With approval ratings barely over 40%, a Republican Congress dedicated to fighting him every step of the way and a slew of mid-term Democratic candidates who’d rather be seen joining ISIS than be seen next to him, President Obama can use all the support he can get. Surprisingly, he found them in the most unlikely places: The Wall Street Journal and Forbes Magazine.
Both publications celebrate the free market, trickle down philosophy of Republicans, and have been doing so for a long time. ?Much longer than the current cast of Republicans who run the party from Washington D.C. ?Forbes Magazine, founded by millionaire Malcolm Forbes and currently being run by his son, Republican Presidential candidate, Steve Forbes, proudly refers to itself as a “capitalist tool” (a little “Cold War” throwback to show you how long it’s been around).
The Wall Street Journal is no friend to Democrats and progressive ideology, either, and is required reading by every member of Wall Street (and many business people not on Wall Street).
So, imagine the surprise when both these publications published, within a few months of each, articles that either praised and/or publicly pointed out positive results from Obama’s policies.
In September of this year, the Wall Street Journal Online ran a story with the headline, “FOOD STAMP USE STARTING TO FALL.”? According to this report,
“There were 46.2 million Americans on food stamps in May, the latest data available, down 1.6 million from a record 47.8 million in December 2012. Some 14.8% of the U.S. population is on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, down from 15.3% last August, U.S. Department of Agriculture data show.”
While food stamp use remains historically high, this does not connect with the Republican narrative. ?During the 2012 Presidential campaign, President Obama was, on more than one occasion, referred to as the “Food Stamp President,” which critics decried was as unfair and as a “dog whistle” to racists on the right. ?As the economy has been irrefutably improving, the President’s opponents now declare the economy isn’t growing fast enough.
Just recently, Forbes Magazine published an article boldly titled “OBAMA OUTPERFORMS REAGAN ON JOBS, GROWTH AND INVESTING,”
in which contributing author Adam Hartung reached out to Bob Deitrick, CEO of Polaris Financial Partners,who wrote:
?President Obama has achieved a 6.1% unemployment rate in his sixth year, fully one year faster than President Reagan did.? At this point in his presidency, President Reagan was still struggling with 7.1% unemployment, and he did not reach into the mid-low 6% range for another full year.? So, despite today’s number, the Obama administration has still done considerably better at job creating and reducing unemployment than did the Reagan administration.
?We forecast unemployment will fall to around 5.4% by summer, 2015.? A rate President Reagan was unable to achieve during his two terms.?
Certainly the last place President Obama thought he would be finding support would be the two leading Republican stalwart publications. ?It begs the following question:
“Are there other Republicans out there who are starting to believe the President’s policies are working?”
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Edited by D.H.
