have Yet To Compel Iran To Give Up Its Nuclear Ambitions. U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta acknowledged Monday that increasingly stiff international sanctions have yet to compel Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions. But he argued that more pressure eventually would lead Iran to do what's right."(Panetta: Sanctions Not Moving Iran Away From Nukes, The Associated Press,
7/30/12)

Prime Minister Netanyahu: We Have To Be Honest And Say That All The Sanctions And Diplomacy So Far Have Not Set Back The Iranian Program By One Iota. Mr. Romney's warnings on Iran's nuclear capability came after a day of meetings with Israeli officials here in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called existing Iran sanctions ineffective. We have to be honest and say that all the sanctions and diplomacy so far have not set back the Iranian program by one iota, Mr. Netanyahu said. That's why I believe that we need a strong and credible military threat coupled with the sanctions to have a chance to change that situation." (Sara Murray, Romney Talks Tough, The Wall Street Journal, 7/30/12)

CHINA
Chinas Expanding Military Power Threatens U.S. Allies And Interests Obamas Pivot To Asia Has Produced Limited Results. President Barack Obama's pivot to China's neighborhood and the reset in relations with Russia have produced limited results for signature foreign policy initiatives designed to improved America's standing with its former Cold War rivals. (Limited Success For Obama's Russia, China Approach, The Associated
Press, 4/28/12)

The United States May Not Remain The Singularly Dominant Power In The AsiaPacific Region If Chinese Military Spending Keeps Escalating. The total defense budget for 2012 would be increased to $106 billion from $95.6 billion last year, he said. The Obama administration has proposed $525.4 billion in defense spending for 2013, a cut of about $5 billion from 2012. That gap has reinforced the realization that the United States may not remain the singularly dominant power in the Asia-Pacific region if Chinese military spending keeps escalating. (Jane Perlez, Continuing Buildup, China Boosts Military Spending More Than 11
Percent, The New York Times, 3/4/12)

Top Military Official In Asia-Pacific Says China Is Growing Bolder And Continues To Challenge The United States And Our Partners In The Region In

The Maritime, Cyber, And Space Domains. Last year, Beijing said it would increase military spending to 601.1 billion yuan ($95.43 billion) in 2011, a 12.7 percent rise on the previous year, resuming double-digit growth after a dip to 7.5 percent growth in 2010. China is growing bolder with regard to their expanded regional and global presence, and China continues to challenge the United States and our partners in the region in the maritime, cyber and space domains, said Willard. He repeated a long-standing Pentagon lament that U.S.-China military-to-military relations are not where we want them to be, despite high-level pledges to deepen those ties. (Paul Eckert, China's Military Build-Up Seen Independent Of U.S. Moves, Reuters, 2/28/12) China Continues To Assert Its Claim To The South China Sea As Its Sovereign Territory. China is locked in a series of overlapping territorial disputes with the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei, who claim either all or part of the South China Sea as their sovereign territory. The dispute has flared in recent months as the region's potential energy reserves begin to draw growing attention. Over the past year, Vietnam and the Philippines have accused Chinese navy craft of harassing oil-exploration vessels operating in their United Nations-defined maritime economic zones. Beijing has denied that, but has warned Vietnam and the Philippines from prospecting in the area without its permission. (James Hookway,
Philippine Warship In Standoff With China Vessels, The Wall Street Journal, 4/11/12)

President Hu Hosted A Regional Security Summit And Bilateral Talks With Russian President Putin Aimed At Countering U.S. Influence In Asia. The talks between Mr. Putin and Mr. Hu, along with the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit meeting, are fraught with the symbolism of two major powers interested in further developing a multilateral organization that does not include the United States, and where Iran plays a role, if only as observer. Iran, too, is very keen on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, said Vali Nasr, an Iran expert and former State Department official in the Obama administration. That it is happening in China reflects Chinas increasing interest in Central Asia and also its desire to lead international and regional alliances without the U.S. (Jane Perlez, Putin Arrives In China, Seeking Stronger Ties, The New York Times, 6/5/12) China Has Maintained Warm Relations With North Korea Despite Going Along With U.N. Rebuke Of Its Missile Launch. Though China joined in the United Nations rebuke of North Korea after its missile launching, President Hu Jintao later welcomed a top official of the ruling Workers Party to Beijing, while another senior Chinese official hailed the relationship between Beijing and Pyongyang as a precious gem. (Mark Landler and Steven Lee Myers, U.S. Sees Positive Signs From China On Security Issues, The
New York Times, 4/26/12)

Obama Has Not Protected American Workers From Chinese Currency Manipulation PROMISE: Obama In 2008: If China Is Devaluing Their Currency To Make Their Goods Cheaper And Our Goods More Expensive And We're Not Challenging Them Dumping Cheap Steel And Cheap Goods Into This Country Because They're Subsidized By The Chinese Government And We're Not Challenging Them, That's Just Not Fair. It's Not Right... This was Obama campaigning in Malvern, Pa., on Wednesday: If they're devaluing their currency to make their goods cheaper and our goods more

expensive and we're not challenging them, if they're stealing our intellectual property, our copyrights and we don't say anything about it, we don't take them before the World Trade Organization, if they're dumping cheap steel and cheap goods into this country because they're subsidized by the Chinese government and we're not challenging them, that's just not fair. It's not right, and it's going to undermine our economic condition over the long term. (Craig Gilbert, Candidates Berate China, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/14/08) In 2008, Obama Said He Had A Pretty Straightforward Proposition For China, You Guys Keep On Manipulating Your Currency, We Are Going To Start Shutting Off Access To Some Of Our Markets. OBAMA: Now look, heres the thing I think people dont understand. China needs our market. Their economy is dependent on exports to the United States and we have bargaining power. The problem that weve got with China is not that we couldnt work out a deal in which they are benefitting and we are benefitting. The problem is that through all the tough talk of George W. Bush, he is a patsy when it comes to negotiating these agreements. And, what we need to do is to just be better bargainers that say, Look, heres the bottom line, you guys keep on manipulating your currency, we are going to start shutting off access to some of our markets. If you are doing the right thing and not trying to manipulate your currency to disadvantage us, then you will have access. Its a pretty, pretty straight forward proposition. (Senator Barack Obama, Q&A At The AAM Forum, Pittsburgh,
PA, 4/14/08)

BROKEN: In May 2012, The Treasury Department Said That China Did Not Meet The Definition Of A Currency Manipulator Under Its Standards. The Treasury Department on Friday once again declined to name China a currency manipulator despite bipartisan calls for action from Congress. Treasury noted that China's currency has appreciated against the dollar since June 2010, and said it did not meet the definition of a currency manipulator under its standards. (Julian Pecquet, Treasury: China Not Manipulating Currency, The Hill's Global
Affairs, 5/25/12)

The Washington Post: China's Policy Has Probably Cost Americans Hundreds Of Thousands Of Jobs And Contributed To China's Destabilizing Pile Of Trillions Of Dollars In Reserves. China's undervalued renminbi is a long-standing, bipartisan concern, and it is not a phony one: In pursuit of growth led by exports, China has held the renminbi down in relation to the dollar, rendering its goods artificially cheap in the U.S. market. The renminbi would gain about 20 percent against the dollar if it were allowed to float freely like other currencies, according to the Peterson Institute for International Economics. China's policy has probably cost Americans hundreds of thousands of jobs and contributed to China's destabilizing pile of trillions of dollars in reserves. (Editorial, Breaking
China? Last Thing Needed Is A Trade War, The Washington Post, 9/1/11)

Asked About Chinas Currency Manipulation And Unfair Trade Practices, Obama Said That He Did Not Want To Embarrass China. President Barack Obama, addressing questions Wednesday about Chinas alleged trade abuses and currency manipulation, said the United States must push back against unfair practices but not go out of our way to embarrass the country. Doing so would risk an all-out trade war, Obama told The Plain Dealer in an exclusive interview. (Henry Gomez, President Barack Obama Warns Against Embarrassing China On
Trade Complaints: Plain Dealer Interview, Cleveland Plain Dealer, 9/27/12)

Obama Claimed That Labeling China As A Currency Manipulator Would Have No Effect On Their Trade Practices. Asked if the tag would present the embarrassment he is hoping to spare China, Obama suggested that the designation would accomplish little. Theyd have to push back, and theres no automatic trigger that results from it, Obama said. So the only thing that happens is we then have to go back and negotiate with them. The key here is just constant pressure, and thats what weve applied in a much more aggressive way than the previous administration. (Henry Gomez, President Barack Obama Warns Against
Embarrassing China On Trade Complaints: Plain Dealer Interview, Cleveland Plain Dealer, 9/27/12)

The Trade Deficit With China Has Grown Under Obama China, With $1.15 Trillion In Treasury Securities, Is The Largest Foreign Holder Of U.S. Debt. (Major Foreign Holders Of Treasury Securities, Department Of The Treasury, Accessed 10/2/12) The Wall Street Journal Headline: U.S. Trade Deficit With China Grows, Bucking World Trend. (Bob Davis and Tom Orlik, U.S. Trade Deficit With China Grows, Bucking World Trend, The Wall Street Journal,
7/10/12)

The Trade Gap With China In 2008 Was $268 Billion. (Trade Goods With China, U.S. Census
Bureau, Accessed 10/2/12)

In 2011, The Trade Gap With China Grew To $295 Billion. (Trade Goods With China, U.S.
Census Bureau, Accessed 10/2/12)

In June 2012, The U.S.-China Trade Deficit Was $27.4 Billion, Totaling Over $145 Billion This Year. (Trade Goods With China, U.S. Census Bureau, Accessed 10/2/12)

RUSSIA
Russia Backing Out Of Nuclear Nonproliferation Agreement With U.S. In 2008, Obama Made Nuclear Nonproliferation A Centerpiece Of His Foreign Policy Agenda. On the broader issue of nuclear proliferation, this is something that I've worked on since I've been in the Senate. I worked with Richard Lugar, then the Republican head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, to pass the next stage of what was Nunn-Lugar so that we would have improved interdiction of potentially nuclear materials. (Barack Obama, ABC
Democrat Presidential Candidate Debate, Manchester, NH, 1/5/08)

Obama Called Nonproliferation, The Most Significant Foreign Policy Issue That We Confront. Well, as I said, I've already been working on this. And I think this is the most significant foreign policy issue that we confront. (Barack Obama, ABC
Democrat Presidential Candidate Debate, Manchester, NH, 1/5/08)

Now In The Latest In A Series Of Hitches In Relations, Russia Announced It Will Not Renew A Decades-Old Agreement With Washington On Dismantling Nuclear And Chemical Weapons When It Expires Next Year. Russia will not renew a decades-old agreement with Washington on dismantling nuclear and chemical weapons when it expires next year, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was quoted as saying on Wednesday. The death of the 1991 agreement, which had been renewed twice, is the latest in a series of hitches in relations between the United States and Russia and casts doubt on the future of the much-vaunted reset in relations between the Cold War-era foes. (Russia Says It Will Not Renew
Arms Agreement With U.S., Reuters, 10/10/12)

Obama Has Failed To Gain Russian Support For The His International Agenda Despite The Reset, Russia Continues To Support Regimes In Syria And Iran. Then there's Russia's veto of a Security Council resolution to sanction Syria and its continuing arms sales to the regime of Bashar Assad. Moscow also resists putting any new pressure on Iran's nuclear bomb makers. (Editorial, Our Friends The Russians, The Wall Street Journal, 12/5/11) Russia Is One Of The Biggest Obstacles For The Obama Administration In The Effort To Unify The International Community Against Assad. One of the biggest obstacles for the Obama administration is Russia, which has supported the ceasefire but has also backed Assad and allegedly provided arms to the Syrian army. While Obama administration officials have frequently accused Russia of being complicit in the deaths of Syrians, theyve also said they wont take stronger action without the international communitys backing, something Russia remains opposed to allowing. Russia and China, who has joined the Russians vetoing more UN action, were invited to this weeks Friends of Syria meeting, but the countries did not attend. (Jeremy Herb, Obama Faces Tough Choices In Syria, The Hill's DEFCON Hill, 4/21/12) Russia Slammed The New U.S. Sanctions Against Iran, Calling Them Covert Blackmail And Warning That U.S.-Russian Relations Had Been Put In Jeopardy. Russia sharply criticized new U.S. sanctions against Iran on Monday, saying the measures to punish banks, insurance companies and shippers that help Iran sell its oil would harm Moscows ties with Washington if Russian firms are affected. Russia, which has long opposed sanctions beyond those approved by the U.N. Security Council to pressure Tehran over its nuclear program, called the measures overt blackmail and a crude contradiction of international law. (Russia
Says New U.S. Sanctions On Iran Could Affect Ties, Reuters, 8/13/12)

In A Private Conversation About The Planned U.S.-Led NATO Missile Defense System In Europe, Obama Asked Outgoing Russian President Dmitri Medvedev For Space On The Issue. (Brianna Keilar, Open Mic Catches Obama Asking Russian President For Space On Missile Defense, CNN, 3/26/12) Obama To Russian President Medvedev: After My Election I Have More Flexibility. OBAMA: On all these issues, but particularly missile defense, this, this can be solved but its important for him to give me space. PRESIDENT MEDVEDEV: Yeah, I understand. I understand your message about space. Space for you OBAMA: This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility. MEDVEDEV: I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir. (Jake Tapper,
President Obama Asks Medvedev For Space On Missile Defense - After My Election I Have More Flexibility', ABC News, 3/26/12)

Click To Watch

Obamas Message To Russia On Missile Defense: Let Me Get Reelected FirstThen Ill Have A Better Chance Of Making Something Happen. In their joint statement to reporters here, President Obama and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev spoke carefully about continuing discussions on the sensitive issues of European missile defense. But in an unscripted moment picked up by camera crews, the American president was more blunt: Let me get reelected first, he said, then Ill have a better chance of making something

happen. (David Nakamura and Debbi Wilgoren, Caught On Open Mike, Obama Tells Medvedev He Needs Space On Missile
Defense, The Washington Post, 3/26/12)

Obama And Biden Have Both Described Russia As Threats In A 2008 Presidential Debate, Obama Said That Russia Engaged In An Evil Behavior Under Putins Leadership. NBCs TOM BROKAW: This requires only a yes or a no. Ronald Reagan famously said that the Soviet Union was the evil empire. Do you think that Russia under Vladimir Putin is an evil empire? OBAMA: I think they've engaged in an evil behavior and I think that it is important that we understand they're not the old Soviet Union but they still have nationalist impulses that I think are very dangerous. (Senator Barack
Obama, 2008 Presidential Debate, Nashville, TN, 10/7/08)

WATCH HERE

In 2008, Obama Said The Next President Would Need To Counter Russias Resurgence With Moral And Financial Aid To Former Soviet Republics. OBAMA: Well, the resurgence of Russia is one of the central issues that we're going to have to deal with in the next presidency. And for the most part I agree with Senator McCain on many of the steps that have to be taken. But we can't just provide moral support. We've got to provide moral support to the Poles and Estonia and Latvia and all of the nations that were former Soviet satellites. But we've also got to provide them with financial and concrete assistance to help rebuild their economies. Georgia in particular is now on the brink of enormous economic challenges. And some say that that's what Putin intended in the first place. (Senator
Barack Obama, 2008 Presidential Debate, Nashville, TN, 10/7/08)

During A 2007 Presidential Debate, Biden Called Putin One Of The Three Biggest Threats To The United States. MSNBCS BRIAN WILLIAMS: Senator Biden, from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, what three nations other than Iraq represent to you the biggest threat to the United States? BIDEN: The biggest threat to the United States is right now North Korea; Iran, not as big a threat, but a long-term threat; and quite frankly, the tendency of Putin to move in a totalitarian direction, which would unhinge all that's going on positively in Europe. (Senator Joe Biden, MSNBC 2008 Democratic Primary Presidential Debate, Orangeburg,
SC, 4/26/07)

WATCH HERE

In 2008, Biden Said That An International Crisis May Emanate From Russias NewlyEmboldened Position Because They're Floating In A Sea Of Oil. So there's gonna be some tough decisions. They may emanate from the Middle East. They may emanate from the sub-continent. They may emanate from Russia's newly-emboldened position because they're floating in a sea of oil. (Senator Joe Biden, Remarks At A Seattle Fundraiser, Seattle, WA, 10/19/08) Click To Listen

In 2005, Obama Warned Of Disturbing Trends In Russia Including The Rapid Deterioration Of Democracy And The Rule Of Law, And Bizarre And Troubling Statements From President Putin About The Fall Of The Soviet Union. In the last few years, we have seen some disturbing trends in Russia: the rapid deterioration of democracy and the rule of law, bizarre and troubling statements from President Putin about the fall of the Soviet Union, the abuses that have taken place in Chechnya, and Russian meddling in

the former Soviet Union-from the Baltics to the Ukraine to Georgia. The Russians must understand that their actions on some of these issues are entirely unacceptable. At the same time, I believe we have to do a better job of working with the Russians to make sure they are moving in the right direction. This starts by being thoughtful and consistent about what we say and what we do. Tone matters. (Senator Barack Obama, Congressional Record, 5/25/05, p. S5863) Obama: I Believe The Most Important Threat To the Security Of The United States Continues To Lie Within The Border Of The Former Soviet Union Throughout the last half of the 20th century, one nation more than any other on the face of the Earth, defined and shaped the threats posed to the United States. This nation, of course, was the Soviet Union and its successor state, Russia. While many have turned their attention to China or other parts of the world, I believe the most important threat to the security of the United States continues to lie within the borders of the former Soviet Union in the form of stockpiles of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons and materials. (Senator Barack Obama, Congressional Record, 5/25/05, p. S5862) Obama: The Threat Is Still Extremely Dangerous And Extremely Real. The situation in Russia and the rest of the former Soviet Union is drastically different than it was in 1991 or even 1996 or 2001. But, the threat is still extremely dangerous and extremely real. (Senator Barack Obama, Congressional Record, 5/25/05, p. S5863) WATCH HERE Iraq The Claim: President Obama Ended The Iraq War. Mitt Romney Would Have Left 30,000 Troops There And Called Bringing Them Home Tragic. The ad says, President Obama ended the Iraq war. Mitt Romney would have left 30,000 troops there and called bringing them home tragic. Thats misleading on several counts. (Brooks Jackson,
Homestretch Fact-Stretchers, FactCheck.Org, 10/22/12)

The Facts: Obama Also Wanted To Leave Several Thousand U.S. Troops In Iraq. Obama also wanted to leave several thousand U.S. troops in Iraq. He tried to negotiate a status of forces agreement with the Iraqi government to allow a residual U.S. force there, but the Iraqi government refused to grant legal immunity to any remaining U.S. troops. The last troops pulled out in December 2011. (Brooks Jackson,
Homestretch Fact-Stretchers, FactCheck.Org, 10/22/12)

The Facts: Romney Didnt Say It Was Tragic To Bring Troops Home. He Called It A Tragic Mistake To Bring Them All Home So Quickly. Romney didnt say it was tragic to bring troops home. He called it a tragic mistake to bring them all home so quickly. His exact words, as reported by the New York Times on Nov. 11, 2011, were: It is my view that the withdrawal of all of our troops from Iraq by the end of this year is an enormous mistake, and failing by the Obama administration. The precipitous withdrawal is unfortunate its more than unfortunate, I think its tragic. (Brooks Jackson, Homestretch Fact-Stretchers, FactCheck.Org, 10/22/12) The Facts: Romney Did Not Say He Would Leave 30,000 Troops In Iraq, But Put The Number At Somewhere Between 10,000 And 30,000. Obama

Himself Was Proposing To Leave 3,000 To 4,000 Troops There At The Time Negotiations With The Iraqi Government Broke Down. And finally, Romney did not say he would leave 30,000 troops in Iraq, but put the number at somewhere between 10,000 and 30,000. His exact words were: [W]e should have left 10-, 20-, 30-thousand personnel there to help transition to the Iraqis own military capabilities. Obama himself was proposing to leave 3,000 to 4,000 troops there at the time negotiations with the Iraqi government broke down. (Brooks Jackson, Homestretch
Fact-Stretchers, FactCheck.Org, 10/22/12)

Afghanistan The Claim: Obamas Brought 30,000 Soldiers Back From Afghanistan And Has A Responsible Plan To End The War. Romney Calls It Obamas Biggest Mistake. The ad also says, Obamas brought 30,000 soldiers back from Afghanistan and has a responsible plan to end the war. Romney calls it Obamas biggest mistake. Thats also off the mark in multiple ways. (Brooks Jackson, Homestretch Fact-Stretchers, FactCheck.Org, 10/22/12) The Facts: There Were Still Roughly 68,000 U.S. Troops Remaining As Of Last Month, Which Is More Than Double The 37,000 That Were There In January 2009, When He Took Office. While its true that Obama has reduced U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan from the peak level reached last year, there were still roughly 68,000 U.S. troops remaining as of last month, which is more than double the 37,000 that were there in January 2009, when he took office. (Brooks Jackson, Homestretch FactStretchers, FactCheck.Org, 10/22/12)

The Facts: Romney Said (According To The Obama Campaigns Own Documentation) That Announcing The Specific Date We Would Withdraw Was Among Obamas Biggest Mistakes. Romney didnt call it a mistake to end the war. He said (according to the Obama campaigns own documentation) that announcing the specific date we would withdraw was among Obamas biggest mistakes. (And since then, Romney has told ABC News that he also would adhere to the same time frame the president is speaking of for turning over responsibility to Afghan forces by the end of 2014, depending on what commanders tell him and on circumstances on the ground. Romney also said he would have delayed pulling 23,000 surge troops out of Afghanistan until December, rather than bringing them out in September during the fighting season.). (Brooks Jackson, Homestretch Fact-Stretchers,
FactCheck.Org, 10/22/12)

The Facts: Neither The President Nor Romney Has Pledged To Get All U.S. Troops Out Of Afghanistan. Also worth noting is that neither the president nor Romney has pledged to get all U.S. troops out of Afghanistan. Both have left open the possibility of leaving a residual force. What the president promised in June 2011 was that our mission will change from combat to support and that by the end of 2014, this process of transition will be complete, and the Afghan people will be responsible for their own security. (Brooks Jackson, Homestretch Fact-Stretchers, FactCheck.Org,
10/22/12)

LEADING FROM BEHIND/STANDING IN THE WORLD

Obama Has Not Managed To Radically Transform Americas Standing In The World Through The Illuminating Force Of His Biography Or Personality. When presidential candidate Barack Obama swept into Europe in 2008, television screens showed massive, adoring crowds. But the latest TV images from abroad are far more ominous: mobs in the Muslim world besieging U.S. embassies, torching American flags and even burning Obama himself in effigy. The two sets of images show a gap between aspirations and reality: A president who is popular overseas has not managed to radically transform Americas standing in the world through the illuminating force of his biography or personality. (Josh
Gerstein, Worlds Obama Fever Cools, Politico, 9/21/12)

Obamas International Popularity Has Dimmed In Much Of The World. As Obama prepares to stand for reelection, the surge in good feeling toward the U.S. that he ushered in has dimmed in much of the world. And evidence is scant that his popularity has advanced U.S. interests with Americas allies or its adversaries in a tangible way. (Josh Gerstein,
Worlds Obama Fever Cools, Politico, 9/21/12)

Global Opinion Of Obamas International Policies Has Declined Dramatically Since 2009. Global opinion of President Barack Obama has declined dramatically since 2009, according to a new survey of the president and his policies in 21 countries. Approval of Obamas international policies has dropped from 78 percent to 63 percent in Europe; from 34 percent to 15 percent in Muslim Countries; from 40 percent to 22 percent in Russia; and from 57 percent to 27 percent in China, reports the Pew Global Attitudes Project. (Tim Mak, World Poll: Chill On Obama Policies, Politico,
6/13/12)

Only 20 Percent Of Adults In 12 Countries Across The Middle East And North Africa Approve Of Obamas Leadership. Approval of U.S. leadership in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region was already slipping before the recent wave of anti-U.S. protests across the region. An average of 20% of adults across 12 MENA countries Gallup surveyed between January and May 2012 approved of the job performance of the leadership of the U.S. This rating was down from 22% in 2011 and 25% during the first two years of President Barack Obamas term. (Jan Sonnenschein
and Mohamed Younis, U.S. Approval Eroding In MENA Before Film Controversy, Gallup, 9/24/12)

Under Obama, Americas Image Is Again In Decline, Especially In The Middle East. But while polls show Obama remains personally popular in many parts of the world, Americas image is again in decline, especially in the Middle East, the focus of intense personal outreach at the start of the presidents term. (Matt Spetalnick, Obama Foreign Policy Bright Spot
Now Looking Dimmer, Reuters, 9/23/12)

FOREIGN POLICY ECON

Corporate Tax Rate As Of April 1, 2012, The U.S. Has The Highest Corporate Tax Rate. On Sunday, the United States gets a distinction no nation wants -- the world's highest corporate tax rate.
(Chris Isidore, U.S. Corporate Tax Rate: No. 1 In The World, CNNMoney, 3/27/12)

Japan Cuts Its Corporate Tax Rate Today, Leaving The U.S. With The Highest Rate In The Developed World. Japan, which currently has the highest rate in the world -- a 39.8% rate on business income between national and local taxes -- cuts its rate to 36.8% as of April 1. The U.S. rate stands at 39.2% when both federal and state rates are included. (Chris Isidore, U.S. Corporate Tax Rate: No. 1 In The World, CNNMoney, 3/27/12) Earlier This Year, Canada Cut Their Rate To 15 Percent And Today Great Britain Will Cut Their Rate To 24 Percent. The attention given to the Japanese rate cut has overshadowed the fact that Great Britain also cut their corporate tax rate on April 1st from 26 percent to 24 percent, and will cut the rate again to 23 percent in 2013. Moreover, on January 1st of this year, Canada cut its federal corporate tax rate from 16.5 percent to 15 percent. Canada's combined rate is about 26 percent when the average rate of the Canadian provinces is added to their federal rate. (Scott A. Hodge, The Countdown Is Over. Were #1, The Tax Foundation, 4/1/12)

By Leaving Corporate Tax Reform To Treasury, Obama Is Signaling That Its A Lower Priority. While Obama has been promoting various aspects of his economic agenda in personal appearances and speeches, the decision to leave the corporate tax plan to the Treasury Department to unveil signaled its lower priority. What's more, the administration's framework leaves much for Congress to decide a deliberate move by the administration to encourage negotiations but which also doesn't subject the plan to detailed scrutiny. (Jim Kuhnehenn, AP Source: Obama Seeks 28 Percent Corp. Tax Rate, The Associated Press, 2/22/12) Obamas Corporate Tax Plan Includes A Global Minimum Tax Which Would Stifle American Competitiveness The Obama Administration Has Proposed A Global Minimum Tax But They Wont Say How High It Will Be. But then, in the third section, the White House will follow up on an innovative idea they included in the State of the Union and propose a global minimum tax. They'll say more about how such a tax will work, but they won't say how high such a tax should be. That's left up to Congress. (Ezra Klein, Wonkbook: Tax Reform Is Really, Really Hard, The Washington
Post, 2/22/12)

The Global Minimum Tax Means That Instead Of A Carrot, Corporate America Gets The Stick. So instead of a carrot, Corporate America gets the stick. Instead of lowering the U.S. rate to a competitive level, Obama would raise the penalty on keeping profits overseas. Indeed, the United States is a huge outlier in that it taxes the foreign profits of multinational companies. (Jim Pethokoukis, Why Obamas
Corporate Tax Plan Is A Total Bust, The American, 2/22/12)

Business Roundtable: Obamas Corporate Tax Framework Would Still Leave The U.S. Combined Corporate Rate 8 Percentage Points Higher Than The Average Of

Countries In The Organization For Economic Cooperation And Development. Despite the Presidents proposal to cut corporate rates to 28 percent, the framework would still leave the U.S. combined corporate rate 8 percentage points higher than the average of countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The result would keep the United States at a significant disadvantage with its major competitors, Engler said. (Press Release, BRT: Its Official: President Embraces Lower Corporate Tax Rate But Revenue
Neutrality, Competitive Territorial System Missing, Business Roundtable, 2/22/12)

Business Roundtable On Obamas Global Minimum Tax: No Other Developed Country Imposes Such A Minimum Tax On The Foreign Earnings Of Their Corporations. The framework described by U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner today outlines a series of significant tax increases on companies with worldwide operations most notably a minimum tax on foreign income. No other developed country imposes such a minimum tax on the foreign earnings of their corporations. (Press Release, BRT: Its Official: President Embraces Lower Corporate Tax Rate But Revenue
Neutrality, Competitive Territorial System Missing, Business Roundtable, 2/22/12)

Obama Will Propose Lowering The Corporate Tax Rate But Wont Say Exactly How To Do All That. Later today, the White House will unveil its framework for overhauling the corporate tax code. They will propose bringing the corporate rate down to 28 percent, establishing a global minimum tax, and expanding the credits for R&D and manufacturing. But they won't say exactly how to do all that. (Ezra Klein, Wonkbook: Tax Reform Is Really, Really Hard, The
Washington Post, 2/22/12)

Their Main Point, In A Sense, Is That It's Not All About Breaks For Jets And Oil Companies, No Matter How Often Those Feature In The President's Speeches. Put differently, getting the rate down to 28 percent requires making hard decisions about legitimate, fundamental features of the corporate tax code -- decisions that the White House will clarify, but not specifically make. Their main point, in a sense, is that it's not all about breaks for jets and oil companies, no matter how often those feature in the president's speeches. (Ezra Klein, Wonkbook: Tax Reform Is Really, Really Hard, The
Washington Post, 2/22/12)

Scott Hodge Of The Tax Foundation Says Obamas Manufacturing Section In His Corporate Tax Plan Would Generate A Feeding Frenzy From Lobbyists To Get Their Industry Declared Manufacturing. The plan creates a new 25 percent tax rate for manufacturing - perhaps, even a lower rate for advanced manufacturing. We can only imagine the feeding frenzy this would generate from lobbyists to get their industry declared manufacturing. As it is, the current 199 manufacturing deduction that was enacted in 2004, is available to architects, companies that grind hamburger, software firms, and companies that produce rap albums. (Scott Hodge, More Thoughts On Obamas Corporate Tax Plan, Tax Foundation, 2/23/12) Competitiveness

The U.S. Slid In The World Economic Forums Global Competitiveness Ranking For The Fourth Year In A Row. The United States continues the decline that began a few years ago, falling two more positions to take 7th place this year. (Klaus Schwab, The Global
Competitiveness Report, World Economic Forum, 9/5/12)

FLASHBACK: The United States Ranked The Most Competitive Economy For The 2008 - 2009 Global Competitiveness Index. Notwithstanding the present financial crisis, the United States continues to be the most competitive economy in the world, a position it has held for several years. (Michael E. Porter and Klaus Schwab, The Global
Competitiveness Report, World Economic Forum, 10/08)

The United States' Ability To Compete On The Global Stage Has Fallen For The Fourth Year The United States' ability to compete on the global stage has fallen for the fourth year running as confidence in the country's politicians continues to decline, an annual survey from the World Economic Forum found Wednesday. (Pan
Pylas, Survey Finds US Competitive Ranking Down Again, The Associated Press, 9/5/12)

The Hill Headline: U.S. Slips In Global Competitiveness Rankings (Peter Schroeder, U.S Slips In
Global Competitiveness Rankins, The Hill, 9/5/12)

That Ranking Places It Behind Switzerland, Singapore, Finland, Sweden, The Netherlands And Germany, And It Also Marks The Fourth Straight Year Of Decline In Competitiveness For The World's Largest Economy. (Peter Schroeder, U.S
Slips In Global Competitiveness Rankins, The Hill, 9/5/12)

Debt As Of August 2012, China Holds 1.15 Trillion Of American Debt. (Major Foreign Holders Of
Treasury Securities, U.S. Treasury Department, Accessed 10/16/12)

In August, Foreign Holdings Of U.S. Debt Hit A Record $5.43 Trillion. The Treasury Department says total foreign holdings rose to a record $5.43 trillion in August. Thats up 1.5 percent from the July level. (Foreign Holdings Of US Debt Hit Record $5.43 Trillion, Chinas Holdings Up Slightly,
The Associated Press, 10/16/12)

Moodys Warned That It Would Downgrade The U.S. Governments Debt If No Debt Solution Is Found By The End Of The Year. Congressional leaders dug in their heels on Tuesday against any quick deal to resolve a looming fiscal disaster before the election, even as a major ratings agency warned that it would downgrade the governments debt if no solution was found by years end. (Johnathan Weisman, Moodys Warns That U.S. May Face Debt Downgrade, The
New York Times, 9/11/12)

The Moodys Warning Comes A Year After Its Rival, Standard & Poors, Downgraded The United States Credit Worthiness After The Protracted Stalemate Over Raising The Nations Statutory Borrowing Limit. (Johnathan Weisman, Moodys Warns That U.S. May Face Debt
Downgrade, The New York Times, 9/11/12)

Moodys Expects To Affirm The U.S. Rating Only If Negotiations Lead To Specific Policies That Produce A Stabilization And Then Downward Trend In The Ratio Of Federal Debt To G.D.P. If those negotiations lead to specific policies that produce a stabilization and then downward trend in the ratio of federal debt to G.D.P. over the medium term, the rating will likely be affirmed and the outlook returned to stable, Moodys said in a statement. If those negotiations fail to produce such policies, however, Moodys would expect to lower the rating. (Johnathan Weisman, Moodys Warns That U.S. May Face Debt Downgrade, The
New York Times, 9/11/12)

If Those Negotiations Fail To Produce Such Policies, However, Moodys Would Expect To Lower The Rating. (Johnathan Weisman, Moodys Warns That U.S. May Face Debt Downgrade, The New
York Times, 9/11/12)

The Moodys Warning Is Yet Another Reminder That Stalled Negotiations Could Lead To Much Of The Tumult That Occurred In The Summer Of 2011 And That Resulted In Historic Market Volatility. But the Moodys warning is yet another reminder that stalled negotiations could lead to much of the tumult that occurred in the summer of 2011. Back then, S&P downgraded the U.S. credit rating after the debt-ceiling debacle, which led to some historic market volatility. (Steven Russolillo, Moodys Warns On U.S. Debt Rating
Ahead Of Fiscal Cliff, The Wall Street Journal, 9/11/12)

A Year After Standard & Poor Downgraded The United States Credit Rating, Moodys Warned It Would Downgrade If No Debt Solution Was Found By Years End. Moody's Investors Service warned Tuesday that Congress will need to strike a deal on the "fiscal cliff" to avoid a second downgrade to the nation's credit rating. (Peter Schroeder, Moodys: Congress
Must Reach Fiscal Deal To Avert Downgrade, The Hill, 9/11/12)

All Three Major Rating Agencies Moody's, Fitch Ratings And Standard & Poor's Have Warned That Fiscal Changes Are Needed To Prevent Future Downgrades. (Peter Schroeder, Moodys: Congress Must Reach Fiscal Deal To Avert Downgrade, The Hill, 9/11/12) If No Agreement Is Reached, All Of The Bush-Era Tax Cuts Will Expire In January, Just As More Than $1 Trillion In Automatic Military And Domestic Cuts Begin Slicing Spending. (Jonathan Weisman, Moodys Warns That U.S. May Face Debt Downgrade, The
New York Times, 9/11/12)

Numerous Economists Have Warned That The Hit To The Economy Will Almost Surely Send The Nation Back Into Recession. (Jonathan Weisman, Moodys Warns
That U.S. May Face Debt Downgrade, The New York Times, 9/11/12)

Trade Deficit In August 2012, The Overall U.S. Trade Deficit Was $58.8 Billion, Totaling Nearly $492 Billion This Year. (Trade In Goods With The World, U.S. Census Bureau, Accessed 10/21/12) Under Obama, The Trade Deficit With China Is At Its Highest Level The Wall Street Journal Headline: U.S. Trade Deficit With China Grows, Bucking World Trend. (Bob Davis and Tom Orlik, U.S. Trade Deficit With China Grows, Bucking World Trend, The Wall Street Journal,
7/10/12)

The Trade Deficit With China In 2008 Was $268 Billion. (Trade Goods With China, U.S.
Census Bureau, Accessed 9/7/11)

In 2011, The Trade Deficit With China Grew To $295 Billion. (Trade Goods With China,
U.S. Census Bureau, Accessed 4/10/12)

In August 2012, The U.S.-China Trade Deficit Was $28.69 Billion, Totaling Over $203 Billion This Year. (Trade Goods With China, U.S. Census Bureau, Accessed 10/21/12) Recycled Promises On Exports

Obama In 2012: Double Exports By The End Of 2014 (Excerpts: Obama To Lay Out 'Clearest Choice Of
Any Time In A Generation', CNN, 9/6/12)

In 2010, Obama Promised To Double Exports By 2015. In promising Wednesday night to double the United States export growth over the next five years, President Obama set an ambitious goal for American trade policy that, he said, could create two million jobs. (Helene Cooper, Obama Sets Ambitious Export Goal, The New York
Times, 1/28/10)

Ease of Doing Business In 2007, The U.S. Ranked Third In The Ease Of Starting A Business Category. This Year It Ranks 13th. (America As Number Four, The Wall Street Journal, 10/27/11) On The Paying Taxes Front We've Dropped To 72nd Place From 63rd. (America As
Number Four, The Wall Street Journal, 10/27/11)

The Cost Of Starting A Business, Measured As A Percentage Of Per Capita Income, Has Doubled To 1.4% From 0.7% In 2007. (America As Number Four, The Wall Street Journal, 10/27/11) On Ease Of Registering Property The U.S. Has Dropped To 16th From Tenth. (America
As Number Four, The Wall Street Journal, 10/27/11)

In The Trading Across Borders Category, We've Dropped Nine Spots To 20th.
(America As Number Four, The Wall Street Journal, 10/27/11)

In 2007, The Cost To Import, As Measured In Dollars Per Container, Was $625. Today It's More Than Doubled To $1,315. (America As Number Four, The Wall Street Journal, 10/27/11) China/Russia Acquiring U.S. Subsidized Technology Today, Taxpayer-Backed A123 Systems, A Maker Of Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Batteries For Electric Cars, Filed For Bankruptcy. A123 Systems Inc. (AONE), a maker of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries for electric cars, filed for bankruptcy after failing to make a debt payment that was due yesterday. The company listed assets of $459.8 million and debt of $376 million as of Aug. 31 in Chapter 11 documents filed today in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Delaware. Chapter 11 is the section of the Bankruptcy Code used by companies to reorganize. (Dawn McCarty and Craig Trudell, Electric Car Battery Maker A123 Systems
Files Bankruptcy Papers, Bloomberg Businessweek, 10/16/12)

A123 Systems Has Posted At Least 14 Straight Quarterly Losses With Shares Falling 85 Percent This Year. A123 has posted at least 14 straight quarterly losses. Its shares have fallen 85 percent this year to 24 cents at yesterdays close in New York and traded at 16 cents at 8:29 a.m. before the start of regular trading.
(Dawn McCarty and Craig Trudell, Electric Car Battery Maker A123 Systems Files Bankruptcy Papers, Bloomberg Businessweek, 10/16/12)

FLASHBACK: In July 2011, President Obama Touted A123 Systems As A JobCreating Company With Soaring Demand For Its Vehicle Components. OBAMA: Theres A123, a clean-energy manufacturer in Michigan that just hired its 1,000th worker as demand has soared for its vehicle components. Companies like these are taking root and putting people to work in every corner of the country. (President Barack
Obama, Remarks By The President On Fuel Efficiency Standards, Washington, DC, 7/29/11)

After A $249.1 Million Federal Grant And Struggling With Costs Of Recalled Batteries, A123 Systems Is Looking To Make A Deal With Wanxiang Group Corp., Chinas Largest Auto-Parts Maker, For Financing In Exchange For A Majority Ownership Stake. A123, which received a $249.1 million federal grant in 2009 to build a U.S. factory, needed a financial lifeline after struggling with costs from a recall of batteries supplied to Fisker, the plug-in hybrid luxury carmaker. A123 announced in August that it was working on a deal with Wanxiang Group Corp., Chinas largest auto-parts maker, for financing in exchange for a majority ownership stake. (Dawn McCarty and Craig Trudell, Electric Car Battery Maker A123
Systems Files Bankruptcy Papers, Bloomberg Businessweek, 10/16/12)

With Wanxiangs Large Stake, Obamas Made In America Dream Is Unlikely To Come True For Electric Vehicles And Batteries. President Barack Obama called A123 Chief Executive Officer David Vieau and then-Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm during a September 2010 event celebrating the opening of the plant in Livonia, Michigan, that the company received the U.S. grant to help build. This is about the birth of an entire new industry in America -- an industry thats going to be central to the next generation of cars, Obama said in the phone call, according to a transcript provided by the White House. When folks lift up their hoods on the cars of the future, I want them to see engines and batteries that are stamped: Made in America. (Dawn McCarty and Craig Trudell, Electric Car Battery Maker A123 Systems Files
Bankruptcy Papers, Bloomberg Businessweek, 10/16/12)

The Energy Department In 2009 Approved A $118.5 Million Stimulus Grant For Enerdel, A Subsidiary Of The Company That Develops Lithium-Ion Batteries Used In Electric Vehicles. (Andrew Restuccia, Obama-Backed Electric Car Battery-Maker Files For Bankruptcy, The Hills E2 Wire,
1/26/12)

In August 2009, Obama Announced EnerDel Would Receive A Recovery Grant As A Part Of The Strategy Leading To The Next Generation Of Clean-Energy Vehicles. OBAMA: See, Im committed to a strategy that ensures America leads in the design and the deployment of the next generation of clean-energy vehicles. This is not just an investment to produce vehicles today; this is an investment in our capacity to develop new technologies tomorrow. This is about creating the infrastructure of innovation. Indiana is the second largest recipient of grant funding, and it's a perfect example of what this will mean. Youve got Purdue University, Notre Dame, Indiana University, and Ivy Tech, and they're all going to be receiving grant funding to develop degree and training programs for electric vehicles. That's number one. Weve got EnerDel, a small business in Indianapolis that will develop batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles. (President Barack Obama, Remarks On The
Economy, Wakarusa, IN, 8/5/09)

On January 26, 2011, Biden Toured Ener1, Inc., In Indiana After Obama Announced His Plan To Put One Million Electric Vehicle On The Road By 2015. Today, Vice President Biden visited Ener1, Inc., a manufacturer of advanced batteries for electric vehicles, in Greenfield, Indiana to announce our plan to reach this one million vehicle goal by 2015. The facility that the Vice President visited would not exist if not for a $118.5 million grant from the Department of Energy, which was part of a $2.4 billion Recovery Act investment in electric vehicles. Ener1 added 120 jobs across the company in 2010 and the future looks bright. They expect to expand the manufacturing and assembly operation in Greenfield from 80 workers today to over a thousand by the start of 2013.The Vice

President got a first-hand look at Ener1s assembly line and had a chance to chat with several workers. (Brian Levine, Our Plan To Put One Million Advanced Technology Vehicles On Americas Roads, The White
House, 1/26/11)

Biden Lauded Ener1 For Helping to Build A Brighter, Cleaner, And More Prosperous American Future. As the Vice President said today, Ener1 and other companies like it are building a brighter, cleaner, and more prosperous American future. (Brian Levine, Our Plan To Put One Million Advanced Technology Vehicles On Americas Roads, The White
House, 1/26/11)

In January 2011, Ener1 Inc. And Wanxiang Electric Vehicle Co. Signed A Joint Venture Agreement To Make Lithium-Ion Battery Cells And Packs For Chinese Cars And Eventually Could Be Expanded To Export Batteries From China. A start-up battery company is launching a joint venture with one of Chinas largest auto suppliers to serve the anticipated growth in electric vehicles in China and beyond. Wanxiang Electric Vehicle Co., a division of the Chinese conglomerate Wanxiang Group Corp., signed a joint venture agreement Monday night with Ener1 Inc. to make lithium-ion battery cells and packs for vehicles in China. Company officials on both sides said the partnership eventually could be expanded to export batteries from China, but officials at Ener1 have concerns about protecting its U.S. battery production. (Matthew Dolan, U.S. Battery firm in China Venture, The Wall Street Journal,
1/18/11)

Wanxiang Is Putting Up Almost All Of The Capital for The Venture, Including A 553,000-Square-Foot Plant in Hangzhou, China. (Matthew Dolan, U.S. Battery firm in China
Venture, The Wall Street Journal, 1/18/11)

Ener1 Chief Executive Charles Gassenehimer Expects Jobs And Investment Equipment To Move To China. Ener1 plans to move some of its engineers to China to help the new venture improve the quality of battery density and reliability. The U.S. company also anticipates transferring some of its factory machinery to increase the production quality, Mr. Gassenheimer said. (Matthew Dolan, U.S. Battery firm in
China Venture, The Wall Street Journal, 1/18/11)

Soon After Entering The Joint Venture, Wanxiang Had To Loan Ener1 $40 Of The $48 Million Agreed Upon After Ener1s Continued Financial Losses. Ener1recently entered the Chinese battery market under a January 2011 joint venture agreement with Wanxiang EV. The agreement created Zhejiang Wanxiang Ener1 Power Systems Co. Ltd. to design and distribute batteries in China with contributions from Wanxiang and Ener1 of $72 million and $48 million, respectively. Documents show Ener1 could not make the initial $24 million contribution when it came due in October. An affiliate of Wanxiang, Wanxiang International, then agreed to loan Ener1 $40 million in two equal installments on Dec. 30. The loan accrues interest at prime plus 5%, with a floor of 9%, and matures four years from the date of each advance. The loan was contingent on Ener1 making a $4 million contribution to an escrow account to fund the JV. Documents show Ener1 paid the $4 million with its bridge loan. Ener1 lost $68.8 million on $77.41 million in net sales in 2010, according to SEC filings. It lost an additional $84.71 million on $23.08 million in net sales in the first quarter of 2011, the most recent results available. Ener1 listed assets of $73.9 million and liabilities of $90

million in its petition. The quarterly loss included a $59.43 million impairment charge. The debtor has posted annual net losses of more than $40 million since at least 2006. (Aviva Gat, Ener1 Commences Prepackaged Restructuring, The Daily Deal, 1/26/12) A Year After Receiving A $118 Million Grant, Ener1 Inc. Posted Its Earnings For Fiscal 2010 At A $165 Million Loss. Following on Solyndras great success comes Ener1 Inc., a lithium-ion battery maker also promoted by the White House. President Obama gave the companys subsidiary, EnerDel, a shout out in August 2009, in a speech in which he announced $2.4 billion in grants to develop the next generation of fuel-efficient cars and trucks powered by the next generation of battery technologies. EnerDel snagged a $118 million grant, and Vice President Joe Biden toured one of its two Indianapolis-area factories as recently as January, citing it as proof that government isnt just creating new jobsbut sparking whole new industries. He didnt say profitable industries. Ener1 was founded in 2002, went public in 2008 and has never turned a profit. In August, it restated its earnings for fiscal 2010 at a $165 million lossnearly $100 million more than previously reported. On September 27 it ousted its CEO, and its share price yesterday was 27 centsa 95% decline from its 52-week high of $5.95 in January. Nasdaq is threatening to delist the stock, and Ener1 disclosed in a mid-August filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it is in the process of determining whether the company has sufficient liquidity to fund its operations. (Editorial, Your Cash For Their Clunkers, The Wall Street Journal, 10/20/11) On January 26, 2012, Ener1 Filed For Bankruptcy. An Indiana-based energy-storage company that received a $118.5 million stimulus grant from the Energy Department filed for bankruptcy Thursday. Ener1 is asking a federal bankruptcy court in New York to approve a plan to restructure the companys debt and infuse $81 million in equity funding.
(Andrew Restuccia, Obama-Backed Electric Car Battery-Maker Files For Bankruptcy, The Hills E2 Wire, 1/26/12)

The Company Was Then Bought Outright By A Russian Businessman With Ties To Then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. A little more than a year after Bidens visit to Ener1s Indiana manufacturing plant, the companys technology is owned outright by Boris Zingarevich, a Russian businessman with ties to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, a fact that concerns some technology experts in the U.S. (Julie Wernau, U.S.-Backed Battery Companys Sale
To Russian Tycoon Sparks Anxiety, Chicago Tribune, 4/8/12)

Zingarevich Acquired Ener1 Out Of Bankruptcy March 30 With An Agreement To Infuse $81 Million In Financing, Giving Him A Sophisticated Line Of Batteries That Can Power Electric Cars, Store Electricity For Power Grids And Supply Portable Power For Soldiers. (Julie Wernau, U.S.-Backed Battery Companys Sale To Russian
Tycoon Sparks Anxiety, Chicago Tribune, 4/8/12)

The Washington Post: Ener1, Which Ran Through $55 Million Of A $118 Million Federal Grant Before Going Bankrupt, Sold Out To A Russian Tycoon.
(Editorial, GMs Vaunted Volt Is On The Road To Nowhere Fast, The Washington Post, 9/12/12)

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AND JOBLESSNESS

The Washington Posts Fact Checker Said Obama Is On Track To Have The Worst Jobs Record Of Any President In The Modern Era. Unless the economy turns around in the next 18 months, Obama is on track to have the worst jobs record of any president in the modern era. That would be an accurate statement. (Glenn Kessler, Rick Perrys Claim That Obama Has Killed
More Jobs Than Any Other President, The Washington Posts The Fact Checker, 8/22/11)

The Washington Posts Fact Checker: The Worst Numbers On Record Occurred Under His [Obamas] Watch. The president said that policies from 2000 through 2008 produced the most sluggish job growth weve ever seen. perhaps so, but the worst numbers on record occurred under his watch. (Josh Hicks, Obamas Remarks On Worst Job
Growth: Did He End It Or Should He Own It? The Washington Posts The Fact Checker, 5/21/12)

The Washington Posts Fact Checker: Obama Comes In Either Last, Second-ToLast Or In The Bottom Half Among Presidents Since The Great Depression. But Obama comes in either last, second-to-last or in the bottom half among presidents since the great depression, depending on which way you look at the numbers. (Josh Hicks, Obamas Remarks On Worst Job Growth: Did He End It Or Should He Own It? The Washington
Posts The Fact Checker, 5/21/12)

Since Obama Took Office, The Nation Has Lost 61,000 Jobs And The Unemployment Rate Has Remained At Or Above 7.8 Percent (What The Rate Was When Obama Took Office For 45 Straight Months. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/5/12) Under Obama, The Unemployment Rate Remained Above Eight Percent For A Record 43 Straight Months. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/5/12) Since Obama Took Office, The Average Duration Of Unemployment Has More Than Doubled From 19.8 Weeks To 39.8 Weeks. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/5/12) Never Before Have So Many Americans Been Unemployed For So Long Three Years Into A Recovery. (Paul Wiseman, Economic Recovery Is Weakest Since World War II, The Associated
Press, 8/16/12)

Since Employment Hit Bottom, The Economy Has Created Just Over 4 Million Jobs, By Far The Worst Performance Since World War II. So the new hiring has replaced 46 percent of the lost jobs, by far the worst performance since World War II. In the previous eight recoveries, the economy had regained more than 350 percent of the jobs lost, on average. (Paul Wiseman, Economic Recovery Is Weakest Since World War II, The Associated Press, 8/16/12) Much Of The Drop In The Unemployment Rates Comes From Workers Leaving The Workforce. But much of the drop in the unemployment rates comes from workers leaving the workforce. (Ian Swanson, Economy Remains Obamas Albatross, The Hill, 8/8/12)

STIMULUS
Obama Promised The Stimulus Would Keep Unemployment From Rising Above 8 Percent PROMISE: Obamas Economic Advisors Christina Romer And Jared Bernstein Predicted Unemployment Would Not Rise Above 8 Percent If The Stimulus Was Passed. (Christina Romer and Jared Bernstein, The Job Impact Of The American Recovery And Reinvestment Plan, 1/9/09)

Obama Said Stimulus Would Create Or Save 3.5 Million Jobs By The End Of 2010. OBAMA: Now, what makes this recovery plan so important is not just that it will create or save 3.5 million jobs over the next two years, including 60,000-plus here in Colorado. It's that we're putting Americans to work doing the work that America needs done in critical areas that have been neglected for too long; work that will bring real and lasting change for generations to come. (President Barack Obama,
Remarks At The Signing Of The American Recovery And Reinvestment Act, The White House, 2/17/09; Estimates of Job Creation from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, White House Council Of Economic Advisors, 5/09)

Obama Released Graph So The American People Can See Exactly What This Plan Will Mean For Their Families, Their Communities, And Our Economy. OBAMA: I asked my nominee for Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, Dr. Christina Romer, and the Vice President-Elects Chief Economic Adviser, Dr. Jared Bernstein, to conduct a rigorous analysis of this plan and come up with projections of how many jobs it will create and what kind of jobs they will be. Today, I am releasing a report of their findings so that the American people can see exactly what this plan will mean for their families, their communities, and our economy. (President-Elect Barack Obama, The President Elects Radio Address, 1/10/09)

BROKEN: Since Obama Took Office, The Nation Has Lost 61,000 Jobs And The Unemployment Rate Has Been At Or Above 7.8 Percent (The Rate That It Was At When Obama Took Office) For 45 Straight Months. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/5/12)

Under Obama, The Unemployment Rate Remained Above 8 Percent For A Record 43 Straight Months. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/5/12)

Obama Claimed The Stimulus Worked, Despite The Facts Obama Said That His Actions Broke The Back Of The Recession. OBAMA: And because we took bold and swift and coordinated action, we can stand here today and say we averted another depression. We broke the back of the recession. The economy is growing again. (President Barack Obama, Remarks At A Democratic National Committee Fundraiser, Washington, D.C., 2/4/10) Biden Claimed The Stimulus Put The Brakes On The Recession. Biden said the administration's efforts have helped put the brakes on the recession and reminded the audience of how far they have come since the economy's bottom fell out. (Dan Blake, Biden: Stimulus Put The Brakes On Recession, Chicago Breaking News Center, 7/31/09)

ProPublicas Michael Grabell: The Stimulus Ultimately Failed To Bring About A Strong, Sustainable Recovery. But the stimulus ultimately failed to bring about a strong, sustainable recovery. Money was spread far and wide rather than dedicated to programs

with the most bang for the buck. Shovel-ready projects, those that would put people to work right away, took too long to break ground. Investments in worthwhile long-term projects, on the other hand, were often rushed to meet arbitrary deadlines, and the resulting shoddy outcomes tarnished the projects image. (Michael Grabell, Op-Ed, How Not To Revive An
Economy, The New York Times, 2/11/12)

The Associated Press Headline: Economic Recovery Is Weakest Since World War II. (Paul Wiseman, Economic Recovery Is Weakest Since World War II, The Associated Press, 8/16/12) The Recession That Ended Three Years Ago This Summer Has Been Followed By The Feeblest Economic Recovery Since The Great Depression. (Paul Wiseman,
Economic Recovery Is Weakest Since World War II, The Associated Press, 8/16/12)

To Richard Wolffe, Obama Also Admitted That The Enormous Sums Of Money In The Stimulus Had Fallen Short. Yet he also admitted that the enormous sums of money had fallen short. If were honest, part of the controversy also is that despite the extraordinary work that has been done through the Recovery Act, millions of Americans are still without jobs. Millions more are struggling to make ends meet. So it doesnt yet feel like much of a recovery. And I understand that. Its why were going to continue to do everything in our power to turn this economy around. (Richard Wolffe, Revival: The Struggle For Survival
Inside The Obama White House, 2010, p. 155)

FactCheck.org: Its Accurate To Say The Stimulus Has Failed To Live Up To Initial Expectations. CBO's high estimate is still short of the 3.5 million jobs that Obama had said would be created by the end of 2010, so it's accurate to say the stimulus has failed to live up to initial expectations. White House advisers wrongly estimated that the stimulus would bring the unemployment rate down to 7 percent though they also thought the rate without the stimulus would be lower than it actually is, and they made clear that substantial uncertainty surrounded those estimates. (Lori Robertson, Dueling Economic Ads, FactCheck.org, 6/30/11)

Obama Cracked Wise About The Jobs His Shovel-Ready Stimulus Was Supposed To Create. While meeting with his Jobs and Competitiveness Council today in Durham, N.C., President Obama cracked wise about one of his administration's early catchphrases. Remember shovel-ready projects. Those were construction projects in the 2009 stimulus bill that were supposed to get moving right away -- but jobs council members told Obama today that some got held up because of elaborate government regulations and permitting procedures. (David Jackson, Obama Jokes About Shovel-Ready Projects, USA Today, 6/13/11) Obama: Shovel-Ready Was Not As Shovel-Ready As We Expected. (President Barack
Obama, Remarks In Durham, N.C., 6/13/11)

The Congressional Budget Office Estimates That Obamas Stimulus Cost $833 Billion. When ARRA was being considered, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation estimated that it would increase budget deficits by $787 billion between fiscal years 2009 and 2019. CBO now estimates that the total impact over the 20092019 period will amount to about $833 billion. (Estimate Impact Of The American Recovery And
Reinvestment Act On Employment And Economic Output From April 2012 Through June 2012, Congressional Budget Office, 8/23/12)

MIDDLE CLASS
Biden Admitted The Middle Class Has Been Buried The Last Four Years. BIDEN: All kidding aside, all the boos, stop all the malarkey. Look guys, this is deadly earnest man. This is deadly earnest. How they can justify how they can justify raising taxes on a middle class that has been buried the last four years? How in Lords name can they justify raising their taxes with these tax cuts? (Vice President Joe Biden, Remarks At A Campaign Event, Charlotte, NC, 10/2/12) Far From A New Dawn Of Broad-Based Growth, Americas Middle Class Decline Is Getting Worse. Second, the hollowing out of Americas middle class still politely described as median income stagnation rather than decline is accelerating rather than slowing. According to the US Census last week, the US median household is 4.8 per cent poorer now than at the start of the recovery in 2009. Median incomes have now fallen to the pre-internet level of 1993. All of the gains of the Clinton years have been lost. The decline in the past three years follows a 3.2 per cent drop during the recession, which itself followed a shrinkage during the 2000-2007 cycle. Far from a new dawn of broad-based growth, Americas middle class decline is getting worse. (Edward Luce, The US Economy Is Still In A Sorry
State, Financial Times, 9/23/12)

The New York Times Headline: A Closer Look At Middle-Class Decline. (David Leonhardt, "A
Closer Look At Middle-Class Decline," The New York Times' Economix, 7/23/12)

The Middle Class Is Shrinking And Millions Of Families Are Hurting. The latest census data depict a middle class that's shrinking as unemployment stays high and the government's safety net frays. The new numbers follow years of stagnating wages for the middle class that have hurt millions of workers and families. (Hope Yen,
Census Shows 1 In 2 People Are Poor Or Low-Income, The Associated Press, 12/15/11)

Many Of The 'New Poor' Are The Former Middle Class. Many of the 'new poor' are the former middle class, broadcaster Tavis Smiley, who requested the study, said in a statement. (Mary Wisniewski, Poverty To Keep Rising Due To Slow Recovery: Study, Reuters,
1/11/12)

The Recovery Has Failed To Produce The Middle Class Jobs Obama Campaigned On. Barack Obama campaigned four years ago assailing President George W. Bush for wage losses suffered by the middle class. More than three years into Obamas own presidency, those declines have only deepened. The rebound from the worst recession since the 1930s has generated relatively few of the moderately skilled jobs that once supported the middle class, tightening the financial squeeze on many Americans, even those who are employed. (Mike Dorning,
Obama Fails To Stem Middle-Class Slide He Blamed On Bush, Bloomberg, 4/30/12)

Median Household Income: Household Income Is Down $4,520 From $55,198 In January 2009 To $50,678 In August 2012. (Household Income Trends, August 2012, Sentier Research,
9/25/12)

Savings: 23.4 Percent Of Families Have No Savings At All, Up From 18.5 Percent In 2009. (Christine Dugas, Recession Added Debt, Drained Families Savings, USA Today, 5/12/12) Poverty: 97.3 Million Americans Now Qualify As Low-Income And Another 49.1 Million Are In Poverty; Together, 146.4 Million Americans Or 48 Percent Of The

Population Are Low-Income Or In Poverty. (Hope Yen, Census Shows 1 In 2 People Are Poor Or Low-Income,
The Associated Press, 12/15/11)

Under Obama, 6.4 Million More Americans Have Fallen Into Poverty. (Carmen
DeNavas-Walt, Bernadette D. Proctor, and Jessica C. Smith, Income, Poverty, And Health Insurance Coverage In The United States: 2011, U.S. Census Bureau, 9/12/12; Carmen DeNavas-Walt, Bernadette D. Proctor, and Jessica C. Smith, Income, Poverty, And Health Insurance Coverage In The United States: 2008, U.S. Census Bureau, 9/09)

Government Assistance: 49.1%: Percent Of The Population That Lives In A Household Where At Least One Member Received Some Type Of Government Benefit In The First Quarter Of 2011. (Phil Izzo, Number Of The Week: Half Of U.S. Lives In Household Getting Benefits, The
Wall Street Journals Real Time Economics, 5/26/12)

Food Stamps: Since Obama Took Office, The Number Of Americans Receiving Food Stamps Has Increased From 31.9 Million To 46.7 Million, A 46 Percent Increase.
(Department Of Agriculture, 9/28/12)

A Less-Welcome Statistic For The White House A Record Number Of FoodStamp Recipients Slipped By With Barely A Notice. While the lowest unemployment rate of President Barack Obamas tenure dominated weekend economic news, a less-welcome statistic for the White House a record number of food-stamp recipients slipped by with barely a notice. About 46.68 million Americans received food stamps in July, the government said in a report released late on Friday afternoon before a holiday weekend, a traditional time for umping [sic] bad news. The report for July, the most recent month that data was available, showed participation up by 11,532 from June and 2.9 percent higher than a year earlier. (Alan Bjerga, Food-Stamp Record: Quiet Report, Bloomberg, 10/8/12) One In Seven Americans Is Now On Food Stamps. In essence, it was little changed from the previous month or even the recent past, since participation more than one in seven Americans has topped 46 million since September 2011.
(Alan Bjerga, Food-Stamp Record: Quiet Report, Bloomberg, 10/8/12)

Monthly Spending On Food Stamps In July Reached $6.26 Billion, Also A Record And 2.9 Percent More Than A Year Earlier. (Alan Bjerga, Food-Stamp Record: Quiet
Report, Bloomberg, 10/8/12)

The Programs Cost More Than Doubled In Four Years To A Record $75.7 Billion In The 12 Months Ended Sept. 30, 2011, And Is The USDAs Biggest Annual Expense. (Alan Bjerga, Food-Stamp Record: Quiet Report, Bloomberg, 10/8/12)

Food Prices: Since Obama Became President, The Monthly Price Of A Moderate-Cost Food Plan For A Family Of Four With Young Children Has Increased From $819.40 To $858. ("Official USDA Food Plans: Cost Of Food At Home At Four Levels, U.S. Average, January 2009," USDA, 2/09; "Official USDA Food
Plans: Cost Of Food At Home At Four Levels, U.S. Average, August 2012," USDA, 9/12)

Gas Prices: Since Obama Took Office, The Average Price Per Gallon Of Gas Has Increased From $1.847 To $3.804. (Gasoline And Diesel Fuel Update, U.S. Energy And Information Administration,
Accessed 10/2/12)

College Costs: Since Obama Took Office, The Average Cost Of In-State Tuition At A Four Year College Has Risen From $6,585 To $8,244, A 25 Percent Increase. ("Trends In
College Pricing 2009," College Board, 2008; "Trends In College Pricing 2011," College Board, 2011)

Health Care Premiums: Under Obama, The Average Cost Of Family Health Care Premiums Have Increased From $12,680 To $15,745, A 24.2% Increase. (Employer Health
Benefits, 2012 Annual Survey, Exhibit 6.4 The Kaiser Family Foundation, 2012)

Foreclosures: Currently 5.45 Million Residential Mortgages Are Either 30 Days Delinquent Or In Foreclosure. (Press Release, LPS First Look Mortgage Report: August Month-End Data Shows
Continued Decline In Delinquencies, Lender Processing Services, 9/24/12)

Negative Equity: As Of The Second Quarter Of 2012, 30.9 Percent 15.3 Million - Of U.S. Homeowners With A Mortgage Are Underwater. According to the second quarter Zillow Negative Equity Report, 30.9 percent of U.S. homeowners with a mortgage are underwater (see Figure 1) 15.3 million people in the second quarter of 2012. (Stan
Humphries, Negative Equity Declines Slightly On The Back Of Modest Home Value Gains, Zillow, 8/22/12)

POVERTY
In 2011, 46.2 Million Americans Lived In Poverty, As The Official Poverty Rate Was 15 Percent. In 2011, the official poverty rate was 15.0 percent. There were 46.2 million people in poverty (Figure 4 and Table 3). (Carmen DeNavas-Walt, Bernadette D. Proctor, and Jessica C. Smith,
Income, Poverty, And Health Insurance Coverage In The United States: 2011, U.S. Census Bureau, 9/12/12)

Since Obama Took Office, About 28 Percent Of The Population Had At Least One Spell Of Poverty Lasting 2 Months Or More. During the 2-year period from 2009 to 2010, approximately 28.0 percent of the population had at least one spell of poverty lasting 2 or more months. (Carmen DeNavas-Walt, Bernadette D. Proctor, and Jessica C. Smith,
Income, Poverty, And Health Insurance Coverage In The United States: 2011, U.S. Census Bureau, 9/12/12)

In 2010, The Share Of Americans Whose Families Made Less Than Half Of The Poverty Line Hit A Record: 6.7 Percent Of The Population, Or 1 In 15 Americans. The number of families in deep poverty grew sharply during the recent recession and its aftermath, and in 2010, the share of Americans whose families made less than half of the poverty line hit a record: 6.7 percent of the population, or 1 in 15 Americans. (Paul Tough,
Obama Vs. Poverty, The New York Times, 8/15/12)

There Are Now Seven Million American Children Whose Families Earn Below 50 Percent Of The Poverty Line. (Paul Tough, Obama Vs. Poverty, The New York Times, 8/15/12) In 2010, 1 In Every 10 American Children Lived In Deep Poverty. The numbers are even higher for children, disturbingly so. In 2010, 1 in every 10 American children lived in deep poverty. (Paul Tough, Obama Vs. Poverty, The New York Times, 8/15/12) Median Income Is At Its Lowest Level Since 1997. The report also indicated that median household income, adjusted for inflation, was lower last year than any year since in 1997. (Reid J. Epstein, Poverty Rate Highest In 18 Years, Politico, 9/13/11) 49.1%: Percent Of The Population That Lives In A Household Where At Least One Member Received Some Type Of Government Benefit In The First Quarter Of 2011. 49.1%: Percent of the population that lives in a household where at least one member received some type of government benefit in the first quarter of 2011. Cutting government spending is no easy task, and its made more complicated by recent Census Bureau data showing that nearly half of the people in the U.S. live in a household that receives at least one government benefit, and many likely received more than one. (Phil Izzo, Number Of The Week:
Half Of U.S. Lives In Household Getting Benefits, The Wall Street Journals Real Time Economics, 5/26/12)

RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ECONOMY

THEN: In July 2009, Obama Took Responsibility For The Economy And Said Give It To Me. OBAMA: Now, my administration has a job to do, as well, and that job is to get this economy back on its feet. That's my job. And it's a job I gladly accept. I love these folks who helped get us in this mess and then suddenly say, well, this is Obama's economy. That's fine. Give it to me. My job is to solve problems, not to stand on the sidelines and harp and gripe. (President Barack Obama, Remarks By The President On The American Graduation Initiative, Warren, MI,
7/14/09)

NOW: The Associated Press: The President Can't Tell Voters About A Grand Economic Comeback Story Because There Isn't One To Tell. (Ken Thomas, Obama Doesnt Emphasize Issues He
Fought Hard For, The Associated Press, 6/12/12)

The Washington Posts Fact Checker Said Obama Is On Track To Have The Worst Jobs Record Of Any President In The Modern Era. Unless the economy turns around in the next 18 months, Obama is on track to have the worst jobs record of any president in the modern era. That would be an accurate statement. (Glenn Kessler, Rick Perrys Claim That Obama Has Killed
More Jobs Than Any Other President, The Washington Posts The Fact Checker, 8/22/11)

The Worst Numbers On Record Occurred Under His [Obamas] Watch. The president said that policies from 2000 through 2008 produced the most sluggish job growth weve ever seen. perhaps so, but the worst numbers on record occurred under his watch. (Josh Hicks, Obamas Remarks On Worst Job Growth: Did He End It Or Should He Own It? The
Washington Posts The Fact Checker, 5/21/12)

Obama Comes In Either Last, Second-To-Last Or In The Bottom Half Among Presidents Since The Great Depression. But Obama comes in either last, second-to-last or in the bottom half among presidents since the great depression, depending on which way you look at the numbers. (Josh Hicks, Obamas Remarks On Worst Job
Growth: Did He End It Or Should He Own It? The Washington Posts The Fact Checker, 5/21/12)

Since Obama Took Office, The Nation Has Lost 61,000 Jobs And The Unemployment Rate Has Remained At Or Above 7.8 Percent (What The Rate Was When Obama Took Office) For 45 Straight Months. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/5/12) Under Obama, The Unemployment Rate Was Above Eight Percent For A Record 43 Straight Months. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/5/12) Since Obama Took Office, The Average Duration Of Unemployment Has Nearly Doubled From 19.8 Weeks To 39.8 Weeks. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/2/12) Never Before Have So Many Americans Been Unemployed For So Long Three Years Into A Recovery. (Paul Wiseman, Economic Recovery Is Weakest Since World War II, The Associated
Press, 8/16/12)

23.2 Million Americans Are Unemployed, Underemployed Or Have Given Up Looking For Work. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/5/12) There Are 12.1 Million Unemployed Workers. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/5/12) 8.6 Million Americans Are Working Part-Time For Economic Reasons. (Bureau Of
Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/5/12)

There Are Currently 802,000 Unemployed Workers That Have Given Up Looking For Work. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/5/12)

Since Employment Hit Bottom, Job Creation Has Had By Far The Worst Performance Since World War II. So the new hiring has replaced 46 percent of the lost jobs, by far the worst performance since World War II. In the previous eight recoveries, the economy had regained more than 350 percent of the jobs lost, on average. (Paul Wiseman, Economic Recovery Is
Weakest Since World War II, The Associated Press, 8/16/12)

HOUSING: FORECLOSURES/UNDERWATER MORTGAGES

PROMISE: Obama Promised That His Housing Program Would Prevent 7 To 9 Million Families From Foreclosure. OBAMA: And we will pursue the housing plan I'm outlining today. And through this plan, we will help between 7 and 9 million families restructure or refinance their mortgages so they can affordavoid foreclosure. (President Barack Obama, Remarks
On The Home Mortgage Industry, Mesa, AZ, 2/18/09)

BROKEN: Obama Promised His Foreclosure Prevention Program Would Help 9 Million Homeowners, But It Has Only Assisted About Two Million Homeowners. The foreclosure prevention fund was the heart of his promise. Obama originally pledged $10 billion but ended up setting aside $75 billion, using TARP funds. He predicted the money would assist 9 million homeowners. But after three years, only about 2 million people have won permanent mortgage help, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. (Molly Moorhead, President Barack Obamas Efforts To Help Foreclosure Crisis Have Fallen Short, Politifact,
5/28/12)

Currently 5.45 Million Residential Mortgages Are Either 30 Days Delinquent Or In Foreclosure. (Press Release, LPS First Look Mortgage Report: August Month-End Data Shows Continued Decline In
Delinquencies, Lender Processing Services, 9/24/12)

Obamas Administration Offered Aid To Fewer Than Half Of Those Facing Foreclosure. Mr. Obama insisted the government should help only responsible borrowers, and his administration offered aid to fewer than half of those facing foreclosure, excluding landlords, owners of big-ticket homes and those judged to have excessive debts. (Binyamin Appelbaum, Cautious Moves On Foreclosures Haunting Obama, The New York Times, 8/19/12) Some Economists And Political Allies Say The Cautious Response To The Housing Crisis Was The Administrations Most Significant Mistake. The nations painfully slow pace of growth is now the primary threat to Mr. Obamas bid for a second term, and some economists and political allies say the cautious response to the housing crisis was the administrations most significant mistake. (Binyamin Appelbaum, Cautious Moves On Foreclosures Haunting
Obama, The New York Times, 8/19/12)

Meanwhile, 2.5 Million Homes Have Been Lost To Foreclosure Since 2009 Meanwhile, 2.5 million homes have been lost to foreclosure since 2009, an additional 4 million are in the foreclosure process or seriously delinquent, and home prices are still falling in much of the U.S., shrinking household wealth for millions of Americans. (Julie Schmit,
What Went Wrong With Foreclosure Aid Programs, USA Today, 12/12/11)

Every Program Has Fallen Far Short Of Goals. Every program has fallen far short of goals. I can't think of one that's been largely successful, says John Dodds, director of the Philadelphia Unemployment Project, a non-profit that's been involved in foreclosure prevention for decades. (Julie Schmit, What Went Wrong With Foreclosure
Aid Programs, USA Today, 12/12/11)

Indeed, The Number Of Foreclosures In 2012 Is Projected To Be Higher Than It Was In 2011, Higher Even Than It Was In 2010, Higher Than In 2009. Indeed, the number of foreclosures in 2012 is projected to be higher than it was in 2011, higher even than it was in 2010, higher than in 2009. (David Coates, The Unfinished
Business Of The Obama Administration: The Foreclosure Crisis, The Huffington Post, 7/10/12)

Of Course, The White House Has Made Big Promises Before About Helping Homeowners, Only To See Them Disappoint Time And Again. The Obama administration recently unveiled a string of proposals to help struggling homeowners and get the housing market back on its feet part of the administration's We Can't Wait election year to-do list. Of course, the White House has made big promises before about helping homeowners, only to see them disappoint time and again. (Cora Currier, Obama Housing
Plans Vs. Reality, ProPublica, 2/14/12)

Negative Equity/Underwater Mortgages As Of The Second Quarter Of 2012, 30.9 Percent 15.3 Million - Of U.S. Homeowners With A Mortgage Are Underwater. According to the second quarter Zillow Negative Equity Report, 30.9 percent of U.S. homeowners with a mortgage are underwater (see Figure 1) 15.3 million people in the second quarter of 2012. (Stan Humphries, Negative Equity
Declines Slightly On The Back Of Modest Home Value Gains, Zillow, 8/22/12)

Treasury Secretary Geithner: But Our Programs Have Dramatically Underperformed What We Thought. We Are Very Disappointed And Frustrated By It And We Have A Lot Of Challenges Ahead. (Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, Committee On Financial
Services, U.S. House Of Representatives, Testimony, 10/6/11)

The Alphabet Soup Of Housing Assistance Programs To Date -- HAMP, HARP, EHLP, 2MP -- Have Been Too Poorly Administered And Too Limited In Scope And Eligibility To Slow Or Halt The Slide In The U.S. Housing Market. (Eric Wieffering, Fixing economy Requires More
Work On Housing, Star Tribune, 9/17/11)

OBAMAS TAX INCREASES

Obama Admits He Wants To Raise Taxes In 2013 If He Is Reelected. OBAMA: That is a reasonable proposition. So, when you hear folks saying Well, the president shouldnt want massive job killing tax increases when the economy is this weak. Nobodys looking to raise taxes right now. Were talking about potentially 2013 and the out-years. (President Barack Obama,
Press Conference, Washington, DC, 7/11/11)

A New Ernst & Young Report On The Looming Fiscal Cliff Found That The Expiration Of Tax Cuts Would Result In A Smaller Economy, Fewer Jobs, Less Investment And Lower Wages. The confluence of fiscal policy changes scheduled to occur at the end of 2012 sometimes referred to as the fiscal cliff poses serious challenges for policy makers. One area of disagreement is the increase in tax rates for high-income taxpayers resulting in part due to the sunset of elements of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts. This report finds that these higher marginal tax rates result in a smaller economy, fewer jobs, less investment, and lower wages. Specifically, this report finds that the higher tax rates will have significant adverse economic effects in the long-run: lowering output, employment, investment, the capital stock, and real after-tax wages when the resulting revenue is used to finance additional government spending. (Drs. Robert Carroll and Gerald Prante, Long-Run Macroeconomic
Impact Of Increasing Tax Rates On High-Income Taxpayers In 2013, Ernst & Young LLP, 7/12)

Employment In The Long-Run Would Fall By 0.5% Or, Roughly 710,000 Fewer Jobs, In Todays Economy. Employment in the long-run would fall by 0.5% or, roughly 710,000 fewer jobs, in todays economy. (Drs. Robert Carroll and Gerald Prante, Long-Run
Macroeconomic Impact Of Increasing Tax Rates On High-Income Taxpayers In 2013, Ernst & Young LLP, 7/12)

The Joint Committee On Taxation Found President Obamas Tax Hike Would Raise Taxes On Nearly One Million Households And Small Businesses. According to JCT, next year 940,000 households within the top 2 percent will report net positive business income and will face marginal tax rates that would be 36 percent or 39.6 percent under Obamas plan, up from 33 percent and 35 percent now. That represents 3.5 percent of taxpayers who have business income and 53 percent of net positive business income, the analysis said. (Richard Rubin, Obama Plan Means
Higher Taxes On Business Profits: Study, Bloomberg, 6/19/12)

Obamas Budget Will Result In Monumental Tax Increases. The only thing that you can be certain will become law in this budget if Mr. Obama is re-elected is the monumental tax increase. His plan would raise tax rates across the board on anyone or any business owners making more than $200,000 for individuals and $250,000 for couples. These are the 3% of taxpayers that Mr. Obama says aren't paying their fair share, though that 3% pays more in income tax than the rest of the other 97%. (Editorial, The Amazing Obama Budget, The Wall
Street Journal, 2/14/12)

Obamas FY2013 Budget Calls For $1.9 Trillion In Higher Taxes. (Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Of The
U.S. Government, OMB, 2/13/12)

This Budget Has $1.9 Trillion In Tax Increases/Revenue Raisers And It Still A) Adds $6.7 Trillion In New Debt From 2013 To 2022, And B) Has Debt As A Share Of GDP Rising From 74.2 Percent This Year To 76.5 Percent In 2022. Wow. (Jim Pethokoukis, First Thoughts On The New Obama Budget, The Americans The Enterprise, 2/13/12)

Obamas FY2013 Trillion Tax Increase Brings The Federal Tax Revenue To Its Second Highest Level Since World War Two, Not A Modest Tax Increase. President Obama is not proposing modest tax increases. His $1.7 trillion tax hike would take federal tax revenue (as a share of output) to its second highest level since World War Two. Only once, outside of WWII, was revenue higher. And that was in 2000, when money was flooding into federal coffers due to capital gains from the final days of the Internet stock bubble. (James Pethokoukis, A Load Of Economic Nonsense From
Geithner, The Americans Enterprise, 2/15/12)

PolitiFact Rates Obamas Tax Pledge As Promise Broken. We were willing to give President Barack Obama a Compromise rating on this promise when a new cigarette tax went into effect. But the latest health care bill includes more broad-based taxes that are pushing us toward Promise Broken. (Angie Drobnic Holan, Smokers, Tanning Aficionados, The Happily Uninsured:
More Taxes Coming At Ya!, PolitiFact, 4/8/10)

Biden Said Yes We Do Want To Raise Taxes By A Trillion Dollars. BIDEN: On top of the trillions of dollars of spending that we have already cut, were gonna ask yes were gonna ask the wealthy to pay more. My heart breaks, come on man. You know the phrase they always use? Obama and Biden want to raise taxes by a trillion dollars. Guess what? Yes we do in one regard. We want to let that trillion dollar tax cut expire so the middle class doesnt have to bear the burden of all that money going to the super wealthy. Thats not a tax raise, thats called fairness where I come from. (Vice President Joe Biden, Remarks At A Campaign Event,
Council Bluffs, IA, 10/4/12)

ObamaCare The Wall Street Journal: Obama Has Imposed The Largest Tax Increase In History On The Middle Class. It is now undeniable that Mr. Obama has imposed the largest tax increase in history on the middle class. Individuals who don't buy insurance will have to pay several hundred dollars, depending on income. The Congressional Budget Office says that 76% of those who pay the mandate tax will make less than 500% of the federal poverty level, estimated to be $24,000 for a family of four in 2016. That means 76% of the payers will earn less than $120,000 a year. (Editorial, Its Up To The Voters Now, The Wall Street Journal,
6/28/12)

80 Percent Of Those Wholl Face The Penalty Would Be Making Up To Or Less Than Five Times The Federal Poverty Level. And the budget office analysis found that nearly 80 percent of those who'll face the penalty would be making up to or less than five times the federal poverty level. Currently that would work out to $55,850 or less for an individual and $115,250 or less for a family of four. (Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Tax Penalty To Hit Nearly 6M Uninsured
People, The Associated Press, 9/20/12)

The Joint Committee On Taxation Report Found That The ObamaCare Tax Will Hit Middle-Class Americans. There are a number of tax provisions in the health care bill that may directly increase taxes on some individuals and families earning less than $200,000 and $250,000 per year. (Joint Committee On Taxation, Letter To Senator Tom Coburn, 3/20/12) Non-Partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO): 6 Million People Will Pay A Penalty Because They Are Uninsured In 2016. After accounting for those who will not be subject to the penalty tax, CBO and JCT now estimate that about 6 million people will

pay a penalty because they are uninsured in 2016 (a figure that includes uninsured dependents who have the penalty paid on their behalf) and that total collections will be about $7 billion in 2016 and average about $8 billion per year over the 20172022 period.
(Payments Of Penalties For Being Uninsured Under The Affordable Care Act, Congressional Budget Office, 9/19/12)

Thats 2 Million More Than A Previous Estimate Found, Or A 50 Percent Increase. (Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Tax Penalty To Hit Nearly 6 Million Uninsured People, The Associated Press,
9/19/12)

The Average Penalty Will Be Nearly $1,200. (Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Tax Penalty To Hit Nearly
6 Million Uninsured People, The Associated Press, 9/19/12)

Projected Tax Revenue From 2016-2022: $55 Billion. (Payments Of Penalties For Being
Uninsured Under The Affordable Care Act, Congressional Budget Office, 9/19/12)

CBO: In 2016, 4.7 Million Americans Who Live In Families That Earn Up To $123,000 Annually Will Be Subjected To The Obamacare Tax. (Payments Of Penalties For Being Uninsured Under
The Affordable Care Act, Congressional Budget Office, 9/12)

CBO: 600,000 Americans Who Live In Families That Earn Less Than The Federal Poverty Level Of $24,600 Annually Will Be Subjected To The ObamaCare Tax. (Payments Of Penalties For Being Uninsured Under The Affordable Care Act, Congressional
Budget Office, 9/19/12)

CBO: 1.2 Million Americans Who Live In Families That Earn Between $24,600 And $49,200 Annually Will Be Subjected To The Tax. (Payments Of Penalties For Being
Uninsured Under The Affordable Care Act, Congressional Budget Office, 9/19/12)

CBO: 1.2 Million Americans Who Live In Families That Earn Between $49,200 And $73,800 Annually Will Be Subjected To The ObamaCare Tax. (Payments Of
Penalties For Being Uninsured Under The Affordable Care Act, Congressional Budget Office, 9/19/12)

CBO: 1.1 Million Americans Who Live In Families That Earn Between $73,800 And $98,400 Annually Will Be Subjected To The ObamaCare Tax. (Payments Of
Penalties For Being Uninsured Under The Affordable Care Act, Congressional Budget Office, 9/19/12)

CBO: 600,000 Americans Who Live In Families That Earn Between $98,400 And $123,000 Annually Will Be Subjected To The ObamaCare Tax. (Payments Of
Penalties For Being Uninsured Under The Affordable Care Act, Congressional Budget Office, 9/19/12)

Obama Pays For His Government Takeover Of Health Care With $820.8 Billion In JobKilling Taxes On Small Businesses, Investments And Innovation. (Updated Estimates For The
Insurance Coverage Provisions Of The Affordable Care Act, Congressional Budget Office, 3/12; Estimated Revenue Effects Of A Proposal To Repeal Certain Tax Provisions Contained In The Affordable Care Act, Joint Committee On Taxation, 6/15/12; Payments Of Penalties For Being Uninsured Under The Affordable Care Act, Congressional Budget Office, 9/19/12)

BROKEN PROMISE: FOCUS ON ECONOMY/JOBS, 5 MILLION NEW JOBS

Obama Promised To Focus On The Economy PROMISE: Obama Said That The Economy Was His Overriding Focus. OBAMA: This is my administration's overriding focus. Having brought the economy back from the brink, the question is how are we going to make sure that people are getting back to work and able to support their families. It's not going to happen overnight, but we will not rest until we are succeeding in generating the jobs that this economy needs. (President Barack Obama,
Remarks By The President During The Meeting Of The President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board, The White House, 11/2/09)

Obama Said That Jobs Are The First Thing I Think About When I Wake Up The Morning And The Last Thing I Think About When I Go To Bed Each Night. OBAMA: And Im focused on those issues, but you should know that keeping the economy going and making sure jobs are available is the first thing I think about when I wake up the morning; its the last thing I think about when I go to bed each night. And I will not be satisfied until every American who wants a good job can find one and every American gets a shot at the American Dream. Thats what were focused on. Thats what were fighting for. (President
Barack Obama, Remarks On The Clean Fleet Partnership, Landover, MD, 4/1/11)

BROKEN: By The End Of 2009, The White House Assumed A Recovery Was Under Way And So Fixing The Economy Was No Longer Their Top Priority. Today, that brief period of optimism looks like one of the worst things that could have happened to the White House, other Democrats and, above all, the economy. The nascent recovery removed the urgency that the Obama administration and Democratic senators felt in early 2009. They still favored more action, like aid to states and tax cuts, but it was no longer their top priority. They assumed a recovery was under way. We now know, of course, that the recovery has stalled. (David Leonhardt, Job Losses Outweigh Administrations Successes, The New York Times, 10/26/10) Charlie Cook: It Was A Colossal Mistake To Shift Focus To Health Care Instead Of Focusing Like A Laser Beam On The Economy. But nearly a year after Obama's inauguration, judging by where the Democrats stand today, it's clear that they have made a colossal miscalculation. The latest unemployment and housing numbers underscore the folly of their decision to pay so much attention to health care and climate change instead of focusing on the economy like a laser beam, as President Clinton pledged to do during his 1992 campaign. (Charlie Cook,
Colossal Miscalculation On Health Care, National Journal, 2/16/10)

PIVOT: JANUARY 2010: Obama Says He Will Have A Sustained And Relentless Focus Over The Next Several Months On Accelerating The Pace Of Job Creation, Because Thats Priority Number One. OBAMA: What they can expect from this administration, and I know what they can expect from you, is that we are going to have a sustained and relentless focus over the next several months on accelerating the pace of job creation, because that's priority number one. (President Barack Obama, Remarks At The House Democratic Caucus Retreat,
Washington, DC 1/14/10)

Obama Told Town Hall In Tampa, Florida That Creating Jobs Has To Be Our Number One Priority In 2010. OBAMA: But I think all of you understand the devastation remains. One in 10 Americans still can't find work. That's why creating

jobs has to be our number one priority in 2010.(President Barack Obama, Remarks At Town Hall
Meeting, Tampa, FL, 1/28/10)

PIVOT: DECEMBER 2010: Obama Said We Now Have To Pivot And Focus On Jobs And Growth. OBAMA: Well, I do think that the car is on level ground. I mean, the car is the economy. And I think we are past the crisis point in the economy, but we now have to pivot and focus on jobs and growth. (President Barack Obama, News Conference, Washington D.C., 12/22/10) Obama Promised To Create Five Million New Jobs PROMISE: Obama Promised To Create Five Million New Jobs. OBAMA: And then we can invest $15 billion a year in renewable sources of energy, building wind turbines and solar panel, a new electricity grid, the next generation of biofuels, invest in clean coal technology, find ways that we can create five million new jobs, new energy jobs, all across it country, jobs that pay well, jobs that can't be outsourced. (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks At Campaign
Event, Cleveland, OH, 11/2/08)

BROKEN: Since Obama Took Office, The Nation Has Lost 61,000 Jobs And The Unemployment Rate Has Been Above Or At 7.8 Percent (What The Rate Was When Obama Took Office) for 45 Straight Months. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/5/12)

Under Obama, The Unemployment Rate Was Above 8 Percent For A Record 43 Straight Months. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/5/12)

Obama Predicted His Investments In Green Energy Would Create 5 Million Jobs PROMISE: In 2008, Obama Claimed His Investments In Green Energy Would Create 5 Million New Jobs. OBAMA: And I'll invest $150 billion over the next decade in affordable, renewable sources of energy -- wind power, and solar power, and the next generation of biofuels -- an investment that will lead to new industries and 5 million new jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced. (Sen. Barack Obama, Acceptance Speech Remarks At The Democratic National Convention,
Denver, CO, 8/28/08)

BROKEN: The Green Economy Is Not Proving To Be The Job-Creation Engine That Many Politicians Envisioned. In the Bay Area as in much of the country, the green economy is not proving to be the job-creation engine that many politicians envisioned. President Obama once pledged to create five million green jobs over 10 years. Gov. Jerry Brown promised 500,000 clean-technology jobs statewide by the end of the decade. But the results so far suggest such numbers are a pipe dream. (Aaron Glantz, Number Of Green Jobs Fails To Live Up
To Promises, The New York Times, 8/18/11)

The Millions Of Green Jobs Obama Promised Have Been Slow To Sprout But the millions of green jobs Obama promised have been slow to sprout, disappointing many who had hoped that the $90 billion earmarked for clean-energy efforts in the recessionfighting federal stimulus package would ease unemployment - still above 8 percent in March. (Andy Sullivan, Analysis: Obama's Green Jobs Have Been Slow To Sprout, Reuters, 4/13/12) Green Technology Jobs Account For Just Two Percent Of Employment Nationwide. A study released in July by the non-partisan Brookings Institution found clean-technology jobs accounted for just 2 percent of employment nationwide and only slightly more 2.2 percent in Silicon Valley. Rather than adding jobs, the study found, the sector actually

lost 492 positions from 2003 to 2010 in the South Bay, where the unemployment rate in June was 10.5 percent. (Aaron Glantz, Number Of Green Jobs Fails To Live Up To Promises, The New York Times, 8/18/11) The Failure Of Obamas Green Jobs Programs Gets More Embarrassing By The Day. The green jobs subsidy story gets more embarrassing by the day. Three years ago President Obama promised that by the end of the decade America would have five million green jobs, but so far some $90 billion in government spending has delivered very few.
(Editorial, Green Jobs Brown Out, The Wall Street Journal, 10/11/11)

Despite Soaring Promises From Obama And His Allies, Green Energy Has Barely Taken Flight And Has Failed To Create Jobs. New clean-energy sources could address environmental, economic and national security problems all at once. In his 2008 convention speech, Barack Obama promised to create five million green economy jobs. The U.S. Conference of Mayors estimated in April 2009 that green jobs could account for 10 percent of new job growth over the next 30 years. Alas, it was not to be. (David Brooks, Op-Ed,
Where The Jobs Arent, The New York Times, 9/5/11)

Theres A Wealth Of Other Evidence To Suggest That The Green Economy Will Not Be A Short-Term Jobs Machine. According To Investors Business Daily, Executives At Johnson Controls Turned $300 Million In Green Technology Grants Into 150 Jobs Thats $2 Million Per Job. (David Brooks, Where The Jobs Arent, The
New York Times, 9/5/11)

Federal And State Efforts To Stimulate Creation Of Green Jobs Have Largely Failed. Federal and state efforts to stimulate creation of green jobs have largely failed, government records show. Two years after it was awarded $186 million in federal stimulus money to weatherize drafty homes, California has spent only a little over half that sum and has so far created the equivalent of just 538 full-time jobs in the last quarter, according to the State Department of Community Services and Development. (Aaron Glantz, Number Of Green Jobs
Fails To Live Up To Promises, The New York Times, 8/18/11)

The Energy Department Has Handed Out $35.2 Billion From The Stimulus, But The Clean Energy Industry Has Yet To Provide The Boost Many Had Hoped For. The Energy Department handed out $35.2 billion from the Recovery Act for energy efficiency and other initiatives. At the time, clean energy was seen as a potentially powerful industry for job creation. But the industry has yet to provide the boost many had hoped for. (Vauhini
Vara, Red Flags For Green Energy, The Wall Street Journal, 10/12/11)

Austan Goolsbee Warned Then-Sen. Obama That Hiring From A Clean-Energy Initiative Would Be Modest. Nearly two years before, Goolsbee had told Obama, then an underdog candidate, that hiring from a clean-energy initiative would be modest. But now the White House was offering official pronouncements and fanfare, presenting the president and his top officials, for six thousand jobs? The economy had lost seven million jobs in the last two years of recession; economists agreed that unless it added a hundred thousand a month, the unemployment rate wouldnt budge. (Ron Suskind, Confidence Men: Wall Street,
Washington, And The Education Of A President, Harper, 2011, p. 366-367)

White House Insiders Dubbed Obamas Clean-Energy Grants The Science Fair That Yielded An Array Of Projects They Referred To As S And S Programs For Somehow, Some Way. In the scheme of things, the clean-energy grantswhich

some inside the White House were already dubbing the science fairwere a rounding error. They fit into a broader category of programs that flowed from Obamas famous line, during the campaign and since, that the hardest thing in Washington was to solve tomorrows problems with todays dollars. Trenchant and true. But over the first year, it yielded an array of what were commonly referred to in the White House as S and S programs, for somehow, some way. Which was the unintended point being made today in the East Room: the president was occupied with S and S programs, which would not bear fruit for years, while the economy listed forward, with the highest levels of unemployment since the Great Depression. (Ron Suskind, Confidence Men: Wall Street, Washington, And The Education Of A President, Harper, 2011,
p. 366-367)

MANUFACTURING
Obama Says Manufacturing Is Coming Back But Since Obama Took Office, The Nation Has Lost 610,000 Manufacturing Jobs. (Bureau Of
Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/10/12)

The Washington Posts Glenn Kessler: Bureau Of Labor Statistics Data Shows That Manufacturing Jobs Have Declined By More Than 500,000. Clinton is referring to the period since February 2010, the administrations preferred date for counting employment figures. If you count from the beginning of Obamas term, Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that manufacturing jobs have declined by more than 500,000. (Glenn Kessler, Fact Checking
Bill Clintons Speech And Other Democrats At The Convention In Charlotte, The Washington Posts The Fact Checker, 9/6/12)

The August ISM Index Is The Worst Reading Since July 2009. The Institute for Supply Management manufacturing index fell to 49.6% in August, lower than the 49.8% in July and the worst reading since July 2009. (Greg Robb, ISM Factory Index Contracts For Third Month, MarketWatch, 9/4/12) Reuters Headline: Manufacturing Another Headache For U.S. Economy (Jonathan Spicer,
Manufacturing Another Headache For U.S. Economy, Reuters, 9/4/12)

Manufacturing Has Been A Drag On The Slow U.S. Economic Recovery, Which Is Stalling And Struggling To Add Jobs Now Some Three Years After The Brutal Recession And Financial Crisis Ended. ISM's index of national factory activity fell to 49.6 in August, from 49.8 in July, and just shy of the 50.0 median estimate in a Reuters poll of economists. A reading below 50 indicates contraction in the key sector. Manufacturing has been a drag on the slow U.S. economic recovery, which is stalling and struggling to add jobs now some three years after the brutal recession and financial crisis ended. (Jonathan
Spicer, Manufacturing Another Headache For U.S. Economy, Reuters, 9/4/12)

The Reality Behind Manufacturing Under Obama According To A Former High-Raking Official In The Obama Administration, The Critics That Say That The Administration Didnt Really Fight For A Manufacturing Policy Have A Strong Point. But the divisions within the White House have often frustrated those who wanted a sharper focus on manufacturing. The critics would say we didnt really fight for manufacturing policy, said another former high-ranking official who took part in many of those meetings and who did not want to be named because the discussions were confidential. They have a strong point. (Bill Vlasic, Hiroko Tabuchi, and Charles Duhigg,
In Pursuit Of Nissan, A Jobs Lesson For The Tech Industry?, The New York Times, 8/4/12)

The Trend In American Manufacturing Has Appeared Softer And Has Added To Concerns The Economic Recovery Is Losing Steam. The trend in American manufacturing has appeared softer and has added to concerns the economic recovery is losing steam. The decline in new orders in June will probably mean softer output down the road, which could weigh on economic growth. (U.S. Manufacturing May Be Softening; Factory Orders Fell In
June, Reuters, 8/2/12)

Manufacturing Has Slowed In Recent Months, Along With The Broader Economy. Manufacturing has helped drive growth since the recession ended three years ago. But it has slowed in recent months, along with the broader economy. (Christopher S. Rugaber, US Economy
Looks Weaker, Business Confidence Dims, The Associated Press, 7/26/12)

Politifact: The Manufacturing Uptick Of The Last Two Years Is Small And Employment Is Still Down Compared To The Start Of Obamas Term. The manufacturing uptick of the last two years is small a 3 percent jump after a 35 percent drop the prior 12 years. Employment is still down compared to the start of Obamas term.
(Dave Umhoefer, President Barack Obama Says American Manufacturers Are Creating New Jobs For The First Time Since 1990, Politifact, 2/22/12)

FactCheck.org: Manufacturing Represents A Disproportionate Share Of Job Losses Since Obama Took Office. In fact, manufacturing jobs represent a disproportionate share of job losses since Obama took office. In all, the U.S. has lost a net 864,000 non-farm jobs since January 2009 a decline of one half of 1 percent. But manufacturing jobs are down 5 percent since then. One recent study found that at the current pace, it will take until 2020 for the U.S. to recover the manufacturing jobs lost since 2007. (Eugene Kiely, Bidens
Manufactured Jobs Claims, FactCheck.org, 3/29/12)

FactCheck.org: In Fact, The Manufacturing Sector Has Taken A Bigger Hit Under Obama Undercutting Bidens Claim That Manufacturing Is Back.
(Eugene Kiely, Bidens Manufactured Jobs Claims, FactCheck.org, 3/29/12)

FactCheck.org: The Information Technology & Innovation Foundation Dismissed The Pace Of Recent Job Gains As Too Slow And Talk Of A Manufacturing Renaissance As Premature. In fact, a recent study on U.S. manufacturing by the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation dismissed the pace of recent job gains as too slow and talk of a manufacturing renaissance as premature. The bipartisan think tank whose honorary co-chairs are two Republican and two Democratic members of Congress says in its report that at the current pace it would take until 2020 to return to where the economy was in terms of manufacturing jobs at the end of 2007. (Eugene Kiely, Bidens Manufactured Jobs Claims,
FactCheck.org, 3/29/12)

ABC News Fact Check: Economists And Business Leaders Are Skeptical That Obama Has Anything To Do With Recent Manufacturing Trends. But as for whether it was Obama who made it happen and whether it can be sustained many economists and some business leaders remain circumspect. They say shifting business conditions and consumer demand abroad, coupled with a transition to more efficient practices and new technologies at home largely explain the trend. (Devin Dwyer, Fact Check: Obama And The Resurgence Of
American Manufacturing, ABC News, 2/16/12)

The Recent Gains Of Tens Of Thousands Of Jobs Have Made Little Dent In The 6 Million Manufacturing Jobs Lost Since 1997. Master Lock CEO Jon Heppner, as an example, has said higher labor and logistical costs in Asia spurred his decision to look for workers in Wisconsin rather than China. And, they note, the recent gains of tens of thousands of jobs have made little dent in the 6 million manufacturing jobs lost since 1997. (Devin Dwyer, Fact Check: Obama And The Resurgence Of American Manufacturing, ABC
News, 2/16/12)

COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY AND STUDENT LOAN DEBT

Obama Promised To Make College Affordable, But The Cost Of College Is At An All Time High The Cost Of College Is Currently At An All Time High. Nationally, the cost of a full credit load has passed $8,000, an all-time high. Throw in room and board, and the average list price for a state school now runs more than $17,000 a year, according to the twin annual reports on college costs and student aid published Wednesday by the College Board. (Justin Pope, College Prices Up Again As States Slash Budgets, The Associated Press, 10/26/11) In The Past Year, Average Tuition For In-State Public College Rose 8.3 Percent. Published in-state tuition and fees at public four-year institutions average $8,244 in 201112, $631 (8.3%) higher than in 2010-11. Average total charges, including tuition and fees and room and board, are $17,131, up 6.0% from 2010-11. (Trends In College Pricing 2011, College
Board, 2011-12)

In The Past Year, Average Tuition For Public Two-Year Colleges Rose 8.7 Percent. Published tuition and fees at public two-year colleges average $2,963, $236 (8.7%) higher than in 2010-11. (Trends In College Pricing 2011, College Board, 2011-12)

The Cost Of College Has Increased Faster Than The Rate Of Inflation And If The Current Trend Continues, The Cost Of College Will Have More Than Doubled In Just 15 Years. Nationally, state and local spending per college student, adjusted for inflation, reached a 25-year low this year, jeopardizing the long-held conviction that state-subsidized higher education is an affordable steppingstone for the lower and middle classes. All the while, the cost of tuition and fees has continued to increase faster than the rate of inflation, faster even than medical spending. If the trends continue through 2016, the average cost of a public college will have more than doubled in just 15 years, according to the Department of Education. (Andrew Martin and Andrew W. Lehren, A Generation Hobbled By The Soaring Cost Of College, The New York
Times, 5/12/12)

Under Obama, A Record Number Of U.S. Households Have Student Loan Debt Student Debt Has Stretched To A Record Number Of U.S. Households - Nearly 1 In 5. With college enrollment growing, student debt has stretched to a record number of U.S. households - nearly 1 in 5 - with the biggest burdens falling on the young and poor. (Hope
Yen, Student Debt Stretches To Record 1 In 5 Households, The Associated Press, 9/27/12)

The Share Of Households With Student Loan Debt Has Increased Sharply. Even as the nation's households have reduced their total debt in recent years, the share that owes student loans has increased sharply, an analysis of the latest available Federal Reserve data shows. (Mary Beth Marklein, Report Shows Increase In Those With Student Debt, Loans, USA Today, 9/27/12) 22.4 Million Households, Or 19 Percent, Had College Debt In 2010 Up From 15 Percent In 2007. The analysis by the Pew Research Center found that 22.4 million households, or 19 percent, had college debt in 2010. That is double the share in 1989, and up from 15 percent in 2007, just prior to the recession - representing the biggest three-year increase in student debt in more than two decades. (Hope Yen,
Student Debt Stretches To Record 1 In 5 Households, The Associated Press, 9/27/12)

Across All Households, The Average Outstanding College Debt Increased From $23,349 To $26,682. Across all households, the average outstanding college debt increased from $23,349 to $26,682. For the poorest 20 percent of households, the average debt rose from $19,018 to $20,640. (Hope Yen, Student Debt Stretches To Record 1 In 5 Households, The Associated
Press, 9/27/12)

Among Households Headed By Someone Younger Than 35, A Record 40% Owe Student Debt, The Highest Share Among Any Age Group. The Pew center's deeper dive into the data found, that among households headed by someone younger than 35, a record 40% owe student debt, the highest share among any age group. Among households earning less than $21,000, outstanding debt represented 24% of household income. (Mary
Beth Marklein, Report Shows Increase In Those With Student Debt, Loans, USA Today, 9/27/12)

For All Borrowers, The Average Debt In 2011 Was $23,300, With 10 Percent Owing More Than $54,000 And 3 Percent More Than $100,000. For all borrowers, the average debt in 2011 was $23,300, with 10 percent owing more than $54,000 and 3 percent more than $100,000, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reports. Average debt for bachelor degree graduates who took out loans ranges from under $10,000 at elite schools like Princeton and Williams College, which have plenty of wealthy students and enormous endowments, to nearly $50,000 at some private colleges with less affluent students and less financial aid. (Andrew Martin and Andrew W. Lehren, A Generation Hobbled By The Soaring Cost Of
College, The New York Times, 5/12/12)

A New Report By The Department Of Education And CFPB Reports Outstanding Student Loan Debt Totals More Than $1 Trillion. As in the housing market, securitization of student loans led to more aggressive underwriting for borrowers who could not possibly afford the debt they took on, according to a government report. The 131page report was formally released by the Education Department and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Friday. It provides new estimates for total outstanding student loan debt: more than $1 trillion in 2011, composed of $864 billion in federal government loans and $150 billion in private student loan debt. Cumulative defaults on private student loans exceeded $8 billion, a sum from over 850,000 distinct loans. (Catherine
Rampell, Report Details Woes Of Student Loan Debt, The New York Times, 7/20/12)

Student Loans Have Surpassed Credit Card Debt As The Biggest Source Of Unsecured Debt For U.S. Consumers. It has surpassed credit card debt as the biggest source of unsecured debt for U.S. consumers. (Daniel Wagner, Study: Student Loans Went
To People Who Couldnt Repay, The Associated Press, 7/20/12)

Student Loan Debt Amongst College Seniors Is Up 5 Percent From Last Year. College seniors who graduated with student loans individually owed an average of $25,250, up 5 percent from the previous year, according to a study by Brewers group. (Eric Plainin, Student
Loans Seen As Potential Next Debt Bomb, For U.S. Economy, The Washington Post, 3/10/12)

More Than Three Million Households Now Owe At Least $50,000 In Student Loans. The figures put this segment at the heart of a larger trend striking across income groups. More than three million households now owe at least $50,000 in student loans, up from about 794,000 in 2001 and fewer than 300,000 in 1989, after adjusting for inflation. (Ruth
Simon and Rob Barry, College Debt Hits Well-Off, The Wall Street Journal, 8/9/12)

NO COHERENT ENERGY POLICY

Obama Promised To Make Energy A Leading Priority, Even Saying That America Couldnt Accept More Broken Promises PROMISE: In 2008, Obama Called Energy A Leading Priority Of His Presidency. OBAMA: Looking ahead, I'm confident that we will be ready to begin the journey towards a new energy frontier on January 20th. This will be a leading priority of my presidency and a defining test of our time. (President-Elect Barack Obama, Remarks in Chicago Announcing Energy And Environment Team,
Chicago, IL, 12/15/08)

Obama: We Cant Afford Complacency Nor Accept More Broken Promises On Energy. We can't afford complacency nor accept more broken promises. We wont create a new energy economy overnight. We won't protect our environment overnight. But we can begin that work right now, if we think anew and if we act anew. Now we must have the will to act and to act boldly. (President-Elect Barack Obama, Remarks in Chicago Announcing Energy And Environment Team,
Chicago, IL, 12/15/08)

Obama In 2008: As President, I Will Work To Solve This Energy Crisis Once And For All. OBAMA: Everywhere I go in Indiana, and across this country, I'm talking to folks who are working harder and harder just to get by. At a time when our economy is in turmoil and wages are stagnant, hardworking families are struggling to pay rising costs, and few costs obviously are rising faster than the ones people pay at the pump. For the well-off in this country, high gas prices are mostly an annoyance, but to most Americans, they're a huge problem, bordering on a crisis. Here in Indiana, gas costs $3.60 a gallon - and across the country, gas costs more than at any time in almost thirty years. And as President, I will work to solve this energy crisis once and for all. We'll invest $150 billion over the next ten years in establishing a green energy sector that will create up to 5 million new jobs - and those are jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced. We'll invest in clean energies like solar, wind, and biodiesel. And we'll help make sure that the fuel we're using is more efficient. (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks On Energy Plan,, Indianapolis, IN, 4/25/08) Obama In 2008: I want to invest that money in clean, affordable, renewable sources of energy like wind power, and solar power, and biofuels, so that we're not here talking about high gas prices next summer, and the summer after that, and five summers after that. (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks, Winston-Salem, NC, 4/29/08)

BROKEN: Even Obama Has Said Hes Failed On Energy, Saying His Energy Policy Is Just A Hodgepodge. OBAMA: Our energy policy still is just a hodgepodge, and for all the progress we've made, we're not where we need to be in making sure that this is an energyefficient economy that is running on all cylinders. (President Barack Obama, Remarks By The President At A
DNC Event, Miami, FL, 6/13/11)

Obama In His Own Words: We Still Don't Have All The Energy Policies In Place That We Need To Free Ourselves From Dependence On Foreign Oil And Adequately Deal With Climate Change. We still don't have all the energy policies in place that we need to free ourselves from dependence on foreign oil and adequately deal with climate change, despite the fact that we've doubled fuel economy standards on cars and made enormous

progress on clean energy -- and that means that I'm going to need another term to finish the job. (President Barack Obama, Remarks At Campaign Event #2, Speech, New York, NY, 11/30/11) Obama: We Havent Had An Energy Policy In This Country That Makes Sense And Frees Ourselves From Dependence On Foreign Oil. (President Barack Obama, Remarks By The President
On The American Jobs Act, Millers Creek, NC, 10/17/11)

NBC News Chuck Todd Said Theres No Issue That Has Been A Bigger Bust For The President Than Energy Policy In General. MSNBCs CHUCK TODD: Very quickly, presidents going down to Miami to give an energy speech. Nia, youve been with me, I feel like, on the front lines covering the president from the day he took office. There is no issue that has been a, I guess, a bigger bust for the president than energy policy in general. Theres a lot of, we can come up with a lot of excuses as to why, but boy, its just like you cant hes made no progress. THE WASHINGTON POSTs NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON: No, hes made no progress. I remember covering him on the campaign and he would talk about, you know, turning these manufacturing plants into wind turbine plants and it seemed to work then, but, you know, in terms of the reality and on the ground actually success during his presidency, absolutely none. (MSNBCs "The Daily Rundown," 2/23/12) Former Obama Advisor Steven Rattner Said We Have Absolutely No Energy Policy. RATTNER:Its a viable issue. But lets look at the facts. The U.S., in fact, notwithstanding the fact we have absolutely no energy policy and we all including myself believe we should have one, has not really been that much a part of the problem lately. (MSNBCs Morning Joe,
3/9/12)

FOREIGN OIL DEPENDENCY

While Trying To Take Credit For Weaning The U.S. From Foreign Oil, Obama Has Done Nothing To Encourage American Energy Independence Obama: Our Oil Production Is Higher Than It's Been In The Last Eight Years And Imports Of Foreign Oil Have Actually Dropped. (President Barack Obama, Remarks By The President At A
Campaign Event, The White House, 6/1/12)

Obama Taking Credit For Decrease Of Foreign Oil Imports When Imports Of Crude Oil And Petroleum Started To Fall In 2005Long Before Obama. While

it's true that domestic crude oil production is higher than it's been any year since 2003, and it's also true that oil imports are lower than they've been since 1999, Obama can't take credit for either. A report from the US Energy Information Administration shows that

imports of crude oil and petroleum started to fall in 2005 -- long before Obama entered the Oval Office. Add to that the fact that many experts (even the CEO of Exxon Mobil) think that U.S. demand for oil has already peaked and will only decline in the future -- as a result of many factors, among them demographic change, greater use of alternative energy and better fuel efficiency. And though it's true that Obama has increased fuel-efficiency standards, as The New York Times points out, his changes didn't take effect until this year. Lastly -- and this is easily seen in the data from the EIA -- the Great Recession further reduced already-declining U.S. demand for oil, as families and companies cut back on expenses. (Hunter Stuart, 7 Misleading Things
Obama Has Said In The Past 33 Days, The Huffington Post, 6/26/12)

Decrease Of Reliance On Middle East Oil Comes from Widespread Use Of Hydraulic Fracturing. A good portion of this surprising bounty comes from the widespread use of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, a technique perfected during the last decade in U.S. fields previously deemed not worth tampering with. (Angel Gonzalez,
Expanded Oil Drilling Helps U.S. Wean Itself From Mideast, The Wall Street Journal, 6/26/12)

FactCheck.org: [T]he U.S. Is Still A Long Way From Being Free Of The Tyranny Of Oil Once And For All, As Obama Said. (DAngelo Gore, Promises, Promises, FactCheck.org, 1/4/12) He Doesnt Want To Admit It, But President Obama Is Taking Credit For Something George W. Bush Did. The White House Is Touting Federal Data That Shows Domestic Oil Production Is At Its Highest Level Since 2003. (Amy Harder, Obamas Fuzzy Oil Production Math,
National Journal, 3/17/11)

It Is Absolutely Not True That Obamas Policies Have Helped Wean The U.S. From Foreign Oil. When asked, though, whether the Obama administrations policies have helped wean the U.S. from foreign oil, Gheit was equally emphatic. Absolutely not true, Gheit said. It was all market driven and all through American ingenuity.It was no thanks to Washington, not thanks to lobbyists, not thanks to anybody. (Josh Gerstein, What Obamas First Ad
Doesnt Say, Politicos Under The Radar, 1/19/12)

Gheit Said The Overall Political Climate In The U.S.The Relatively Stable Currency And Low Chance Of Drilling Projects Being Confiscated Or NationalizedHelps Win Energy Investment, But He Views That As Distinct From Any Administration Policies. (Josh Gerstein, What Obamas First Ad Doesnt Say, Politicos Under
The Radar, 1/19/12)

A Decrease In Dependence On Foreign Oil Is Not Tethered To Anything Obama Has Done And Is Due To Factors Before Obama Took Office. The Obama ad that quickly slips in claims that slickly appear to be the result of Obamas policies, though the ad does not directly make that claima reference to 2.7 million clean-energy jobs, a note that for the first time in 13 years foreign oil imports are below 50 percent. Those figures are correct, but they are also not tethered to anything Obama has done. The report that mentioned the 2.7 million jobs simply said that is how many potentially exist. Meanwhile, the Energy Department cited a host of reasons why foreign oil imports have declined, noting the main reason was a significant contraction in consumption because of the poor economy and changes in efficiency that began two years before the 2008 crisisie, before Obama took office. (Glenn Kessler, Obama Ad Cherry-Picks Fact Checking Organization, The Washington Posts The Fact
Checker, 1/19/12)

The Wall Street Journal: The Reality Is That Most Of The Increase In U.S. Oil And Gas Production Has Come Despite The Obama Administration. (Editorial, Stupid And Oil Prices, The
Wall Street Journal, 2/27/12)

The United States Is Increasing Its Dependence On Oil From Saudi Arabia, Raising Its Imports From The Kingdom By More Than 20 Percent This Year The United States is increasing its dependence on oil from Saudi Arabia, raising its imports from the kingdom by more than 20 percent this year, even as fears of military conflict in the tinderbox Persian Gulf region grow. The increase in Saudi oil exports to the United States began slowly last summer and has picked up pace this year. Until then, the United States had decreased its dependence on foreign oil and from the Gulf in particular. (Clifford Krauss, U.S. Reliance On Oil From
Saudi Arabia Is Growing Again, The New York Times, 8/17/12)

KEYSTONE
Obama Rejected The Keystone Pipeline Obama Sacrificed A Rich Source Of Petroleum And Denied A Permit To Build The Keystone Pipeline. The Obama administration announced Wednesday that it will deny a permit to build the Keystone XL pipeline, an important link between a U.S. market thats thirsty for energy and a rich source of petroleum in nice, stable, neighborly Canada. (Editorial,
Pipeline Politics: Misguided Obama Blocks Keystone Pipeline, Chicago Tribune, 1/19/12)

Obamas Decision To Postpone Ruling On The Keystone Pipeline Is A Poorly Disguised Political Punt With 2012 Presidential Politics Written All Over It. The Obama administrations decision to postpone a ruling on the fate of the Keystone XL pipeline till 2013 is a poorly disguised political punt. The ruling has 2012 presidential politics written all over it, despite the environmental reasons given. By delaying a decision on the $7 billion project, which is shovel-ready and would immediately produce an estimated 20,000 well-paying jobs in this country, Obama has avoided offending environmentalists on his partys left, a key fund-raising and voting bloc. We understand that. In a close election, these votes could make a crucial difference for the president. But the administrations attempts to cover this self-evident situation with a variety of fig leaves are utterly disingenuous. (Editorial, Keystone Pipeline Delay Is The Wrong Call, Houston Chronicle, 11/11/11) Obamas Own State Department Said The Proposed Pipeline Poses Little Environmental Risk. The State Department said Friday that a proposed pipeline slated to carry Canadian oil sands to Gulf Coast refineries poses little environmental risk if managed properly, a decision that moves the controversial project one step closer to final approval. (Andrew Restuccia & Ben German, Keystone Oil Sands Pipeline Moves One Step Closer
To Approval, The Hills E2 Wire, 8/26/11)

The Pipeline Had Support From Four Unions. The oil industry, 14 U.S. senators and four unions representing 2.6 million workers have pushed for swift approval of the pipeline, which they said would help keep energy costs down, stimulate $20 billion in spending for the U.S. economy and spur creation of 118,000 jobs. (David
Lerman & Jim Efstathiou Jr., TransCanada Pipelines Environment Risk Limited, U.S. Finds, Bloomberg, 8/26/11)

The Keystone Pipeline Was Expected To Result In As Many As 130,000 Jobs. Many of those 20,000 jobs on the construction of the pipeline would have been filled by skilled union members. Eventually, the completed pipeline was expected to result in as many as 130,000 jobs, many of them on the upper Texas Coast, where the heavy oil would be refined into 700,000 barrels of oil daily. (Editorial, Keystone Pipeline Delay Is The Wrong Call, Houston Chronicle,
11/11/11)

The Hopes Of Some Small Business Owners Were Crushed When Obama Rejected The Pipeline. The hopes of some small business owners in the Nebraskan towns of Fairbury and Steele City were crushed when the Obama administration rejected a proposed expansion of the Keystone oil sands pipeline. (Jose Pagliery, Obamas Keystone Pipeline Nix Worries Small
Business, CNN Money, 1/19/12)

Extending The Canadian Pipeline 1,179 Miles To The Area Promised Both Towns Another Chance To Bounce Back From The Ongoing Economic Crisis.
(Jose Pagliery, Obamas Keystone Pipeline Nix Worries Small Business, CNN Money, 1/19/12)

GAS PRICES
PROMISE: In 2008, Obama Held A Campaign Event In Front Of A Gas Station And Said, As President, I Will Work To Solve This Energy Crisis Once And For All. OBAMA: Everywhere I go in Indiana, and across this country, Im talking to folks who are working harder and harder just to get by. At a time when our economy is in turmoil and wages are stagnant, hardworking families are struggling to pay rising costs, and few costs obviously are rising faster than the ones people pay at the pump. For the well-off in this country, high gas prices are mostly an annoyance, but to most Americans, theyre a huge problem, bordering on a crisis. Here in Indiana, gas costs $3.60 a gallon - and across the country, gas costs more than at any time in almost thirty years. And as President, I will work to solve this energy crisis once and for all. Well invest $150 billion over the next ten years in establishing a green energy sector that will create up to 5 million new jobs - and those are jobs that pay well and cant be outsourced. Well invest in clean energies like solar, wind, and biodiesel. And well help make sure that the fuel were using is more efficient. (Sen. Barack
Obama, Remarks On Energy Plan,, Indianapolis, IN, 4/25/08)

Watch Obamas 2008 Campaign Ad Filmed On Location At A Gas Station

BROKEN: When Obama Took Office, The Price For A Gallon Of Regular Gasoline Was $1.847. (Energy Information Administration, Accessed 10/2/12) For The Week Ending October 22, 2012, The Price For A Gallon Of Regular Gasoline Was $3.687 Under Obama. (Energy Information Administration, Accessed 10/23/12)

At The Beginning Of October 2012, Gas Prices Have Increased 106 Percent Under Obama. The average price of regular gasoline at the pump, as any motorist is painfully aware, has been near historic highs for much of Obamas term. According to the Energy Information Administration, the average was $1.85 the week ending Jan. 19, 2009. And it had more than doubled to $3.80 as of the week ending Oct. 1, 2012. Thats an increase of 106 percent, to be exact. (Obamas Numbers, FactCheck.org, 10/8/12) 2011 Closed Out As The Year With The Highest Average Annual Oil Price In The 150Year History Of The Modern Oil Industry And U.S. Gasoline Process Hit An All Time Record Annual High For A Gallon Of Regular. Already, 2011 closed out as the year with the highest average annual oil price in the 150-year history of the modern oil industry at $111 for a barrel of Brent crude, 13 percent higher than the previous record of $98 a barrel in 2008. U.S. gasoline prices also reached a record annual average high at $3.52 for a gallon of regular. (Coral Davenport, Rising Oil Prices Could Fuel Political Rage, National Journal, 1/7/12) Government And Industry Analysts Predict That Those Prices Will Only Continue To Rise In The Coming Year. (Coral Davenport, Rising Oil Prices Could Fuel Political Rage,
National Journal, 1/7/12)

With National Gasoline Averages of $3.70 A Gallon, 2012 Is Expected To Be The Most Costliest Year Ever At The Pump. Gasoline prices are up sharply in the past month on surging crude oil costs and refinery woes, and now are likely to make 2012 the most costliest year ever at the pump. Nationally, gasoline averages $3.70 a gallon up 30 cents since mid-July and is now higher than year-ago levels in 39 states. Prices are likely to

continue climbing through August, with little relief until after Labor Day. The swift, monthlong, 9% price climb has lifted 2012's average to $3.61 a gallon, vs. 2011's $3.51, which had been the most expensive year ever for motorists. Even with demand expected to recede after the peak summer driving season, 2012 will surpass last year's price, says Brian Milne of energy tracker Telvent DTN. (Gary Strauss, 2012 Gas Prices Heard For Record, USA Today, 8/15/12)

COAL
While Campaigning For President In 2008, Obama Said That His Cap-And-Trade Program Would Bankrupt Coal-Powered Plants. OBAMA: So, if somebody wants to build a coal plant, they can its just that it will bankrupt them, because they are going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas thats being emitted. (Sen. Barack Obama,
Interview With The San Francisco Chronicles Editorial Board, 1/17/08)

111 Coal Power Plants Closed From 2009-2012. But in the past two years, an increasing number of coal-powered electricity plants across the country have announced closures. Estimates vary, but banking and industry analysis firm Credit Suisse put expected and known closures for 2009-2012 at 111 plants, that's one-fifth of the nation's nearly 500 coal plants. (Lisa Desjardins, The War Over Coal Is Personal, CNN, 7/17/12) New Study Shows Obamas Environmental Regulations To Cost Coal-Fired Power Industry $144 Billion And Force 77,000 Megawatts To Be Retired In The Next Five Years. More U.S. coal-fired power plants could retire due to environmental regulations and weaker-than-expected electric demand, costing the industry up to $144 billion, economists at consultancy Brattle Group said. In a new study, Brattles economists forecast 59,000 to 77,000 megawatts (MW) of coal plant capacity would likely retire over the next five years. That was about 25,000 MW more than the firm had estimated in 2010, Brattle said in a release. There is about 317,000 MW of coal-fired capacity now in the United States. (More US Coal Plants To Retire Due To Green Rules-Study, The Associated Press, 10/8/12) According To The American Coalition For Clean Coal Electricity, 204 Coal Units Representing 31,000 Megawatts Of Electric Generating Capacity Will Be Closed Nationally As A Result Of EPA Regulations. The new analysis released today by the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE) shows 204 closing coal units nationally are spread across 25 states and represent 31,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity. The national closures are equivalent to shutting down the entire electricity supply of Ohio. So far, the total number of retirements nationwide is triple the amount of retirements that the EPA had predicted would be caused by its regulations. (Press
Release, New ACCCE Analysis Shows EPA Rules To Shot Down 30 Coal Units In Ohio, American Coalition For Clean Coal Electricity, 9/18/12)

The Wall Street Journal: Most Important, The EPAs Regulatory Cascade Is A Clear And Present Danger To The Reliability And Stability Of The U.S. Power System And Grid. (Editorial, An EPA Moratorium, The Wall Street Journal, 8/29/11) New And Pending EPA Regulations Will Cost 1.65 Million Jobs. Over the period from 2012 to 2020, about 183,000 jobs per year are predicted to be lost on net due to the effects of the four regulations. The cumulative effects mean that over the period from 2012 to 2020, about 1.65 million job-years of employment would be lost. (Potential Impacts Of EPA Air, Coal Combustion Residuals, And Cooling Water Regulations, NERA Economic
Consulting, September 2011)

An Industry-Financed Study Found That New Air Pollution Rules Would Cost Tens Of Thousands Of Jobs And Raise Electricity Rates By More Than 20 Percent In Some Parts Of The Country. (John M. Broder, E.P.A. Sets New Standards For Coal-Burning
Plants, The New York Times, 7/7/11)

Retirement Of Coal Plants Will Raise Electricity Costs For Consumers. Some utility officials said the new rules and others that the Obama administration plans to enact in the coming months could force the retirement of several coal plants. That, in turn, will raise electricity costs for consumers, said American Electric Power spokesman Pat Hemlepp. (Juliet Eilperin & Darryl Fears, EPA To Impose New Power Plant Rules,
The Washington Post, 7/7/11)

The Wall Street Journal: For Three Years The Environmental Protection Agency Has Imposed A De Facto Ban On New Coal-Fired Power While Doing Everything It Can To Harm Existing Coal Plants. (Editorial, Killing Coal, The Wall Street Journal, 4/5/12) Obamas Greenhouse Rule Will Effectively Prohibit New Coal-Fired Power Plants. President Barack Obamas proposed emission rules for power plants effectively prohibit new coal- fired power plants, buttressing the nations shift away from a power source that fueled the Industrial Revolution to cheap natural gas. Obamas Environmental Protection Agency proposed the first limits on greenhouse-gas emissions from U.S. power plants yesterday, setting a standard natural-gas facilities can meet. A new coal plant, however, would need carbon-capture technology, which industry lobbyists say isnt available at competitive rates. (Mark Drajem, Obama Power-Plant Rule Signals Demise Of Old King Coal, Bloomberg, 3/28/12) According To The Electric Power Research Institute, One In Five Coal Plants May Be Too Costly To Retrofit With The Required Pollution Control Technology. Across the nation, one in five coal power plants may be too costly to retrofit to reduce air pollutants such as mercury, according to the Electric Power Research Institute. (David Shaffer, Minnesota
Ponders Fate Of Aging Coal-Burning Power Plants, Star Tribune, 8/8/12)

Energy Information Administration Expects 175 Coal-Fired Generators To Retire Between 2012 And 2016. Plant owners and operators report to EIA that they expect to retire almost 27 gigawatts (GW) of capacity from 175 coal-fired generators between 2012 and 2016. In 2011, there were 1,387 coal-fired generators in the United States, totaling almost 318 GW. The 27 GW of retiring capacity amounts to 8.5% of total 2011 coal-fired capacity. (27 Gigawatts Of Coal-Fired Capacity To Retire over The Next Five Years, Energy Information Administration, 7/27/12) The Cost Of Compliance With Anticipated And Existing Federal Environmental Regulations Such As The Mercury And Air Toxic Standards (MATS) Is Attributed As A Factor To The Increase In Planned Coal Unit Retirements. The cost of compliance with anticipated and existing Federal environmental regulations such as the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) is a factor. Particularly in the case of older, smaller units that are not used heavily, owners may conclude it is more cost efficient to retire plants rather than make additional investments. (27 Gigawatts Of Coal-Fired Capacity To Retire over The Next Five Years, Energy
Information Administration, 7/27/12)

DOMESTIC OIL PRODUCTION

He Doesnt Want To Admit It, But President Obama Is Taking Credit For Something George W. Bush Did. The White House Is Touting Federal Data That Shows Domestic Oil Production Is At Its Highest Level Since 2003. (Amy Harder, Obamas Fuzzy Oil Production Math,
National Journal, 3/17/11)

For 2009 And 2010, Oil Production Numbers Are Due To Actions Taken Before Obama Became President, Especially Since He Didnt Take Any Major Action To Expand Offshore Drilling In His First Year. While Bush was in office from 2001 to 2009, the oil and gas industry saw many new leases and other expanded drilling opportunities. In March 2010, Obama announced plans to expand offshore drilling, but he retreated in the aftermath of the BP oil spill. According to EIAs short-term 2011 outlook, released last week, oil production was significantly higher in 2009 than in the years prior. Obama may have been in office for most of that year, but the oil production numbers are due to action taken before he became president. In 2010, most if not all of the production increase recorded is likely due to action that predates Obama, since Obama didnt take any major action expanding offshore drilling his first year in office. (Amy Harder, Obamas Fuzzy Oil Production Math, National Journal, 3/17/11)

Meet The Press David Gregory Pointed Out That Obama Is Trying To Take Credit On Oil Production When The Credit Should Actually Go To Bush. NBCS DAVID GREGORY: The president even gave an interview back in 2008 with Rolling Stone, Ill pull it up on the screen. This is something he said, these are energy goals for the first year. If I havent gotten combat troops out of Iraq, passed universal health care, and created a new energy policy that speaks to our dependence on foreign oil and deals seriously with global warming, then weve missed the boat. He has accomplished those first two things, but energy is something that he hasnt been able to do. Even after the BP oil spill when he said we will not tolerate inaction on this. He still hasnt been able to accomplish that. Then you see him playing politics, it appears, not only with a trip this week where hes going to swing states to talk about more domestic production but on the keystone pipeline, he first tries to please environmentalists by pushing this off until after the election, now comes out and says Im for the southern portion of it. Does that stuff ring true with the American people? DAVID PLOUFFE: I take issue with the whole premise of this. We are on track to meet a very aggressive increase in terms of dependence on energy goals. GREGORY: To be fair, a lot of that goes back to the Bush administration. There is a lead time, Ive spoken to experts on this. A lot of these increases in production go back to Bush-era decisions and most of them, of course, are on private lands. So youre taking credit for this boost in exploration, which is not really fair. (NBCs Meet The Press, 3/25/12) Oil Production On Federal Lands Has Decreased Under Obama While Domestic Oil Production Is At An All-Time High, Production On Federal Lands And Waters Has Dropped Significantly In 2011. Domestic oil production may be at an all-time high nationwide, but the increase is primarily occurring on state and private lands rather than on federal land and waters, where production appears to have dropped significantly in 2011, according to the most recent government data. (Phil Taylor, Production On
Federal Tracts Fell In 2011, Greenwire, 2/27/12)

About 96% Of The Increase Since 2007 Took Place On Non-Federal Lands, But The Federal Share Of Total U.S. Production Only Fell By About Two Percentage Points.
(Marc Humphries, U.S. Crude Oil Production In Federal And Non-Federal Areas, Congressional Research Service, 3/20/12)

Federal Land Produced Less Crude Oil In 2011 Than It Did In 2003. The U.S. Energy Information Administration, the DOE entity which prepared the report, debunks Salazars claim that production is the highest its been in recent memory. The report shows that crude oil production and natural gas production on Federal lands both fell between 2010 and 2011. In fact, federal lands produced less crude oil in fiscal 2011 than they did in fiscal 2003. Natural gas production on federal land also fell between 2010 and 2011. (Joel Gehrke,
DOE Report On Energy Contradicts WH, Salazar, The Washington Examiners Beltway Confidential, 3/15/12)

Federal Issued Drilling Permits Under The Obama Administration Are Lower Than The Historical Average. In early 2010, he proposed to open some new areas to drilling but shut that down after the Gulf oil spill. According to the Greater New Orleans Gulf Permits Index for January 31, over the previous three months the feds issued an average of three deep-water drilling permits a month compared to the historical average of seven. Over the same three months, the feds approved an average of 4.7 shallow-water permits a month, compared to the historical average of 14.7. (Editorial, Stupid And Oil Prices, The Wall Street Journal,
2/27/12)

In Fiscal Year 2007, There Were 7,124 Approved Drilling Permits On Federal Lands. (Number Of APDs Approved By Year On Federal Lands, U.S. Bureau Of Land Management, Accessed 10/2/12) In Fiscal Year 2008, There Were 6,617 Approved Drilling Permits On Federal Lands. (Number Of APDs Approved By Year On Federal Lands, U.S. Bureau Of Land Management, Accessed 10/2/12) In Fiscal Year 2009, There Were 4,487 Approved Drilling Permits On Federal Lands. (Number Of APDs Approved By Year On Federal Lands, U.S. Bureau Of Land Management, Accessed 10/2/12) In Fiscal Year 2010, There Were 4,090 Approved Drilling Permits On Federal Lands. (Number Of APDs Approved By Year On Federal Lands, U.S. Bureau Of Land Management, Accessed 10/2/12) In Fiscal Year 2011, There Were 4,244 Approved Drilling Permits On Federal Lands. (Number Of APDs Approved By Year On Federal Lands, U.S. Bureau Of Land Management, Accessed 10/2/12)

BROKEN PROMISES: ELECTRIC VEHICLES, DOUBLE RENEWABLE ENERGY

One Million 150 Mile Per-Gallon Plug-In Hybrids PROMISE: In 2008, Obama Promised As President To Put One Million 150 Mile-PerGallon Plug-In Hybrid Cars On Our Roads Within Six Years. OBAMA: First, well commit ourselves to getting one million 150 mile-per-gallon plug-in hybrid cars on our roads within six years. And well make sure these cars are built not in Japan, not in China, but right here in the United States of America. (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks At A Town Hall, Youngstown, OH,
8/5/08)

BROKEN: The Washington Post: Evidence Is Mounting That President Obama Was Overly Optimistic To Pledge That There Would Be 1 Million EVs On The Road By 2015. (Editorial, Overcharged, The Washington Post, 1/1/12) Despite The Commitment Of Millions Of Taxpayer Dollars, It is Increasingly Clear That Obamas Paltry Campaign Promise To Get 1 Million All-Electric and Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles Will Not Hit 2015 Target. As a candidate for president in 2008, Barack Obama set a goal of getting 1million all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles on the road by 2015. In February 2011, the Obama administrations Energy Department issued an analysis purporting to show that, with the help of subsidies and tax credits, the goal is achievable. This was a paltry claim in the first place, since 1 million cars amount to less than 1percent of the total U.S. fleet. Yet it is increasingly clear that, despite the commitment of many millions of taxpayer dollars, the United States will not hit Mr. Obamas target by 2015.
(Editorial, GMs Vaunted Volt Is On The Road To Nowhere Fast, The Washington Post, 9/14/12)

Analysis Suggest That Well Be Lucky To Get A Third of The Way There. A recent CBS News analysis suggested that well be lucky to get a third of the way there. The Energy Department study assumed that General Motors would produce 120,000 plug-in hybrid Volts in 2012. GM never came close to that and recently suspended Volt production at its Hamtramck, Mich., plant, scene of a presidential photo-op. So far, GM has sold a little more than 21,000 Volts, even with the help of a $7,500 tax credit, recent dealer discounting and U.S. government purchases. When you factor in the $1.2billion cost of developing the Volt, GM loses tens of thousands of dollars on each model. (Editorial, GMs Vaunted Volt Is On The Road To Nowhere Fast, The Washington Post,
9/14/12)

Electric Vehicles Account For Roughly Two-Tenths Of 1 Percent Of 2011 Domestic Auto Sales. Actual sales of those models this year stand at 16,800 roughly two-tenths of 1 percent of 2011 domestic auto sales. The vast majority were Chevrolet Volts or Nissan Leafs, which were in development long before Obama took office. (Carol D. Leonnig, and Joe Stephens, For Obamas Green-Car Revolution, Fits And Starts, The Washington Post,
12/7/11)

Electric Cars Are Generally Far More Expensive Than Gas Guzzlers. A key industry problem is that electric cars are generally far more expensive than gas guzzlers. Thats true even with up to $7,500 in stimulus tax credits offered for each vehicle. Obama announced the $2.4 billion in advanced-battery grants at a recreational-vehicle assembly plant in Wakarusa, Ind., where Navistar said it planned to build the eStar, an electric truck for fleets. Just a few months ago, folks

thought these factories might be closed for good, but now theyre coming back to life, Obama said that day. But a large Maryland truck dealership tried for a year to sell an eStar, then sold it back to Navistar. Sam Eitel, marketing manager for Beltway Cos., said customers liked the trucks sleek looks but were stopped cold by its $150,000-plus list price. (Carol D. Leonnig, and Joe Stephens, For Obamas Green-Car Revolution, Fits And
Starts, The Washington Post, 12/7/11)

Obama Gave At Least $4.8 Billion In Loans And Grants To Electric Car Producers Like Tesla Motors And Fisker Automotives. Nissan, Tesla Motors and Fisker Automotive received $2.4 billion in loans to support building U.S. manufacturing plants for electric vehicles through an Energy Department program. In a stimulus push in August 2009, Obama announced $2.4 billion in more than 40 grants to car industry firms, much of it to advanced-battery manufacturers. (Carol D. Leonnig, and Joe Stephens, For Obamas Green-Car Revolution, Fits And
Starts, The Washington Post, 12/7/11)

Fisker Has Never Made A Profit. Fisker, which has never made a profit, received $193 million of the federal loan to support the rollout of the $102,000 plug-in hybrid sportscar. The $336 million balance of the loan is intended to fund development of a sedan known as the Nina that will be sold at a lower price. (Edwin
Chan, Fisker Pins Hopes On Karma As It Seeks More Cash, Reuters, 2/14/12)

Tesla Motorss Financial Losses Jumped 79 Percent Still Yet To Make A Profit. Tesla Motors' financial losses jumped 79 percent in this year's second quarter, hitting $105.6 million, as the Palo Alto company phased out sales of its first electric car model and started selling its second. The company's quarterly loss equaled $1 per share, Tesla reported Wednesday. In the second quarter of 2011, Tesla recorded a loss of $58.9 million (60 cents per share). Tesla, whose all-electric Roadster sports car made the company a green-tech standard bearer, has yet to make a profit. (David Baker, Tesla Motors Losses Jump 79 Percent, San Francisco Chronicle, 7/25/12)

Electric-Vehicle Sales Since 2011 Totaled Fewer Than 50,000 Through September, Just 5 Percent Of The Presidents Target. Whether the technology itself is a loser or consumers are merely slow to adapt to new things, car buyers so far havent embraced electric vehicles in numbers close to Obamas goal. Electric-vehicle sales since 2011 totaled fewer than 50,000 through September, just 5 percent of the presidents target. (Angela Greling
Keane, Obamas $5 Billion Slow To Charge Electric Car Purchases, Bloomberg, 10/16/12)

Brett Smith, Co-Director At The Center For Automotive Research: The Reality Is: That Business Model Isnt There Yet The reality is: that business model isnt there yet, said Brett Smith, co-director of manufacturing, engineering and technology at the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It isnt there yet for volume. It isnt there yet for reaching the mass consumer. And it probably isnt going to be there for a while. (Angela Greling Keane, Obamas $5 Billion Slow To Charge
Electric Car Purchases, Bloomberg, 10/16/12)

Five Million Green Energy Jobs PROMISE: Obama Vowed To Create Five Million New Energy Jobs. OBAMA: And then we can invest $15 billion a year in renewable sources of energy, building wind turbines and

solar panel, a new electricity grid, the next generation of biofuels, invest in clean coal technology, find ways that we can create five million new jobs, new energy jobs, all across it country, jobs that pay well, jobs that can't be outsourced. (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks At Campaign
Event, Cleveland, OH, 11/2/08)

BROKEN: If You Generously Assume Obamas Methodology For Saved Or Created Clean-Energy Jobs, Obamas Got 4,325,000 To Go. In November 2010, the Presidents Council of Economic Advisers said federal recovery spending had saved or created 225,000 clean-energy jobs, including both the direct jobs of people involved in the construction of a particular project and also the jobs generated by the additional economic activity sparked by these projects. Theres no way to know whether this multiplier effect really resulted in the number the administration claims. But if you take it as true and generously assume similar growth for 2011 and 2012, thats 675,000 jobs created at best and 4,325,000 to go. (Ira Boudway, The 5 Million Green Jobs That Werent, Bloomberg, 10/11/12)

Clean-Technology Jobs Account For Just 2 Percent Of Employment Nationwide. A study released in July by the non-partisan Brookings Institution found clean-technology jobs accounted for just 2 percent of employment nationwide and only slightly more 2.2 percent in Silicon Valley. Rather than adding jobs, the study found, the sector actually lost 492 positions from 2003 to 2010 in the South Bay, where the unemployment rate in June was 10.5 percent. (Aaron Glantz, Number Of Green Jobs Fails To Live Up To Promises, The New York Times, 8/18/11) The Wind Industry Has Shed 10,000 Jobs Since 2009. The wind industry, for example, has shed 10,000 jobs since 2009 even as the energy capacity of wind farms has nearly doubled, according to the American Wind Energy Association. Meanwhile, the oil and gas industry has added 75,000 jobs since Obama took office, according to Labor Department statistics. (Andy Sullivan, Analysis: Obama's Green Jobs Have Been
Slow To Sprout, Reuters, 4/13/12)

The Millions Of Green Energy Jobs Obama Promised Have Been Slow To Sprout. But the millions of "green jobs" Obama promised have been slow to sprout, disappointing many who had hoped that the $90 billion earmarked for clean-energy efforts in the recession-fighting federal stimulus package would ease unemployment - still above 8 percent in March. (Andy Sullivan, Analysis: Obama's Green Jobs Have Been Slow To Sprout,
Reuters, 4/13/12)

At This Rate, The Greening Of The Economy Equates To Just 17 Jobs Per $1 Million Spent. If you took the governments stimulus program on green activities, you get 17 jobs more or less per $1 million of expenditure, said economist Robert Pollin of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, whom the Commerce Department hired to run the numbers. (Ari Shapiro, Is Obamas Bet On Green Jobs Risky?, National
Public Radio, 6/13/11)

Double Renewable Energy PROMISE: Obama In 2009: To Finally Spark The Creation Of A Clean-Energy Economy, We Will Double The Production Of Alternative Energy In The Next Three Years. (President-Elect Barack Obama, Speech On The Economy, Fairfax, VA, 1/8/09)

BROKEN: Obamas Claim To Have Doubled Use Of Renewable Energy Is Not True And Increase Is Not Impressive. President Barack Obama has been claiming that the United States has doubled our use of renewable energy. Not true. Wind and solar have doubled, but total renewable energy consumption is up by about one quarter from 2008 to 2011. Plus, since wind and solar started at such a low level, a doubling may not be as impressive to voters as it sounds. (Lori Robertson, Renewable Energy Doubled? FactCheck.Org, 9/14/12) PolitiFact Rates Obamas Claim Of Doubling The Use Of Renewable Energy Mostly False. In his two speeches, Obama said, "We've doubled our use of renewable energy." But while the nation has made strides in expanding electricity generated by wind and solar -- the most high-profile part of the administrations policies -- the increase for all kinds of energy, and for all types of renewables, was about 25 percent. Thats far short of doubling, so we rate the statement Mostly False. (Louis Jacobson, Barack Obama says, Weve Doubled Our Use Of Renewable
Energy, PolitiFact, 9/11/12)

From 2008 To 2011, Renewable Energy Produced Has Only Increased By 1.954 Quadrillion Btu, A 27.1 Percent Increase. (Table 1.2 Primary Energy Production By Source, EIA.gov, Accessed
10/2/12)

Primary Energy Production By Source, 2008-2011 (quadrillion Btu) Year 2008 2009 2010 2011 Fossil Nuclear Renewable 57.482 56.689 58.250 60.610 8.427 8.356 8.434 8.259 7.205 7.603 8.116 9.159 Total 73.114 72.648 74.800 78.029

(Table 1.2 Primary Energy Production By Source, EIA.gov, 10/2/12)

Since 2005, Halfway Through The Bush Administration, The Use Of Renewable Energy Increased - But Not Doubled - From 6.2 Quadrillion Btu To 8.3 Quadrillion Btu In The First 11 Months Of 2011. (Leigh Ann Caldwell, Face The Facts: A Fact Check On Gas Prices, CBS News,
3/21/12)

A123 In September 2010, Obama Said A123 Would Power The American Economy For Years To Come. But most of all, I want to congratulate and thank all the men and women of A123 Systems. You guys are making us proud. The work youre doing will help power the American economy for years to come. And so everybody there should just feel very, very good about what you guys are doing. And I am looking forward to continuing to see the great work that you guys do in the years to come. (President Barack Obama, Remarks By The President In
A Phone Call To Recovery Act Advanced Battery Grant Recipient, A123 Systems in Livonia, MI, Washington, DC, 9/13/10)

In April 2010, Obama Touted A123 Systems As One Of The Success Stories From The Stimulus. OBAMA: Last August, following a nationwide competition among Americas clean-energy technology leaders, Vice President Biden traveled to Michigan to announce that A123 was one of the 48 companies to win a Recovery Act grant for advanced battery technology. That grant helped A123 hire 44 new workers. And that grant is supporting the

construction of three new plants in the state of Michigan, which A123 expects will allow it to hire more than 120 workers by the end of this year, more than 1,000 by the end of next year, and more than 3,000 by the end of 2012. Two of those workers, James Fenton and Nino Biundo, are here today. They lost their previous jobs in the recession. And then 123 - A123 hired them both to help manufacture the batteries of tomorrow. A123 has already begun construction on one facility in the city of Livonia, which is scheduled to go online in July, and theyve begun designing a facility in the city of Romulus. And theyve announced plans to build their first high-volume factory in Brownstown. So truth be told, A123 was looking to build that factory in Asia. But because it received that grant, it chose the state of Michigan for its largest and most innovative plant yet. And that plant will be one of 30 new plants to go fully operational over the next six years manufacturing electric vehicle batteries and components right here in the United States of America. So this is whats possible in a clean-energy economy -- these folks right here, doing extraordinary work. This is what happens when we place our bets on American workers and American businesses. And were going to continue working to help them manufacture more success stories like these across all sectors of our economy. (President Barack Obama, Statement By The President On
The Economy And The Oil Spill In The Gulf Of Mexico, Washington, DC, 4/30/10)

Taxpayer-Backed A123 Systems, A Maker Of Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Batteries For Electric Cars, Filed For Bankruptcy. A123 Systems Inc. (AONE), a maker of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries for electric cars, filed for bankruptcy after failing to make a debt payment that was due yesterday. The company listed assets of $459.8 million and debt of $376 million as of Aug. 31 in Chapter 11 documents filed today in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Delaware. Chapter 11 is the section of the Bankruptcy Code used by companies to reorganize. (Dawn McCarty and Craig Trudell, Electric Car Battery Maker A123 Systems Files Bankruptcy
Papers, Bloomberg Businessweek, 10/16/12)

A123 Systems Has Posted At Least 14 Straight Quarterly Losses With Shares Falling 85 Percent This Year. A123 has posted at least 14 straight quarterly losses. Its shares have fallen 85 percent this year to 24 cents at yesterdays close in New York and traded at 16 cents at 8:29 a.m. before the start of regular trading.
(Dawn McCarty and Craig Trudell, Electric Car Battery Maker A123 Systems Files Bankruptcy Papers, Bloomberg Businessweek, 10/16/12)

After A $249.1 Million Federal Grant And Struggling With Costs Of Recalled Batteries, A123 Systems Is Looking To Make A Deal With Wanxiang Group Corp., Chinas Largest Auto-Parts Maker, For Financing In Exchange For A Majority Ownership Stake. A123, which received a $249.1 million federal grant in 2009 to build a U.S. factory, needed a financial lifeline after struggling with costs from a recall of batteries supplied to Fisker, the plug-in hybrid luxury carmaker. A123 announced in August that it was working on a deal with Wanxiang Group Corp., Chinas largest auto-parts maker, for financing in exchange for a majority ownership stake. (Dawn McCarty and Craig Trudell, Electric Car Battery Maker A123
Systems Files Bankruptcy Papers, Bloomberg Businessweek, 10/16/12)

EPA REGULATIONS
In 2011, Obama Said EPA Regulations Have Sometimes Placed Unreasonable Burdens On Business That Have Stifled Innovation And Had A Chilling Effect On Growth And Jobs. OBAMA: Sometimes, those rules have gotten out of balance, placing unreasonable burdens on businessburdens that have stifled innovation and have had a chilling effect on growth and jobs. (Barack Obama, Op-Ed, Toward A 21st-Century Regulatory System, The Wall Street
Journal, 1/18/11)

The Wall Street Journal: Unprecedented New EPA Rules Are Most Expensive In The Agencys History. The EPA is currently pushing an unprecedented rewrite of airpollution rules in an attempt to shut down a large portion of the coal-fired power fleet. Though these regulations are among the most expensive in the agencys history, none were demanded by the late Pelosi Congress. Theyre all the result of purely bureaucratic discretion under the Clean Air Act, last revised in 1990. (Editorial, An EPA Moratorium, The Wall Street
Journal, 8/29/11)

The Wall Street Journal: The EPA Firehose Of Regulations Increase Direct Costs To Utilities, Force Plant Closures And Lead To Job Losses And Higher Prices For Consumers. A utility, for instance, might be able to comply with a single new rule, but under the EPA firehose it might be forced to retire some of its operations. Beyond the direct costs to the utility, plant closures would lead to job losses and higher prices for consumers and business, with their own knock-on effects. (Editorial, The Cost Of Lisa Jackson, The Wall
Street Journal, 8/3/11)

New And Pending EPA Regulations Will Cost 1.65 Million Jobs. Over the period from 2012 to 2020, about 183,000 jobs per year are predicted to be lost on net due to the effects of the four regulations. The cumulative effects mean that over the period from 2012 to 2020, about 1.65 million job-years of employment would be lost. (Potential Impacts Of EPA Air, Coal
Combustion Residuals, And Cooling Water Regulations, NERA Economic Consulting, September 2011)

Utility MACT Regulation Is One Of The Most Expensive Federal Regulations Ever And Would Jeopardize 251,000 Jobs. For zero benefit, the Utility MACT is one of the most expensive federal regulations ever. In comments submitted to the EPA, Unions for Jobs and the Environment, an alliance of unions representing more than 3.2 million workers, estimated that this needless regulation would jeopardize 251,000 jobs. (William Yeatman, Op-Ed,
Obamas War On Coal, The New York Post, 8/9/11)

SOLYNDRA
Obama Was Personally Warned About The DOEs Loan Guarantee Programs Financial And Political Risks. Long before the politically connected California solar firm Solyndra went bankrupt, President Obama was warned by his top economic advisors about the financial and political risks of the Energy Department loan guarantee program that boosted the companys rapid ascent. (Tom Hamburger, Kim Geiger and Matea Gold, Obama Advisors Raised Warning
Flags Before Solyndra Bankruptcy, Los Angeles Times, 9/26/11)

Energy Department Emails Released Show That Obama Was To Be Briefed On DOE Loan Programs Like Solyndra And That White House Officials Were Intimately Involved With These Sweetheart Deals. President Obamas staff arranged for him to be personally briefed last summer on a loan program to help clean-energy companies, two months before the program was thrust into headlines by the collapse of its flagship, the solar company Solyndra, records show. About the same time, then-White House Chief of Staff William Daley resolved a dispute among administration officials over another project in the program, clearing the way for a $1.4 billion loan, according to documents and sources familiar with the situation. The documents, a series of e-mails among Energy Department staff members involved in managing the program, provide new details about the level of White House involvement in the controversial initiative. White House officials have said in the past that final decisions about which companies would receive the loan guarantees were made by career staff members at the Energy Department, not political appointees. (Carol Leonnig and Joe Stephens, E-Mails About Clean-Energy Loans Provide New Details On White House
Involvement, The Washington Post, 8/8/12)

Obama Wanted To Know Status Of Loans Like Solyndra In Preparation For Official Events And Political Events Where He Interacts With [The] Business Community And Congressional Members. An Energy staffer explained that the president wants to know its status so he could be prepared when the loan program came up at official events and political events where he interacts with [the] business community and Congressional members. The e-mail from the departments chief of staff, Brandon Hurlbut, went on to say that many people attending such gatherings have some affiliation or interest in the numerous applications received that involve substantial funds. (Carol Leonnig and Joe Stephens, E-Mails
About Clean-Energy Loans Provide New Details On White House Involvement, The Washington Post, 8/8/12)

Time And Again, The Government Handed Breaks To Solyndra Inc., An Upstart California Solar Panel Firm Backed By A Major Supporter Of The President. (Ronnie
Greene, Recurring Red Flags Failed To Slow Obama Administration's Race To Help Solyndra, iWatch News, 9/13/11)

And, Time And Again, Benefits Flowed From Washington Despite Warning Signs That The Governments $535 Million Investment Was A Risky Bet, At Best. (Ronnie Greene, Recurring Red Flags Failed To Slow Obama Administration's Race To Help Solyndra, iWatch News,
9/13/11)

According To Kelly Colyar Of The OMB, Then-White House Chief Of Staff Bill Daley Had Been Briefed About OMBs Reservations About The Prospects Of The Company And DOEs Proposal To Restructure The Solyndra Loan. You may recall that DOE announced in March that they had restructured the Solyndra loan. Prior to this restructuring, OMB staff expressed reservations about the prospects of the company and

DOEs proposal. The issue was discussed with the NEC and the Chief of Staff. (Kelly T. Colyar, Email To Richard A. Mertens Et. Al, f. 732, 8/11/11)

The Government Will Recover Only $24 Million Of The $527 Million Loaned To Solyndra. Last week, Solyndras final liquidation plan estimated that the government will recover just $24 million of the $527 million that taxpayers lent to the company. (Joe Stephens
and Carol D. Leoning, White House Analyst Warned Saving Solyndra Could Cost More Than Letting It Fail, The Washington Post, 8/1/12)

A Total Of 1,861 Workers Were Laid Off By Solyndra As It Went Bankrupt. Since September 1, 2010 (impact date), an estimate 1,861 workers have been separated from the firm. This total includes an estimated 649 temporary workers as well as leased workers from West Valley, Aerotek, Oxford Global, GES and Lighthouse Management. Most of these separations occurred at the time of the shut-down of the Fremont, CA facility on August 31, 2011. An additional 85 workers are threatened with separation as the companys operations wind down. (Employment And Training Administration, Investigative Report TA-W-80,410; Solyndra LLC,
Department Of Labor, 9/12/11)

The Washington Posts Fact Checker: We Find It Hard To Believe That Any Reasonable Person Could Interpret Obamas Remarks This Week As Anything But A Distinct Effort To Put The Blame For Solyndra In Some One Elses Pocket. The President Should Accept Responsibility, Not Shirk It. The administration is straining too hard to reverse that aphorism ie, saying the failure of Solyndra has a thousand fathers. While the original law may have set up the loan guarantee program, Solyndra received its loan through an expansion of that program that the administration was quick to take credit for. (The Biden news release mitigates this a bit, but the reference to the 2005 law was not attributed to Biden.) We find it hard to believe that any reasonable person could interpret Obamas remarks this week as anything but a distinct effort to put the blame for Solyndra in some one elses pocket. The president should accept responsibility, not shirk it. (Glenn Kessler, Obamas Solyndra Shuffle, The Washington Posts Fact Checker, 3/23/12)

FAST AND FURIOUS

The Fast And Furious Operation Was An ATF Program That Tracked Weapons Sold To Illegal Buyers In Hopes Of Arresting Mexican Drug Cartel Members. Agents with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives purposely allowed licensed firearms dealers to sell weapons to illegal straw buyers, hoping to track the guns to Mexican drug cartel leaders and arrest them. But they lost track of more than 2,000 weapons, and the Mexican government says some of them have turned up at about 170 crime scenes there. (Richard A. Serrano, Emails Show Top Justice Department Officials Knew Of ATF Gun Program, Los
Angeles Times, 10/03/11)

During The Course Of The Investigation, ATF Agents Seized Only About 100 Of The Firearms Purchased, The Result Of A Strategy Jointly Pursued By ATF And The U.S. Attorneys Office That Deferred Taking Overt Enforcement Action Against The Individual Straw Purchasers While Seeking To Build A Case Against The Leaders Of The Organization. (A Review Of ATFs Operation Fast And Furious And
Related Matters, U.S. Department Of Justice, Office Of The Inspector General, 9/19/12)

Two Fast And Furious Weapons Were Found At The Scene Of The Dec. 14 Shooting Of US Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is facing criticism of a program that funneled illegal guns into the hands of Mexican gun runners, drug gangs, and other criminals after two of those guns were found at the scene of the Dec. 14 shooting of US border patrol agent Brian Terry by Mexican bandits in ArizonaThe Dec. 14 shootout in Peck Canyon, near Nogales, Ariz., occurred after border patrol agents halted a group of armed border bandits and fired at them with bean bag guns. The bandits then opened fire with live bullets from AK-47 submachine guns, killing Mr. Terry. (Patrik Jonsson, Did Flawed US Policies Play Role In Death Of Border Patrol Agent?, The Christian Science
Monitor, 3/4/11)

Link Between Terrys Death And Fast And Furious Known Immediately To Officials. Internal documents show the link between Terry's murder and the gunwalking operation labeled Fast and Furious was known immediately to some government officials, but it's unclear how high up the chain that information went and how fast. (Sharyl Attkisson, Attorney General Eric Holder Sorry For Terry Family Loss, CBS News, 11/11/11) ATF Agents Made No Effort To Apprehend The Person Who Bought The Rifles Recovered At The Scene Of Terrys Murder. On January 16, 2010, one of the straw purchasers, Jaime Avila, purchased three AK-47 style rifles from a Phoenixarea gun store. ATF agents learned about that purchase 3 days later and, consistent with the investigative strategy in the case, made no effort to locate Avila or seize the rifles although ATF had identified Avila as a suspect in November 2009. Two of the three rifles purchased by Avila on January 16 were recovered 11 months later at the scene of the murder of Agent Terry, who was shot and killed on December 14, 2010, as he tried to arrest persons believed to be illegally entering the United States. (A
Review Of ATFs Operation Fast And Furious And Related Matters, U.S. Department Of Justice, Office Of The Inspector General, 9/19/12)

President Barack Obama Invoked Executive Privilege Wednesday To Withhold Documents A House Committee Is Seeking In An Investigation Of A Flawed GunSmuggling Probe In Arizona. President Barack Obama invoked executive privilege

Wednesday to withhold documents a House committee is seeking in an investigation of a flawed gun-smuggling probe in Arizona. In a letter to Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., a Justice Department official said the privilege applies to documents that explain how the department learned that there were problems with the investigation called Operation Fast and Furious. (Pete Yost, Justice Dept Says President Has Exerted Executive Privilege Over Fast And Furious Documents, The
Associated Press, 6/20/12)

The White House Did Not Produce To Us Any Internal White House Communications, Noting That The White House Is Beyond The Purview Of The Inspector Generals Office, Which Has Jurisdiction Over Department Of Justice Programs And Personnel. We also requested from the White House any communications concerning Operation Fast and Furious during the relevant time period that were sent to or received from (a) certain ATF employees, including Special Agent in Charge Newell, and (b) certain members of the White House National Security Staff, including Kevin OReilly. In response to our request, the White House informed us that the only responsive communications it had with the ATF employees were those between Newell and OReilly. The White House indicated that it previously produced those communications to Congress in response to a similar request, and the White House provided us with a copy of those materials. The White House did not produce to us any internal White House communications, noting that the White House is beyond the purview of the Inspector Generals Office, which has jurisdiction over Department of Justice programs and personnel. (A Review Of ATFs Operation Fast And Furious And Related Matters, U.S. Department Of
Justice, Office Of The Inspector General, 9/19/12)

Inspector General Michael Horowitz: Internal White House Communications Were A Lead We Wanted To Follow. REP. BLAKE FARENTHOLD (R-TX): You noted also in your report that the White House refused to share internal communications with you during your investigation of Fast And Furious. We've noted a connection into the White House through Kevin O'Reilly at the National Security Council. Do you think the White House's refusal to share these documents limited the scope of your investigation, and would this committee be well served by pursuing an investigation in that avenue? INSPECTOR GENERAL MICHAEL HOROWITZ: Well, as we noted in the report and as you know, Congressman, we did not get internal communications from the White House, and Mr. O'Reilly's unwillingness to speak to us made it impossible for us to pursue that angle of the case and the question that had been raised. FARENTHOLD: So it would probably be worthwhile for us to pursue? HOROWITZ: Well, certainly we have sought to pursue every lead we could. I can just tell you from our standpoint it was a lead we wanted to follow. (Committee On Oversight And Government Reform , U.S. House Of Representatives, Hearing,
9/20/12)

Watch Here

The House Of Representatives Voted 255-67 On Thursday To Hold Attorney General Eric Holder In Criminal Contempt For Refusing To Turn Over Documents Related To The Fast And Furious Gun-Running Sting. (House Votes To Hold Holder In Contempt, CNN, 6/28/12) Seventeen House Democrats Joined Republicans In A Bipartisan Vote To Hold Holder In Contempt Of Congress Over Fast And Furious. More than 100

Democrats left the House floor before the vote, but 17 moderate Democrats stayed behind and joined with Republicans in voting for contempt, robbing the Obama administration and congressional Democrats of its main argument that the vote was a blatant partisan maneuver to discredit Holder and the White House in an election year. (Ed OKeefe, Which Democrats Voted To Hold Eric Holder In Contempt Of Congress?, The Washington Posts
2Chambers, 6/29/12)

Obama Told Univision That Neither He Nor Holder Approved Operation Fast And Furious. Last night, a reporter from Univision asked President Obama about the subject of a CBS News investigation: allegations that ATF allowed traffickers to send weapons to Mexican drug cartels in an operation called Fast and Furious. Insiders call the strategy letting guns walk. In response, the president said neither he nor Attorney General Eric Holder approved the operation. There may be a situation here which a serious mistake was made and if that's the case then we'll find out and well hold somebody accountable, he added. (Sharyl Attkisson, Obama On Gunwalking: Serious Mistake May Have Been Made, CBS News, 3/23/11) Obama: Well, First Of All, I Think Its Important For Us To Understand That The Fast And Furious Program Was A Field-Initiated Program Begun Under The Previous Administration. UNIVISIONS JORGE RAMOS: Mr. President, you told me during an interview that youEric Holder or you did not authorize the Fast and Furious operation that allowed 2,000 weapons from the United States to Mexico, and they were in drugtrafficking hands. I think that up to 100 Mexicans might have died, and also American agent, Brian Terry. Theres a report that 14 agents were responsible for the operation. But shouldnt Attorney General Eric Holderhe should have known about that. And if he didnt, should you fire him? OBAMA: Well, first of all, I think its important for us to understand that the Fast and Furious program was a field-initiated program begun under the previous administration. (President Barack Obama, Univision Town Hall, Miami, FL, 9/20/12) Watch Here

ABCs Jake Tapper: Asked About The Fast And Furious Program At The Univision Forum On Thursday, President Obama Falsely Claimed That The Program Began Under President George W. BushIn Actuality, The Fast And Furious Program Was Started In October 2009, Nine Months Into The Obama Presidency. (Jake Tapper, President
Obama Falsely Claims Fast And Furious Program Begun Under The Previous Administration, ABC Newss Political Punch, 9/21/12)

Politifact: Fast and Furious Did Begin During The Time Obama Held Office. Obama said that the Fast and Furious program began under the previous administration. That is not the case; Fast and Furious did begin during the time Obama held office. Another similar program, called Operation Wide Receiver, did happen during the Bush administration, and a recent inspector generals report criticized both operations as ineffective and seriously flawed. But Operation Wide Receiver is not the same thing as the Fast and Furious program. We rate Obamas statement False. (Angie Drobnic Holan And Amy Sherman, Barack Obama Said Fast
And Furious Began Under The Bush Administration, Politifact, 9/20/12)

The Inspector Generals Report Clearly Shows That Fast And Furious Began Under The Obama Administration, Dating Its Inception To October 2009. A day before Obamas Univision interview, the U.S. Department of Justices Inspector General released a 512-page report about Fast and Furious. Our review of

Operation Fast and Furious and related matters revealed a series of misguided strategies, tactics, errors in judgment and management failures, the report noted. The report also clearly shows that Fast and Furious began under the Obama administration, dating its inception to October 2009. (Obama took office in January 2009.) This directly contradicts Obamas claim. (Angie Drobnic Holan And Amy Sherman, Barack
Obama Said Fast And Furious Began Under The Bush Administration, Politifact, 9/20/12)

The Washington Posts The Fact Checker: Obama Earns Three Pinocchios For His Comments About Fast And Furious. Clearly, ATF didnt develop the practice of gun walking under the current administration. But Obama specifically referred to the Fast and Furious program, which unquestionably started during his term as president. That operation was not begun under the previous administration. Perhaps the president made a mistake, and he really meant to talk about gun-walking in general instead of a particular gun-walking operation. But he could also be trying to wash his hands of any accountability for a program that launched on his watch and put 2,000 powerful firearms on U.S. and Mexican streets. Either way, we cant let politicians get away with this sort of egregious factual mistake. Otherwise theyll start making them on purpose. For what its worth, Obama has shirked responsibility for politically hot failures in the past. He earned two Pinocchios in a previous column for saying his administration wasnt at fault per se for the $535 million federal loan that went to the now-bankrupt solar-panel manufacturer Solyndra. Obama earns three Pinocchios for his comments about Fast and Furious. His factual error sends a message that the previous administration is responsible for gun walking and Operation Fast and Furious. (Josh Hicks, Obamas Univision Denial That Fast And Furious Started On
His Watch, The Washington Posts The Fact Checker, 9/21/12)

MF GLOBAL
October 31, 2011: Jon Corzines Wall Street Firm, MF Global Filed For Bankruptcy. Broker-dealer MF Global, headed by former New Jersey governor and Goldman Sachs chairman John Corzine, has filed for bankruptcy protection, apparently because of holdings of European debt. (Broker-Dealer MF Global Files For Bankruptcy, USA Today, 10/31/11) After The Collapse OF MF Global, There Was $1.6 Billion Missing From Customer Accounts. The MF Global Missing Money Caper continues. Earlier this week, MF Globals trustee provided an update on several things but not the missing money. Turns out he just needed a few more days so the world could get ready to hear this: Theres another $400 million now included in the official figure. (Insert Law & Order sound effect here.) Colleague Jacob Bunge is reporting that the new estimate for the deficiency in customer accounts is $1.6 billion. (David Benoit, MF Global Missing $1.6 Billion, counting U.K., The Wall Street Journals Deal
Journal, 2/10/12)

In The Summer Of 2011, When Corzine Learned The CFTC Was Considering Banning Internal Repo, He Began To Lobby The Commission In Washington. NARRATOR: But Corzine was using a financial strategy called internal repo, whereby a brokerage can borrow cash internally from another part of the firm. In Washington, in the summer of 2011, regulators at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the CFTC, were debating whether to ban internal repo transactions. THE NEW YORK TIMES AZAM AHMED: The CFTC was potentially going to say, No more doing internal repo. And for a lot of companies, it was an important way to finance certain operational needs. Corzine, you know, got wind of this, so he begins to lobby in Washington. (PBS Six Billion Dollar Bet, 5/22/12) Corzine Met With CFTC Officials Three Times To Lobby For Internal Repo. As shown in the above excerpt from tonights film Six Billion Dollar Bet, internal repo transactions were so important to Corzine that he met with officials at the Commodities Future Trading Commission (CFTC) on three occasions to lobby for their preservation. (Jason Breslow, How Corzine Steered Regulators To Protect Fatal MF Global Bet, PBS,
5/22/12)

Jon Corzine Played A Central Role In Obamas Wall Street Fundraising Efforts. His new legal troubles, sparked by the bankruptcy filing of his investment firm, MF Global, could complicate the presidents efforts to raise money from the financial community given Corzines central role in those efforts. (Michael Isikoff, Corzine, Top Obama Fundraiser, Under FBI Investigation,
MSNBC, 11/2/11)

Obama: Corzine Is Our Wall Street Guy. The rollout also provided a showcase for Corzine, the former Goldman Sachs CEO whom Obama referred to as our Wall Street guy at a meeting of Democratic governors in Chicago on Friday. (Claire Heininger,
Corzine Profile Rises In Obama Camp, The Star-Ledger (NJ), 6/23/08)

GSA
The General Services Administrations 2010 Western Region Conference Made Headlines When An Inspector General Report Found A Pattern Of Excessive Spending, Waste, And Possible Fraud On The Pricey, Taxpayer-Funded Las Vegas Conference. The conference made headlines this week when an Inspector General report found a pattern of excessive spending, waste and possible fraud on the pricey, taxpayerfunded Las Vegas conference, where organizers went out of their way to organize a lavish, over-the-top celebration that included a mindreader, a clown, fancy food, and several trial runs by GSA employees. (Byron Tau, Videos Of $800K GSA Conference Surface, Politico, 4/7/12) The Huffington Post Obtained A Series Of Videos Taken At The GSAs Conference Showing Employees Destroying Office Property And Rapping About Taxpayer-Funded Travel And Government Pay Raises. The Huffington Post obtains a series of embarrassing videos taken at the General Services Administration's 2010 Western Region Conference that show GSA employees destroying office property, drinking, singing Luck be a Lady, flashings dollar bills, rapping about taxpayer-funded travel and government pay raises, blowing bubbles through hula hoops, and palling around with an angry clown. (Byron Tau, Videos Of $800K
GSA Conference Surface, Politico, 4/7/12)

Sen. Joe Lieberman (ID-CT): Obama Should Be Held Accountable For GSA And Secret Service Scandals. Sen. Joe Lieberman said on Fox News Sunday that President Barack Obama isnt responsible for recent scandals at the General Services Administration and Secret Service, but he should be held accountable for them. (Jonathan Strong, Joe Lieberman:
Obama Should Be Held Accountable For Scandals, Roll Call, 4/23/12)

Top GSA Official Jeff Neely, Who Planned The Las Vegas Trip, Pled The Fifth At A House Oversight And Government Committee. A top General Services Administration official who was in charge of organizing a lavish Las Vegas conference thats drawn congressional and taxpayer fire repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right against selfincrimination Monday on Capitol Hill. During Mondays hearing, Jeff Neely, refused to answer several questions from House Oversight and Government Committee chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), including rudimentary questions such as his official title at GSA and whether he was currently employed at the agency. (Seung Min Kim, GSA Official Pleads Fifth In Conference
Scandal, Politico, 4/16/12)

Even After Reports Of Misconduct And Extravagant Spending, No One Prevented Neely From Taking More Trips On The Federal Dime. After a preliminary report last year that detailed spending and travel abuses, and even after a final report in February that showed Jeff Neely may have illegally wasted government funds, no one stopped him from taking more trips on the federal dime. The failure to prevent the General Services Administration official from squandering more government money before finally putting him on administrative leave in March was a central focus of a House committee hearing Tuesday on overspending at the federal procurement agency. (Tom Cohen, Whos On first? Hearing
shows GSAs Dysfunction, CNN, 4/17/12)

GSA Is Under Investigation For Spending $268,732 On A One-Day Conference In 2010, Located In Arlington, VA. This time, the agency is being investigated for spending

$268,732 on a one-day conference for its Federal Acquisition Service division on Nov, 17, 2010, in Arlington, Virginia. (John Parkinson, $20K For Drumsticks? GSA Blasted For One-Day Quarter-Million Dollar
Awards Conference, ABC News The Note, 7/19/12)

$20,000 Of Taxpayer Money Was Spent On Drumsticks, $35,000 For Picture Frames, And $20,000 For Catering. More than $20,000 of taxpayer money was spent on drumsticks for 4000 attendees, more than $8,500 for an appearance by someone called Agent X, according to the preliminary findings of the Inspector General. The event, which was held at the Crystal City Gateway Marriott just outside Washington, D.C., also included expenses of more than $35,000 for picture frames, $20,000 in catering charges as well as additional funding for a violinist and guitarist. (John Parkinson, $20K For Drumsticks? GSA Blasted For One-Day Quarter-Million Dollar Awards Conference,
ABC News The Note, 7/19/12)

OBAMACARE
ObamaCare Will Increase Health Care Spending: ObamaCare Will Increase Federal Health Care Spending $478 Billion From 20112012. President Barack Obamas health care overhaul will add $478 billion in spending from 2011-2021, the period covered by the projections. Some 30 million uninsured people will get coverage. (With Or Without Obamas Law; U.S. Health Care Costs Will Keep Outpacing Economy, The Associated Press,
6/12/12)

If ObamaCare Hadnt Been Enacted, Health Care Wouldve Grown By 5.3 Percent Rather Than 7.4 Percent. Spending will jump 7.4 percent to $3.13 trillion in 2014 when the law will begin to extend subsidized coverage through private health insurance and the Medicaid program. This compares with a 5.3 percent hike if health care reform had not been enacted. In later years, rates of growth will return to levels consistent with recent history, the data show. (Jeffrey Young, Health Care Reform Boosts
Spending A Tiny Fraction While Covering Millions, The Huffington Post, 6/12/12)

ObamaCare Will Contribute To The Federal Debt: CBO Reported That An Explosion In Health Care Spending, Including New Costs In ObamaCare, Will Drive The National Debt Higher. Over the long term, the CBO said, the debt will be driven by a projected explosion in spending linked entirely to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, as well as insurance subsidies that are intended to help cover the uninsured under President Obamas new health-care law. (Rosalind S. Helderman And Lori Montgomery,
Congressional Leaders Increase Pressure On Group Discussing Debt-Reduction Deal, The Washington Post, 6/22/11)

ObamaCare To Cost More Than Promised: According To An Analysis By House Budget Committee Republicans, The Health Care Law Will Cost The Nation $2.6 Trillion When Fully Implemented, And Add $701 Billion To The Deficit In Its First Ten Years. (ObamaCare: A Budget-Busting, Job-Killing Health Care Law,
Office Of The Speaker Of The U.S. House Of Representatives, Report, 1/6/11)

Congressional Budget Office: ObamaCares Coverage Provisions To Cost $1.68 Trillion By 2022, Nearly Double What Obama Said It Would Cost. (Updated Estimates
For The Insurance Coverage Provisions Of The Affordable Care Act Updated For The Recent Supreme Court Decision, Congressional Budget Office, 7/24/12)

ObamaCare Will Push Up Health Care Premiums: Under ObamaCare, Family Health Care Premiums Will Increase $2,404 Annually.
(Douglas W. Elmendorf, CBO Director, Letter To Senator Evan Bayh, 11/30/09; Updated Estimates For The Insurance Coverage Provisions Of The Affordable Care Act Updated For The Recent Supreme Court Decision, Congressional Budget Office, 7/24/12)

As ObamaCare Is Implemented, Premiums Are Expected To Accelerate To 7.1 Percent, From 4.1 Percent In 2013. On a per enrollee basis, growth in premiums is expected to accelerate to 7.1 percent, from 4.1 percent in 2013. This acceleration is partly because people who are eligible for available government subsidies are expected to take advantage of them and enroll in plans that are more generous than those they had previously joined. (Sean P. Keehan, Gigi A. Cuckler, Andrea M. Sisko, Andrew J. Madison, Sheila D. Smith, Joseph M. Lizonitz,
John A. Poisal and Christian J. Wolfe, National Health Expenditure Projections: Modest Annual Growth Until Coverage Expands And Economic Growth Accelerates, Health Affairs, no. (2012))

ObamaCare Will Cause Americans To Lose Their Health Care Coverage: Americans Are Finding Out That Obamas Keep Your Plan Promise Is Just Not True. President Barack Obama promised over and over during the health care debate that if you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan. It turns out that, for a lot of people, that isnt true. (David Nather, 4 Hard Truths Of Health Care Reform, Politico, 3/16/12) More Americans Will Lose Their Employer Health Care Coverage Than Before ObamaCare Was Enacted. For one thing, CBO says 11 million Americans wont get employment-based health insurance they would have had before the law so they will be forced out (technically by their employer, not by the president, but the context will be the changes brought about by the health law). Another 9 million would gain coverage but everyone who loses it will see their lives disrupted, and it will be used as more evidence of broken Obama promises. (David Nather, 4 Hard Truths Of
Health Care Reform, Politico, 3/16/12)

ObamaCare To Increase Health Care Costs For Employers: Spending On Health Coverage For Workers Climbed By 4 Percent In 2012. Health insurance premiums for individuals and families also climbed year-over-year, up 3 percent ($186) on average for an individual and 4 percent ($672) on average for a family, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. (Jake Tapper, Rising Health Costs Undermine Obama Pledge To Curb Trend, ABC
News, 9/25/12)

ObamaCare Cut Medicare: The Nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office: ObamaCare Cuts $716 Billion From Medicare. (Congressional Budget Office, Letter To Speaker John Boehner, 7/24/12) ObamaCare Creates The Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB)
ObamaCare Created The Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) To Come Up With Ways To Cut Medicare Spending If It Grows Too Fast. Thats the job description for the 15 members of the Independent Payment Advisory Board the new panel created by President Barack Obamas health care law to come up with ways to cut Medicare spending if it grows too fast.
(David Nather, Medicare Cost-Cutting Job Could Be Worst In D.C., Politico, 5/14/11)

ObamaCare Created IPAB To Cut Medicare. Thats the job description for the 15 members of the Independent Payment Advisory Board the new panel created by President Barack Obamas health care law to come up with ways to cut Medicare spending if it grows too fast. (David Nather, Medicare Cost-Cutting Job Could Be Worst In D.C., Politico, 5/14/11) Obama Has Continually Pushed For Strengthening IPAB And An Additional $248 Billion Cut From Medicare. The plan calls for strengthening a controversial piece of the health care reform law, and it includes proposals state governments have strongly opposed. It also would require seniors to pay more for certain Medicare benefits, according to a summary of the proposal, which would cut $248 billion in Medicare funding and $73 billion to Medicaid and other health programs.
(Sam Baker, Obama Health Cuts To Spark Fights With States, GOP, Industry Groups, The Hills Health Watch, 9/19/11)

ObamaCare Raises Over $800 Trillion In Taxes:

[M]r. Obama Has Already Signed The Largest Tax Increase Since 1993. (Editorial, Taxes
Upon Taxes Upon, The Wall Street Journal, 7/11/11)

Obama Pays For His Government Takeover Of Health Care With $820.8 Billion In JobKilling Taxes On Small Businesses, Investments And Innovation. (Updated Estimates For The
Insurance Coverage Provisions Of The Affordable Care Act, Congressional Budget Office, 3/12; Estimated Revenue Effects Of A Proposal To Repeal Certain Tax Provisions Contained In The Affordable Care Act, Joint Committee On Taxation, 6/15/12; Payments Of Penalties For Being Uninsured Under The Affordable Care Act, Congressional Budget Office, 9/19/12)

ObamaCare Will Cost American Jobs:

ObamaCare Will Shrink The National Workforce By 800,000. CBO Director Douglas Elmendorf told the House Budget Committee on Thursday that the health care law will reduce employment by 0.5 percent by 2021 because some people will no longer have to work just to afford health insurance. (J. Lester Feder And Kate Nocera, CBO: Health Law To Shrink Workforce By 800,000, Politico, 2/10/11)

Hudson Institute Study Found That The Tax Will Force The Medical Device Industry To Cut 45,700 U.S. Workers. The 21-page study projects the tax roughly will double the corporate tax bill on the medical device industry, causing it to shift 10 percent of its production to low-tax offshore sites and shrink its U.S. employment by 11 percent, or 45,700 workers. (Jeff Swiatek, Medical Device Debate: Will Tax Spur Jobs Or Stunt Innovation? The Indianapolis Star,
9/27/11)

ObamaCare Will Outsource Jobs: ObamaCare Could Drive Companies To Outsource Jobs To Comply With Its Medical Loss Ratio Mandate. Moreover, the health care reform law could prod insurers to move more jobs to cheaper-wage countries. The new law requires companies to spend 80% to 85% of premiums on medical care, limiting the amount available for administrative expenses. (Don Lee, Worries Grow As Health Care Firms Send Jobs Overseas, Los Angeles Times, 7/25/12) ObamaCare Has Helped Unions: 2,255,307 Union Workers Have Plans That Received Waivers From ObamaCare.
(Annual Limits Policy: Protecting Consumers, Maintaining Options, And Building A Bridge To 2014, HHS, Accessed 3/20/12)

Labor Unions Have Been The Primary Recipients Of ObamaCare Waivers. Labor unions continued to receive the overwhelming majority of waivers from the presidents health care reform law since the Obama administration tightened application rules last summer. (Paul Conner, Labor Unions Primary Recipients of ObamaCare Waivers, The
Daily Caller, 1/7/12)

Special Interests Wrote ObamaCare: Obama Gave A Private Inside Track To Special Interests While Writing ObamaCare. In cutting deals with hospitals and drug makers, President Barack Obama is giving a private inside track to special interests that's at odds with his promise to make policy in the open He pledged to open government and let the public and news media hold his administration accountable We'll have the negotiations televised on C-SPAN, so that people can see who is making arguments on behalf of their constituents, and who are making arguments on behalf of the drug companies or the insurance companies, he said then. (Sharon Theimer, Promises, Promises: Do Obama Deals Break Pledge? The Associated Press, 7/21/09)

ObamaCare Forces Military Families To Pay Additional Fee To Keep Children On Coverage: ObamaCares Provision To Cover Children On Their Parents Health Care Plan Until Age 26 Has Put Military Families At A Disadvantage As They Must Pay Up To An Additional $200 Per Child. A provision in the national health-care law that lets young adults stay on their parents' insurance plan is popular with many familiesbut not ones in the military. Families covered by Tricare, the health program for active and retired members of the military, must pay as much as $200 a month to let an adult child stay on their plan until age 26. Most families in private plans now pay no fee to extend such coverage. Military families are starting to complain about the disparity, saying they can't afford those premiums and have let their children go uninsured. (Louise Radnofsky, Military Families
Balk At Health Fee, The Wall Street Journal, 10/9/12)

Currently, Tricare Covered Families Pay As Much As $201 A Month For Each Dependent. That fee is either $176 or $201 a month for each young-adult dependent who wants to be covered through a parent's insurance, depending on the type of plan. Tricare says the premiums are based on data for medical costs incurred by similar dependents and administrative expenses. Next year, premiums will fall to $152 or $176 a month. (Louise Radnofsky, Military Families Balk At Health Fee, The Wall Street Journal,
10/9/12)

The Additional Burden On Military Families Has Deterred Most Families From Taking Advantage Of The Plan Leaving Nearly 210,000 Dependents Without Health Coverage. The monthly premium has deterred most families, as have other restrictions that young-adult dependents be single and have no access to other insurance through a job. Those requirements aren't in place for most civilian employer plans. Of 230,000 young-adult dependents of service members who might have signed up, only 20,740 had signed up for the Tricare extension by August, according to the Department of Defense. (Louise Radnofsky, Military Families Balk At Health Fee, The
Wall Street Journal, 10/9/12)

Democrats Drafted The ObamaCare Provision That Charges Military Families The Full Cost Of Additional Tricare Coverage. The final legislation directed the Department of Defense to charge families for the full cost of the additional coverage. Sen. Mark Udall (D., Colo.), an author of the legislation, said the fee was included because legislators wouldn't support providing the coverage free of charge. Looming defense cuts have put pressure on Tricare and overall military spending. (Louise Radnofsky, Military Families Balk At Health Fee, The Wall Street
Journal, 10/9/12)

BROKEN PROMISES ON HEALTH CARE

PROMISE: As A Candidate, Obama Promised That His Health Care Reform Would Save American Families $2,500 By The End Of His First Term. Under Obama, The Average Cost Of Family Health Care Premiums Has Increased By $3,065 From $12,680 To $15,745, A 24.2 Percent Increase. (Employer Health Benefits, 2012 Annual
Survey, Exhibit 6.4, The Kaiser Family Foundation, 2012)

Under Obama, Families Pay An Average Of $255 More On Monthly Health Care Premiums. (Employer Health Benefits; 2012 Annual Survey, The Kaiser Family Foundation, 9/11/12; Employer
Health Benefits; 2008 Annual Survey, The Kaiser Family Foundation, 9/24/08)

Under Obama, Americans Pay An Average Of $76 More On Monthly Health Care Premiums. (Employer Health Benefits; 2012 Annual Survey, The Kaiser Family Foundation, 9/11/12;
Employer Health Benefits; 2008 Annual Survey, The Kaiser Family Foundation, 9/24/08)

Under ObamaCare, Family Health Care Premiums Will Increase $2,404 Annually.
(Douglas W. Elmendorf, CBO Director, Letter To Senator Evan Bayh, 11/30/09; Updated Estimates For The Insurance Coverage Provisions Of The Affordable Care Act Updated For The Recent Supreme Court Decision, Congressional Budget Office, 7/24/12)

Premiums Have Climbed At A Faster Rate Under Obama Than The Previous Four Years Under President George Bush. During Obamas term, between 2009 to 2012, premiums have climbed $2,370 for the average family with an employer-provided plan a rate faster than the during the previous four years under President George W. Bush, according to Kaiser. (Jake Tapper, Rising Health Costs Undermine Obama Pledge To Curb Trend, ABC News, 9/25/12)
Zaldivar, Premiums For Family Health Plans Hit $15,745, The Associated Press, 9/11/12)

The Rise In Premiums Easily Outpaced Workers Raises And Inflation. (Ricardo Alonso-

FactCheck.org: ObamaCare Falls Short Of Making Health Care Affordable And Available To Every Single American, As Promised. Furthermore, the law falls short of making health care affordable and available to every single American, as promised. The law provides subsidies to help some Americans buy insurance, expands Medicaid and doesnt allow insurance companies to exclude persons with preexisting conditions. But still, the director of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projected 23 million persons will remain uninsured some because they cant afford coverage. (DAngelo Gore, Promises,
Promises, FactCheck.org, 1/4/12)

FactCheck.org: ObamaCare Is Actually Making Health Care Less Affordable. At the moment, the new law is making health care slightly less affordable. Independent health care experts say the law has caused some insurance premiums to rise. As we wrote in October, the new law has caused about a 1 percent to 3 percent increase in health insurance premiums for employer-sponsored family plans because of requirements for increased benefits. Last years premium increases cast even more doubt on another promise the president has made that the health care law would lower premiums by up to $2,500 for a typical family per year.
(DAngelo Gore, Promises, Promises, FactCheck.org, 1/4/12)

The Washington Posts The Fact Checker: Insurance premiums have gone up, in part because of new benefits mandated by the law. (Glenn Kessler, The Fine Print In Obamas
Promises Kept Ad, The Washington Posts The Fact Checker, 1/6/12)

The Washington Posts The Fact Checker: But the bad news is that, on average, premiums almost certainly will go up with some people really getting hit with increases. (Glenn Kessler, President Obamas Claim That Insurance Premiums Will Go Down, The Washington Posts The Fact
Checker, 8/10/12)

The Washington Posts The Fact Checker: The laws provisions, especially the requirement for essential benefits, will almost certainly increase premiums, though tax subsidies will help mitigate the impact for a little over half of the people in the exchanges. But a lot of other people such as a young male who currently has a plan that does not include all of the required benefits are likely going to have sticker shock when they see what happens to their premiums starting in 2014. (Glenn Kessler, President Obamas Claim That Insurance
Premiums Will Go Down, The Washington Posts The Fact Checker, 8/10/12)

Despite Obamas Promises, Health Care Premiums Arent Going To Go Down. Giving families and businesses relief was a big part of Obamas sales pitch for health care reform. But no matter what happens with the law, the line on that graph isnt going to go down. (David Nather, Health Care Reform: 4 Inconvenient Truths, Politico, 3/16/12) PROMISE: Obama Promised Americans That You Can Keep Your Plan. Americans Are Finding Out That Obamas Keep Your Plan Promise Is Just Not True. President Barack Obama promised over and over during the health care debate that if you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan. It turns out that, for a lot of people, that isnt true. (David Nather, 4 Hard Truths Of Health Care Reform, Politico, 3/16/12) More Americans Will Lose Their Employer Health Care Coverage Than Before ObamaCare Was Enacted. For one thing, CBO says 11 million Americans wont get employment-based health insurance they would have had before the law so they will be forced out (technically by their employer, not by the president, but the context will be the changes brought about by the health law). Another 9 million would gain coverage but everyone who loses it will see their lives disrupted, and it will be used as more evidence of broken Obama promises. (David Nather, 4 Hard Truths Of Health Care Reform, Politico, 3/16/12) The Non-Partisan CBO Found That ObamaCare Could Cause As Many As 20 Million Americans To Lose Their Employer-Provided Health Care Plan. As many as 20 million Americans could lose their employer-provided health care because of President Obama's health care reform law, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said in a new report Thursday. (Julian Pecquet, CBO: Millions Of Americans Could Lose Their Employer Coverage, The Hills Health
Watch, 3/15/12)

Despite A Tremendous Amount Of Uncertainty Regarding EmployerSponsored Health Care, The CBO Still Expects 3 To 5 Million Fewer Americans To Obtain Their Health Care Coverage With ObamaCare. The best estimate, subject to a tremendous amount of uncertainty, is that about 3 million to 5 million fewer people will obtain coverage through their employer each year from 2019 through 2022. (Julian Pecquet, CBO: Millions Of Americans Could Lose Their Employer Coverage, The Hills Health
Watch, 3/15/12)

PROMISE: Obama Promised That ObamaCare Would Cost Roughly $900 Billion.

Congressional Budget Office: ObamaCares Coverage Provisions To Cost $1.68 Trillion By 2022, Nearly Double What Obama Said It Would Cost. (Updated Estimates For The
Insurance Coverage Provisions Of The Affordable Care Act Updated For The Recent Supreme Court Decision, Congressional Budget Office, 7/24/12)

According To An Analysis By House Budget Committee Republicans, The Health Care Law Will Cost The Nation $2.6 Trillion When Fully Implemented, And Add $701 Billion To The Deficit In Its First Ten Years. (ObamaCare: A Budget-Busting, Job-Killing Health Care Law,
Office Of The Speaker Of The U.S. House Of Representatives, Report, 1/6/11)

Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) Admits Budget Gimmick Hides True Cost Of Bill, Which Could Be As Much As $2.5 Trillion. BAUCUS: Just for a second -- health care reform, whether you use a ten-year number or when you start in 2010 or start in 2014, wherever you start at, so it is still either $1 trillion or its $2.5 trillion, depending on where you start... (Sen. Max Baucus, Floor Remarks, 12/2/09)

ObamaCare Costs Double Obamas Estimates. You might have missed the news it's not the sort a lot of national outlets care to dwell on, for obvious reasons but the Congressional Budget Office's latest cost estimates for Obamacare are roughly double the estimates of previous years. The original forecast came in at $940 million. The new estimate puts the cost at $1.76 trillion. Shouldn't people have seen this coming? (Editorial,
Health Care: Up, Up And Away, Richmond Times-Dispatch, 3/19/12)

PROMISE: Obama Promised That No Family Making Less Than $250,000 Will See A Tax Increase. The Joint Committee On Taxation Report Found That ObamaCare Raises Taxes On Middle-Class Americans. There are a number of tax provisions in the health care bill that may directly increase taxes on some individuals and families earning less than $200,000 and $250,000 per year. Furthermore, other tax provisions in the bill that directly affect businesses may ultimately affect individuals and families earning less than $200,000 and $250,000, respectively, to the extent that increased taxes results in higher prices for the products of the affected businesses. (Joint Committee On Taxation, Letter To Senator Tom Coburn, 3/20/12) Politifact: Promise Broken. But the latest health care bill includes more broad-based taxes that are pushing us toward Promise Broken. (Angie Drobnic Holan, Smokers, Tanning Aficionados, The
Happily Uninsured: More Taxes Coming At Ya! Politifact, 4/8/10)

ObamaCare Raised Taxes On The Middle Class. The health care law that Obama signed on March 23, 2010, raises taxes on some things regardless of income. Two taxes in particular stand out. A tax on indoor tanning services begins this year. And in 2014, people will have to pay a fine, levied through their income taxes, if they don't have health insurance. (Angie Drobnic Holan, Smokers, Tanning Aficionados, The Happily Uninsured: More Taxes Coming At Ya! Politifact,
4/8/10)

Obama Did Raise Taxes On Americans Through ObamaCare. The new health care law also includes a tax on people who decide not to have health insurance, as an incentive for them to get coverage. More significantly, the health care law includes new taxes on the wealthy, starting in 2013. Individuals who make more than $200,000 and couples that make more than $250,000 will see additional Medicare taxes of 0.9 percent. They will also, for the first time have to pay Medicare

taxes on their investment income at a 3.8 percent tax rate. (President Barack Obama Says He
Didnt Raise Taxes Once, PolitiFact, 2/7/11)

PROMISE: Obama Promised Medicare Benefits Wont Change The Nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office: ObamaCare Cuts $716 Billion From Medicare. (Congressional Budget Office, Letter To Speaker John Boehner, 7/24/12) ObamaCare Already Cut Medicare By 6 Percent. If the debt committee hits a dead end, the agreement between President Barack Obama and congressional leaders decrees an automatic 2 percent cut to Medicare providers. Thats on top of a 6 percent cut already enacted to finance the presidents health care law, according to the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. And the earlier cut is still being phased in. (Ricardo Alonson-Zaldivar, Debt Ceiling Deal Paves Way For Medicare, Medicaid Budget Fight, The
Associated Press, 8/2/11)

Medicare Trustees Report Notes That Doing Nothing Now To Fix Medicare Will Result In Either An Immediate 26 Percent Cut In Medicare benefits Or A 47 Percent Increase In Taxes. Lawmakers could address the long-range financial imbalance in several different ways. In theory, they could immediately increase the standard 2.90percent payroll tax by the amount of the actuarial deficit to 4.25 percent, or they could reduce expenditures by a corresponding amount. Note, however, that these changes would require an immediate 47-percent increase in the standard tax rate or an immediate 26percent reduction in expenditures. (2012 Annual Report Of The Boards Of Trustees Of The Federal Hospital
Insurance And Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Funds, Social Security & Medicare Trustees Report, 2012)

Medicare Actuary Richard Foster On ObamaCares Medicare Cuts: It's Pretty Hard To Imagine That They Could Be Sustainable. FOSTER: And the figures you quoted were correct. And that assumes that again, the private health insurance can't do something comparable to these mandated reductions in growth rates that are part of current law now for Medicare. In looking at those, it's pretty hard to imagine that they could be sustainable, because when you think about it, the providers have to pay certain input cost increases. They have to pay somewhat more next year than they do this year. They have to pay higher energy costs. They have medical supplies. They have rent or leases that go up. (Testimony Before
The House Committee On The Budget, U.S. House Of Representatives,, 7/13/11)

Foster: There Is A Lot Of Evidence That Suggests Some Of These Payment Provisions Will Not Be Sustainable In The Long Range. FOSTER: But there is a lot of evidence that suggests some of these payment provisions will not be sustainable in the long range. (Testimony Before The House Committee On The Budget, U.S. House Of
Representatives, 7/13/11)

Foster: The Productivity Adjustments Under The Affordable Care Act Could Well Lead To A Situation Where Medicare Payment Rates Are Just Inadequate So That They May Not Be Viable In The Long Range. FOSTER: Also, as I testified before your committee in January, the productivity adjustments under the Affordable Care Act could well lead to a situation where Medicare payment rates are just inadequate so that they may not be viable in the long range. If, in fact, these features do not prove to be viable, then the actual cost for Medicare will be much

higher than projected under current law. (Testimony Before The House Committee On The Budget, U.S.
House Of Representatives, 7/13/11)

MEDICARE
Obama Cut Medicare By $716 Billion To Fund ObamaCare Obama Cut Medicare To Fund His New Health Care Entitlement Program, Which Will Leave Fewer Options Available When Medicare Crisis Hits. We did it for a good cause, which was the expansion of coverage, said [economist and former Medicare trustee John] Palmer. But down the road, when further steps have to be taken to close the Medicare deficit, then we will have fewer options available because weve already done some of the easier things. (Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, FACT CHECK: Can Overhaul Save Medicare? The Associated Press,
5/1/10)

[M]ake No Mistake -- Closing Medicares Future Funding Gap Will Be Harder Now That Some Of The Easier Sources Of Savings Have Been Tapped To Finance The Health Care Bill. (Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, FACT CHECK: Can Overhaul Save Medicare? The
Associated Press, 5/1/10)

The Nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office: ObamaCare Cuts $716 Billion From Medicare. (Congressional Budget Office, Letter To Speaker John Boehner, 7/24/12) ObamaCare Already Cut Medicare By 6 Percent. If the debt committee hits a dead end, the agreement between President Barack Obama and congressional leaders decrees an automatic 2 percent cut to Medicare providers. Thats on top of a 6 percent cut already enacted to finance the presidents health care law, according to the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. And the earlier cut is still being phased in. (Ricardo Alonson-Zaldivar, Debt Ceiling Deal Paves Way For Medicare, Medicaid Budget Fight, The
Associated Press, 8/2/11)

After ObamaCare, Obama Promised Seniors That Their Medicare Advantage Benefits Wont Change. OBAMA: First and foremost, what you need to know is that the guaranteed Medicare benefits that youve earned will not change, regardless of whether you receive them through Medicare or Medicare Advantage. Your guaranteed benefits will not change. Eligibility wont change. Medicare will continue to cover your costs the way it always has. (President Barack Obama, Remarks At A Tele-Town Hall With Seniors, Wheaton, MD, 6/8/10) According To The Congressional Budget Office, ObamaCare Specifically Cut $156 Billion From Medicare Advantage. (Douglas Elmendorf, Letter To Speaker John Boehner,
Congressional Budget Office, 7/24/12)

Factcheck.org: White House Ad Promising That Medicare Advantage Benefits Will Remain The Same Is False. Currently, about 1 in every 4 Medicare beneficiary is enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. For many of them, the words in this ad ring hollow, and the promise that benefits will remain the same is just as fictional as the town of Mayberry was when Griffith played the local sheriff. (Brooks
Jackson, Mayberry Misleads On Medicare, FactCheck.org, 7/31/10)

Obama Would Let Medicare Go Bankrupt The Trustees Of Social Security And Medicare Predict That Medicares Trust Fund Will Be Exhausted In 2024. The estimated exhaustion date for the HI trust fund remains at 2024, the same year shown in last year's report. As in past years, the Trustees have

determined that the fund is not adequately financed over the next 10 years. (2012 Annual Report In 2024 When The Trust Fund Is Exhausted, Medicares Tax Income Will Only Be Able To Cover 87 Percent Of Its Expenditures. Under current law, scheduled HI tax income would cover only 87 percent of estimated expenditures in 2024 and 67 percent in 2050. (2012 Annual Report Of The Boards Of Trustees Of The Federal Hospital Insurance And
Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Funds, The Boards Of Trustees, Federal Hospital Insurance And Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Funds, 4/23/12)

Of The Boards Of Trustees Of The Federal Hospital Insurance And Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Funds, The Boards Of Trustees, Federal Hospital Insurance And Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Funds, 4/23/12)

If Savings From ObamaCare Do Not Materialize Than The Trust Fund Is Expected To Be Exhausted Sooner. Without legislation to correct the financial imbalance, the fund would continue decreasing and use up all its remaining assets in 2024, and would thus become exhausted under the intermediate assumptions. If the reductions in Medicare price updates under the Affordable Care Act do not continue throughout this period, then asset depletion would occur slightly earlier in 2024, based on the illustrative alternative projections. (2012 Annual Report Of The Boards Of Trustees Of
The Federal Hospital Insurance And Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Funds, The Boards Of Trustees, Federal Hospital Insurance And Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Funds, 4/23/12)

Medicare Trustees Report Notes That Doing Nothing Now To Fix Medicare Will Result In Either An Immediate 26 Percent Cut In Medicare benefits Or A 47 Percent Increase In Taxes. Lawmakers could address the long-range financial imbalance in several different ways. In theory, they could immediately increase the standard 2.90percent payroll tax by the amount of the actuarial deficit to 4.25 percent, or they could reduce expenditures by a corresponding amount. Note, however, that these changes would require an immediate 47-percent increase in the standard tax rate or an immediate 26percent reduction in expenditures. (2012 Annual Report Of The Boards Of Trustees Of The Federal Hospital
Insurance And Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Funds, Social Security & Medicare Trustees Report, 2012)

Trustees: The Financial Challenges Facing Social Security And Medicare Should Be Addressed Soon. (2011 Annual Report Of The Medicare & Social Security Trustees, Social
Security & Medicare Trustees Report, 2011)

Medicare And Social Security Are On A Fast Track To Deep Fiscal Problems, Trustees For The Two Programs Warned Monday. (Sam Baker, Medicare, Social Security Funds Running
Out Quickly, Trustees Say, The Hill, 4/23/12)

Lawmakers Should Not Delay Addressing The Long-Run Financial Challenges Facing Social Security And Medicare, The Trustees Wrote In Their Report.
(David Jackson, Social Security Financial Lifespan Shortened Three Years, USA Today, 4/23/12)

Foreshadowing The Financial Pressures On Medicare In Coming Years, The Trustees The Number Of People Covered By Medicare Rose To 48.7 Million In 2011. That Meant, On Average, 100,000 Americans Joined Medicare Each Month. The trustees also provided an update on Medicare's finances. They projected the Medicare fund that pays for hospital benefits would be exhausted in 2024, unchanged from their projection last year. But, foreshadowing the financial pressures on Medicare in coming years, the trustees said the number of people covered by Medicare rose to 48.7 million in 2011. That meant, on average, 100,000 Americans joined Medicare each month. (Damian
Paletta, Stress Rises On Social Security, The Wall Street Journal, 4/23/12)

The Projection That Medicare Will Be Bankrupt By 2024 May Be Too Generous. The
Money Faster, USA Today, 5/13/11)

Medicare figures are suspect, because they rely on billions of dollars in savings projected under the health care law signed by President Obama last year. (Richard Wolf, Medicare, Social Security Running Out Of

Medicares Hospital Insurance Trust Fund Will Run An Annual Deficit Of $16.7 Billion By 2022 As Its Balance Dwindles To Just $67.6 Billion. (Medicare: March 2012 Baseline, Congressional
Budget Office, 3/13/12)

Medicare Lie Of The Year Politifact: Lie Of The Year 2011: 'Republicans Voted To End Medicare' (Bill Adair And Angie
Drobnic Holan, Lie Of The Year 2011: 'Republicans Voted To End Medicare', Politifact, 12/20/11)

Politifact Debunked The Medicare Charge In Nine Separate Fact-Checks Rated False Or Pants On Fire, Most Often In Attacks Leveled Against Republican House Members.
(Bill Adair And Angie Drobnic Holan, Lie Of The Year 2011: 'Republicans Voted To End Medicare', Politifact, 12/20/11)

The Party Appears Undeterred By Fact-Checkers Who Claim It's Unfair To Say Republicans Will End The Program As It's Currently Conceived. (Sam Stein, Democratic Party
Platform: Pro-Gay Marriage, Immigration Reform, Shots At Romney, Squishy On Guns, The Huffington Post, 9/3/12)

Politifact Rated Democrat Claims That The GOP Plan Abolishes Medicare As False. Our colleagues at PolitiFact Wisconsin looked into a claim about the Ryan plan from MoveOn.org, the left-leaning political advocacy group. In an e-mail to its members, MoveOn.org asserted: Here's the most important thing you need to know about the Republicans' new budget plan: It abolishes Medicare within 10 years. To be sure, the Ryan plan would change Medicare significantly starting in 2022. But for those who turn 65 before then, there would be no changes at all, even after 2022. And for the others, Medicare would change -- dramatically -- but it would still exist. They rated MoveOn.org's claim false. (Robert Farley, Sorting Out The Facts On The Republican Budget Blueprint, Politifact, 4/15/11) The Obama Campaign Has Previously Made False Claims About Governor Romney And Medicare. The Obama campaigns Life of Julia graphic says that under Romney, Medicare could end as we know it, leaving Julia with nothing but a voucher to buy insurance, which means $6,350 extra per year for a similar plan. (Becky Bowers, Barack Obamas Life
Of Julia Says Mitt Romney Would Replace Medicare With Nothing But A Voucher, PolitiFact, 5/24/12)

Democrats False Claim Preyed On Seniors Worries. A complicated and wonky subject with life-or-death consequences, health care is fertile ground for falsehoods. The Democratic attack about ending Medicare was a pervasive line in 2011 that preyed on seniors' worries about whether they could afford health care. (Bill Adair & Angie Drobnic Holan, Lie Of
The Year 2011: Republicans Voted To End Medicare, Tampa Bay Times PolitiFact, 12/20/11)

FactCheck.org: Obama Made False Claims About How The GOP Plan Will Impact Seniors And Their Ability To Obtain Health Insurance. Obama went on to say that seniors wouldnt get guaranteed health care and if the voucher isnt worth enough to buy the insurance thats available in the open marketplace, well, tough luck - youre on your own. Its false to say seniors would be in the open marketplace. Instead, they would buy coverage through the Medicare exchange Ryan envisions. And as we said, the private insurance companies in the exchange would be required to cover any eligible senior who

wanted insurance. (Lori Robertson, Eugene Kiely, and DAngelo Gore, FactChecking Obamas Budget Speech, Factcheck.org,
4/15/11)

Saying The Plan Throws The Elderly To The Mercy Of The Insurance Industry Is An Exaggeration And Ignores Elements Of The Plan That Require Insurance Companies To Cover All Seniors And To Charge The Same Rate Based On Age. (Lori Robertson, Eugene Kiely, and DAngelo Gore, FactChecking Obamas Budget Speech,
Factcheck.org, 4/15/11)

FactCheck.org: Obamas Claim That Children Would Be Left To Fend For Themselves Is An Exaggeration. He said poor children, children with autism and kids with disabilities would be left to fend for themselves. That, too, is an exaggeration. The GOP says states would have freedom and flexibility to tailor a Medicaid program that fits the needs of their unique populations. It doesnt bar states from covering those children. (Lori Robertson, Eugene Kiely, and DAngelo Gore, FactChecking
Obamas Budget Speech, Factcheck.org, 4/15/11)

HISPANICS/LATINOS NOT BETTER OFF UNDER OBAMA

FACT: Hispanics Have Been Hit Harder By The Economy Than Other Groups Latinos Are Hit Disproportionately Hard By The Struggling Economy. The collapse of the housing market and a foreclosure wave continues to hit Latino homeowners disproportionately hard, studies find, with market recovery still struggling to take hold. On health care, roughly three times as many Latinos are uninsured than are non-Hispanic whites. And Latino unemployment is on the rise, at 11 percent in May, up from 10.3 percent in April and March, according to the Labor Department, which is higher than the national average. (Devin Dwyer, Obama 08 NALEO Promises Still Works In Progress, ABC News, 6/22/12) [M]any Latinos Say That The Recession Has Hit Them Hardest When It Comes To Unemployment, Home Ownership, And Their Neighborhoods. Latinos in our polling have told us they feel Hispanics have been hit harder than other groups by the recession, and many Latinos say that the recession has hit them hardest when it comes to unemployment, home ownership and their neighborhoods, said Mark Hugo Lopez, an associate director at the Pew Hispanic Center. (Devin Dwyer, Obama 08
NALEO Promises Still Works In Progress, ABC News, 6/22/12)

Hispanics Have Been Hit Harder By The Bleak Economy Than Any Other Group. The rise in childhood poverty is another signal of distress for the nations 50.5 million Hispanics, who have been hit harder by the bleak economy than any other group. (Carol
Morello and Ted Mellnik, Hispanic Kids The Largest Group Of Children Living In Poverty, The Washington Post, 9/28/11)

Under Obama, Hispanics Have Struggled To Find Work At Record Levels, With More Than 2.4 Million Unemployed. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/5/12) Gallup Has Consistently Found That Hispanics Are Among The Most Likely In The U.S. To Be Uninsured Since It Started Tracking Health Insurance Status In January 2008.
(Elizabeth Mendes, Uninsured Rates Vary From 4% to 50% Across U.S. Metro Areas, Gallup, 3/27/12)

More Than 40% Of Hispanics and 30% Of Low-Income Americans Were Uninsured In 2011. Hispanic Americans continue to be the most likely to be uninsured, with more than 40% going without health coverage in 2011, the highest Gallup has found for any key group since it began tracking in 2008. More than 30% of low-income Americans were uninsured in 2011 -- a figure that has been rising since 2008, when it was 26.4%. (Elizabeth Mendes, More Americans Uninsured In 2011, Gallup, 1/24/12)

FAILED TO CHANGE WASHINGTON

Obama Said The Most Important Lesson Ive Learned Is That You Cant Change Washington From The Inside. OBAMA: You know whatobviously, the fact that we havent been able to change the tone in Washington is disappointing. We know now that as soon as I came into office you already had meetings among some of our Republican colleagues saying, How do we figure out how to beat the president? And I think that Ive learned some lessons over the last four years, and the most important lesson Ive learned is that you cant change Washington from the inside. You can only change it from the outside.
(President Barack Obama, Univision Town Hall, Miami, FL, 9/20/12)

Obama Has Missed Or Passed Up Opportunities To Show His Willingness To Challenge The Status Quo. He also missed or passed up opportunities to show his willingness to challenge the status quo. And there is not much evidence that, as things turned sour, there was a fallback strategy for how to change the climate. (Dan Balz, Obama Did Not
Change Washington, Was There A Way Around United Republican Opposition? The Washington Post, 9/1/12)

The Washington Posts Dana Milbank: The president came here to change Washington and Washington has changed him. (CNNs Anderson Cooper 360, 3/8/12) Obama Admitted Washington Is Stuck With More Of The Same, And Maybe A Little Worse. CNNs WOLF BLITZER: When we spoke here end of 2008, hope and change. You know what I see in Washington still to this day? OBAMA: More of the same. BLITZER: The same old same old. OBAMA: Yeah. BLITZER: A lot of bickering, backstabbing. OBAMA: Maybe a little worse. (CNNs The Situation Room, 8/16/11) Obama Has Made A Series Of Calculated, Overtly Political Gestures That Are Far More Transactional Than Transformational. But whats transpired over the past several weeks isnt debatable: Hes made a series of calculated, overtly political gestures that are far more transactional than transformational. (Jim VandeHei, The Political Transformation,
Politico, 2/9/12)

So Much For The High Road: Victory Is More Important Than Purity. (Jim VandeHei, The
Political Transformation, Politico, 2/9/12)

FactCheck.org: [I]ts Simply A Fact That The President Failed At Bringing Democrats And Republicans Together. To be sure, the president did sign the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law in 2010, but it wasnt enacted by bringing Democrats and Republicans together. The bill passed the Senate on Dec. 24, 2009, by a vote of 60-39, without any Republicans voting for it. And when the House passed its version of the bill almost three months later, by a vote of 219-212, it too garnered no support from Republicans. We wont offer any opinion about whether one side is more to blame than the other for that, but its simply a fact that the president failed at bringing Democrats and Republicans together. (DAngelo Gore, Promises, Promises, Fact Check.org, 1/4/12) The Washington Posts Dan Balz: That the country is polarized is beyond question. Obama has proven to be a divisive president, despite his insistence that he is open to compromise and accommodation. (Dan Balz, Robertss Health-Care Ruling Sends A Message To Politicians, The
Washington Post, 6/30/12)

Obamas Failure To Transcend Washington Partisanship Has Never Been More Glaringly Obvious. Candidate Barack Obama promised to transcend Washington partisanship. President Obama plummeted into it. As the House returns Tuesday for the final session of his first term, Obamas failure to fulfill this central claim of his 2008 campaign has never been more glaringly obvious. (Carrie Budoff Brown and Jonathan Allen, Partisan D.C.:
Obama's Broken Promise, Politico, 1/17/12)

Polarization Is As Deep As It Has Been In Modern Times. Today Obamas words sound quaint, even naive. Instead of bipartisanship, there is polarization as deep as it has been in modern times. (Dan Balz, Obama Did Not Change Washington, Was There A Way Around United Republican
Opposition? The Washington Post, 9/1/12)

And, Far From Breaking A Generation-Long Partisan Standoff In Washington, Obamas Presidency Has Been Almost Entirely Defined By It. (John F. Harris and Jonathan Martin,
DNC 2012: Barack Obama, The Conventional President, Politico, 9/3/12)

Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin Says Obamas Tenure Is Viewed Through The Prism Of His Failure To Transcend The Deep Divisions In Washington. Doris Kearns Goodwin, who has written several presidential histories and has come to know Obama personally, said the 44th presidents policies such as a stimulus package that may have averted another Depression and an overhaul of health care policy most likely will be seen as profoundly far-reaching. But in contrast to the soaring expectations Obama himself helped set, Goodwin said his tenure is viewed through the prism of his failure to transcend the deep divisions in Washington. (John F. Harris and Jonathan Martin, DNC 2012: Barack Obama, The Conventional
President, Politico, 9/3/12)

Obama Has Been Unable To Bridge A Political Divide That Had Only Grown Wider Since He Took Office With A Promise To Change The Ways Of Washington A president who promised to bring the country together, who confidently presented himself as the transformational figure able to make that happen, now had his chance. But, like earlier policy battles, the debt ceiling negotiations revealed a divided figure, a man who remained aloof from a Congress where he once served and that he now needed. He was caught between his own aspirations for historical significance and his inherent political caution. And he was unable to bridge a political divide that had only grown wider since he took office with a promise to change the ways of Washington, underscoring the gulf between the way he campaigned and the way he had governed. (Peter Wallsten, Lori Montgomery, and
Scott Wilson, Obamas Evolution: Behind The Failed Grand Bargain On The Debt, The Washington Post, 3/17/12)

LOBBYISTS
Obama Broke His Promise On Lobbyists Its Well-Known That President Barack Obama Has Surrounded Himself With Lobbyists. (John Carney, Obamas Lobbyist-Heavy Administration, CNBC, 11/1/11) Obama: I Have Done More To Take On Lobbyists Than Any Other Candidate In This Race - And Ive Won. I Dont Take A Dime Of Their Money, And When I Am President, They Wont Find A Job In My White House. (Senator Barack Obama, Remarks, Spartanburg, SC, 11/3/07) Thomas Hale Boggs, Chairman Of Major Washington Lobbying Firm Patton Boggs, There Are Lots Of Lobbyists Working For The Administration. BOGGS: Now theyve greatly changed that [last year, the Obama re-election campaign hired former lobbyist Broderick Johnson, and in March, Joe Biden tapped former lobbyist Steve Ricchetti as an adviser], there are lots of lobbyists working for the administration, which is probably going to make it work better in the second term. (Catherine Ho, Lobbying Icon Boggs Predicts Obama Win, Weighs In
On Elections Impact On K Street, The Washington Post, 10/7/12)

PolitiFact: We Rate Obamas Revolving Door Policy For Former Lobbyists His Biggest Broken Promise. (Angie Drobnic Holan, Not So Fast On Obama Revolving Door Policy, PolitiFact, 1/23/09) PolitiFact Rated Obamas Promise To Bar Lobbyists From His Administration As Broken. We rated that one a Promise Broken because his policy has substantial loopholes that have allowed Obama to essentially decide when he wants to ignore the rule. Hes right that on his first day in office, he signed an executive order to bar lobbyists from his administration. But the order also included a loophole a waiver clause that allows former lobbyists to serve. Waivers are granted by the administration itself, so they are little more than the administration saying its okay for the lobbyist to work for the administration. (Obama Says Lobbyists Have
Been Excluded From Policy-Making Jobs, PolitiFact, 10/7/11)

PolitiFact: Another Provision Allows Lobbyists To Serve If They Agree To Recuse Themselves From Discussions Related To Their Former Jobs. (Obama Says
Lobbyists Have Been Excluded From Policy-Making Jobs, PolitiFact, 10/7/11)

The Center For Responsive Politics Finds Over 350 Individuals In The Obama Administration Who Have Been Through The Revolving Door, With Over 100 Individuals Who Are Current Or Formerly Registered Lobbyists. (Center For Responsive Politics,
Open Secrets, Accessed 8/23/12)

Lobbyists Have Little Trouble Making Themselves Heard In The Obama White House. Although Mr. Obama has made a point of not accepting contributions from registered lobbyists, a review of campaign donations and White House visitor logs shows that special interests have had little trouble making themselves heard.
(Mike McIntire and Michael Luo, White House Opens Door To Big Donors, And Lobbyists Slip In, The New York Times, 4/4/12)

Obama Officials Hold Secret Meetings With Lobbyists

PROMISE: President Obama: "Because You Deserve To Know When Your Elected Officials Are Meeting With Lobbyists, I Ask Congress To Do What The White House Has Already Done -- Put That Information Online." (President Barack Obama, State Of The Union Address,
Washington, DC, 1/25/11)

BROKEN: White House Officials Met "Hundreds Of Times" With Lobbyists At A Coffee Shop Across The Street From The White House. Here at the Caribou on Pennsylvania Avenue, and a few other nearby coffee shops, White House officials have met hundreds of times over the last 18 months with prominent K Street lobbyists -- members of the same industry that President Obama has derided for what he calls its outsized influence in the capital. (Eric Lichtblau, "Across From White House, Coffee With Lobbyists," The New York Times, 6/24/10) Administration Officials Also Meet With Lobbyists At A Complex Just Off The White House Grounds. Caught between their bosss anti-lobbyist rhetoric and the reality of governing, President Barack Obamas aides often steer meetings with lobbyists to a complex just off the White House grounds and several of the lobbyists involved say they believe the choice of venue is no accident. (Chris Frates,
Lobbyists: W.H. Hides Meetings Off-Site, Politico, 2/24/11)

The Meetings Are Being Held Off-Grounds So That The White House Visitor Logs Would Not Be Released To The Public And Embarrass The President Some lobbyists suspected they were being kept outside the gates for political, rather than logistical, reasons. My understanding was they were holding the meeting there because it included several high-level business and trade association lobbyists, said a senior business lobbyist who attended the meeting. This was an effort to not have to go through the security protocols at the White House which could lead to the visitor logs at some point being released to the public and embarrass the president. (Chris Frates, Lobbyists: W.H. Hides Meetings Off-Site, Politico, 2/24/11) Jeff Smith, White House Senior Adviser To The Director Of The Office Of Science And Technology Policy, Offered To Meet With Jim Kirkland Of GPS Industry Outside Of The White House To Avoid Appearing In Visitor Logs. Other emails released on Tuesday show Jeff Smith, a senior adviser to the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, offering to meet with Jim Kirkland, an executive from the GPS industry, off the White House grounds. LightSquared clashed with the GPS industry for years as it tried to get approval to use frequencies near those used by GPS. Republicans have alleged that contracts for LightSquared, which was backed by several major Democratic donors, had received preferential treatment from the White House. (Jennifer Epstein, GOP: W.H., Messina Failed On Transparency, Politico,
7/31/12)

Smith: Youd Appear On An Official WH Visitor List Which Is Maybe Not Want [Sic] You Want At This Stage Jim coffee at Caribou Coffee across the corner from the WH would work at 11:30 a.m. on Fridayplus getting you through the new WH security rules these days almost takes an act of Congress almost (and you know how well thats going these days), Smith wrote. [P]lus youd appear on an official WH Visitor List which is maybe not want [sic] you want at this stage (Jennifer Epstein, GOP: W.H., Messina Failed On Transparency, Politico, 7/31/12)

GOING NEGATIVE
Obama Critical Of Name-Callling in 2007-2008 Obama In 2008: You Dont Deserve A Bunch Of Name-Calling. OBAMA: Let me tell you what you don't deserve. You don't deserve a bunch of name-calling. You don't deserve a bunch of mud-slinging. You don't deserve a bunch of Internet rumors and scandalmongering. We don't need John McCain and I to be demonizing each other. You won't get that from my campaign. (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks At Campaign Event, Bristow, VA, 6/5/08) Obama in 2007: Its Time To Turn The Page From The Name Calling. OBAMA: If you want a new kind of politics, it's time to turn the page. If you want an end to the old divisions and the stale debates and the score keeping and the name calling, it's time to turn the page. (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks At Take Back America Forum, Washington DC, 6/19/07) In Reelect, Attack Is Obamas Only Strategy CBS Bob Schieffer: Whatever Happened To Hope And Change? Well, you know, one of the refreshing changes when the President was elected -- he talked about hope and change. Whatever happened to hope and change? Now, it seems he's coming right out of the box with these old fashioned negative ads. All campaigns seem to think are the basis of all campaigns now. (CBS Face The Nation, 5/27/12) Democrat Pollsters Pat Caddell And Doug Schoen: Obama Can Only Win By Running The Most Negative Campaign In History. Put simply, it seems that the White House has concluded that if the president cannot run on his record, he will need to wage the most negative campaign in history to stand any chance. With his job approval ratings below 45% overall and below 40% on the economy, the president cannot affirmatively make the case that voters are better off now than they were four years ago. Helike everyone else knows that they are worse off.(Patrick H. Caddell and Douglas E. Schoen, The Hillary Moment, The Wall Street Journal,
11/21/11)

Obama Will Run A Much More Negative Campaign To Combat A Jobless Rate That Has Not Allowed For A Presidents Reelect Since The Great Depression. The jobless rate will stand at levels that have not led to a president's re-election since the Great Depression. Largely because of that, Obama will run a much more negative campaign, his aides acknowledge, even if it threatens to demoralize some supporters who were inspired by his 2008 message of hope. (Charles Babington, 2012 Race
Likely To Be Close, Tough, Maybe Brutal, The Associated Press, 11/5/11)

Democratic Strategist: Unless Things Change And Obama Can Run On Accomplishments, He Will Have To Kill Romney. Unless things change and Obama can run on accomplishments, he will have to kill Romney, said a prominent Democratic strategist aligned with the White House. The strategy came down to proving Romney was unfit to govern, a phony, and weird. (Glenn Thrush, Obamas Last Stand,
2012)

Obama Did Not Have Reservations About The Kill Romney Strategy And Personally Signed Off On All Of His Campaigns Paid Advertising. If the

outside world found that approach jarring, Obama didnt. In interviews with two dozen current and former Obama advisers, not one said he expressed reservations at least in the beginning about the kill Romney strategy, and he personally signed off on all of his campaigns paid advertising, although he often toned down the very harshest attacks. (Glenn Thrush, Obamas Last Stand, 2012) The Washington Posts Ruth Marcus: Forget Hope And Change, Obamas Campaign Is Based On Fear And Loathing. Forget hope and change. President Obamas reelection campaign is going to be based on fear and loathing: fear of what a Republican takeover would mean, and loathing of whomever the Republican nominee turns out to be. Of course the Obama campaign will attempt to present the affirmative case for his reelection, citing legislative achievements, foreign policy successes and the current flurry of executive actions. But his strategists have clearly concluded that selling the president will not be enough, and the contours of the ugly months ahead are becoming increasingly apparent. (Ruth Marcus, Campaign 2012: Welcome To
The Slugfest, The Washington Post, 11/2/11)

Today, Obamas Campaign Is Very Much Playing The Usual Political Game Of Divide And Conquer. With Obama, though, we have more of a special case. This is the guy, after all, who eight years ago created his political brand with a stemwinder of a Democratic National Convention speech decrying the divisiveness of politics, and who four years ago ran a campaign defined by a positive vision of hope and change. Today, Obamas campaign is very much playing the usual political game of divide and conquer. (Aaron Blake, Can The Campaign Of Hope Go Negative? The Washington Post, 4/9/12) In 2012, Obama Will Be A Brass-Knuckled, Pipe-Hitting, Red-In-Tooth-AndClaw Brawler Determined To Do What Is Necessary To Stay In Power In Other Words, A Politician. Whichever side is right, one thing is undeniable. For anyone still starry-eyed about Obama, the months ahead will provide a bracing revelation about what he truly is: not a savior, not a saint, not a man above the fray, but a brass-knuckled, pipe-hitting, red-in-tooth-and-claw brawler determined to do what is necessary to stay in power in other words, a politician. (John Heilemann, Hope: The Sequel,
New York Magazine, 5/27/12)

Thus, To A Very Real Degree, 2008s Candidate Of Hope Stands Poised To Become 2012s Candidate Of Fear. (John Heilemann, Hope: The Sequel, New York Magazine, 5/27/12)

Though The Obamans Certainly Hit John McCain Hard Four Years AgoRunning More Negative Ads Than Any Campaign In HistoryWhat They Intend To Do To Romney Is More Savage. (John Heilemann, Hope: The Sequel, New York Magazine, 5/27/12) Obama Relies On Going Negative, Which Is Very Different From The Formula He Used In 2008. Obama and his advisers fell back on the timeless method that has essentially become the default option for presidential reelection campaigns, despite his promises to change the process. They prefer to talk euphemistically about drawing the contrast, but everyone else calls it going negative. This was something very different from the formula that elected the countrys first African-American president, but it would have to do. (Glenn Thrush, Obamas
Last Stand, 2012)

Obamas 2012 Re-Election Campaign Is A Depressing Experience Compared With The Heady Days Of 2008. That reluctance to fully commit to the grungier realities of 2012, said people around him, hinted at a deeper sentiment that he shared with his dispirited 2008 voters despite his surface bravado. The reelection campaign was, simply, a depressing experience compared with the heady days of 2008. We have got to stop buying our old bullshit, one of Obamas state directors told me, summing up the opinion of a handful of top Obama advisers. Were our own worst enemy with this crap. This isnt 2008. Weve got to accept that. So does he. (Glenn Thrush, Obamas Last Stand, 2012)

Obama Refuses To Denounce A Negative Produced By His Super PAC Obama Refused To Acknowledge That An Ad Produced By His Top Super PAC Was Out Of Bounds. QUESTION: Well, why not send a message to the top super PAC that's supporting you and say, I think an ad like that is out of bounds? We shouldnt be suggesting that-- OBAMA: So let's take that particular issue, as opposed to -- because you lumped in a whole bunch of other stuff that I think was entirely legitimate. I don't think that Governor Romney is somehow responsible for the death of the woman that was portrayed in that ad. But keep in mind this is an ad that I didnt approve, I did not produce, and as far as I can tell, has barely run. I think it ran once. (President Barack Obama, Remarks By The President To The White House
Press Corps, Washington, DC 8/20/12)

CBSs Norah ODonnell: Look, This Is A Question That Obama Has To Answer For, Which Is About The Tone Of The Campaign. ODONNELL: Why not denounce this and say it should never have been on the air? I thought it was noteworthy that the president knew that it had only aired just once. Thats how he knows the level of detail, even though it is not his campaign that is running this ad. Look, this is a question that Obama has to answer for, which is about the tone of the campaign. Many believed Obama was about hope and change in 2008, but it is true, he ran a very negative campaign in 2008 as well. (CBSs This Morning, 8/21/12)

Priorities USA Designed An Ad Featuring A Former Steelworker Who Appears To Blame Romney For the Death Of His Wife. Joe Soptic, a former steelworker, makes yet another appearance in a pro-Obama ad, this time for the Super PAC Priorities USA Action. We have examined this case before, and for the benefit of readers we repeat our main points from an earlier column that awarded the Obama campaign One Pinocchio for the use of this case study against presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney. Most controversially, Soptic this time appears to blame Romney for the death of his wife after he lost his health insurance when the steel plant closed. (Glen Kessler, New Anti-Romney Ad: Same Steelworker, Tougher Message,
The Washington Posts The Fact Checker, 8/7/12)

TRANSPARENCY
Obama Officials Hold Secret Meetings With Lobbyists PROMISE: Obama: "Because You Deserve To Know When Your Elected Officials Are Meeting With Lobbyists, I Ask Congress To Do What The White House Has Already Done -- Put That Information Online." (President Barack Obama, State Of The Union Address, Washington, DC,
1/25/11)

BROKEN: White House Officials Met "Hundreds Of Times" With Lobbyists At A Coffee Shop Across The Street From The White House. Here at the Caribou on Pennsylvania Avenue, and a few other nearby coffee shops, White House officials have met hundreds of times over the last 18 months with prominent K Street lobbyists -- members of the same industry that President Obama has derided for what he calls its outsized influence in the capital. (Eric Lichtblau, "Across From White House, Coffee With Lobbyists," The New York Times, 6/24/10) Administration Officials Also Meet With Lobbyists At A Complex Just Off The White House Grounds. Caught between their bosss anti-lobbyist rhetoric and the reality of governing, President Barack Obamas aides often steer meetings with lobbyists to a complex just off the White House grounds and several of the lobbyists involved say they believe the choice of venue is no accident. (Chris Frates,
Lobbyists: W.H. Hides Meetings Off-Site, Politico, 2/24/11)

The Meetings Are Being Held Off-Grounds So That The White House Visitor Logs Would Not Be Released To The Public And Embarrass The President Some lobbyists suspected they were being kept outside the gates for political, rather than logistical, reasons. My understanding was they were holding the meeting there because it included several high-level business and trade association lobbyists, said a senior business lobbyist who attended the meeting. This was an effort to not have to go through the security protocols at the White House which could lead to the visitor logs at some point being released to the public and embarrass the president. (Chris Frates, Lobbyists: W.H. Hides Meetings Off-Site, Politico, 2/24/11) Jeff Smith, White House Senior Adviser To The Director Of The Office Of Science And Technology Policy, Offered To Meet With Jim Kirkland Of GPS Industry Outside Of The White House To Avoid Appearing In Visitor Logs. Other emails released on Tuesday show Jeff Smith, a senior adviser to the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, offering to meet with Jim Kirkland, an executive from the GPS industry, off the White House grounds. LightSquared clashed with the GPS industry for years as it tried to get approval to use frequencies near those used by GPS. Republicans have alleged that contracts for LightSquared, which was backed by several major Democratic donors, had received preferential treatment from the White House. (Jennifer Epstein, GOP: W.H., Messina Failed On Transparency, Politico,
7/31/12)

Smith: Youd Appear On An Official WH Visitor List Which Is Maybe Not Want [Sic] You Want At This Stage Jim coffee at Caribou Coffee across the corner from the WH would work at 11:30 a.m. on Fridayplus getting you through the new WH security rules these days almost takes an act of Congress almost (and you

know how well thats going these days), Smith wrote. [P]lus youd appear on an official WH Visitor List which is maybe not want [sic] you want at this stage (Jennifer Epstein, GOP: W.H., Messina Failed On Transparency, Politico, 7/31/12) Obama Broke His Pledge To Hold An Open Health Care Debate PROMISE: Obama Promised Transparency For Health Care Debate, With Negotiations Televised On C-SPAN But Even Then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Admitted That Obama Broke His Pledge Saying There Are A Number Of Things [Obama] Was For On The Campaign Trail. (Barack Obama, Remarks At A Town Hall Meeting, Chester, VA,
8/21/08; Brian Beutler, Oh SNAP! Pelosi On Obama: There Were A Number Of Things He Was For On The Campaign Trail, Talking Points Memo, 1/5/10)

BROKEN: PolitiFact: We Rate This Promise Broken. Obama promised repeatedly an end to closed-door negotiations and complete openness for the health care talks. But he hasn't delivered. Instead of open talks of C-SPAN, we've gotten more of the same talks behind closed doors at the White House and Congress. We might revisit this promise if there's a dramatic change, but we see nothing to indicate anything has changed. We rate this Promise Broken. (Angie Drobnic Holan, Obama Said He'd Televise Health Reform Negotiations On C-SPAN, PolitiFact,
7/10/09)

Obama Aides Met With Sen. Harry Reid And An Exclusive Guest List To Write The Final Health Care Bill Behind Closed Doors. Its the invite that every senator with an opinion on health care wants to get: a reserved seat at the conference table where Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) will merge two competing reform bills. But most of them wont get in. Reids guest list will be an exclusive one. Reid has decided to keep the group intimate, limiting entree to Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.); Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), who ushered the bill through the Senate health committee; and top White House aides, according to a Senate leadership source. (Carrie Budoff Brown, "Members Jockey For Seat At Reids Table," Politico, 10/7/09) Obama Cut A Deal With PhRMA To Boost Their Profits, And Cut A Deal With The Drug Industry To Oppose Drug Reimportation In Exchange For Supporting ObamaCare. (Ryan Grim, Pharma Deal Shuts Down Senate Health Care Debate, The Huffington Post, 12/11/09) The Two Biggest Deals Reached In ObamaCare Industry Agreements To Cut Drug And Hospital Costs Were Reached In Secret. He'd describe how televised deliberations would take place around a big table, with seats filled by doctors, nurses, insurers and other interested parties. As president, he'd joke, he'd get the biggest chair. Not negotiating behind closed doors, but bringing all parties together and broadcasting those negotiations on C-SPAN, Obama explained in a Democratic debate in Los Angeles in January 2008, in language similar to many of his campaign stops. However, the two biggest deals so far industry agreements to cut drug and hospital costs were reached in secret. They were private, yes, said Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., a key participant in the process. (David Lightman and Margaret Talev, Obama Campaign Vow Of Public Debate On Health Care Fading,
McClatchy, 7/9/09)

PolitiFact: One Of Obamas Most Celebrated Transparency Promises Was A Pledge To Open His Meetings About Health Care ReformBut It Was Business

As Usual. Despite his progress at posting data, Obama hasn't lived up to his rhetoric about opening meetings and disclosing White House communications. One of his most celebrated transparency promises was a pledge to open his meetings about health care reform: I'm going to have all the negotiations around a big table, he vowed at a 2008 campaign event. We'll have doctors and nurses and hospital administrators. Insurance companies, drug companies -- they'll get a seat at the table, they just won't be able to buy every chair. But what we will do is, we'll have the negotiations televised on C-SPAN. But it was business as usual. (J.B. Wogan, Obamas
Transparency Record: Lots Of Data, Not As Much Sunlight, PolitiFact, 7/16/12)

PolitiFact:The Discussions With Insurance Companies, Drug Companies And Other Special Interests Were Conducted Behind Closed Doors, Which Earned Obama A Promise Broken. (J.B. Wogan, Obamas Transparency Record: Lots Of Data, Not As Much Sunlight,
PolitiFact, 7/16/12)

BROKEN: As Obamas Deputy Chief Of Staff, Jim Messina Used His Personal Email Address Instead Of His White House Address To Conduct Government Business. The interactions between the Finance Committee and PhRMA were detailed in an earlier report from the Energy and Commerce Committee, but Messinas use of his private email address at issue because he was conducting government business on a non-government, undisclosed account is a new revelation. (Jennifer Epstein, GOP: W.H., Messina Failed On Transparency,
Politico, 7/31/12)

Messina To PhRMA, From His Personal Account Days Before ObamaCare Passed: I Will Roll [P]elosi To Get The 4 Billion. I will roll [P]elosi to get the 4 billion, Messina wrote Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) lobbyist Jeffrey Forbes from his personal account just days before the Affordable Care Act cleared Congress in March 2010. As you may have heard I am literally rolling over the house. But there just isnt 8-10 billion. (Jennifer Epstein, GOP: W.H.,
Messina Failed On Transparency, Politico, 7/31/12)

The Committee Report Says The White House Has Refused To Verify Whether Emails From White House Staffers Personal Accounts Were Preserved. (Jennifer Epstein, GOP: W.H., Messina Failed On Transparency, Politico, 7/31/12)

Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA): Everyone Who Is Covered By The Law Should Follow It, Regardless Of Which Party Controls The White House. (Sam Stein, President Obama Attacked By GOP
For Failing To Meet His Own Ethics Standards, The Huffington Post, 8/1/12)

Obama Broke His Promise to Give Voters Five Days To Review Legislation Before Signing It PROMISE: Obama In 2007: When There Is A Bill That Ends Up On My Desk As President, You Will Have Five Days To Look Online And Find Out What's In It Before I Sign it. (Senator Barack Obama, Remarks of Senator Barack Obama: Taking Our Government Back, Manchester, NH, 6/22/07) BROKEN: February 4, 2009: Obama Signed The Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act Only Two Days After It Received Final Passage Last Week, And It Wasnt Posted On The White House Website Until After It Became Law. (Carrie Budoff Brown, Obama Breaks Five-Day Pledge, Politico,
2/5/09)

IMMIGRATION - DIDNT KEEP PROMISE/BIGGEST FAILURE

Obama Claimed That Not Getting Immigration Reform Done In His First Year Was His Biggest Failure But It Was Not For Lack Of Trying Or Desire. UNIVISIONS JORGE RAMOS: There is something different, something personal. I dont know what you are reading before going to sleep right now. I dont know if you have already read the book No Easy Day in which a Navy SEAL tells the story of how Osama Bin Laden was killed. According to many his death was your biggest achievement. What is your biggest failure? OBAMA: Well, Jorge as you remind me, my biggest failure so far is we havent gotten comprehensive immigration reform done, so were going to be continuing to work on that. But its not for lack of trying or desire. And Im confident were going to accomplish that. You know whatobviously, the fact that we havent been able to change the tone in Washington is disappointing. We know now that as soon as I came into office you already had meetings among some of our Republican colleagues saying, How do we figure out how to beat the president? And I think that Ive learned some lessons over the last four years, and the most important lesson Ive learned is that you cant change Washington from the inside. You can only change it from the outside. (President Barack Obama, Univision Town Hall, Miami, FL,
9/20/12)

Obama Had Plenty Of Time To Hammer Out Deals On Non-Economic Issues In His First Year. Its clear that the Obama administration had its hands full overseeing various stimulus and bailout programs during its first year, but most of the heavy lifting was done before the end of summer. And the president signed the most important piece of stimulus legislation of his term the Recovery Act a month after taking office. This left plenty of time to hammer out deals on non-economic issues. Overall, its an exaggeration for the president to suggest that he had no time to address immigration in 2009 especially for someone who insisted that presidents have to deal with more than one thing at a time. He did, after all, set Congress on a path toward overhauling the health-care system that year, and he signed a law making it easier for women to sue employers over pay discrimination.
(Josh Hicks, Obamas Failed Promise Of A First-Year Immigration Overhaul, The Washington Posts The Fact Checker, 9/25/12)

Immigration Ranked Lower On His Priority List Than Health Care, The ArmsReduction Treaty, Repealing Dont Ask Dont Tell And Stopping Pay Discrimination Toward Women. The fact that the president failed to lead on immigration or forge an agreement during his entire term shows that the issue ranked lower on his priority list than health care, the arms-reduction treaty, repealing dont ask dont tell and stopping pay discrimination toward women. (Josh
Hicks, Obamas Failed Promise Of A First-Year Immigration Overhaul, The Washington Posts The Fact Checker, 9/25/12)

The Fact Checker: Obama Earns Two Pinocchios On Immigration Because A Guarantee Is A Guarantee. The president certainly faced opposition from Republicans and even members of his own party on this issue. But a guarantee is a guarantee, regardless of whether he miscalculated the will of Congress to compromise. Obama failed to deliver on a promise, and he blamed Republicans instead of acknowledging any real responsibility for that failure. He earns two Pinocchios. (Josh Hicks, Obamas Failed Promise Of A First-Year Immigration Overhaul, The Washington Posts The
Fact Checker, 9/25/12)

OBAMA GAFFES
Obama Gets Caught By The Hot Mic In A Private Conversation About The Planned U.S.-Led NATO Missile Defense System In Europe, President Obama Asked Outgoing Russian President Dmitri Medvedev For Space On The Issue. (Brianna Keilar, Open Mic Catches Obama Asking Russian President For Space On Missile Defense,
CNN Politics, 3/26/12)

President Obama To Russian President Medvedev: After My Election I Have More Flexibility. PRESIDENT OBAMA: On all these issues, but particularly missile defense, this, this can be solved but its important for him to give me space. PRESIDENT MEDVEDEV: Yeah, I understand. I understand your message about space. Space for you OBAMA: This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility. MEDVEDEV: I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir. (Jake Tapper, President Obama Asks Medvedev For Space On Missile Defense After My Election I Have
More Flexibility, ABC News, 3/26/12)

Obama Calls A Nazi Death Camp Polish Poland Is Demanding An Apology After Obama Spoke Of A Polish Death Camp While Announcing An Award To A Resistance Fighter For Alerting The World To The Nazi Holocaust. Poland has demanded an apology from Washington after President Barack Obama spoke of a Polish death camp while announcing an award to a resistance fighter for alerting the world to the Nazi Holocaust, largely perpetrated on Polish soil. The matter is a delicate one in Poland, which suffered a brutal Nazi occupation during World War Two and has long campaigned against suggestions it bore any responsibility for the slaughter of some 6 million European Jews. (Gabriela Baczynska, Poland Seeks Apology For Obama Holocaust
Comments, Reuters, 5/30/12)

President Barack Obama: Jan served as a courier for the Polish resistance during the darkest days of World War II. Before one trip across enemy lines, resistance fighters told him that Jews were being murdered on a massive scale, and smuggled him into the Warsaw Ghetto and a Polish death camp to see for himself. (President
Barack Obama, Remarks By The President At Presidential Medal Of Freedom Ceremony, Washington, DC, 5/29/12)

Polands Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski Called Obamas Comments A Sign Of Ignorance And Incompetence. Mr. Obama was trying to honor the role of Poland and Poles in World War II, Polands Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on Radio Zet Wednesday morning. I dont suspect ill will, rather a very serious mistake made by the person who wrote the text for the teleprompter from which the president was reading. Mr. Sikorski called the phrase scandalous. I felt disappointed at such unprofessionalism of White House personnel at a moment when one wants to honor Poland and Poles, he added. In a comment on Twitter overnight, he called the remarks a sign of ignorance and incompetence. (Marcin
Sobczyk, Poland Blames White House Staffs Unprofessionalism For Obama Slip, The Wall Street Journal's "Emerging Europe" Blog, 5/30/12)

Bowing Japanese Emperor

Obama Greeted The Emperor Of Japan With A Nearly 90-Degree Bow. Obama greeted Emperor Akihito, whose father ruled when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941, with a simultaneous handshake and nearly 90-degree bow, sparking furious online commentary, much of it negative. (Obamas Bow In Japan Sparks Some Criticism, The Associated Press, 11/16/09) Saudi King In A Shocking Display Of Fealty To A Foreign Potentate, President Obama Bowed To Saudi King Abdullah.(Editorial, The Washington Times, 4/7/09) DVDs The British Press Took Offense To President Obamas Gift Of A Collection Of DVDs To Prime Minster Gordon Brown One, Brown Is Nearly Blind, Two, The DVDs Wont Play In British Players. Later, on a state visit to London, Obama presented Prime Minister Gordon Brown with a series of DVDs -- not taking into account Brown's failing eyesight or the fact that the DVDs were not compatible with British DVD players. (Kayvan
Farzaneh, Andrew Swift and Peter Williams, All The Presidents' Friends, Foreign Policy, 3/29/10)

President Obama Also Returned A Bust Of Winston Churchill That Was A Gift Following The Attacks On 9/11. Within a month of his inauguration, it became clear that fostering special relationships would not be a priority for Barack Obama. It started when the new U.S. president said he didn't want a Winston Churchill bust on loan from the British government that had sat in the Oval Office since the 9/11 attacks. (Kayvan Farzaneh, Andrew Swift and Peter Williams, All The Presidents' Friends, Foreign Policy, 3/29/10) PM Brown Gave Obama A Pen Holder Made From The Timbers Of The HMS Resolute. Brown, however, displayed a little more attention in his gift-giving, presenting Obama with a pen holder carved from the timbers of the HMS Resolute, the same wood that was used to build the president's famous Resolute desk. (Kayvan
Farzaneh, Andrew Swift and Peter Williams, All The Presidents' Friends, Foreign Policy, 3/29/10)

A Gift About As Exciting As A Pair Of Socks. As he headed back home from Washington, Gordon Brown must have rummaged through his party bag with disappointment. Because all he got was a set of DVDs. Barack Obama, the leader of the world's richest country, gave the Prime Minister a box set of 25 classic American films - a gift about as exciting as a pair of socks. (Ian Drury, To My Special Friend, Gordon: 25 DVDs,
The Daily Mail (UK), 3/6/09)

IPod When President Obama Visited Britain, He Gave The Queen An IPod. Barack Obama met the Queen at Buckingham Palace today and gave her a gift of an iPod loaded with video footage and photographs of her 2007 United States visit to Richmond, Jamestown and Williamsburg in Virginia. (Toby Harden, Barack Obamas Gift For The Queen: An youre your Majesty, The Telegraph (UK),
4/1/09)

Obamas Ipod Gift Confirmed That Obama Hasnt Figured Out Presidential Gift-Giving. The bestowing of the Royal iPod brought a cringe from one top etiquette expert, who said it confirmed that Obama hasnt figured out presidential gift-giving. Or that they shouldnt all come from Best Buy Obama already took

some grief for giving British Prime Minister Gordon Brown a boxed set of DVDs when he visited the White House. (Nia-Malika Henderson, Did Obamas iPod Gift Make The Cut?, Politico,
4/1/09)

Etiquette Experts Criticized Obamas Gift. For me, the iPod only works if he has some catchy reason why he gave it as a gift, said Anna Post of the Emily Post Institute. Otherwise it feels like somebody at the White House pulled the lever and an iPod is what popped up. And if it was just pulled out of the blue, you run the risk of the Oh, how nice, reaction from people which is the polite gloss of, What on earth am I going to do with this? (Nia-Malika Henderson, Did Obamas iPod Gift Make The Cut?, Politico,
4/1/09)

Pennsylvanians Cling To Guns And Religion Obama Said Small Pennsylvania Towns Cling To Guns And Religion. OBAMA: You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them. And they fell through the Clinton administration, and the Bush administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not. And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy toward people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations. (Ben Smith, Obama On Small-Town Pa.: Clinging To Religion,
Guns, Xenophobia, Politico, 4/11/08)

Audio

Out Of Touch Moment In July 2007, Obama Asked An Iowa Crowd Anybody Gone Into Whole Foods Lately And See What They Charge For Arugula? Even Though Iowa Does Not Have A Whole Foods. Anybody gone into Whole Foods lately and see what they charge for arugula? the senator said. I mean, theyre charging a lot of money for this stuff. The state of Iowa, for all of its vast food production, does not have a Whole Foods, a leading natural and organic foods market. The closest? Omaha, Minneapolis or Kansas City. Mr. Obama, perhaps sensing a lack of reaction from the crowd, moved along to the next topic. (Jeff Zeleny, Obamas Down On The
Farm, The New York Times The Caucus Blog, 7/27/07)

Obama Visited All 57 States Obama Visited 57 States. OBAMA: Because It is just wonderful to be back in Oregon. Over the last 15 months weve travelled to every corner of the United States Ive now been in 57 states, I think one left to go. One left to go, Alaska and Hawaii I was not allowed to go even though I really wanted to visit but my staff would not justify it. (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks At A
Campaign Event, Beaverton, OR, 5/9/08)

RESPONSIBILITY AND EXCUSES

Buck Stops Here Obama: As President Of The United States, It's Pretty Clear To Me That I'm Responsible For Folks Who Are Working In The Federal Government And You Know, Harry Truman Said The Buck Stops With You. OBAMA: Well, here's what I know, we were just talking about responsibility and as president of the United States, it's pretty clear to me that I'm responsible for folks who are working in the federal government and you know, Harry Truman said the buck stops with you. (President Obama Says Romney Should Answer Bain
Capital Questions, WJLA, 7/13/12)

Obama: One Of The Things You Learn Is, You Are Ultimately Responsible For The Conduct Of Your Operations OBAMA: Ultimately Mr. Romney, I think, is going to have to answer those questions, because if he aspires to being president one of the things you learn is, you are ultimately responsible for the conduct of your operations, but again that's probably a question that he's going to have to answer and I think that's a legitimate part of the campaign. (President Obama Says Romney Should Answer
Bain Capital Questions, WJLA, 7/13/12)

Responsible For Economy In July 2009, Obama Took Responsibility For The Economy And Said Give It To Me. OBAMA: Now, my administration has a job to do, as well, and that job is to get this economy back on its feet. That's my job. And it's a job I gladly accept. I love these folks who helped get us in this mess and then suddenly say, well, this is Obama's economy. That's fine. Give it to me. My job is to solve problems, not to stand on the sidelines and harp and gripe. (President Barack Obama, Remarks By The President On The American Graduation Initiative, Warren, MI,
7/14/09)

Obama Said I Expect To Be Judged By Results. And There's No -- I'm Not Going To Make Any Excuses. OBAMA: I expect to be judged by results. And there's no -- I'm not going to make any excuses. If stuff hasn't worked and people don't feel like I've led the country in the right direction, then you'll have a new President. (President Obama, Remarks At Fort
Myers Town Hall, Fort Myers, Fl, 2/10/09)

In 2009, Obama Said If I Dont Have This Done In Three Years, Then Theres Going To Be A One-Term Proposition. OBAMA: That's exactly right. And and, you know, a year from now I think people are going to see that we're starting to make some progress. But there's still going to be some pain out there. If I don't have this done in three years, then there's going to be a one-term proposition. (NBCs The Today Show, 2/2/09) Self-Grading Obama Gives Himself An Incomplete On The Economy. REPORTER: Your party says you inherited a bad situation, you've had three and a half years to fix it, what grade would you give yourself so far for doing that? OBAMA: You know, I would say incomplete. (KKTV
[Colorado Springs, CO], 9/3/12)

Politico Headline: Obama Grades Himself: Incomplete, Again (Byron Tau, Obama Grades Himself:
Incomplete, Again, Politico, 9/4/12)

President Obamas Assessment Of His First Term Hasn't Changed Since The Last Time He Weighed In. (Byron Tau, Obama Grades Himself: Incomplete, Again, Politico, 9/4/12) The Grade Is Typically Given By Teachers To Students With Unfinished Work And Is What Obama Has Given Himself A Number Of Other Times. The grade typically given by teachers to students with unfinished work is what Obama has given himself a number of other times. In a 2012 interview with ABC's the View, Obama refused to give himself a letter grade other than "still incomplete. (Byron Tau, Obama Grades Himself: Incomplete, Again,
Politico, 9/4/12)

Excuses EXCUSE: July 30, 2012: Obama Cautioned Against Some Continued Headwinds. OBAMA: Were going to have some continued headwinds over the next several months.
(President Barack Obama, Remarks At An Obama Victory Fund 2012 Fundraiser, New York, NY, 7/30/12)

REALITY: June 8, 2012: Obama Had Blamed Headwinds For The Economy At Least 17 Times In The Past Three Years. Headwinds. President Barack Obama has talked about them what the American economy still faces as it recovers from the worst recession since the 1930s at least 17 times in the past three years. (Mark Silva, Obamas
Headwinds Echo In Ad, Bloomberg, 6/8/12)

EXCUSE: Obama Has Blamed Congress For The Weak Recovery. OBAMA: Most economists will tell you that there is no doubt the economy has gotten stronger, but we are digging ourselves out a deep hole. There are a lot more things we could be doing. To get them done, we need cooperation of Congress. We got the payroll tax portion of [my American Jobs Act] done, but what we didnt get done is the assistance I was proposing to the states to help them hire back teachers, firefighters, and first responders, because one of the weakest parts of this recovery has been state and local government hiring. Given the weaknesses of the construction industry, the American Jobs Act proposed that we rebuild schools, roads, bridges, airport, and ports. That would provide small businesses with opportunities as contractors and vendors in this rebuilding process. Again, Congress needs to act. (Derek T. Dingle, Oval Office Interview With President Barack Obama, Black Enterprise, 8/6/12) REALITY: Mr. Obama Has Been The Least Obstructed President Since LBJ In 1965 Or FDR In 1933, Which Is How We Got Here. The larger political subtext of Mr. Obamas speech is that if Congress doesnt pass his plan, hell then campaign against Republicans as obstructionist. Thus his speech mantra that Congress should pass it right away. This ignores that Mr. Obama has been the least obstructed President since LBJ in 1965 or FDR in 1933, which is how we got here. (Editorial, The Latest Jobs Plan, The Wall Street Journal, 9/9/11) Obama Had The Biggest Senate Majority In Decades When He Came Into Office. In 2008, President Barack Obama swept into the White House, and Senate Democrats eventually picked up nine seats, giving the new commander in chief the biggest Senate majority in decades. (John Bresnahan And Manu Raju, Obama A Drag On Senate
Democrats?, Politico, 10/20/11)

EXCUSE: Obama Has Blamed Poor Economic Numbers On The Arab Spring, The Japanese Earthquake, And Events In Europe. OBAMA: Let me start by saying a few words about our economy. There is no doubt this has been a tumultuous year. Weve

weathered the Arab Springs effect on oil and gas prices, the Japanese earthquake and tsunamis effect on supply chains, the extraordinary economic uncertainty in Europe. And recently, markets around the globe have taken a bumpy ride. (President Barack Obama, Remarks By The
President On The Administration's Work To Prepare Our Nation's Veterans For The Workforce, Washington, D.C., 8/5/11)

REALITY: In The Third Year Of His Administration, Obama Blaming Anyone Else For The Economy Was Downright Silly. Within the first six months or even a year of a new administration, its fair game to blame predecessors for any problems. Indeed, its a legitimate and time-honored tradition by presidents of both parties. But such arguments get much less convincing as the second year comes to an end. Once into the third year, such claims sound downright silly. Gradually, any president and any administration take ownership of the problems facing the country. (Charlie Cook, Owning It Democrats Are In A Corner On Their Ownership Of The Economy And What They Can
Do To Help Turn It Around, National Journal, 6/6/11)

EXCUSE: Obama Has Not Met With His Jobs Council In Six Months Because He Has Got A Lot On His Plate. REPORTER: So theres no reason they [the Jobs Council] havent met publicly? WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY JAY CARNEY: No, theres no specific reason except the Presidents obviously got a lot on his plate. (White House Press Conference , Washington, D.C.,
7/18/12)

REALITY: Obama Has Attended 146 Fundraisers Since He Last Met With His Jobs Council. (Meetings Of The Presidents Council On Jobs And Competitiveness, The White House, Accessed 10/15/12; CBS Mark

Knoller, Twitter Feed, 10/11/12; CBS Mark Knoller, Twitter Feed, 1/30/12; Peter Haskell, President Obama In Town Tonight For Fundraisers, CBS Local New York, 1/19/12; Lynn Sweet, President Obama Official Schedule And Guidance, Jan 20, 2012. Washington Fund-Raiser, Chicago Sun-Times The Scoop From Washington, 1/20/12; Rob Capriccioso, Natives To Attend Glitzy Fundraiser With President Obama, Indian Country Today, 1/27/12)

Obama Has Played 12 Rounds Of Golf Since He Last Met With His Jobs Council. President Obama marked his 51st birthday with a golf outing in Washington, D.C. A pool report said Obama arrived at Andrews Air Force base this morning for a round. According to CBS News reporter Mark Knoller, Obama's visit to the links is his 104th round since taking office. (Meghashyam Mali, Obama Hits The Links To Celebrate 51st Birthday,
The Hill, 8/4/12)

Obama Boasted About How Focused And How Hard-Working His Jobs Council Was, Claiming That It Was Not A Show Council. OBAMA: One of the things thats been striking about this Jobs Council is how focused and how hardworking everybody has been around this table. This has not been a show council. This has been a work council. And because of the extraordinary commitments that each and every one of you have made, we have generated I think as good a set of proposals as we have seen coming out of the private sector to help to guide and steer our economic agenda and our approach to jobs and growth over the next couple of years. (President Barack Obama, Opening And Closing Remarks By The President To The Council On Jobs
And Competitiveness, Washington, DC, 1/17/12)

Obama Has Blamed High Gas Prices For The Dismal State Of The Economy. OBAMA: And today, were still fighting our way back from the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. The economy is growing again, but its not growing as fast as we want it to grow. Our businesses have created almost 4.3 million new jobs over the last 27 months,

but as we learned in todays jobs report, were still not creating them as fast as we want. And just like this time last year, our economy is still facing some serious headwinds. We had high gas prices a month, two months ago, and theyre starting to come down, and they were spiking, but theyre still hitting peoples wallets pretty hard. That has an impact.
(President Barack Obama, Remarks On Veterans Jobs, Golden Valley, MN, 6/1/12)

REALITY: In 2008, Then Senator Obama Blamed Washington For High Gas Prices. OBAMA: Here in Indiana, gas costs $3.60 a gallon. And across the country, gas costs more than at any time in the last 30 years. But the reason Americans keep going to the pump isnt because oil companies are being particularly innovative, its because Washington didnt deal with the challenge of alternative energy when they had a chance. (Sen. Barack Obama,
Remarks At A Campaign Event, Indianapolis, IN, 4/25/08)

Since Obama Took Office, The Average Price Per Gallon Of Gas Has More Than Doubled From $1.847 To $3.85. (Gasoline And Diesel Fuel Update, U.S. Energy And Information
Administration, Accessed 10/15/12)

EXCUSE: In An Interview, Obama Claimed We Understood That It Was Bad, But We Didnt Know How Bad It Was. OBAMA: Well I think theres no doubt that I wish I knew and I wish everybody knew just how deep the crisis was when I was first sworn into office. I think we understood that it was bad, but we didnt know how bad it was. (Raw Video: Complete
Interview With President Obama, KIRO TV, 12/13/11)

REALITY: During The Transition, Obamas Chair Of The Council Of Economic Advisers Christina Romer Told Obama, Mr. President-Elect, This Is Your Holy-S--- Moment In Order To Convey The Fact That The Economy Was Hurtling Towards A Depression. Politics had its moment just before the meeting, when the economists previewed their message for Axelrod: The economy was hurtling toward a depression. Axelrod knew things were bad, and even he hadnt grasped how close America was to rock-bottom bad. He said his research suggested the public had no clue whatsoever. Summers, the Washington veteran, dryly whispered to Romer, the lifelong academic: He doesnt mean research the way we mean research. Okay, polling. Axelrods point was that the tidal wave hadnt yet hit the shore. There hadnt even been a real tsunami alert. The American people, he said, have not yet had their holy-shit moment. Stage-managing the meeting, Summers had assigned Romer to open with an overview of the emergency. With Axelrods analysis fresh in her mind, she began the most memorable sentence shes ever uttered, a line that Obamas aides have repeated ever since as a reminder of the mess dumped in his lap: Mr. President-Elect, she said, this is your holy-s--- moment. (Michael Grunwald, The New New Deal; The Hidden
Story Of Change In The Obama Era, 2012, pp. 113-114)

September 2008: Obama: We Are Going Through The Worst Financial Crisis Since The Great Depression. (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks During First Presidential Debate, Oxford, MS, 9/26/08) October 2008: Obama: We Meet Here At A Time Of Great Uncertainty. Our Economy Is In Crisis. (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks, La Crosse, WI, 10/1/08) November 2008: Obama: We Are Facing An Economic Crisis Of Historic Proportions. (President-Elect Barack Obama, Remarks Announcing Members Of The Economic Team, Chicago, IL, 11/24/08)

In Reality, Though, Well-Respected Analysts And Economists From All Corners Were Sounding Alarms About The State Of The Economy -- In Early 2009, And Even Before.
(Alexander Eichler, Jay Carney, Despite Evidence, Says Economists Didnt Know How Bad The Recession Would Get, The Huffington Post, 12/8/11)

The Evidence Doesnt Support The White Houses Claim That No One Knew How Bad The Economy Was In 2009. White House Press Secretary Jay Carney made a surprising assertion on MSNBC Wednesday, saying that in early 2009, as Barack Obama was taking office, there werent any major economists who understood just how bad the recession was. The problem is that the evidence doesnt support his claim. (Alexander Eichler, Jay Carney, Despite Evidence, Says Economists Didnt Know How
Bad The Recession Would Get, The Huffington Post, 12/8/11)

EXCUSE: Obama Said Ill Be Honest With You, This [Housing] Is Probably The Biggest Drag On The Economy Right Now. OBAMA: Well, its a good question. And Ill be honest with you, this is probably the biggest drag on the economy right now that we have -- along with I know the frustrations people have about gas prices. What weve really seen is the housing market, which was a bubble, had greatly over-inflated in all regions of the country. And I know I probably don't get a lot of sympathy about that here because I can only imagine what rents and mortgages you guys are paying. (President Barack Obama, Remarks By The
President At A Facebook Town Hall, Palo Alto, CA, 4/20/11)

REALITY: It Was Obama Who Announced Early On In His Administration That We Will Not Roll Out An Aggressive Housing Plan. What about the thousands of homeowners who owed more on their mortgages than their homes were worth? asked Durbin. We will not roll out an aggressive housing plan, Obama said, and it would not be part of the stimulus bill. The housing problem was massive and baffling, and none of them had solid ideas for fixing it. (Bob Woodward, The Price Of Politics, 2012, p. 8) Bumps In The Road Obama Described Terrorist Attack In Libya And Unrest Throughout The Middle East As Bumps In The Road. CBSs STEVE KROFT: Have recent events in the Middle East given you any pause about your support for the governments that have come to power following the Arab Spring? OBAMA: Well, I'd said even at the time that this is going to be a rocky path. The question presumes that somehow we could have stopped this wave of change. I think it was absolutely the right thing for us to do to align ourselves with democracy, universal rights-- a notion that-- people have- to be able to-- participate-- in-their own governance. But I was pretty certain and continue to be pretty certain that there are going to be bumps in the road because-- you know, in a lot of these places-- the one organizing principle-- has been Islam. The one part of society that hasn't been controlled completely by the government. There are strains of extremism, and anti-Americanism, and anti-Western sentiment. And you know can be tapped into by demagogues. There will probably be some times where we bump up against some of these countries and have strong disagreements, but I do think that over the long term, we are more likely to get a Middle East and North Africa that is more peaceful, more prosperous and more aligned with our interests. (CBSs 60 Minutes, 9/23/12)

Obama Dismissed A Rise In The Unemployment Rate By Saying There Are Always Going To Be Bumps On The Road To Recovery. OBAMA: There are always going to be bumps on the road to recovery. Were going to pass through some rough terrain that even a Wrangler would have a hard time with. We know that. (President Barack Obama, Remarks By The
President To Chrysler Workers, Toledo, Ohio, 6/3/11)

Not Telling Story Better Obama Said The Biggest Mistake Of His First Term Was Not Telling A Story To The American People. OBAMA: The mistake of my first term couple of years was thinking that this job was just about getting the policy right. And thats important, but, you know, the nature of this office is also to tell a story to the American people that gives them a sense of unity and purpose and optimism, especially during tough times. (CBS CBS Sunday Morning, 7/15/12) Obama: Beyond That, I Also Think That Over The First Two Years I Was So Focused On Policy And Getting The Policy Right, That Sometimes I Forgot Part Of My Job Is Explaining To The American People Why Were Doing This Policy And Where Were Going. (President Barack Obama, Remarks At The University Of Maryland Town Hall, 7/22/11) When Asked About His Regrets, Obama Said I Could Have Told The American People More Clearly. Sounding like a job applicant asked to name his faults, Obama also said he could have told the American people more clearly how dire the nation's economic situation was, and that he was so focused on ... getting the policy right he failed to explain why he was taking the steps he took. (Michael A. Memoli, Regrets? Obama Has Had A Few, Los Angeles Times,
7/22/11)

Obama Said He Is Trying To Tell The Story Of His Presidency Better On The Campaign Trail. TIMEs MICHAEL SCHERER: You said that one of the mistakes you see in the first term was not telling that story better. What does it mean to tell the story better in the next four years? OBAMA: And thats a story that Im doing my best to tell during the campaign. Thats a story that I will continue to try to tell, if Im fortunate enough to have a second term, in inaugurations, in States of the Union. I want to make sure that people understand that Ive got a focus on growing this economy, not growing the public sector, but doing enough to ensure that weve got the best workers in the world, weve got the best technology in the world, and were competitive in the 21st century. (Michael Scherer, What He
Knows Now: Obama on Popularity, Partisanship and Getting Things Done in Washington, TIME, 8/30/12)

Obama Said I've Got To Take Direct Responsibility For The Fact That We Have Not Made As Much Progress As We Need To Make. We've stabilized the economy, we've got job growth in the private sectors, but people all across America aren't feeling that progress. They don't see it. And they understand that I'm the President of the United States, and that my core responsibility is making sure that we've got an economy that's growing, a middle class that feels secure, that jobs are being created. And so I think I've got to take direct responsibility for the fact that we have not made as much progress as we need to make. (President Barack Obama, Press Conference By The President, Washington, D.C., 11/3/10) After Leaving The Administration In 2001, Former Clinton Advisor Paul Begala Said Every Politician Who Gets In Trouble Thinks Its How They Are Saying Things Instead Of What Theyre Saying. There was clearly a period when he did not, when

Democrats worried he would be a one-term president because he was not getting the problem. At one point, he said the problem was that he had not communicated well enough. Every politician who gets in trouble thinks it's how they are saying things instead of what they're saying, Paul Begala, an adviser to Bill Clinton, said after they left office in 2001.
(Michael Oreskes, Essay: 4 Years On, Obama Message Challenge Differs, CBS News, 9/4/12)

Obama Said That Part Of His New Course For Washington Was Making Sure That When I Screw Up That Im Taking Responsibility For It. OBAMA: It's not going to be perfect. There are going to be bumps and fits and starts on this thing. But as long as I stay focused on them and putting them back to work, making sure that they have health insurance, making sure their kids can afford college, cleaning up attitudes around here, including making sure that when I screw up that I'm taking responsibility for it. I think that people will feel that three or four or five years down the road that you know we set a new course. (President Barack Obama, Interview With Katie Couric Of CBS News, 3/10/09)

SOCIAL ISSUES
Abortion Obama Is Pro-Choice On Late Term Abortions. OBAMA: I am pro-choice. REPORTER: In all situations including the late term thing? OBAMA: I am pro-choice. I believe that women make responsible choices and they know better than anybody the tragedy of a difficult pregnancy and I dont think that its the governments role to meddle in that choice. (State Senator Barack Obama, Remarks, 7/1/03) The Obama Administration Strongly Opposes, H.R. 358, The Protect Life Act. The Administration strongly opposes H.R. 358 because, as previously stated in the Statement of Administration Policy on H.R. 3, the legislation intrudes on womens reproductive freedom and access to health care and unnecessarily restricts the private insurance choices that women and their families have today. (Statement Of Administration Policy, H.R. 358 Protect Life Act, The White
House, 10/12/11)

Obama Called The Upholding Of The Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act Of 2003 The Beginning Of A Profound Retreat On Womens Rights. Mr. Obama, who was repeatedly interrupted by applause, said the recent Supreme Court decision upholding a federal ban on a type of abortion was the beginning of a profound retreat on womens rights, and should be presented that way to the voters. (Robin Toner, Democrats Attack Bush On Womens
Health Issues, The New York Times, 7/18/07)

Gay Marriage President Barack Obamas Shifting Stance On Gay Marriage: Full Flop. (President Barack
Obamas Shifting Stance On Gay Marriage, PolitiFact, 5/11/12)

In 1996, Obama Said I Favor Legalizing Same-Sex Marriages. In 1996, as a candidate for the State Senate in Illinois, Mr. Obama responded to a questionnaire from a gay newspaper. I favor legalizing same-sex marriages, Mr. Obama wrote, and would fight efforts to prohibit such marriages. (Sheryl Gay Stolberg, Obamas Views On Gay Marriage Evolving, The New York
Times, 6/18/11)

In 2004, Obama As A U.S. Senate Candidate Did Not Support Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage. As Obama sought a U.S. Senate seat in 2004, he told the Windy City Times, I am a fierce supporter of domestic-partnership and civil-union laws. I am not a supporter of gay marriage as it has been thrown about, primarily just as a strategic issue. I think that marriage, in the minds of a lot of voters, has a religious connotation. .. He described his hesitation to endorse same-sex marriage as strategic and political. What I'm saying is that strategically, I think we can get civil unions passed. I think that to the extent that we can get the rights, I'm less concerned about the name. Republicans are going to use a particular language that has all sorts of connotations in the broader culture as a wedge issue, to prevent us moving forward, in securing those rights, then I don't want to play their game. (Becky Bowers, President Barack Obama's Shifting Stance On Gay Marriage, PolitiFact, 5/11/12) In 2012, Obama Announced That He Now Supports Same-Sex Marriages. President Obama today announced that he now supports same-sex marriage, reversing his longstanding opposition amid growing pressure from the Democratic base and even his own vice president. (Rick Klein, Obama Declares Support For Gay Marriage, ABC News, 5/9/12)

VETERANS NOT BETTER OFF UNDER OBAMA

Veterans Are Not Better Off Under Obama Obama In 2008: No More Homeless Veterans; No More Begging For Disability Payments; No More Waiting In Line For The V.A. OBAMA: And it means caring for our troops when they come home, not forgetting about our troops. No more homeless veterans; no more begging for disability payments; no more waiting in line for the V.A. We have a solemn obligation to honor those who have served on our behalf. (Senator Barack Obama, Remarks
Following The Wisconsin Primary, Houston, TX, 2/19/08)

Since Obama Took Office, The Unemployment Rate For Post-9/11 Era Veterans Has Increased From 8.9 Percent To 9.7 Percent. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/5/12) There Are Currently 735,000 Unemployed Veterans And 202,000 Unemployed Post-9/11 Era Veterans. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/5/12) The Unemployment Rate For Male Veterans Between 18 And 24 Years Old Is 12.6 Percent Versus 15.7 Percent For Non-Veteran Males Between 18 And 24 Years Old. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/5/12) Over 67,000 Veterans Are Still Homeless, Only A Slight Improvement From 2009. Veterans remain more likely to be homeless than the general population. The VA estimates more than 67,000 sleep in shelters and on the streets or are otherwise considered homeless, a figure that is only slightly better than in 2009.
(Phil Stewart, Obama's Struggle To Mend Veterans' Safety Net, Reuters, 7/26/12)

Homelessness Among Female Veterans Has Escalated During The Past Decade. Once primarily male veteran problems, homelessness and economic struggles are escalating among female veterans, whose numbers have grown during the past decade of U.S. wars while resources for them haven't kept up. (Eric Tucker, More Women Vets
Are Homeless, But Housing Scarce, The Associated Press, 4/4/12)

Obama's Goals For Timely Mental-Health Treatment Are Not Being Met. For veterans who have access to the system, Obama's goals for timely mental-health treatment are not being met. An investigation by the VA's inspector-general in April found that more than half of veterans who needed comprehensive mental-health evaluations had not received them within two weeks of initial contact, the VA's target. That contradicted the VA's annual report to Congress last year, which said 95 percent of first-time patients received a full mental-health evaluation within 14 days. (Phil Stewart, Special Report: Obama's Struggle To
Mend Veterans' Safety Net, Reuters, 7/26/12)

Over Half Of Veterans Are Forced To Wait 50 Days For Their First Mental

Health Evaluation, Much Longer Than The VA Had Been Reporting. Federal investigators reported Monday that nearly half of the veterans who seek mental health care for the first time waited about 50 days before receiving a full evaluation, a much longer lag-time than the Department of Veterans Affairs has been reporting. The VA has been saying that 95 percent of new patients seeking mental health treatment get a full evaluation within the department's goal of 14 days. But an inspector general's report obtained by The Associated Press said that the

department's tracking is flawed and that the VA was overstating its success when it comes to how quickly veterans get care. (Kevin Freking, Report: VA Failing To Provide Timely Mental
Care, The Associated Press, 4/23/12)

Despite Increasing Staff Levels At The VA, The Ratio Of Patients To Mental-

Health Workers Has Remained At 65 To 1, Roughly Unchanged In 2011 From 2006. Critics say part of the problem is that staff increases have only kept pace with patient loads. An analysis of VA data shows that the ratio of VA mental-health patients per full-time mental-health worker, at 65 to 1, was roughly unchanged in 2011 from 2006. Data obtained by Reuters shows there were 1,500 VA mentalhealth job vacancies nationwide at the end of December. In April the VA announced plans to hire 1,600 mental-health clinicians. (Phil Stewart, Special Report: Obama's Struggle To Mend
Veterans' Safety Net, Reuters, 7/26/12)

Fiscal Reality Prevented Obama From Fulfilling His Promise To Enroll More Veterans In The VA Healthcare System. Worried about ensuring healthcare for wartime wounded and lower-income veterans, the Bush administration in 2003 banned enrollment of certain veterans who had no injuries related to their military service and who had incomes above a set threshold. The Obama administration raised the income threshold, making an additional 650,000 veterans eligible for healthcare, according to VA data. But he has not fulfilled his promise to let all veterans back into the system, and millions of veterans remain ineligible. An administration official blamed the economic crisis and ballooning deficits. Fiscal reality set in, said a veterans' advocate who provided information to the 2008 campaign. (Phil Stewart, Special Report: Obama's Struggle To Mend Veterans' Safety Net,
Reuters, 7/26/12)

Nearly 10 Percent Or 1.3 Million Veterans Lack Health Care Coverage

According To A Study Conducted By The Urban Institute And The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. About 10 percent of U.S. veterans under the age of 65 lack health insurance and are not being cared for by the Department of Veterans Affairs, either, according to a study published on Thursday. The study estimated that 1.3 million veterans and nearly 950,000 members of their families lack health insurance. These uninsured military families account for 4.8 percent of the 47.3 million uninsured Americans, the Urban Institute and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation reported. (Maggie Fox, Study: 10 Percent Of Veterans Lack Health Insurance, National Journal,
5/24/12)

VETERANS WILL PAY MORE FOR HEALTH CARE UNDER OBAMAS BUDGET
Obamas Budget Is Driving Up Healthcare Costs For Veterans And Military Families Obamas FY2013 Budget Cuts Military Health Care Funding By $12.9 Billion Over The Next Five Years. In the next fiscal year, the military has outlined a $1.8 billion cut as part of a projected $48.7 billion health care budget covering 9.6 million people. The cuts would total $12.9 billion over five years. To offset the loss, retirees would pay higher enrollment fees based on how much they earn through their military pensions. Retirees and activeduty family members would pay more for pharmacy copayments, too. (Barrie Barber, Military
Retirees Could See Increase In Health Insurance Costs, Dayton Daily News, 3/30/12)

The Pentagon Is Proposing Substantial Increases In Health Care Premiums For Working-Age Military Retirees. Benefits for military retirees are also targeted. The Pentagon is proposing substantial increases in health care premiums for working-age military retirees. For some retirees, the premiums for TRICARE, the military health-care program, would nearly quadruple from $520 per year to $2,480 in 2017. (Tom Vanden Brook, Pentagon Budget Calls For Cuts To Jets, Benefits, USA Today, 2/13/12) TRICARE Prime Enrollment Fees Will Rise By 30 Percent To 78 Percent, Depending On Retirement Income. The Defense Departments proposed 2013 budget calls for an increase in annual enrollment fees for retirees in Tricare Prime to rise by 30 percent to 78 percent, depending on retirement income. (Patricia Kime,
Lawmakers Warn Of Fight Over Tricare Increases, Marine Corps Times, 3/28/12)

In May, The Obama Administration Said It Was Very Disappointed That The House Refused To Increase TRICARE Fees In Its FY2013 Budget. The Administration is very disappointed that the Committee did not support the proposed TRICARE fee increases and included section 718, which, while supporting some fee increases, caps them at levels below those allowed under current law and below the requested authorization. (President
Barack Obama, Statement Of Administrative Policy, H.R. 4310 National Defense Authorization Act For FY2013, Washington, DC, 5/15/12)

Now Obama Refuses To Answer Questions On His Plan To Raise TRICARE Fees On Military Retirees And Veterans. REPORTER: Speaking of benefits sir, if we went forward a little bit, can we talk about TRICARE? And talking about our retirees and our future veterans, a lot of concern about higher enrollment fees maybe on the way, higher copays for prescriptions, higher deductibles. Is that breaking faith with those who served, volunteered to serve? PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: You know obviously Ive been working very closely with our military in terms of how we deal with the health care situation. This is a rising cost in all institutions but its also a rising cost in our military. We spend about $50 billion just on health care costs. What I can assure you is, were never going to have a situation in which our soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, coast guardsmen, they are not getting high quality care and well have to work through this budget process to figure out how do we first of all make the health care system overall more efficient, how do we also make it more efficient for those who have served our country. (WVEC-NFK (ABC), 8/20/12) Click To Watch

WOMEN ARE NOT BETTER OFF

Since Obama Took Office, The Unemployment Rate For Women Has Increased From 7.0 Percent To 7.5 Percent. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/5/12) Since Obama Took Office, The Number Of Unemployed Women Has Increased By 451,000 To 5.5 Million (5,456,000). (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/5/12)

In 2010, 17 Million Women Lived In Poverty, Compared To 12.6 Million Men. What all those statistics add up to is that more than 17 million women were living in poverty last year, compared with 12.6 million men. As usual, things were worse for older women; twice as many women over 65 were living in poverty, compared with men. (Leslie Bennetts, Women: The
Invisible Poor, The Daily Beast, 9/14/11)

Female Job Gains Have Slowed Since The Recession Ended In June 2009. While female workers largely held their own through the recession, job gains have slowed since the downturn ended in June 2009, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of government data on the demographics of the labor market recovery. (Vicki Needham, Slower Job
Growth For Women Voters Could Cost Obama In Election, The Hills On The Money, 3/25/12)

Women Are The Only Group For Whom Employment Growth Lagged Behind Population Growth From 2009 To 2011. Out of all the groups represented in Pew's survey including blacks, whites, Hispanics and Asians women are the only group for whom employment growth lagged behind population growth from 2009 to 2011. During that time, female employment grew by 0.9 percent and lagged behind growth in the population of working-age women by 1.5 percent. (Vicki Needham, Slower Job Growth For Women Voters
Could Cost Obama In Election, The Hills On The Money, 3/25/12)

From 2010 To 2011, Median Earnings For Women Decreased By Nearly $1,000, From $38,052 In 2010 To $37,118 In 2011. The median earnings of men declined from $49,463 to $48,202, and those of women declined from $38,052 to $37,118. (Carmen DeNavasWalt, Bernadette D. Proctor, and Jessica C. Smith, Income, Poverty, And Health Insurance Coverage In The United States: 2011, U.S. Census Bureau, 9/12/12)

The Poverty Rate For All Women In 2011 Was 16.3 Percent. (Carmen DeNavas-Walt, Bernadette D.
Proctor, and Jessica C. Smith, Income, Poverty, And Health Insurance Coverage In The United States: 2011, U.S. Census Bureau, 9/12/12)

The Poverty Rate For Women Aged 18 To 64 In 2011 Was 15.5 Percent, Whereas The Poverty Rate For Men Aged 18 To 64 Was 11.8 Percent. The poverty rate for women aged 18 to 64 was 15.5 percent, while the poverty rate for men aged 18 to 64 was 11.8 percent. (Carmen DeNavas-Walt, Bernadette D. Proctor, and Jessica C. Smith,
Income, Poverty, And Health Insurance Coverage In The United States: 2011, U.S. Census Bureau, 9/12/12)