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Another set of numbers from our new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll: 60 percent say President Obama inherited the current economic conditions, compared with 26 percent who blame his policies for the state of the economy.
That's a slight change from Aug. 2011, when 56 percent said the president inherited the economy, versus 33 percent who singled out his policies.
Yet when asked in a separate question whether the president’s policies have helped or hurt the economy, 33 percent say they’ve hurt; 32 percent say they’ve helped; and another 32 percent answer that they haven’t made much of a difference.
The full NBC/WSJ poll -- which was conducted of 1,000 adults and which has a margin of error of plus-minus 3.1 percentage points -- is released at 6:30 pm ET.
Leave a Comment:
Mr. McMurry?
"60 percent say President Obama inherited the current economic conditions,"
Precisely who did Obama inherit the current economy from?
I mean, he`s been POTUS for 3.5 years, right? So what you`re saying is he inherited the economy of 3.5 years ago (which is true) and the current economic conditions are the result of his tenure, correct?
Nope! The results of the last three and one-half years are the results of the the repubs in the House not allowing PRESIDENT Obama to enact beneficial laws to alleviate the misery.
GOP planned failure is the result.
LL
If I understand the definition, one does not inherit something
they spent over a half a billion dollars to get. President, then senator Obama,
actively sought this job with the promise that he would fix the “mess”. For three years he has blamed the previous administration
saying things “were worse than he thought”.
The Presidency of the United States is an as is proposition; no
warranties implied or stated. When you take the oath you own it all, the good
bad and the ugly.
I find it interesting that conservatives keep blaming President Obama for the economy but flat refuse to address the FACT that their party has worked over time to make him a one term President and has blocked every effort to right the sinking ship he inherited. They effectively blocked every single bill that would help Americans and spent all their time passing ridiculous bills that restrict women's rights, attempt to gut the EPA and defund any and every regulatory body they deem "job killers". All this while pushing tax breaks for the "job creators" who unfortunately for us have refused to create any jobs in the 13 plus years that they have been enjoys repeated tax breaks.
Bottom line, until conservatives take an active role in the governance of this country they don't deserve a seat at the table.
Oh yeah Obama, you inherited the economy...........we all inherit the economy. Quit bitching. Under your leadership, you have added another $5.5 trillion of debt. You have surpassed the total debt created in 8 yrs by GW Bush. Do you feel proud?
Your economic track record is the worst it's EVER been. Your own VP is calling our economy a depression. Let's see you wiggle out of this one. Good luck in November, UR going to need it.
And Jimmy Carter says Obama is a complete failure when it comes to human rights. So there is just one more.
You are exactly the kind of person the tea party/GOP loves. You believe absolutely EVERYTHING they feed you no matter how outrageous it is and are just dim witted enough to not notice when they ignore you after the election. Keep up the good work, you party won't need you much longer.
@Rick
How about some documentation to back that up please.
Sure thing Denny, unlike liberals I don't print anything I have not checked out first.
Despite an arbitrary rule that any man killed by drones is declared an enemy terrorist, the death of nearby innocent women and children is accepted as inevitable. After more than 30 airstrikes on civilian homes this year in Afghanistan, President Hamid Karzai has demanded that such attacks end, but the practice continues in areas of Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen that are not in any war zone. We don’t know how many hundreds of innocent civilians have been killed in these attacks, each one approved by the highest authorities in Washington. This would have been unthinkable in previous times.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/25/opinion/americas-shameful-human-rights-record.html?_r=1
http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/nation/former-president-jimmy-carter-criticizes-obamas-violations-of-human-rights
People have only themselves to blame for their economy. Quit blaming politicians for your own actions. We are the people who don't buy goods made by our own people as we buy all of the foreign goods we can get our hands on. When you don't have people working and paying taxes you get budget deficits. IT"S THAT SIMPLE. So go hop in your Toyota and run to Walmart and buy some more goods from China and then sit around and wine about your children coming back home to live as they can"t find a job to support their families. Look in the mirror. Obama or Romney didn't buy a Toyota this year How about you.
Dave
You are very correct. I don't know how old you are but I remember back in the day when the mantra was, "Be American, Buy American."
I'm 55
Then you might remember. this was back when so many products were being shipped here from Japan and they were cheaply made even though they didn't cost much. Japanese cars were pieces of crap at that time. Times change.
Actually I bought a Chevy Impala 2 yrs ago and a Chevy Malibu 4 yrs ago for my son.
Hey Feisty. From one red head to another (and I am for real a red-neck head) are you a volunteer blogger or are you paid? Seems like no matter where I look, you are there. That's not a compliment. It is an annoyance which I suspect you are proud of. Don't gloat though, it will catch up to you. Now if you can manage to reply without resulting to insults, I will reserve some respect. Otherwise, ...(fill in the blanks).
Regards.
@Dave...........I wonder how many US made products are sold anywhere nowadays. Buying American is a thing of the past. Products made here would cost at least twice as much. Go figure.
I'm not saying it's easy to buy products made here but this constant blaming of others for what we have done to ourselves is foolish and won't change anything.
I agree to that!
6 out of 10 people that nbc talked to licked the sponge next to the toilet bowl?
Ok? Here is the deal!! Obama has had 4 years to work on the problem. but everytime he opens his mouth all he can manage to do is still blame bush for the mess? I hate to say thus but Obama get over it and start taking responsibility for your mistakes and stop blaming an old President who hasnt been in office for 4 years??
Only the mask has changed...same policies...same results.
obama inherited a market that was undergoing a major correction. His Keynesian economic ideas and questionable tactics extended that correction into a fullblown recesssion, if not a mild depression.
We are daily bombarded with stories of how we are recoverring, however, what small gains are made are quickly overshadowed by further speculation and vacillating performance.
Perhaps a Republican President would have fared no better, but obama's performance in the matter stinks and He Owns That Fact.
Hahahaha...most economists agree that it was the worst "correction" since the Great Depression.
6 in 10 support Obama. That is the about the Chicago Public School drop out rate.
People, what you have to understand is that Obama inherited an economy bent on self implosion not from bush, but from 30 years! of Reaganomics that started all this. From GlassSteagal to foreign trade to deregulation, all policies that help the 1%. If you're not making close to $500000 every paycheck and I know 100% of us are nowhere close to that then in all schemes of things we really are poor, hence there is no middle class just poor or rich. How? Since the 2nd great depression was averted, the rich have build their income 150%, and their wealth more than 300%. Wake up, there is only 2 classes, poor and rich. The far right wants the poor, you and me, to fight eachother and point our fingers at eachother, don't you see?, so that they get richer by the minute. Wake up, 30 years of trickle down economics must be attacked on all angles because a society that has the greatest disparity between the wealthy and poor like the US can never survive. Thats my .02
The democrats have done a great job of hiding the real causes of the recession. It started here, if you listen close John Reed says the merger would not have happened had Robert Rubin had not said therere would be no problem
http://billmoyers.com/segment/john-reed-on-big-banks-power-and-influence/
Shortley after the merger Robert Rubin accepted a position with the newly formed Citigroup and realized something like 126 million in payments
http://www.alternet.org/economy/148160/robert_rubin,_citi_execs_knew_they_were_selling_high-priced_garbage_but_got_a_pass_from_regulators/
Shortly before that Barney Frank got his boyfriend a job with Fannie Mae. Of course Barney had to extend himself to do that.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/businessdesk/2011/07/joseph-stiglitz-barney-frank-r.html
Maybe we could have avoided most of the problems if the derivatives market had been regulated.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/warning/interviews/born.html
What if Clinton's cohorts had not tried to make a fortune off Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_Raines
One more time for the teapublican rubes...
Enjoy !!!!!
"""On every major measurement, the Census Bureau report shows that the country lost ground during Bush's two terms. While Bush was in office, the median household income declined, poverty increased, childhood poverty increased even more, and the number of Americans without health insurance spiked. By contrast, the country's condition improved on each of those measures during Bill Clinton's two terms, often substantially."
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2009/09/closing-the-book-on-the-bush-legacy/26402/
Bill Clinton left "W" with a surplus of $billions. How did the Bush/Cheney administration end their two terms? In a major financial crisis! Republican history simply repeats this over and over again. The democrats are always screwed by the self-obsessed G.O.P!
OUTLAW the Republican Party NOW!
Vegains
Bill Clinton also left Bush with a 5.8 trillion dollar national debt. It would have been in the 6 to 7 trillion dollar range if Clinton had not had that "surplus" As far as what happened to it, you may want to check out the following link:
http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2009/11/24/the-dot-com-bubble-how-to-lose-5-trillion/
Obviously "W" and the Republican Party DUMPED the results of their "free market economy" on the Democratic party. Mr. Obama has done a magnificent job keeping our country in one piece after a near economic meltdown.
The real miracle is that Obama did it with the Republican dominated House of Representatives working their hardest to stop Obama from succeeding at every possible opportunity. It shows how well our Democratic president has really done in the face of the anti-American House of Representatives with the likes of Crying John Boner!
Imagine how well off we could be without the Republican party working against President Obama! They're all petulant little children who deserve a prison term for each and every act of treason against our country's economy! They're all dirty rotten scum!
It was Obama who made it very clear from day one that he and he alone was in control and he refused to include the Republicans, Obama the socialist has divided this country, he earned AMERICA her first down grade in history, he is the great giver of Tax payers money, he caters only to certain people like illegals and NOT to AMERICANS, he made very sure that the Mexican drug lords got their guns in a timely fashion though and come November AMERICANS will remember this and vote Obama out in a very FAST & FURIOUS WAY.!
^^ What a miserable set of lies in the comment by stclaire-3822173.
The President NEVER made it clear that he alone was in control. Are you and I even living in the same country? He bent over backwards to include Republican ideas in every single one of his programs, ESPECIALLY the Affordable Healthcare Act and the American Jobs Act. He appointed Republicans to cabinet positions AND to business and healthcare round-tables. He held summits with equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats on live video to discuss compromise on healthcare reform. The individual healthcare mandate is a REPUBLICAN IDEA, for goodness sake (thanks to Newt Gingrich & Mitt Romney).
Next, you claim that the President earned America a downgrade. That is simply ludicrous. The President made it CRYSTAL CLEAR in 2011 that we needed to cut at least 2 trillion in spending immediately. S&P, the credit rating agency that downgraded the US bond rating, personally met with Republicans to try to convince them to compromise. THEY WOULD NOT, because their sole goal of the 2011 debt crisis negotiations was to make this entire country go through a debt crisis AGAIN in six months. Unfortunately, it was the GOP legislators who were directly responsible for the historic and avoidable downgrade.
When the goal of our own elected representatives is to ensure a one-term Presidency for the other party, and then fabricate an alternate reality as you have done above, stclaire, we have a severe problem in this country. And it's NOT our CENTRIST PRESIDENT.
The democrats have done a great job of hiding the real causes of the recession. It started here, if you listen close John Reed says the merger would not have happened had Robert Rubin had not said therere would be no problem
http://billmoyers.com/segment/john-reed-on-big-banks-power-and-influence/
Shortley after the merger Robert Rubin accepted a position with the newly formed Citigroup and realized something like 126 million in payments
http://www.alternet.org/economy/148160/robert_rubin,_citi_execs_knew_they_were_selling_high-priced_garbage_but_got_a_pass_from_regulators/
Shortly before that Barney Frank got his boyfriend a job with Fannie Mae. Of course Barney had to extend himself to do that.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/businessdesk/2011/07/joseph-stiglitz-barney-frank-r.html
Maybe we could have avoided most of the problems if the derivatives market had been regulated.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/warning/interviews/born.html
What if Clinton's cohorts had not tried to make a fortune off Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_Raines
Vegains
Bill Clinton also left Bush with a 5.8 trillion dollar national debt. It would have been in the 6 to 7 trillion dollar range if Clinton had not had that "surplus" As far as what happened to it, you may want to check out the following link:
http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2009/11/24/the-dot-com-bubble-how-to-lose-5-trillion/
So does this mean that 4 out of 10 can't remember as far back as 2008??
This makes sence as 4 out of 10 voted for Hoover in 1932. I guess 4 out of 10 Americans are stupid beyond belief and we are not getting any better. I think trans fat has something to do with this.
Of course MSNBC would say that and we all know that are liars just like Obama, they are in Obama's pocket and they have no choice but to spin and twist the truth, the fact is that Obama is falling behind big time and he knows with out a doubt that come November the AMERICANS that are tired of his failed policies will vote him out if office in a FAST & FURIOUS WAY.!
The sad state of affairs that Obama walked into was quite a fire...
BUT Obama has been like feeding a gasoline pipeline DIRECTLY INTO IT.
So the President didn't inherit the economy of the prior President? Really? In what alternate reality is that even possible?
I've realized that the 40% of people who believe President Obama didn't inherit the economy are the same people who are shocked that the Federal debt from President Bush's deficit spending actually needs to be paid. "The debt has grown under Obama!" they shout incessantly. Many of these folks are the same people who supported these unpaid-for wars and wartime tax cuts in the first place. Yet they haven't got a simple grasp of reality: the next President doesn't have a choice to start with a clean slate. Unfortunately, interest will always accrue.
President Bush started with a 5.8 trillion national debt and added about 5 trillion in eight (8) as in more than 7 less than nine years and it would appear that deficit spending had levelled or maybe even was decreasing until the democrats took over congress. Why don't you liberals want to deal with that fact?
stclaire get off the rush limbaugh propoganda, you realize the true socialists here are the 1%ers and multinational conglomerates, in order to fix 30 years of reaganomics you need a substantial overhaul of banking and financial policies one that doesn't support just a few elite (socialists, see?) when you vote republican you're voting against yourself..
Military Members, Veterans, Military retirees; note that Romney PROMOTED THE DRAFT during the Viet Nam War, then skipped out to France for extraordinary lenth of time when church missionary tours were limited. When Romney came home, he sided with his dad that the whole Viet Nam War was a scam and that he was against the war.
Promoting the draft, while Americans were dieing, he skipped out, then says he wishes he could have participated. His whole life has been a lie.
The whole Vietnam war was a scam. Vietnam never attacked the United States and appeared to be no threat. There are rumors that Ho Chi Minh would have became an ally of the US had the US given him some support after they won independence from France.
Here's an idea. Let Obama run on his record.
I am neither left or right. I am an American. This is my observation of the government in America. The Congress has done nothing in the last 4 years but filibuster and complain. They have not done their job. It is not just the president who is to blame for the economy. And it is not just this president who has put America in this position.
The president does not govern by himself. "The president of America is not the government of the US." (Bowles) The government of America is by co-operation and the theory is that the executive, legislative and judiciary should work together in harmony to formulate policy.
The president has to seek co-operation but he also has to be seen to be leading the nation. This is one of the great ironies of being ‘the most powerful man in the world’. As the leader of his nation he has to be seen to lead yet he is frequently engaged in negotiations etc. (either personally or by proxy) with politicians based in the Capitol. Instances do exist where this co-operation has broken down but it is rare and it is usual for all three partners in government to work together as anything else discredits the whole system.
re not partisan. And when they are vetoed they blame the president.
I am so sick of the blame game. Republicans can point fingers all they want and bury their heads in the sand all they want. At the end of the day, our government does not work if there is no cooperation from either side. And I presonally do not think in the past 4 years there has been cooperation. And FYI I don't think electing Romney is the solution. The next time their is a Republican Congress and a Democratic president it will happen again.
Dawn Michalek
Where have you had your head placed for the past 3 years. It has been our illustrious president that has been doing the finger pointing.
IT'S NOTHING BUT THE LILLY WHITE KKK MENTALITY , '' AND THE GOZILLIONAIRES '' THAT ARE TRYING TO REVERSE THE TRUTH OF THE FACT THAT '' BUSH AND HIS WMD ADMINISTRATION , BANKRUPT THE USA.'' ( AND GOD BLESS THE TRUTH ) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bush never even tried to make our economy better. The fact is, Bush inherited the healthiest economy in history, then ripped it apart.
Bush gave all of the billions in surplus that President Clinton had accomplished in tax cuts to mega-billionaires who didn't need it, then proceeded to spend unprecendent amounts of money on a phony war in Iraq, just so Bush and his oil buddies could drill for oil there.
Are you liberals that stupid or is it that you just don't care? I am one of those dumb conservatives that you people deride but at least I was smart enough find out what caused this recession to be as severe and tenacious as it is. At least I was smart enough to research the causes of the catastrophes that got us here.
Why shouldn't we blame Obama, he is the man in the White House just like Bush was the man in the White House before him and all the people that has the least bit of knowledge about what happened know that it was not the fault of either. Bush had a year to fix the recession that started in late 2007 but all you liberals blame him for the position we are in now even though he has been out of office going on 4 years now. So why shouldn't conservatives blame Obama, we are just following the lead of the liberals in blaming the man we can see.
Rick
Bush inherited a surplus and wasted it and more to do his and Cheney's personal gain programs and unfunded wars. Deregulation let Wall Street tank the country. Obama spent huge amounts in the beginning of his Presidency to keep the country from goining into a depression, not a recession. I do not hate conservatives but I wish that they would understand that hating Obama and being obstructionists are only the country.
How about in the next months preceeding the election the right comes up with some real jobs programs. Not give the oil and chemical companies free reign to polute and not to cut wages and benefits of the working class. If your side can do this and even better work with the Dems to do this you might have a chance in November. I doubt that your side will do it though and the American people are not that stupid.
Remember, your hopes of dumping what your side calls Obama Care was just doused byt the Supreme Court and Fast and Furious will be shown to be a sham by Issa and his toadies to try to get at Obama. I suggest your side try and do something that actually helps the working class or you can kiss your party good bye.
Rick
Bush inherited a surplus and wasted it and more to do his and Cheney's personal gain programs and unfunded wars. Deregulation let Wall Street tank the country. Obama spent huge amounts in the beginning of his Presidency to keep the country from goining into a depression, not a recession. I do not hate conservatives but I wish that they would understand that hating Obama and being obstructionists are only the country.
How about in the next months preceeding the election the right comes up with some real jobs programs. Not give the oil and chemical companies free reign to polute and not to cut wages and benefits of the working class. If your side can do this and even better work with the Dems to do this you might have a chance in November. I doubt that your side will do it though and the American people are not that stupid.
Remember, your hopes of dumping what your side calls Obama Care was just doused byt the Supreme Court and Fast and Furious will be shown to be a sham by Issa and his toadies to try to get at Obama. I suggest your side try and do something that actually helps the working class or you can kiss your party good bye.