Letter from Pennsylvania: Why Inflation Is Killing the Obama Presidency

by Little Miss Attila on April 28, 2011

Glenn Reynolds has a mini-roundup posted on the recession. And, this, from a reader, which I’m reprinting in full:

As a PA resident I can attest to the sea change in attitudes towards Barack Obama here.

It’s public, it’s palpable and it’s entirely due to inflation.

It’s astonishing to me that a bunch of guys who are supposed to be so smart think that women aren’t going to the grocery store and leaving in a state of shock, disbelief and, occasionally, panic.

And a Democrat who frightens women cannot win anything. Period.

I just started playing a sort of instant citizen poll at stores. It began a week or so ago at Sams’ Club:

I was in one of THOSE lines and ended up chatting with a well dressed middle aged woman with a cart half full of grocery items.

I made mention of the fact that while I didn’t normally make the hike to Sams’ that with prices going up I figured I had to make the effort.

She exploded: Prices are sky high, she’s feeding three kids, eating store brands and sale items but can’t afford to stock up, on and on.

Then the lady in front of HER piped in: if prices keep going up she doesn’t know what she’ll do, their budget is already at the breaking point, trying to keep a daughter in college, off she goes.

Then a man in the next line over heard them and HE jumped in: this is ridiculous, Washington is killing us, economy broken, he’s off to the races.

I thought maybe this was just a coincidence, so I’ve started the same conversation in store lines twice more in the past week and it’s exactly the same: people are frightened and EVERYONE wants to talk about it out loud.

The interesting thing to me is that everyone used to be very reluctant to speak out in public against Obama. You were always afraid some leftie whackjob would hear you and tear into you. You know what I mean.

But now the gloves are off, people are freaking out and Obama can raise FIVE billion dollars for his campaign and organize until the cows come home and call everyone in the country a racist until he turns blue but it’s not going to convince anyone that they’re not paying an arm and a leg for half a cart worth of food.

There is no more basic thing to people, and it’s off the hook.

I don’t see how the Republicans could possibly mess this up. Then again, after a lifetime of watching them do just that, if there’s way they’ll find it.

Not to denigrate the Republicans’ abilities to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory–they are prodigious–but for them to do so now would take almost superhuman ability. If the GOP nominates a nice, boring, reassuring person who can run a state (or something of similar complexity) without spending it into the ground, I don’t see how they lose next year.

UPDATE: The Other McCain: “None dare call it stagflation.” Ah, but I have been bringing up the misery index, and I’m not the only one. “It’s as if we have taken a long round-trip back to 1979.” That’s optimism, Stacy; we can’t yet be sure that it’s a round trip.

And, another roundup from Insty.

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None Dare Call It ‘Stagflation’ : The Other McCain
April 29, 2011 at 4:51 am

{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }

Fuzzy April 28, 2011 at 1:57 pm

This is true. I’ve noticed it here in MA, too, people are more than willing to gripe about the price of gas while filling up. (And keep in mind that this is New England, where casual conversations with strangers are a very rare thing indeed.)

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ponce April 28, 2011 at 1:58 pm

I see the National Debt is up $284 billion since the Republicans took over the House on January 5.

Seeing as the House Republicans are Constitutionally responsible for taxing and spending, America knows exactly who to hold responsible for this outrage.

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Darrell April 28, 2011 at 4:16 pm

Soros should start paying you in transfat.
It’s one of the only bargains left in the marketplace.
And the Left demanded it, once upon a time, to replace bad, bad butter.
So there is an historical link to you, ponce.

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ponce April 28, 2011 at 4:46 pm

Mmmm, transfat!

Much tastier than the chickenfeed the oil and coal companies pay to fringe right bloggers.

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Little Miss Attila April 28, 2011 at 8:22 pm

Ah, but you haven’t had pasta served up courtesy of the petroleum institute. It’s better–and better for you–than you think.

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Yu-Ain Gonnano April 29, 2011 at 6:24 am

True, and the Nation has gotten almost 4 months older too! Blame the Republican House!!

What do you mean that would have happened anyway? Nonsense I tell you!!

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Jack April 28, 2011 at 3:21 pm

LMAO at Poncey!

Not sure if you’re serious or just trolling. Either way, the national debt will continue to grow insanely until everyone [dems and repubs] agree to do something about the ridiculous spending underway. Total revamp of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid will be necessary to balance the budget.

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ponce April 28, 2011 at 7:11 pm

Maybe,

But the Republicans will get the blame for it.

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Little Miss Attila April 28, 2011 at 8:23 pm

“There’s no place like home; there’s no place like home; there’s no place like home.”

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ponce April 28, 2011 at 9:28 pm

Don’t shoot the messenger, LMA:

“Republicans hold just a two-point lead over Democrats on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending April 24, 2011. This is the narrowest gap between the two parties since October 2009. ”

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/mood_of_america/generic_congressional_ballot

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Darrell April 28, 2011 at 10:02 pm

But if Obama campaigns for them, the margin goes to +27 Republican.

ponce April 28, 2011 at 10:33 pm

Tell that to Joe Miller, Sharron Angle and Christine “I’m not a Witch” O’Donnell, Purile.

Oh, and thanks one again to your fringe right folks who won control of the Senate for the Dems.

Looks like y’all are going to give the House back to Nancy Pelosi next year.

Please keep up the baseless whining.

Darrell April 29, 2011 at 12:01 am

Obama would kill for Sarah Palin’s lifetime batting average.

Joe Miller, Sharron Angle and Christine “I’m running against Chris “I’m Not A Commie” Coons,” O’Donnell wouldn’t have gotten to the dance without Sarah laying her hands on them.

Prior to November 2010, she was 0.580–according to ABC’s poll of journalists.

WIN TX Governor’s Race – Rick Perry 5/2

WIN KY Senate Race – Rand Paul 5/18

LOSS AR-3 House Race- Cecile Bledsoe 5/18

LOSS ID-1 House Race- Vaughn Ward 5/25

WIN NM Governor’s Race – Susana Martinez 6/1

WIN SC Governor’s Race- Nikki Haley 6/8

WIN SC-1 House Race – Tim Scott 6/8

WIN CA Governor’s Race- Carly Fiorina 6/8

WIN IA Governor’s Race – Terry Brantstad 6/8

WIN OK Governor’s Race – Mary Fallin 6/27

LOSS GA Governor’s Race – Karen Handle 7/20

LOSS KS Senate Race – Todd Tiahrt 8/3

LOSS TN- 5 House Race – CeCe Heil 8/5

LOSS CO-3 House Race- Bob McConnell 8/10

LOSS WY Governor’s Race – Rita Meyer 8/17

LOSS WA Senate Race- Clint Didier 8/17

WIN AZ Senate Race – Senator John McCain 8/24

WIN AZ-1 HOUSE RACE- Paul Gosar 8/24

WIN FL-22 HOUSE RACE – Allen West 8/24

She plucked little known state legislator Nikki Haley from obscurity to victory in the South Carolina GOP governor’s primary, gave a helping hand for Susanna Martinez in New Mexico gubernatorial primary, Sharron Angle in the Nevada Senate primary, and Carly Fiorina in the California US Senate primary. Her endorsement for Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel put her in a run-off that she would have never gotten into otherwise. I know she endorsed Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn, North Carolina Sen.Richard Burr, South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint, Clint Didier (Washington Senate)–who seem to be missing from the list. She endorsed other local candidates as well–again, not in the average. Maybe we can all say “Bob McDonnell, Chris Christie, and Scott Brown” together.

Obama was 0/5 on Mid-Term Primaries[ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Querent/president-obamas-midterm_b_583141_47905362.html%5D Don’t know about after because his media pals report as much as Sgt. Schultz.
But maybe we’ll end by all saying “Alexi Giannoulias” together.

John April 29, 2011 at 5:04 am

They will get blamed by the left-wing parts of the media (that is, the parts from which you appear to get your ideas). Whether the blame will be deserved remains to be seen.

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Mike Smolens April 30, 2011 at 8:51 am

Mitch Daniels and either Chris Christie or Paul Ryan as Veep. I think this could do the job for the GOP.

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