My case against Obama

Am I better of than 4 years ago?

Slightly. In 2008, everyone (including me) was scared about losing our jobs and the economy crashing into a Depression. In 2012, I'm less scared about losing my job (the current concern has improved from: "How quickly are jobs disappearing?" and the is now matured to:"How slowly are jobs coming back?" ) And even if we go over the "fiscal cliff" - we're more likely to go into a Recession than a Depression.

My case against Obama is that he was good, not great. And this is at a time when we needed "excellent."

Ideally, you want things "good, quick, and cheap." Practically, you get to pick two of the three.

Obama's recovery wasn't "cheap" - so it should have been "good and quick." The recovery is anemic and taking longer than execpected.

Obama's second term

I think Obama knew in 2008 that the recovery wasn't going to be complete in 2012. I think he (famously) said "If we're not recovered by 2012, I should be a one-term president." - not because he thought the recovery would be done by 2012, but because Obama didn't WANT a second term (at least back then), but he knew showing (fake) confidence in the recovery would get others to believe in the recovery as well, thus increasing consumer confidence.

I hate that kind of political manipulation - and it serves Obama right that it's coming back to bite him.

I also think that Obama didn't really have an 8 year plan - he just had a 4 year plan to stop the crisis, and now that it's 2012, he doesn't have a plan anymore, beyond doing more of what he's been doing (which may not be what the economy needs right now.)

Finally, I don't think that Obama WANTS a second term to fix the economy in the future. He WANTS a second term so that his "accomplishments" in the first term aren't automatically undone by the next president. While Obama's campaign slogan is "forward" - he hasn't really shown what he wants to do that will bring us forward.

Conclusion

Romney's big question from the 2012 RNC ("Are you better off today than you were 4 years ago?) was lifted from Reagan's campaign against Carter. It worked for Reagan because Carter's policies had caused the stagflationary economy they were facing.

We are (slightly) better off over Obama from 4 years ago. A better question at the RNC would have been "Has Obama got you where you want to be in 4 years? If not, why give him another 4?"