In Congress, March 16, 1776

The Intersection of Church and State…

What was the mindset of our Founders less than four months before they signed the Declaration of Independence?

if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14

What activity did our Founders do in unison, less than two months before they signed the Declaration of Independence?

Most people are familiar with the largest and most recognizable signature on the Declaration of Independence… that of John Hancock.

But most people are not familiar with another document that he (and several others) consented to less than four months earlier…

The President is not all powerful. Give Credit/Blame Where Due.

Jon Favreau wtites at the Daily Beast:

Memo to everyone lambasting Obama for not getting along with Congress: The president is not all powerful.

I agree. And it’s nice that after more than six years, people like Jon Favreau finally realize that.

The President deserves neither all of the credit, nor all of the blame.

At any given point in time, one political party will control a majority (2+ out of 3) of the Presidency and two Legislative bodies (House and Senate).

Give credit and/or blame where it is due. Give the majority of the credit and/or blame to the political party which controls a majority of power in Washington, D.C.

It’s very enlightening to do so.

Using that perspective, look at the Employment-Population Ratio over the last 18+ years (January 1995 – April 2013) and give credit and/or blame where it is due:

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UPDATE:
As part of her post, my friend ChrissyTheHyphenated spruced up my graph:

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April was better than March, the same as January and February, and was yet another below average month, even by Obama administration standards. There hasn’t been a month above his administration average of 58.7% since August 2009! The worst month under Bush was better than the best month under Obama.

And the bigger picture is:

From January 3, 1995 to January 2, 2007, Republicans controlled a majority (2+ out of 3) of the House, Senate, and Presidency.

During those 12 straight years, 144 consecutive months from January 1995 – December 2006, the average monthly Employment-Population ratio was 63.3%.

From January 3, 2007 to present, Democrats have controlled a majority (2+ out of 3) of the House, Senate, and Presidency.

During the last 6.33 years, 76 consecutive months from January 2007 – April 2013, the average monthly Employment-Population ratio has been 59.9%.

And during Obama’s pResidency, the average monthly Employment-Population Ratio has been 58.7%, and there hasn’t had a month above that average since August 2009.

The worst month under Bush was better than the best month under Obama.

Last month, April 2013, the Employment-Population Ratio was 58.6%.

If we had the same level of Employment-Population Ratio now as we had under Bush and the Republican Congress in December 2006, 63.4%, more than 11.7 Million more people would be employed.

The difference (63.4% – 58.6%) is 4.8% of our civilian noninstitutional population age 16 years+.

If we had the same Employment-Population ratio now as we had in December 2006 (after 12 continuous years of the Republicans holding 2+ of the House, Senate, and Presidency), over 11.7 Million more people would be employed right now!

According to table A-1, the civilian noninstitutional population age 16 years+ in March 2013 was 245,175,000.

4.8% * 245,175,000 = 11,768,400

Over 11.7 Million people who are not employed now, but would be if we had the same Employment-Population ratio now as we had in December 2006 when Republicans last controlled the House, Senate, and Presidency!

Would you be friends with an unrepentant terrorist bomber?

Top Deficits, Top Surpluses, and Political Party Majority Responsible

{Click on picture to enlarge}

DEMOCRATS are majority responsible for the TOP 6 BIGGEST $ DEFICITS, and 7 of the top 10.
(Top 6: FY2008-2013, and #10: FY 1992)

And DEMOCRATS are majority responsible for the TOP 9 BIGGEST DEFICITS as a % of GDP.
Five (#1- #4, & #9) were WWII-related, and Four (#5-#8) were 2009-2012.

While on the other hand…

REPUBLICANS are majority responsible for the TOP 5 BIGGEST $ SURPLUSES.
(FY 2000, 2001, 1999, 1998, and 1948)

And REPUBLICANSare majority responsible for the TOP 2 BIGGEST SURPLUSES, and 6 of the TOP 10 SURPLUSES, as a % of GDP.
(FY 1948, 2000, 1999, 2001, 1930, and 1998)

Data Sources:

It wasn’t the debates, it was Obama’s first-year agenda.

I contend that Obama isn’t losing because of his performance in the first debate…

He is losing becaue of his first-year agenda.

Yes, I want to go BACK, not FORWARD

Yes, I want to go BACK, not FORWARD…

Employment during Republican Majorities and Democrat Majorities, 1995 – Present

Budgets, appropriations, and tax bills all must:

1. Pass the House of Representatives,
2. Pass the Senate, and
3. Be signed by the President (unless a Presidential veto is overridden by 2/3 majorities of both Houses of Congress).

Therefore, I think it is fair to give the majority of the credit and/or blame to the party which controlled a majority (2+ out of 3) of those three for any given session of Congress.

From January 3, 1995 to January 3, 2007, Republicans held majority control.

From January 3, 2007 to present (October 23, 2012), Democrats have held majority control.

Now let’s look at employment in relation to party in majority control of Washington, D.C. …

“Balanced”

Do you want a balanced Federal budget?

If so, consider this:

When you review transcripts of campaign speeches and debates, you will find that when Mitt Romney uses the word “balanced” it is almost always followed by, or in reference to “budget”. But when Barack Obama uses the word “balanced” it is almost always followed by “approach” or “way”, and Obama is not talking about a balanced budget at all. Obama is, rather, talking about “balancing” spending cuts with tax increases.