Economy top concern for voters as White House race heats up

Source: AFP

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The sputtering economy has asserted itself as the main concern for US voters less than four months ahead of presidential elections, and with an avalanche of alarming new data it appears unlikely that will change.

Against a backdrop of rising job losses, soaring energy and food costs and a deepening housing crisis, Democratic candidate Barack Obama and his Republican White House rival John McCain are each seeking to convince voters that theirs is the platform capable of restoring the country's prosperity.

But the souring of the economy has been so swift that it is uncertain the next president will be able to steer the badly listing ship back on course.

McCain has stated that permanent tax cuts are the best tonic for the battered economy, while Obama plans a series of massive infrastructure projects.

In the past week, the Labor Department reported US consumer prices up 1.1 percent in June to an annual pace of 5.0 percent, the sharpest rise in the consumer price index in 26 years.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080721/bs_afp/usvoteeconomy

---

McLame will be another one trick pony that can't find his ass in the dark with both hands.

If the most important voting issue is the economy, how can our guy compete with McCain -- you know, the guy who "doesn't really understand this economy thing"?

:shrug:

It's like an infomercial for McInsane. They don't have to even run his commercials 'cuz the only do the lines for McInsane - you know the ones -

"If Obama makes even ONE mis-statement while he's in Afghanistand or Iraq - McInsame says "he's toast!" and here's the latest McInsane commercial - see how well he makes the special effects look with his chipmunky cheek"?

I'm about to :puke:

the good news is that my podgroup has been named as a Nielson family and I'm looking forward to gettin our diaries :evilgrin:

... since Bush was installed in the OO, except for what I've caught inadvertently while waiting for another show to start.

These people are pathetic. And the truth is (and DON'T you forget it!) no matter what they say or do, it's going to be Obama.

Jobs are beyond scarce.

Even worse than immediately after 9/11.

of Labor are way off. Even using the Department of Labor's numbers for workforce population and current fully employed, the unemployment rate is 10%. I suspect you can double that number and still be accurate.

McBush and DOL need to join the reality based economy.

about the economy or the American people. He is focused on Iraq.