Obama’s apparent indifference to economic policy

Last week, Gallup reported that the “‘economy in general’ ranks No. 1 on [its] Most Important Problem list in October, with 37% of Americans saying it is the top issue facing the country. This is up from 29% in September and exceeds unemployment, in second place at 26%.”  Abortion barely registered (as the most important issue) among men and among only 1% of women.

And yet, that seems to be the issue in which President Barack Obama is least interested.  Shortly after signing the “stimulus” in February 2009, he quickly pivoted to other issues, notably his health care overhaul.  But, when $800 billion dollar “stimulus” didn’t work as advertised, the president had to take up the economy again and again and yet again.

Each time, he did so, he put forward policies little different from that failed “stimulus”, initiatives requiring ever more federal spending.  Now, his campaign forced to come up with an agenda for second term (should he win) has done that yet again.

Looking at the candidate’s recently “released pamphlet, ‘A Plan for Jobs & Middle-Class Security’, Rich Lowry finds that it “cobbles together his current policies with some ill-defined new bullet points“.  He — and his team — just didn’t take the time to consider the type of economic plan the incumbent was going to present to the American people.

That, it seems, it not where Barack Obama’s passion lies.  Let’s hope the American people are made aware of that before they vote next week.

NB:  Although Obama may no longer be promoting change, Lowry offers a data point showing that the American people don’t want more of the same–and by a large margin: “The NBC/Wall Street Journal poll this week found that 62 percent of people want major changes in a prospective Obama second term. Four percent — that’s almost down to Obama administration officials and immediate family — want more of the same.”