President Obama has no positive record

In responding to David Wilcox’s letter [“Terrified of President Obama,” April 5], James Clark parrots familiar liberal talking points that are for the most part baloney [“A more direct threat to freedom,” April 12].

Clark starts with the claim that the Bush tax cuts wiped out the “huge Clinton era surplus and guaranteeing decades of red ink.” In fact, the last four Clinton budgets ending on Sept. 30, 2001 increased the national debt by $394.3 billion.

The “huge” surpluses were a $450.4 billion decrease in Treasury debt held by the public, the result of the growth in intra-governmental held Treasury debt, mostly the Social Security fund, which grew by $844.7 billion.

There is no empirical evidence that shows government spending stimulated the economy at all. The failure of this administration’s fiscal policy is plainly evident in jobs: Of 8.8 million jobs lost during the recession, three years later only 3.6 million have been regained.

Clark thinks the Citizens United decision allowing corporations and unions to run campaign ads endangers our freedom and can’t be justified because they aren’t mentioned in the text. It also doesn’t mention people. It simply says, “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech....” He seems to believe corporations aren’t made up of people. But the First Amendment (the most important) goes on, “…or of the press....” These are almost all corporations. Should they be excluded as well?

This campaign is going to be negative and nasty because there is no positive record for the president of “hope and change” to run on. His campaign manager, David Axelrod, let the cat out of the bag when he said, “The choice in this election is between an economy that produces a growing middle class and that gives people a chance to get ahead and their kids to get ahead, and an economy that continues down the road we are on.” He’s right about that.

But whose road, if not this administration’s, are we on? Who thinks “Cars for Clunkers,” “green” Solyndra financing, shutting down energy development and the Keystone pipeline, or taxing those who create jobs will grow the middle class? This president doesn’t believe in a market economy, he believes in presidential-centric economy that picks winners and losers, that “fairness” of outcomes, government redistribution, trumps growth and opportunity. Into his fourth year this president refuses to take responsibility for his policies and that’s why he won’t run on his record.

Kent Schmidt

La Cañada Flintridge