So, here’s what Obama was saying, since everyone reporting on it so terribly wants to make this about political angst and not part of a meaningful (right or wrong) idea about the economy: his observation is that the private sector, relatively speaking to the labor force, is “doing fine” because the GDP is growing and companies are posting healthy profits. The private sector is full of companies that need to self-promote as healthy/fabulous, and fundamentally they are; right now that’s at odds with the human suffering going on in the country. This idea is deeply problematic for the GOP’s policies; if the country is allowed to digest it, there would be a popular revolt against an agenda that seeks to coddle the private sector while treating laborers/individuals harshly. This is why the words couldn’t travel five feet before Republicans turned them into incendiary weapons.

Ideologies can be debated for merit, but being openly disingenuous is fucking despicable. I’m not sure if Obama is openly disingenuous - sometimes he seems to be, except you have to remember he’s an improvement on virtually anyone else considered for the position except Hillary - but we do know if he was allowed to achieve any policy goals, they would be the ones that many non-partisan economists are rooting for to improve the economy. The Republicans would certainly disregard the labor force while being kind to corporations and wealthy taxpayers - potentially destructive goals - but they speak as if they intend to do the opposite. It’s like an arbitrage play on American brain power. It’s kind of a tall order to fix it in 5 months, though.