Obama got a big ‘F’ smackdown on his budget plan – again. Fail.

On Wednesday, U.S. senators voted 99-0 to resoundingly defeat the president’s offering. In March, the House rejected his plan 414-0. That equals not a single vote of support.

Trounced:

Republicans forced the vote by offering the president’s plan on the Senate floor.

Democrats disputed that it was actually the president’s plan, arguing that the slim amendment didn’t actually match Mr. Obama’s budget document, which ran thousands of pages. But Republicans said they used all of the president’s numbers in the proposal, so it faithfully represented his plan.

Sen. Jeff Sessions, Alabama Republican, even challenged Democrats to point out any errors in the numbers and he would correct them — a challenge no Democrats took up.

“A stunning development for the president of the United States in his fourth year in office,” Mr. Sessions said of the unanimous opposition.

Amazingly, not one Senate Democrat has voted in favor of any budget for three years and they have not offered a plan of their own. Imagine that. For three years in a row, the federal government has operated WITHOUT A BUDGET.

On Hugh Hewitt’s national radio program last night, guest-hosts Guy Benson (Townhall) and Mary Katharine Ham (Townhall alum ) interviewed Governor Mitt Romney. Romney responded to Obama’s budget being bounced to the curb:

Guy Benson: Okay, Governor, last night, something extraordinary happened in the United States Senate. President Obama’s budget for the second consecutive year was defeated unanimously. This time around, it was 99-0. I’m curious what you think the implications of that vote are, and whether you see it as an indictment of this president’s leadership?

Mitt Romney: There’s no question in my view, Guy, but this is a underscoring of the president’s failure to lead. This is, after all, a body which is held by Democrats. If he wanted to see a budget passed, he should have worked with them. If they wanted to make adjustments, to make it more palatable, he should have found ways to make those adjustments. We’ve now gone on for three years without a federal budget? This is absolutely extraordinary. There’s not a business in this country that could operate the way the federal government is operating. And the fact that we have a president who is so inexperienced as a leader that he doesn’t know how to lead his own party, let alone reach across the aisle and work with Republicans, is a very unfortunate and potentially damaging element to our nation and to our economy. It’s something which I really think may well be unprecedented to have the president’s budget defeated in both the House and the Senate by unanimous votes. It’s very amazing.

GB: Right, right. It was 513-0 this year in those two bodies combined. You mentioned this failure over the last three years to have a federal budget, and this in an era of $16 trillion dollars of the national debt and growing. I know your campaign’s been spending a lot of time focusing on deficits and debt. So I really have to know, as you watch Europe, because the Euro Zone again is experiencing significant tremors this week. Greece appears to be teetering on the brink. I know the easy conservative talking point is to frame all of that, and the implosion of the European welfare state, as a cautionary tale for us here. But setting that aside, if you were president today, what would you be doing, what would you be watching over there, and how is it possible, if at all, for a president to help shield the U.S. economy from a potential damaging series of shock waves coming across the Atlantic Ocean?

MR: Well, when there is turbulence in industrial and financial markets, the best thing you can do is make America the place that people want to come both with their capital, with their innovations, with their business expansions. And so this is an opportunity for America to show that we have taken action that Europe did not take, that we have reformed our entitlements to make them solvent long term, that we are dealing with our budget crises, that we’re taking action to make America an attractive place for businesses and for job creators. This means that people will be looking to make investments elsewhere, and we want them to look towards us, not looking towards Asia, as in some cases they will be concerned about Europe. So the best thing we can do to help ourselves is to make America a more attractive place for enterprise. And unfortunately, what the president has done is make us less attractive as a place for enterprise, and he’s also failed to be willing to even address seriously either our entitlement crisis or our budget crisis. And so we will, if Europe goes through pains here, we’re going to suffer pains as well, in part because of the failure of this president to improve the attractiveness of America as a place for growth and investment and job creators.

In the 15 minute plum interview with Romney, the wide-ranging conversation not only included Obama’s failed budget, but included Jeremiah Wright, the Euro debt crisis, Biden’s hits on Bain Capitol, Obama’s personal assassination campaign strategy, and how Romney is approaching the task of selecting a vice president:

Excellent interview! Read the entire transcript here.

By Lisa Benson - May 18, 2012

(emphasis added to text)

› Jayde Wyatt

Did you see the frenetic diatribe from V.P. Joe Biden in prized swing state Ohio the other day? Going into almost Howard Dean scream mode, Biden worked himself into a lather making up stuff on how Republicans, the rich, and Mitt Romney don’t think the middle class “dreams” about becoming millionaires or president of the United States.

Seriously.

Drama Joe:

At a campaign stop in Youngstown, Ohio, today, Vice President Joe Biden lit into Republicans and their presumed presidential nominee Mitt Romney for what he described as a failure to understand the plight of the middle class.

“I resent when they talk about families like mine that I grew up in. I resent the fact that they think we’re talking about envy: it’s job envy, it’s wealthy envy; that we don’t dream,” an impassioned Biden told a crowd of manufacturing workers.

“My mother believed and my father believed that if I wanted to be president of the United States, that I could be, I could be vice president! My mother and father believed that if my brother or sister wanted to be a millionaire, they could be a millionaire! My mother and father dreamed as much as any rich guy dreams!

“They don’t get us! They don’t get who we are!” he yelled before the crowd, drawing loud applause.

Biden was referring broadly to Republican criticism of the administration’s push for higher taxes on wealthier Americans and expanded investment in federal programs aimed at boosting low- to middle-income families.

What a crock.

Biden was so into his theatrics while yelling he didn’t even notice a fly landing on his head.

Last night, FOX News’ Bill O’Reilly jumped all over Biden’s rant. He asked what the beef is from the Obama administration:

Vice President Joe Biden's private water-front residence sits on four and a half acres in Wilmington, Delaware.

Speaking to voters at Hotel Fort Des Moines in Des Moines, Iowa today, Governor Mitt Romney treated listeners to a powerful, plain-spoken speech on America’s federal spending addiction and our nearly incomprehensible national debt.

Prior to his appearance in Des Moines, the Romney campaign released a thought-provoking web video focusing on Iowans – “a few of the 23 million” – who are struggling under the oppressive Obama economy:

Before The Gov delivered his remarks, the Des Moines Register published an article by Jennifer Jacobs highlighting some of Romney’s remarks:

Romney speech: Prairie fire of debt doesn’t care if it’s a donkey or elephant in your lawn

A prairie fire of debt is sweeping across Iowa and our nation, and GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney will tell Iowans today he can douse the flames.

“That fire could care less if you have a donkey or an elephant in your front lawn, it’s still coming for your house,” Romney’s prepared remarks say, according to his campaign. “There’s plenty of blame to go around for both parties.

“But in my years leading businesses, an Olympics and a state, I’ve learned one simple principle of leadership that never falters: Leaders lead. I will lead us out of this debt and spending crisis.”

While Romney deftly blocks Obama’s fiery darts and keeps bringing the campaign dialogue back to the economy, Jacobs writes that the Obama re-election campaign is trying to “pierce” Romney’s message by running Iowa TV attack ads against the governor.

Romney intends to steer the conversation toward government spending and debt.

“President Obama started his days in office with the trillion-dollar stimulus package – the biggest, most careless one-time expenditure by the federal government in history. And remember this: the stimulus wasn’t just wasted – it was borrowed and wasted. We still owe the money, we’re still paying interest on it, and it’ll be that way long after this presidency ends in January,” Romney’s prepared remarks say.

VIDEO of Romney’s excellent speech may be viewed here.

★ Transcript of Romney’s remarks from Des Moines:

Thank you all very much.

It’s good to be back in Iowa. So many friends here hold a special place in my heart.

I’ve come here today to talk to you about an issue that affects the very heart of America.

Of course, Iowa is much more than a collection of beautiful farms and small towns and cities bounded by two of America’s great rivers. Iowa is a collection of the values that built America and that have sustained us through good times and bad. You know them well: hard work, taking care of our neighbors, family, faith in God and country. Common sense, kitchen table values. Not fancy, but enduring.

These aren’t the values that lead to out-of-control spending sprees, or to piling up massive amounts of debt you know your children – and grandchildren – will have to work all their lives to pay off. These aren’t the values of putting off difficult decisions with the hope that maybe someone else will solve them.

Today America faces a financial crisis of debt and spending that threatens what it means to be an American. Here in the heartland you know in your hearts that it’s wrong.

We can’t spend another four years talking about solving a problem that we know we are making worse every single day.

When the men and women who settled the Iowa prairie saw a fire in the distance, they didn’t look around for someone else to save them or go back to sleep hoping the wind might blow another direction. They knew that their survival was up to them.

A prairie fire of debt is sweeping across Iowa and our nation and every day we fail to act that fire gets closer to the homes and children we love.

This is not solely a Democrat or a Republican problem. The issue isn’t who deserves the most blame, it’s who is going to do what it takes to put out the fire.

Continue reading below the fold.

Read more…

These are serious times for America.

Every time we pass a home foreclosure sign, pull up to the gas pump, grab a grocery cart, or grapple with monthly bills, we’re gut-punched with the worst economic recovery since the Great Depression.

Polls show approval for America’s gutter-sliding direction is way down.

That rattles Obama.

The Obama economy is not a winning referendum and many a ‘time we’ve seen how adoration loss sends the President and buddies into a tizzy.

Obama and operatives are digging deep. Their politicking has turned into a mud grab and they’re pelting fast and furiously at Mitt Romney.

Which conjured-up fetid glob will stick? A ridiculous hit job report about a 50-year-old incident that allegedly took place when Romney was a teenager? Romney hates dogs? Romney is waging war on women? His wife never worked a day in her life? She’s like Hitler? Greedy, out-of-touch, corporate raider Romney?

The latest slime comes in the form of a new Obama ad portraying Romney at Bain Capital as a job-destroying vampire. It’s the first attack on Romney’s business record:

The ad, at the unusual length of two minutes, will run in five battleground states—Iowa, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Colorado—and is part of a larger $25 million, monthlong ad campaign. Republican officials tracking the ad buy said the Obama team was only airing the two-minute spot on Wednesday in the five states. The ad was expected to air during the evening news and direct viewers to an Obama website about Romney’s economic record and a longer, six-minute version of the ad appearing online.
…
The commercial will be coupled with a series of events Obama’s campaign is holding this week in Florida, Missouri, Iowa, Nevada and North Carolina to highlight Romney’s role at Bain Capital, a company he co-founded. Deputy campaign manager Stephanie Cutter said in a call with reporters that Obama’s team would highlight Romney’s Bain record “during next few weeks.”

Surprise! The ad is not accurate:

That picture is not accurate, as Mike Flynn reports today in an article on Breitbart.com. Bain Capital shut down GST Steel in 2001, two years after Mitt Romney left the company to accept the job as CEO of the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Flynn reports the key decision-maker at Bain Capital, when GST Steel was closed, was Jonathan Lavine. Lavine is an Obama supporter and bundler who raised more than $100,000 for the president’s reelection campaign. Lavine started working for Bain in 1993.

Even Steve Rattner, former Obama adviser, says Obama’s new ad is sludge:

“It [Bain Capital] did it superbly well, acting within the rules, acting very responsibly, and was a leading firm,” Rattner noted. “I do think to pick out an example of somebody who lost their job, unfortunately, this is part of capitalism, this is part of life. And I don’t think there’s anything Bain Capital did that they need to be embarrassed about.”

The ad cost around $83,000. If the mud ball sticks, Team Obama will buy more air time (dip into some of that $15 million Hollywood/George Clooney money).

Romney’s campaign welcomes the attention on jobs:

“Mitt Romney helped create more jobs in his private sector experience and more jobs as governor of Massachusetts than President Obama has for the entire nation,” Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul said in a statement.

Romney for President blocked the Obama gunk with a new web video ‘American Dream’:

The investment that Mitt Romney and others made in Steel Dynamics helped to grow the company and create jobs. For the workers of Steel Dynamics, this is a perfect example of the American Dream.

A mud bomb thrown today is so lame it plopped on the thrower’s shoes even as it was flung from his hand:

“Romney wants to create the illusion that somehow his experience equips him to lead the economy but there’s nothing about the record that would support that.” – David Axelrod, Obama campaign Senior Adviser

Thanks for the belly laugh, Axelrod!

In an interview with Newsmax TV, Ed Conard, a former Bain Capital business partner with Governor Romney, says Romney has a “deep understanding” of the economy:

Mitt Romney understands how the economy works and he is ready to focus on long-term growth by encouraging private investment in innovation, author Ed Conard told Newsmax TV.

Conard, a former partner in Romney’s Bain Capital, is the author of “Unintended Consequences: Why Everything You’ve Been Told About the Economy Is Wrong.” In the book, he argues that the Obama administration has discouraged risk-taking, with the result that the economic recovery is stuck at a snail’s pace.

He told Newsmax TV the Obama administration has discouraged investment by trying to penalize the wealthy and successful.

Conard continues:

“They threatened all the successful risk-takers with much higher taxes,” he said.

Romney, on the other hand, is an experienced businessman who knows how to look at the big picture, said Conard. He praised Romney’s leadership skills at Bain.

“He made tough decisions when he had to make tough decisions. And he always made them with the highest level of integrity, which was aiming at what is the most valuable in the long run,” Conard said.

Conard comments on liberals’ view of the economy:

…[L]iberals still see the economy as it was back in the 1950s, not as it is now. And the current reality, he says, is that people with big ideas need investors with deep pockets.

“The people who need to take risks are the most talented people in the economy,” he said. “People who have a lot of equity have to start underwriting risk with that equity.”

He said conservatives, unlike liberals, understand the importance of equity. “We don’t want to take that equity, redistribute and consume it.”

“He has a deep understanding of business. He has a deep understanding of the economy. He had one objective, and that was to dig down and find the truth. … He worked hard to build consensus…”

Read more here.

Obama would be thrilled if we forgot he was a drug-using, Bill Ayers-fraternizing, community organizing, ‘present’-voting, now school record-hiding, trillions in debt-amassing, triple AAA rating-losing, illegal immigrant-excusing, un-read bill-passing, foreign leader-bowing, “I’ll get back to you Medvedev-ing”, crony-capitalizing, cornhusker kick-backing, class envy-stoking, job-losing, food stamp-increasing, opponent donor name-publishing, vacation-taking Golfer-in-Chief.

Mud slinging is Obama’s only defense.

Mitt Romney believes in the American Dream and is uniquely qualified to keep it alive.

That rattles Obama.

(emphasis added to articles)

› Jayde Wyatt

“On Mother’s Day, Mitt always brings me lilacs, a tradition he started the year I became a mother. When our home is filled with their fragrance, it reminds me of so many things, and stirs so many emotions…” ~ Ann Romney

A true story by Mike Adams caught my eye a couple of weeks ago. It was published during the latter part of April on Townhall.com and is perfect for today (Don’t skip ahead to the ending!):

Mr. Adams, or Mike as I shall refer to him, had just come back from being out of town. With the weekend approaching, he was in a frantic rush to complete necessary errands. One of the important items on his to-do list was to make some deposits at his bank. As luck would have it, he chose the worst day of the week and the worst time of day to take care of his banking:

There was only one teller working and the line was about fifteen people deep. After waiting patiently, I got close to the front of the line. Looking back at the dozen or so people who had entered the line after me, I was relieved that the wait was almost over. Unfortunately, the elderly woman who was making a deposit was requiring a lot more assistance than the others who had gone before her.

She must have been 85 years old. She held a cane in one hand and wore a thick pair of glasses that were visible only after she peeled away her sunglasses. They were the kind of sunglasses that fit over her regular glasses and were big enough to block harmful rays from even the nastiest of solar eclipses. They were the kind that retirees used to wear to watch shuttle launches in south Florida. The kind people older people wear when they are consumed by practicality and no longer care as much about fashion.

When she was finally finished with her transaction, she started to make small talk with the teller behind the counter. She did not seem to notice that there were so many people in line behind her. The teller smiled and nodded at everything she said. The old lady told her she reminded her of her daughter. Then she asked the teller whether she had children. She just kept making conversation while the young woman behind the counter provided her with full and undivided attention. She seemed to feel sorry for her. It was as if she appreciated sitting where she was rather than occupying the elderly woman’s shoes.

Mike continues his story by elaborating about a younger, exasperated man who was standing in line. The guy made it very obvious he wasn’t happy with the old lady’s dilly-dallying:

He [the young man] glared impatiently at the teller as if to say that she should tell the elderly woman she was holding up the line. He even held out one of his hands and waved at the teller. He was signaling that he had been waiting long enough and that it was time his needs were met. But the teller kept nodding politely and giving the elderly woman her undivided attention.

Feeling someone should have said something to the impatient, agitated young man, Mike writes:

He should have understood why the elderly woman was clinging on to the conversation with the young teller. It was probably more than a reminder of her children. More likely, it was a reminder that she had not seen them or talked to them in quite some time.

Continuing:

As soon as she finished talking to the teller, the elderly woman walked out of the bank and headed across the parking lot towards her car. She was walking slowly and labored with every step as she leaned upon her cane for support. She had no one to help her. No husband. No son. No daughter. There was nothing to lean on but a cane.

As he watched the elderly lady make her way slowly and carefully across the parking lot, Mike felt a brief prick of conscience – that he should have given up his place in line – offered a helping hand and a kind word.

But, he didn’t.

After all, he had “places to go and things to do.”

Remorsefully, he concludes:

In case you haven’t figured it out, the impatient man in the line was me.

While speaking to graduates at Liberty University yesterday, Governor Romney said, “We are all prone, at various turns, to treat the trivial things as all-important, the all-important things as trivial…” He spoke of how easy it is to get caught up in the “busy-ness of life” and how “glimpses” of the creator’s work in our lives can “reawaken our hearts”.

Because of her own significant health challenges, Ann Romney often speaks of her increased awareness and compassion for those who are going through dark moments or suffering.

Mike Adams’ experience in the bank reawakened his heart to the value of an elderly woman; he saw her as someone’s mother.

If we’ll let it, Mother’s Day has the power to reawaken our hearts. In our own “busy-ness’ we can choose to allow time today to reflect on the marvelous, irreplaceable work of mothers – to think on the influence our own mothers have/had in our lives. If possible, today is the day to share our appreciative thoughts with them – to do something kind for them or any mother.

Here’s a fun video celebrating a few things Moms have passed down to their children (not promoting the sponsor):

Were you grinning while watching the video? I was! It reawakened deeper thoughts about my own mother. She instilled within me the joy of hard – really hard – work, being creative when cupboards were nearly bare, the love of reading, the trick to serving a mean overhand volleyball, how to bake a luscious pineapple-upside-down cake and fry a perfect easy-over egg. She rarely watched television, but did make time to giggle over old cable episodes of The Andy Griffith Show. Hence, I have the goofy inclination to relish re-runs of Barney Fife’s antics in Mayberry! (That Thelma Lou was a saint…)

What physical attributes, personal qualities, or lessons did your mother pass on to you? While you’re thinking of your mom, here are a few good quotes on mothers:

“My mother’s menu consisted of two choices: Take it or leave it.” – Buddy Hackett [Soo my mother...]

“Most of all the other beautiful things in life come by twos and threes, by dozens and hundreds. Plenty of roses, stars, sunsets, rainbows, brothers and sisters, aunts and cousins, comrades and friends—but only one mother in the whole world.” – Kate Douglas Wiggin

“A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.” – Washington Irving

My new favorite:

“Cherish your mothers. The ones who wiped your tears, who were at every ball game or ballet recital. The ones who believed in you, even when nobody else did, even when maybe you didn’t believe in yourself.

Women wear many hats in their lives. Daughter, sister, student, breadwinner. But no matter where we are or what we’re doing, one hat that moms never take off is the crown of motherhood.

There is no crown more glorious.” ~ Ann Romney

Ann Romney talks with FOX News' Martha Maccallum (Photo / FOX News)

America’s Newsroom co-anchor Martha MacCallum (FOX News) caught up with busy Ann Romney to talk about the presidential campaign. The two-part interview aired today:

While it’s presumed that Mitt Romney will be the GOP’s nominee for president, still up for debate is who he’ll pick for his running mate. Martha asked Ann whether they discuss the topic and who she would want to see get the spot on the ticket.

“It’s fun to talk about,” Ann disclosed. But, she wouldn’t say more than that. “I cannot come down and say [if there's someone I'm rooting for] … the wonderful thing right now is that there are wonderful people out there who are very qualified.”

MacCallum asked about Ann’s title given to her by campaign staffers – ‘Mitt-Stabilizer’:

“That is true. I think both of us enjoy each other’s company … and also I think when we get together we recognize what’s really important in life,” she said. “We’re able to laugh a lot and talk a lot about things that are not in the political realm.”

Ann was asked how she would feel if Governor Romney should lose the election:

Ann said she’s not too worried. “It will mean that we’ve given it our college try and done our very best,” she said. But in the end, she believes they’ll be taking up residence in the White House following the 2012 election.

(emphasis added)

MacCaullum mentioned the fact that Mrs. Romney could be celebrating Mother’s Day next year in the White House. Ann was asked about First Ladies she admired and issues she would promote as as America’s 47th First Lady:

. . . As for her mission as first lady if husband Mitt were to get elected, she said she would bring her own personality to the ‘job.’

“For me, of course, it’ll have something to do with the things I care about,” she said, mentioning her concern for breast cancer and MS research and awareneses. “I also worked for many years with at-risk youth, so I know I wouldn’t be able to give that up either.”

She has plenty of role models to pull from, as well. “I love Barbara Bush and her frankness … and yet her realness,” she said. “Laura Bush was so lady-like and just wonderful.

She also weighed in on the current first lady, Michelle Obama. “I think she’s lovely, and everyone can appreciate that it’s a very difficult position to be in, where your husband is under enormous scrutiny all the time and attacks from one side or the other, and to be able to keep your calm and composure – we appreciate that and see that in her.”

Ms. MacCallum brought up the topic of religion and also asked how Ann’s health challenges affected her and Mitt.

Needless to say, Ann Romney interviews are always a great pleasure to view. Not only does she possess the very qualities she admires in the First Ladies she commented on – the composure of Michelle Obama, the grace of Laura Bush, the realness of Barbara Bush – America will have the great pleasure of learning more of Ann’s humor, intelligence, compassion, wisdom, and tenacity.

Ann Romney is going to be an outstanding First Lady!

> Jayde Wyatt

Here’s the latest from creative cartoonist Sal Velluto…

► Jayde Wyatt

I wrote about April’s pitiful job report when it was released on Friday; but there’s more…

Not only did 342,000 frustrated Americans drop out of the labor force last month – because they couldn’t find work – 65.8% of them felt so desperate they pulled a Hail Mary. 225,000 workers applied for Social Security disability benefits in April. And, 40 % of those applicants were accepted:

Almost 90,000 workers enrolled in the program in April, pushing the total for new enrollees above 333,000 in the first four months of the year.

Add in spouses and dependents, and the number of beneficiaries added to the program so far this year climbs to 539,000.

As IBD reported recently, more than 5 million workers and their families have enrolled in the disability program since President Obama took office.

● The Preezy of the United Steezy’s own economic advisers were sounding the ‘disability warning bell’ last fall:

The Obama administration’s economic advisers warned in a report last fall that the mass exodus of workers who can’t find a job onto the disability rolls poses a long-term risk to the economy. Once enrolled, they almost never return to the active workforce. This can, the report said, result “in a loss to society of the economic contribution those workers could have made.”

Not only do those on our swelling disability rolls not contribute to the economy, working Americans end up paying for their retirement.

Keep in mind if the labor force had NOT declined, April unemployment would be at 8.3%, instead of 8.1% as reported. If our labor force participation rate was the same as it was in June 2009, unemployment would be at 11%. Factor in the underemployed – those working part-time who want full-time work and the number is around 17%.

● Yesterday, President Obama launched his campaign for four more years in the White House by exhorting Americans to not ask if they are better off than they were four years ago, but – if they reelect him – how they’re going to be tomorrow. Today, Romney for President took a good punch at Obama’s reelection rhetoric in a new video ad. Here is Silence:

● An article in Friday’s Wall Street Journal examines some of the reasons behind America’s rapidly shrinking labor force:

[T]he recent fall is so sharp and surprising that aging baby boomers can’t be the entire reason. Another explanation is surely the slow pace of job growth, which means fewer opportunities to entice what economists call the “marginal” worker back into the labor force. Older workers who’ve lost a longtime job may find themselves unemployable in a rapidly changing economy. They may retire earlier than they might have preferred.

Second earners in a household may also not find work at a high enough wage to justify the costs of commuting or child care. In a recovery that is really cooking, like the Reagan boom, these workers find that the opportunities reward more work. In today’s mediocre expansion, not so much.

That’s especially true when stagnant wage growth means less reward for the effort. Over the past 12 months, average weekly earnings are up 2.1% but inflation has climbed by 3%. Real pay is rising far too slowly, which makes work less attractive.

The Federal Reserve has maintained a super-easy monetary policy in the name of reducing the jobless rate and to reflate the housing market, but this has contributed to higher food and energy prices and thus reduced real income gains. This too is a disincentive to work and undermines one ostensible purpose of the Fed’s easing.

● What begins as a helping hand morphs into a hammock…

Another culprit may be the rapid expansion of government transfer payments during this recession. Medicaid, disability payments and food stamps have all risen sharply in recent years, starting under President Bush and accelerating under President Obama.

This is a particular disincentive to low-skilled workers to enter the job market because in some high-benefit states they need to earn $30,000 or more to compensate for the benefits they lose. This is an insidious high marginal tax rate that deters many from ever acquiring the basic skills and experience they need to move up the income ladder.

● An important reason why this nation needs PRESIDENT Romney:

Reversing this falling labor force trend is a major policy challenge, especially as more of the baby boomers retire. The U.S. will need more workers to finance more retirees. This will require faster growth and more job creation than we’ve seen in this disappointing recovery.

The tragedy of the Obama Administration is that it put the political pursuit of its social welfare agenda above policies to nurture a strong, durable economic expansion. Americans are paying for that mistake in less work and less reward for the work they get. The priority of the next Administration must be to reverse the decline.

(emphasis added to articles)

Obama believes he deserves four more years…

No!

America deserves jobs.

America deserves a leader who will end the suffering.

America deserves Mitt Romney.

► Jayde Wyatt

FOX News’ Bret Baier sat down with the fifth potential vice presidential candidate in his series titled Running With Romney. Condoleeza Rice, former National Security Advisor and Secretary of State to President George W. Bush, was featured today. Her thoughts :

SAN JOSE — Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said again this afternoon that she has no interest in being a candidate for vice president, but she had some advice for Mitt Romney about the kind of person he might choose.

“Somebody who actually wants to run for office would be a good start,” Rice said.

The Republican told a conference of business leaders hosted by the Bay Area Council in San Jose that Romney would make a “fine president.”

“I think he’ll find a fine vice president, too,” she added.

(emphasis added)

Previously aired segments:

Part 1 – Sen. Marco Rubio

Part 2 – Sen. Rob Portman

Part 3 – Congressman Paul Ryan

Part 4 – VA Governor Bob McDonnell

● If you haven’t voted on Nate’s latest Veep Madness poll, do so here.

► Jayde Wyatt