The slow and steady recovery that President Barack Obama kick-started with the stimulus has continued under Trump — just a little slower and a little steadier than before. Indeed, as you can see [above], the economy added almost 3.5 million jobs in Obama's last 16 months in office, compared with just under 3 million jobs in Trump's first 16 months.
Whenever I work up the nerve to scan Twitter, I notice that Trump supporters devote at least as much space to bashing Obama as they do praising their president for his fabulous jobs record. I have never understood their compulsion to denigrate Obama on this score. On the whole, are they 1) simply unaware of President Obama's superior record? or 2) just lying about Trump's record? or 3) merely trying to bait the knowledgeable tweeters among us?
I suspect the answer is #1: They are mind-boggingly ignorant of Obama's record. I say this, I admit, because of scant anecdotal evidence. About six months after Trump's election, on Twitter I had to point out to a triumphalist Trump supporter that Hillary had actually won the popular vote. Later he came back and proudly announced — meticulous and honest scholar that he was — that he had done some research and learned that Hillary had indeed won the popular vote. He had done some research. For six months, mind you, this Trump supporter had lived in wholesale ignorance of what had been headline news.
I was dumbfounded; I hadn't fully realized, till then, just what a little, enclosed world these people were living in.
I've mentioned this before but I will repeat myself. If you go to left wing sites and they happen to have a tag cloud you will find the biggest tag is always OBAMA. He looms in their psyche. He was the one who got away. They froth at the mouth when Obama, the worst most racist president ever, is mentioned. When they do terrible things to things to children, Obama made them. He compels them zombie-like to terrible acts of stupidity and Republican policy mutilation. From hell's heart they stab at him....and miss every time.
And don't get them started on Hillary Clinton. Unless you have plenty of time on your hands.
Posted by: Peter G | June 25, 2018 at 12:11 PM
That's from the left wing sites? You mean like the left wing who brutalize the democrats and give republicans a pass?
Posted by: Anne J | June 25, 2018 at 12:15 PM
Hold the phone. You mean this Trumpist did the research and agreed that Hillary Clinton won the popular vote WITHOUT attributing that victory to 3 million "illegal" votes in California? I voted for her 267 times myself, but that's because I'm a republican and per state law that's our limit. The democrats were allowed a 500 vote limit, though!
Posted by: Anne J | June 25, 2018 at 12:19 PM
Oh and if you are wondering why they believe what they believe it could be that Trump talks about the terrible economy he inherited. Which indisputably was actually pretty good and getting better all the time. I have to be fair though to Trump. His single legislative accomplishment, a massive tax cut for the rich, cannot be fairly characterized as stimulatory. Any economist worth his salt would be happy to tell you that is the worst way to stimulate an economy. It's a great way to reward your rich buddies as Trump crowed.
Posted by: Peter G | June 25, 2018 at 12:20 PM
Pardon me Anne. That was meant to be right wing web sites. Check out the one at Redstate it is most illuminating about what occupies their minds.
Posted by: Peter G | June 25, 2018 at 12:21 PM
You minx. That ought to get them shitting bricks.
Posted by: Peter G | June 25, 2018 at 12:26 PM
You mean like this tasty little sample?
https://www.redstate.com/diary/davenj1/2018/06/25/will-not-end-well/
I loved how the title was in all caps ending in 3 exclamation points, chock full of lame racist, misogynistic, and homophobic insults and factual incorrectness. They named Cynthia Nixon as the governor of New York. It was so unhinged it made me wonder why they call the left snowflakes.
Posted by: Anne J | June 25, 2018 at 12:39 PM
Well I figure since facts don't matter to them, why not just make stuff up? What do you want to bet some right winger might see it and run with it? As flattered as I was over the debate about whether or not I'm an intellectual, most people who know me simply think of me as a smart ass.
Posted by: Anne J | June 25, 2018 at 12:46 PM
"a little, enclosed world"
Yeeeeeeeees, I think I know what you mean . . .
Posted by: David Duff | June 25, 2018 at 12:48 PM
Won't it actually end up hurting the economy? Or will the tariffs hurt us more?
Posted by: Anne J | June 25, 2018 at 12:49 PM
Oh no, say it ain't so!
"President Obama has topped predecessor George W. Bush in another poll, but not one he would like.
In a new Quinnipiac University Poll, 33% named Obama the worst president since World War II, and 28% put Bush at the bottom of post-war presidents."
https://eu.usatoday.com/story/theoval/2014/07/02/obama-george-w-bush-quinnipiac-poll-reagan-clinton/11985837/
Posted by: David Duff | June 25, 2018 at 12:55 PM
Duff, come on. Are you that fucking desperate to smear that no good uppity Black Man who was President (and who is obviously a smarter, better person than you will ever be) that you have to reach back to a fucking poll from FOUR GODDAMNED YEARS AGO to express your point?
Are you fucking kidding me?
To paraphrase that dude from GOODFELLAS: Nice try--now go home and get your fucking shine-box.
Posted by: Marc McKenzie | June 25, 2018 at 02:02 PM
Funny, I've been thinking that line of late.
Posted by: Max | June 25, 2018 at 02:17 PM
It ain’t so:
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/gallup-trumps-net-disapproval-spikes-amid-criticism-of-family-separations
“According to Gallup, Americans who approved of Trump’s performance in office dropped from 45 to 41 percent between Sunday, June 17 and Sunday, June 24.
Over the same period, Trump’s disapproval number went from 50 to 55 percent.”
Posted by: The Dark Avenger | June 25, 2018 at 03:11 PM
Why yes. Yes it would. Conservatively blowing up the deficit while providing any stimulus to a robust economy is exactly how you go about igniting inflation. Which is that other thing conservatives like Duff pretend to care about. But I'm thinking the tariffs are going to cause more fun for the US economy. The American tariffs are going to force outsourcing of jobs from the US while the counter tariffs are going to hit key sectors of the American economy. And everybody is going to be whacking you while while they trade pleasantly amongst themselves.
Posted by: Peter G | June 25, 2018 at 03:29 PM
One of the saner ones I fear. But go down to the bottom of the main page to find the Tag Cloud that shows reference frequency in Redstate posts by the size of the font. Guess whose name leads all the rest?
Posted by: Peter G | June 25, 2018 at 03:34 PM
Why not just go home to your own little playground of diversity then. Last time I checked you were once again jokingly calling for the execution of various British politicians. In fairness you did say they had a perfect right to offer the opinions for which you would like them executed.
Posted by: Peter G | June 25, 2018 at 03:37 PM
Wow, a four year old poll and Duff called it a new one. Duff? Seriously? Maybe you saw it and forgot to check the date?
Posted by: L. Reeves | June 25, 2018 at 11:33 PM