Flap's Blog – FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog

Chris illizza over at the Washington Post looks at key battleground states for the Presidential race of 2012 and gives the data. You know the question in one of the Presidential debates to President Obama will be (like GOP challenger Ronald Reagan asked President Jimmy Carter in 1980): “Are you better off than you were four years ago?”

Well, with the regards to unemployment the news is not good for President Obama.

And that raw political reality could put President Obama in a difficult spot as he prepares to seek another four years in the White House amid conflicting signs about the relative health of the economy.

The state-by-state unemployment numbers released late last week by the Bureau of Labor Statistics tell the story.

In every one of the 14 swing states heading into 2012 — Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin — the unemployment rate has risen since October 2008.

The increases range from the tiny — just a 0.7-point jump in Minnesota and New Hampshire — to the titanic in places like Nevada (up 4.4 points) and Florida (up 3.6).

And, Obama’s only response will be: “You should have seen how bad it would have been.”

I don’t know if this is going to wash in Nevada and Florida.

But, on the other hand of these 14 swing states that Cillizza mentions only 4 have May unemployment above the national average. But, you know that is spin and unemployment generally is worse since President Obama has been in office.

President Obama and Congressional Democrats are facing Tea Party protests and are tanking in the polls. Washington D.C based pundits are forecasting massive Democrat Party election losses in 2010. So, what happens?

The RACISM CARD is played.

And, by whom?

The WORST President ever = Jimmy Carter. Video here.

The country is in an uproar NOT because of Obama’s poor policy choices but because he has black skin.

Wow!

Plus Ca Change

News Item: Dollar hits new multimonth low vs euro, pound, yen

The dollar kept falling Friday, notching fresh multimonth lows against the euro, pound and yen as a warning that Britain’s debt level may result in its credit rating being cut ricocheted into worries about the massive U.S. deficit.

The 16-nation euro rose to $1.4015 in morning trading from $1.3889 in New York late Thursday—its first time above $1.40 since Jan. 2.

The British pound rose to $1.5916 from $1.5890, peaking at $1.5945 earlier in the session, its highest point since Nov. 6.

Meanwhile, the dollar edged up to 94.51 Japanese yen from 94.23 yen—after earlier falling to 93.82, its lowest point since Feb. 23.

“The problem for the U.S. is particularly acute because of its reserve status,” said UBS analyst Brian Kim in an e-mail to investors Friday. Major holders of U.S. debt, such as Middle Eastern sovereign funds and the Chinese government, have not been shy about calling the U.S. out for what it sees as policies that will trigger inflation, shrinking the value of their Treasury holdings.

Well, no shit, Sherlock.

With the massive Obama government spending and debt there will be massive inflation and stagnant economic growth – just like the Jimmy Carter STAGFLATION in the 1970′s.

The solution then, as it is now, was the election of a conservative President (President Ronald Reagan), limited government, reduced federal spending and tax cuts.

Yes, there is a REAL t-shirt. (Via Kathryn Jean Lopez at National Review)

Flap wonders if Gabe Kaplan has a cut?

Remember the late 1970′s, Jimmy Carter, Democrats in control of the Congress, Hyperinflation and Economic Malaise?

Here we go again – It is just starting folks.

Inflation at the wholesale level surged unexpectedly in January, reflecting sharply higher prices for gasoline and other energy products.

The Labor Department said Thursday that wholesale prices increased by 0.8 percent last month, the biggest gain since last July and well above the 0.2 percent increase that economists had expected.

The acceleration was led by a 3.7 percent surge in energy prices with gasoline prices jumping by 15 percent, the biggest gain in 14 months.

Even outside the volatile food and energy sectors, wholesale prices showed a bigger-than-expected increase, rising by 0.4 percent. Economists had expected a slight 0.1 percent rise in so-called core inflation.

We Will need another Ronald Reagan to rein in government spending to right the Obama/Democrat economy.