| | The United States has recorded the highest [[Federal budget deficit|deficit]]s as a share of [[GDP]] since 1945 in Obama's first two years;<ref>http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/107xx/doc10708/11-06-mbr.htm</ref><ref>http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/118xx/doc11873/NovemberMBR.pdf</ref> correspondingly, [[poverty]]<ref>http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/data/incpovhlth/2009/pov09fig04.pdf</ref> and joblessness have increased markedly to record levels not seen in more than 50 years.<ref>http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/2010-09-16-poverty-rate-income-numbers_N.htm</ref> One half million workers per week continued to lose their jobs well into the "[[Recovery Summer]]". The Unemployment Rate has stagnated in the 10% range <ref>http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704476104575439172480870774.html?mod=googlenews_wsj</ref> with tens of millions more affected by Underemployment, long term disaffection, and loss of [[hope]] of finding a employment.<ref>[http://data.bls.gov/PDQ/servlet/SurveyOutputServlet?data_tool=latest_numbers&series_id=LNS11300000&years_option=specific_years&include_graphs=true&to_month=1&from_month=2 United States Department of Labor], Bureau of Labor Statistics. Data extracted on: July 19, 2010 (4:31:11 PM).</ref> [[ObamaCare]], his signature legislative achievement later found to be [[unconstitutional]],<ref>http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-13/u-s-health-care-law-requirement-thrown-out-by-judge.html</ref> is cited as a major cause of [[unemployment]],<ref>http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=33220</ref> a drag on job creation,<ref>http://blog.heritage.org/2010/08/05/it%E2%80%99s-official-medicare%E2%80%99s-finances-shadowed-by-uncertainty/</ref> and risk of a Greek-style debt crisis.<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/28/AR2010032802353.html</ref><ref>http://www.thestreet.com/story/10703361/cramer-obamacare-will-topple-the-market.html</ref> After his "shellacking" at the polls in the [[2010 Midterm elections]], Obama has shifted his positions on tax policy and pledges to cooperate with the incoming Congress's new priorities focusing on job creation and economic growth. | | The United States has recorded the highest [[Federal budget deficit|deficit]]s as a share of [[GDP]] since 1945 in Obama's first two years;<ref>http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/107xx/doc10708/11-06-mbr.htm</ref><ref>http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/118xx/doc11873/NovemberMBR.pdf</ref> correspondingly, [[poverty]]<ref>http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/data/incpovhlth/2009/pov09fig04.pdf</ref> and joblessness have increased markedly to record levels not seen in more than 50 years.<ref>http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/2010-09-16-poverty-rate-income-numbers_N.htm</ref> One half million workers per week continued to lose their jobs well into the "[[Recovery Summer]]". The Unemployment Rate has stagnated in the 10% range <ref>http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704476104575439172480870774.html?mod=googlenews_wsj</ref> with tens of millions more affected by Underemployment, long term disaffection, and loss of [[hope]] of finding a employment.<ref>[http://data.bls.gov/PDQ/servlet/SurveyOutputServlet?data_tool=latest_numbers&series_id=LNS11300000&years_option=specific_years&include_graphs=true&to_month=1&from_month=2 United States Department of Labor], Bureau of Labor Statistics. Data extracted on: July 19, 2010 (4:31:11 PM).</ref> [[ObamaCare]], his signature legislative achievement later found to be [[unconstitutional]],<ref>http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-13/u-s-health-care-law-requirement-thrown-out-by-judge.html</ref> is cited as a major cause of [[unemployment]],<ref>http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=33220</ref> a drag on job creation,<ref>http://blog.heritage.org/2010/08/05/it%E2%80%99s-official-medicare%E2%80%99s-finances-shadowed-by-uncertainty/</ref> and risk of a Greek-style debt crisis.<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/28/AR2010032802353.html</ref><ref>http://www.thestreet.com/story/10703361/cramer-obamacare-will-topple-the-market.html</ref> After his "shellacking" at the polls in the [[2010 Midterm elections]], Obama has shifted his positions on tax policy and pledges to cooperate with the incoming Congress's new priorities focusing on job creation and economic growth. |
| − | While 'turning the page' on the War on Terror, the rate of terrorist attacks in the United States has gone from zero under President George W. Bush's<ref>During Bush's last year http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,335500,00.html</ref> to at least four per year<ref>http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-detroit-airline26-2009dec26,0,7673563,full.story</ref><ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/05/us/05explode.html?_r=1&ref=us</ref><ref>http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2009/05/25/2009-05-25_small_bomb_goes_off_outside_upper_east_side_starbucks.html</ref><ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/us/04recruit.html?_r=1&ref=us</ref><ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/us/politics/20hood.html</ref> and the Bipartisan Policy Center's National Security Preparedness Group reports [[Al-Qaeda]] leadership has become increasingly homegrown and ‘Americanized’ under U.S-based [[Islam]]ic radicals.<ref>http://www.bipartisanpolicy.org/news/press-releases/2010/09/bipartisan-policy-center-report-finds-homegrown-terrorism-presents-key-c</ref> | + | While 'turning the page' on the War on Terror, the rate of terrorist attacks in the United States has gone from one under President George W. Bush's<ref>During Bush's last year http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,335500,00.html</ref> to at least four per year<ref>http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-detroit-airline26-2009dec26,0,7673563,full.story</ref><ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/05/us/05explode.html?_r=1&ref=us</ref><ref>http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2009/05/25/2009-05-25_small_bomb_goes_off_outside_upper_east_side_starbucks.html</ref><ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/us/04recruit.html?_r=1&ref=us</ref><ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/us/politics/20hood.html</ref> and the Bipartisan Policy Center's National Security Preparedness Group reports [[Al-Qaeda]] leadership has become increasingly homegrown and ‘Americanized’ under U.S-based [[Islam]]ic radicals.<ref>http://www.bipartisanpolicy.org/news/press-releases/2010/09/bipartisan-policy-center-report-finds-homegrown-terrorism-presents-key-c</ref> |
| | Then-Senator Obama and the [[110th Congress]], allowed the moratorium on offshore oil drilling in the [[Gulf of Mexico]]<ref>[http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0430/Gulf-of-Mexico-oil-spill-imperils-Obama-s-offshore-drilling-plan Gulf of Mexico oil spill imperils Obama's offshore drilling plan,] By Mark Clayton, ''Christian Science Monitor'', April 30, 2010.</ref> <ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE48N8NA20080924] By Tom Doggett, Reuters, Wed Sep 24, 2008</ref> to lapse and was later criticized by the Gulf Oil Spill investigatory commission for his lack of competence and misuse of data to mislead the public<ref>http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101006/ap_on_sc/us_gulf_oil_spill;_ylt=AhD3nOSATgSQiErPjXGDsYFvzwcF;_ylu=X3oDMTJpNzluOGg1BGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAxMDA2L3VzX2d1bGZfb2lsX3NwaWxsBGNwb3MDMwRwb3MDNwRzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3J5BHNsawNwYW5lbGdvdnRibG8-</ref> about the "[[Gulf oil spill disaster|worst environmental disaster]] in US history."<ref>[http://www.examiner.com/x-33986-Political-Spin-Examiner~y2010m4d29-Worst-environmental-disaster-in-US-history-Oil-slick-in-Gulf-of-Mexico-is-set-on-fire Worst environmental disaster in US history,] Maryann Tobin, ''Examiner'', April 29, 2010.</ref><ref>[http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/environment/july-dec10/oilspill_10-07.html] Ray Suarez, PBS, October 10, 2010</ref> Obama declared, | | Then-Senator Obama and the [[110th Congress]], allowed the moratorium on offshore oil drilling in the [[Gulf of Mexico]]<ref>[http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0430/Gulf-of-Mexico-oil-spill-imperils-Obama-s-offshore-drilling-plan Gulf of Mexico oil spill imperils Obama's offshore drilling plan,] By Mark Clayton, ''Christian Science Monitor'', April 30, 2010.</ref> <ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE48N8NA20080924] By Tom Doggett, Reuters, Wed Sep 24, 2008</ref> to lapse and was later criticized by the Gulf Oil Spill investigatory commission for his lack of competence and misuse of data to mislead the public<ref>http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101006/ap_on_sc/us_gulf_oil_spill;_ylt=AhD3nOSATgSQiErPjXGDsYFvzwcF;_ylu=X3oDMTJpNzluOGg1BGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAxMDA2L3VzX2d1bGZfb2lsX3NwaWxsBGNwb3MDMwRwb3MDNwRzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3J5BHNsawNwYW5lbGdvdnRibG8-</ref> about the "[[Gulf oil spill disaster|worst environmental disaster]] in US history."<ref>[http://www.examiner.com/x-33986-Political-Spin-Examiner~y2010m4d29-Worst-environmental-disaster-in-US-history-Oil-slick-in-Gulf-of-Mexico-is-set-on-fire Worst environmental disaster in US history,] Maryann Tobin, ''Examiner'', April 29, 2010.</ref><ref>[http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/environment/july-dec10/oilspill_10-07.html] Ray Suarez, PBS, October 10, 2010</ref> Obama declared, |