The success of Obamanomics - David Cay Johnston

http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2014/12/obama-economic-stimuluspoliciesstockmarket.html

By a host of measures, the U.S. economy has done exceptionally well under President Barack Obama. So why does he receive such poor approval ratings, especially from the most prosperous and economically conservative Americans?

The investor class should be thrilled. Under Obama, the Dow has risen an astonishing 126 percent, to a record high of 18,030. Under President George W. Bush, the index fell by a quarter, from 10,587 to 7,949.

Corporate America should exult. Profits, both before and after taxes, have doubled since Obama took office in 2009.

Fiscal hawks should cheer, because the federal budget deficit is down from 10 percent of the economy in Obama’s first year to less than 3 percent in fiscal year 2015, which began Oct. 1. With continued job growth, this might even turn into a surplus before Obama leaves. And while Bush was a spendthrift, Obama has been the most tightfisted president in the last half-century in terms of discretionary federal spending.

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