Flatly and provably, government's role has not grown during Obama's "socialist" regime. Republicans need to learn how to read, check books out of their local libraries on what socialism really is, and then take a look at the government spending charts from and history of the past three years. And then issue an apology.
Has government spending increased? Of course. So has population, so have healthcare costs.
For verification, check out the results of Paul Krugman's research. Look at the numbers and find that "we’re left with a rise of about 1 percentage point of GDP. But even that is basically not a change in policy, for two reasons."
First is that there are other programs that have ramped up because of the depressed economy, such as Medicaid and food stamps, not to mention more people going on disability and taking early retirement.
Second is that demography and rising health care costs continue to do their thing.
Overall, then, government’s role has not increased. The whole Obama/socialist thing never happened.
And here’s the thing: government’s role should have increased, at least for now. We still have a private sector in the throes of deleveraging, which means that this is a time for the government — which can borrow at negative real interest rates! — to be spending more. Instead, the entire brief increase in government’s role during 2009-2010 has now been unwound, with more cuts to come. ...Krugman, Conscience of a Liberal
So what does an incumbent do when faced with a wall of lies?
... At this point ... Mr. Obama and his political team don’t seem to have much choice. They can point with pride to some big economic achievements, above all the successful rescue of the auto industry, which is responsible for a large part of whatever job growth we are managing to get. But they’re not going to be able to sell a narrative of overall economic success. Their best bet, surely, is to do a Harry Truman, to run against the “do-nothing” Republican Congress that has, in reality, blocked proposals — for tax cuts as well as more spending — that would have made 2012 a much better year than it’s turning out to be.
For that, in the end, is the best argument against Republicans’ claims that they can fix the economy. The fact is that we have already seen the Republican economic future — and it doesn’t work. ...Krugman, NYT
Doesn't work? Yowee! It brought us that lovely, deep recession we're having such a great time climbing out of. Love that recession stuff? Vote Republican!
