With nearly four years under President Barack Obama's reign, America's economic recovery is struggling to pick up speed and unemployment remains above an unhealthy 8%.
The Obama administration has repeatedly been harshly criticized for bailing out corporate businesses, for the massive national deficit and for the creation of the controversial healthcare bill dubbed Obamacare.
Yet, with just six weeks left before Americans head to the polls to cast their vote for the 45th president, President Obama has managed to eke out a slight lead.
In a mid-September interview with "60 Minutes," President Obama defended his term and said he and we need more time with him in office.
Here's what to expect if President Obama wins Election 2012.
President Obama on Jobs
Since the time President Obama took office, jobs have been the most pressing issue facing the country.
Under the president's helm, the U.S. has endured 43 months of unemployment stuck above a sickly 8%. Acknowledging the dire straits of the job market, the president told "60Minutes" that no one is more concerned about jobs than he is.
Recalling his JOBS Act, presented and shot down by Congress a year ago, the president said the plan was to put people back to work. But, he noted, Americans have never seen the full implementation of that plan.
On the scarce job creation, the elevated unemployment rate and the lack of job security, the president pointed out, "The month I was sworn into office, we were losing eight hundred thousand jobs a month. We ultimately would lose nine million jobs during the height of the Great Recession. We came in, made some tough decisions, everything from stabilizing the financial system to making sure that the auto industry survived, to making sure that we cut taxes for middle-class families so they had more money in the pockets, to helping states avoid massive layoffs of teachers and firefighters and police officers."
The president went on to say that we need to keep moving forward and to build upon the progress, and said he could do so with more time.
On Taxes and Regulations
In regards to taxes, President Obama maintains that he hasn't raised them.
He said taxes are "lower on families than they've been probably in the last fifty years," and taxes for middle-class families have been cut by an average of $3,600 for a typical family.
As for the scores of regulation that Team Romney claims President Obama has implemented while in office, he said, "I've issued fewer regulations than my predecessor George Bush did during that same period in office."
And commenting on the backlash received regarding the strict regulations put on banks and businesses, President Obama alleged, "Now I don't make any apologies for putting in place regulations to make sure banks don't make reckless bets and then expect taxpayers to bail them out. I don't make any apologies for regulating insurance companies, so that they can't drop a family's coverage, just when somebody in their family needs it most."
On Housing
When asked about the ongoing housing crisis, and the criticism he's received for bailing out banks but not homeowners, President Obama assured that he has helped several millions of homeowners, but admitted the road ahead is still long.
Since modifying the housing market assistance program, the president said there has been a significant uptick in the number of people taking advantage of it, but more needs to – and will – be done in this area.
On the National Debt
Since the president entered the White House, the national debt has soared some 60%.
The president said he inherited the biggest deficit in U.S. history. The mushrooming deficit, he said, was ignited by two wars that weren't paid for; a consequence of tax cuts that weren't paid for; a prescription drug plan that was not paid for; and the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.
President Obama said that the only way to reduce the deficit in a balanced way is with spending cuts and entitlement reforms. He said Republicans have thwarted all of his efforts in this area, but he believes voters will support his efforts.
On Foreign Affairs
The interview highlighted domestic policy, but the president had his hands full of foreign affairs on the same day. The night before, an attack on the Libyan consulate killed the U.S. ambassador and three others.
On our national security, the president said the only pressure he feels is "simply to do what is right for the American people."
His Record
In a term marred by high unemployment, an ailing housing market, a stalled fiscal recovery, an enormous deficit and a gridlocked Congress, President Obama was quick to point to his successes.
"I said I'd end the war in Iraq. I did. I said that we'd go after Al Qaeda. They've been decimated in the FATA. That we'd go after bin Laden. He's gone. So I've executed my foreign policy. And it's one that the American people largely agree with," said the president.
As for what he wants to see during the next four years is to get re-elected and make sure that hard working people can succeed. He calls it "the bread and butter basics of making sure our economy works for our working people."
He said what he aims to present to the public at all times is a "vision of America in which everybody's got a shot, everybody's treated with respect and dignity in which the divides of race, faith, gender, sexual orientation, that those are not the determining factors, in terms of whether people succeed but instead it's how hard you work and are you trustworthy and are you responsible and …. do you look after your family and do you-do you love people and love this country?"
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Transcript of Obama on '60 Minutes
I DON'T READ MONEY MAP FOR THIS TRIPE. I COULD READ NEWSWEEK. I DON'T READ NEWSWEEK. IF YOU PUBLISH MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS, I WON'T READ THIS. I WILL SUFFER THE POLITAL BIAS OF SHAH GILANI. NOT DIANE ALTER. STICK TO FINANCES, PLEASE….
I listened to his speech to the United Nations and thought is was just as disingenous then as I think it is seeingit in writing. Not having drunk the kool-aid, I do not believe we will recognize this country in 4 years if he is re-elected. He wants to add Puerto Rico to the welfare rolls as well as more illegal people entering our country which will surely insure a never ending Democratic rule.
We are at the tipping point now. I agree with Mr. Herrington, I don't pay for this propoganda, at least Shah is funny and ironic.
I agree Terry Hamm-Morris totally.
Oh mannnn. You call this crap ' Obummers Record'. This is all hype and all your doing Shah is helping to spin it further. Stick to finances Shah or loose your way. I can't believe you would play into this crap. Your boss probably made you do it because he is probably a member on the Council of Foreign Relations, and uuuuuu brother….you better do what 'they' say if you know whats good for ya. U wouldn't want ole Henry Kessinger or Brazinski to get in your face…..u might not have one at the end of the day lol lol
The whole thing comes down to getting obama out.
If he is put back in this country is done for.
Very true Bill.
Is this a campaign "moment" for the leader of the next Caliphate, Barrack Hussein Obama, the first Muslim president of the USA. This horse manure and other politically correctness "stuff" is the reason I am leaving the MMN and the "Private Briefing" as of this weekend. I lasted all of one month. too much self promotion and numerous days after a recommendation was made it finally made it to the front row to be seen, and of course you had to read 40 pages to find the "gems". Why do I think of this bunch as being disingenuous and self serving to the point of illness ?
Graham Benton Patterson
The debit is up 50%, in 4years, to 16 trillion the deficit is1.6 trillion, taxes raise 1.0 trillion currently Obama has a shortfall of over half a trillion dollars! The unfunded liabilities are 150 trillion dollars the value of the dollar continues to plummet against world currencies skip the political issues as an investor I have pulled all my US investments because of Obama's new taxes on dividends and investment income, this hurts America! Sadly I watched as the President of the United States of America apologize to the Muslim world for a video that is laugable but what isn't laughable is the apolige, Sadly Obama treats the economy the same way, his apologies won't put ood on the table,or people to work, or intice investors, or earn respect! But Obama can sure talk!
My thoughts exactly Graham.
IF PRESIDENT OBAMA WINS THIS ELECTION WILL HE BE COUNTED AS THE 45TH PRESIDENT?
obama is the biggest piece of crap that has ever been on the earth.He has destroyed my business, country and the economy.I can not believe how much damage he has done in just a short period of time.Just go away please.