The American Economy and Dr. Obama (an Analogy)

Here's how I try to explain Barack Obama's administration and the handling of the U.S. economy to the few people who'll listen.

In September of 2008, the U.S. economy was in a car wreck. The wreck was because the drunk driver (the Bush Administration) drove recklessly and refused to heed the warnings of others. The patient (the U.S. economy) was rushed to the hospital (January 2009) where the doctor in charge (Barack Obama's administration) began its treatment. This patient was declared "critical" and many on the scene feared he would die. Others felt he may survive, but never walk again. Dr. Obama held out hope. He had a plan. First, though, we must stabilize the patient. After all, we are in triage. That's where we stand today.

I'm the president of a small union (200 members). I have seen already the "stabilizing of the patient". My members do not have a defined pension plan, we have a 401k, as most private sector businesses do. In the last 6 months of the Bush administration, my members' 401k's were cut in half. For example, one member had $200,000 in his account. In February, it was a little less that $100,000. Cut in half. Down 50%. Now, just 6 months into the Obama administration, he's up to $150,000. Up 50%. Many of my members have needed to enroll in unemployment, either because they aren't working, or in most cases have low earnings where the benefits supplement their income. Enter Dr. Obama. The original 26 weeks is extended to 59 and the weekly earnings are increased by $25. Further, his stimulus package exempts the first $2,400 in unemployment benefits from federal taxation. He and the Congressional Democrats strengthened the safety net for hard working Americans, like my members.

Now, the stock market is up. It was just a short time ago that Rush the drug addict was saying the the stock market dropped 2,000 points since Obama was elected. As if President Obama was responsible for the falling market before he even took office. Now that it has rebounded and stabilized while he is actually in office, it's just a coincidence. Next, the job market. Everyone who knows anything about economics realizes that unemployment is a lagging indicator. All the right-wing pundits pointed to the jobless numbers as if Barack was at fault. Now, it seems that he has even stabilized that and ahead of schedule. Home values have stopped their declines and have even modest increases in some areas of the country. GDP is flattening out, and we may see small increases before the year's end.

In short, the "critical patient" is now "stable". We can send the Priest home, there will be no last rites. The patient is talking, taking solid food, and has regained the feeling in his extremities. He still has a long way to go, but everyone who has seen the patient knows he'll walk again. And we won't forget those "family members" who doubted the Doctor's unorthodox approach and actually wanted the patient to die so they could say all along that we chose the wrong doctor. To them we will say, we won't forget you. And when we see that patient back to a normal, healthy, productive life in two years, we can thank the Doctor. In 2012, that thanks will be 40 blue states.