http://edition.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/10/14/rosen.economy.gop.fault/index.htmlObama is fixing GOP's economic mess
By Hilary Rosen, Special to CNN
October 14, 2010 -- Updated 1315 GMT (2115 HKT)
Editor's note: Hilary Rosen is a Democratic political strategist and former chief executive of the Recording Industry Association of America.
It took eight years to get us into this mess. And we have been crawling out of the hole ever since.--Hilary Rosen
(CNN) -- Consider a few facts that the Republicans keep missing. As they say, you are entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts.
Ed Rollins can pooh-pooh the fact that Democrats have been in control for two years -- but it took eight years to get us into this mess. And we have been crawling out of the hole ever since.
The fact is that this White House and the Democrats in Congress have been focusing on jobs. To focus on jobs, you have to fix the economy first, which the Democrats did. And as important, Democrats have tried to focus on those who have been hurt from eight years of neglect. What does that mean?
It means 16 different tax breaks and supports for small business owners, who were neglected by the Republicans for eight years.
It means making student loans more affordable by cutting middleman subsidies, which had been growing for eight years.
It means passing a patient's bill of rights to control insurance costs, which have been growing for eight years.
It means investing in solar and electric cars and alternative energy, which has been neglected for eight years.
Then, it means curtailing deceptive banking practices, which have been getting worse and screwing consumers for eight years.
And it means providing tax breaks for middle-class Americans, who have been squeezed for eight years.
In 2010, corporate profits will be as high as they have been since 1997. We will see whether the cash that industry is sitting on will be used to invest and grow and create jobs here at home or whether it will pay bonuses to senior executives while shipping jobs overseas.
If Republicans are in charge, they will choose the latter, because they will suffer no consequences for their actions. If Democrats are in charge, they will likely choose the former. We know that because that is what they said they would do at the start of the Obama administration.
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http://edition.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/10/14/rosen.economy.gop.fault/index.html