Wow, i cannot beleive all of the lies you just spewed. Guess you have been watching too much FOX TV.

Lisa, these are facts. Which do you consider lies and why? Thanks.

I agree with just about everything you wrote, but I decided to make it 'fair and balanced':

• It was painful when, in 2008, our government bailed out Wall Street
• It was painful when we hear the pundits say that gas has gone up during the Obama administration, without pointing out the fact the gasoline was well over $4.00 a gallon in the Summer of 2008.
• It is painful to hear the thwarting of our natural resources, when in 1973, there was a gas crisis due to an oil embargo from overseas sources. They had 40 years to fix the problem…with both Democratic and Republican presidents. Now it’s suddenly Obama’s problem ( I was reminded of this during the recent gas lines)

I got news for you Fran. If you go to sleep on a Tuesday and wake up on Wednesday you are the same person no matter who wins the POTUS.

I'll tell you what's painful, Fran. What's painful is reading an article that is so confident about its truthfulness without citing a single source. I'd be more inclined to believe you if you actually had something, anything, to demonstrate you've done any actual research into this, but, clearly, you haven't, because every one of your points is a skewed, misunderstood, and ultimately self-serving example of a complex moment in politics that, while perhaps not admirable, deserves a much lengthier discussion than "Obama's a terrorist!" A look into what is turning out to be the least effective Congress in US history might change your political leanings a bit, not that I expect you, of course, to actually do anything that might suggest you're wrong about anything.

Of course, the best part of all of this is that I don't have to care any more about what fools like you think about Obama, because the country thinks differently. Welcome to America. A land in which we vote for the candidates who speak from the heart, not those who speak from the wallet. A land in which we let policy determine our future, not propaganda. A land in which we don't let the middle-school writing of the fear-changing influence our decisions. God bless America!

Fran, I will never cease to be shocked at your complete lack of understanding of what has occurred in the last four years. It seems like you got the Fox News talking points down though.

8 years of George Bush wrecked damaged on America from which it will take a long time to recover.
Bush/Cheney lied to the American people and started the war in Iraq for their own benefit. They made war so that Bush could campaign as a war time president. Is there anything more disgusting and self serving as that?

And we all know their economic record promoting an out of control financial sector that brought the country to the brink of destruction. As well as economic policies that have led to the largest wealth gap between rich and poor that the country has ever seen. And you want more of that.

What bbbnto said. And even though I am still without power from Sandy this morning, it is a very happy morning indeed for me.

Wow, if all that stuff caused you pain, you're sure gonna need a lot of Tylenol to get through the next 4 years!

Way to go team Obama!

It's painful that you didn't do your research & are just spreading Fox News propaganda. It's also painful that you published this article prematurely and that it showed up in my inbox. What's not painful is that thankfully most New Jerseyans and majority of the US don't feel the same way as you and are not so full of hatred & determined to see a president of our great country fail. When our presidents fail, we fail. Just look at Bush. Now's a time to come together. Republicans can get w/the New American program or continue to be sore losers & cause legislative gridlock. Team Obama, way to go, yay!!!

I just realized that the very first sentence of your article sums it up. It was part of the reason Barack Obama won. You have been waiting since November of 2008 to vote him out of office? When he didn't even get into office yet? This should be a wake-up call to Republicans! I am very disappointed with conservative talk radio and Fox News. People just got sick and tired of the constant negative rhetoric. Now, the response I will get is, "...the Democrats do the same thing...". Do two wrongs make a right? Come on, grow up Republicans!

I guess those who spew the Republican party line are not going to be bothered by fact checkers. Diane Fish

50% of the people believed the only truth that Mitt Romney ever said was behind closed doors about 47% of Americans.

What a sad day this is ): The only silver lining is after four more years of sheer hell from this administration you won't be able to blame Bush anymore! Not like he was to blame anyway after four years of this administration. Get ready for another recession folks, Steve Forbes predicts it. Get ready for Obamacare, 6 month wait time to see a doctor, a mountain of increased taxes you can't even imagine.

Bottom line, Romney should have picked Rubio as his VP, that is now clear. Only way for a republican to win is to pander. It doesn't matter anymore who has the clear vision for the economy, the candidate who parties with Beyonce and who will provide the most FREE STUFF wins. For a twist on an infamous quote from our first lady -- for the first time I am ASHAMED of my country.

I cannot wait until those $100,000 Obamacare taxes on small businesses kick in. Just watch and learn how job creation is killed. It'll be great to see us turn into Western Europe, only with worse food, while Eastern Europe and Asia become the United States, also with better food.

No more Republican rule. Far right is too divisive. Even our children see that, no matter what race they belong to.

God bless America. We promote diversity. Angry Republicans. Too much Levine, Hannity and Limbaugh. They dethrone the Republican party. I like Mr. Romney but he went to the angry party.

By the way, I don't let levine, hannity and limbaugh speak for me. I feel that you are correct that they go too far sometimes. Not so much Levine. He makes sense most of the time. But don't judge all repubs on these fellows. We each have brains too, regardless of what you think.

Maybe the democrats will come in now and save Montclair from Bankruptcy.

Republicans live in their own reality, which has nothing to do with actual reality. Rachel said it wonderfully last night
"Ohio really did go to President Obama last night, he really did win. He really was born in Hawaii, and he really is, legitimately, president of the United States again. And The Bureau of Labor Statistics did not make up a fake unemployment rate last month. And the Congressional Research Service really can find no evidence that cutting taxes on rich people grows the economy. And the polls were not skewed to oversample Democrats. And Nate Silver was not making up fake projections about the election to make conservatives feel bad. Nate Silver was doing math.
And climate change is real. And rape really does cause pregnancy sometimes. And evolution is a thing! And Benghazi was an attack on us, it was not a scandal by us. And nobody is taking away anyone's guns. And taxes have not gone up. And the deficit is dropping, actually. And Saddam Hussein did not have weapons of mass destruction. And the moon landing was real. And FEMA is not building concentration camps. And UN election observers are not taking over Texas. And moderate reforms of the regulations on the insurance industry and the financial services industry in this country are not the same thing as communism."

but please, keep on spreading lies and living in your fantasy world, it obviously only helps the rest of us.

Got more for you YEM -- And Obama REALLY did try to work with the Republicans in the house but they just kept refusing to compromise,, AH HEM, oh wait what about his two MAJOR pieces of legislation that he CRAMMED through without one republican vote!!! THE stimulus crap and Obamacare nightmare!!

Get a clue - keep listening to Rachel Madcow & Chris 'oh I'm glad this storm happened' Matthews -- Obama may have been born in the US but he also had horrible grades, did drugs and it remains a mystery what's in his college transcripts. Perhaps he was an exchange student?? But we'll never know b/c the lamestream media will cover and ignore for him no matter what!

As I said before, the one good thing about him being re-elected, I want to see how you airheads keep explaining away our anemic growth, insane unemployment numbers, and dwindling business community. WAKE THE FREAK UP!!! This man is not magical - he's a misguided politician! What is it going to take?? Oh wait, it's Bush's fault, yeah that's it. LOL

Rachel Maddow is smarter than me or you and I will continue to listen to her because of the intelligence of her ideas. She, like Nate Silver, is demonized by those on the right because they know they couldn't win a fact based debate with her on any issue. Face it. the stimulus worked. we were on the verge of total financial collapse thanks to Bush.

Romney lost not just because of these economic issues, I'm sure you realize. Women are disgusted with the GOP's war on women. People don't want republicans draconian cuts to medicare or social security. Minorities, who make up a larger and larger piece of the demographic pie, hate your ideological message.

Like David Frum says, there aren't enough angry white guys like you to support the GOP's platform.

you lost, get over your sour grapes and become part of the solution. The GOP will change by moving to the middle, or become a relic party.

and as a progressive, I'm elated.

Rachel Madcow is an idiot! She has no facts. She looks like an amateur every time she appears on Meet the Press - WHY NBC puts her up there is beyond me. She is sooo in over her head! She twists, distorts, misrepresents the truth all the time, aside from being an incredibly obnoxious person to watch.
But that's the way it is with you libs. You want facts, here's facts:
- The stimulus should have been called porkulus. It caused the economy to SHED jobs not gain them in any kind of lasting manner or fiscally responsible manner. the government could simply have cut a $100,000 check to everyone whose employment was allegedly made possible by the stimuls and taxpayers would have come out $427 billion ahead.
-- FACT by borrowing more than the regular defense budget or the annual cost of Medicare, and then spending it mostly on Democratic constituencies rather than in a manner genuinely designed to stimulate the economy, the stimulus actually undermined our recovery — while leaving us at least 6 billion deeper in debt.
- This President has spent more money NOW then if you begin at George Washington and go THRU George W. Bush
- FACT under Reagan the economy grew at a 6% GDP rate -- we are at an anemic 2% and that's an improvement from the previous 1.3%!!!! We aren't creating enough jobs to keep up with the regular flow of people entering the work force!
- FACt the only war on women is the 14% unemployment rate among women under Obama. And by the way, I AM A WOMAN!

Well Dear,
You lost. Now, you can either find a rock to crawl under, follow Romney into retirement, or use your energy for something positive. Either way, your nonsense is now outdated. 4 more years it is.

Oh you are sooo funny!!! Are you appearing anywhere Sherl, comedy club perhaps?? Let's see how much you're laughing in four years. Let's see how much you're laughing when you can't see a doctor because obamacare has decimated our healthcare system. Let's see how much you laugh when you take a look at your tax bills and look around with nothing more to show for your hard earned money.

I believe republicans will definitely have the last laugh.

I find it funny when you write "FACT" and then state an opinion. regardless, your ideas are in the minority and have been voted down. The tea party and the religious loons have taken over your party, so good luck with that.

Blame the government!!! Blame a teacher!!!! Blame someone! Anyone! Just not me.

President Obama won because Romney lost. Romney lost because the Republican Party has failed. The Republican Party failed to reach out to Hispanics. The republican party failed to reach out to African Americans. Romney embraced policies that were harmful to women. After alienating Blacks, Hispanics and women, just how in the world did anyone really think Romney could win. America is changing. Amazing how everyone blames Obama for everything that is wrong with our economy. Where was the outrage 8 years ago when Bush ran the economy into the ground. We spent billions on a war searching for WMD, which did not exist. The Republican Party claims that all life is of value even in cases of rape. Pregnancy as the result of rape is "God's will," as one Republican candidate called it. Clearly the lunatics are lose. Gone are the days when the Republican Party can rule and exclude Blacks, women and Hispanics. That is why Romney lost. Because we vote, too.

In addition to the "tax" on small business cited above, and in addition to the estimated $4000 tax increase per middle class family due to the cessation of the Bush tax cuts AND due to the 2% increase in payroll taxes set for 1/1/13, here's some MORE taxes courtesy of Obamacare:

•A 3.8% surtax on "investment income" when your adjusted gross income is more than $200,000 ($250,000 for joint-filers). What is "investment income?" Dividends, interest, rent, capital gains, annuities, house sales, partnerships, etc. Taxes on dividends will rise from 15% to 18.8%--if Congress extends the Bush tax cuts. If Congress does not extend the Bush tax cuts, taxes on dividends will rise from 15% to a shocking 43.8%.
•A 0.9% surtax on Medicare taxes for those making $200,000 or more ($250,000 joint). You already pay Medicare tax of 1.45%, and your employer pays another 1.45% for you (unless you're self-employed, in which case you pay the whole 2.9% yourself). Next year, your Medicare bill will be 2.35%.

Part Deux:

•Flexible Spending Account contributions will be capped at $2,500. Currently, there is no tax-related limit on how much you can set aside pre-tax to pay for medical expenses. Next year, there will be. If you have been socking away, say, $10,000 in your FSA to pay medical bills, you'll have to cut that to $2,500. (ATR.org)
•The itemized-deduction hurdle for medical expenses is going up to $10,000. Right now, any medical expenses over $7,500 per year are deductible. Next year, that hurdle will be $10,000. (ATR.org)
•The penalty on non-medical withdrawals from Healthcare Savings Accounts is now 20% instead of 10%. That's twice the penalty that applies to annuities, IRAs, and other tax-free vehicles. (ATR.org)
•A tax of 10% on indoor tanning services (the 'White Girl Tax"). This has been in place for two years, since the summer of 2010. (ATR.org)

Part Troi:

•A 40% tax on "Cadillac Health Care Plans" starting in 2018.Those whose employers pay for all or most of comprehensive healthcare plans (costing $10,200 for an individual or $27,500 for families) will have to pay a 40% tax on the amount their employer pays. The 2018 start date is said to have been a gift to unions, which often have comprehensive plans. (ATR.org)
•A"Medicine Cabinet Tax" that eliminates the ability to pay for over-the-counter medicines from a pre-tax Flexible Spending Account. This started in January 2011. (ATR.org)
•A "penalty" tax for those who don't buy health insurance. This will phase in from 2014-2016. It will range from $695 per person to about $4,700 per person, depending on your income. (More details here.)
•A tax on medical devices costing more than $100. Starting in 2013, medical device manufacturers will have to pay a 2.3% excise tax on medical equipment. This is expected to raise the cost of medical procedures. (Breitbart.com)

Enjoy clueless liberals!

Another thing that is pretty scary, (this is what Romney wanted to do as well to be fair) - if they cap deductions rather than raise taxes I think a town like Montclair will suffer in terms of our home values even more.
Reverting to pre-Bush tax rates on incomes above $250K – as the President and many Democrats are advocating – would raise about $1 trillion over the next ten years. In order to achieve approximately the same amount of deficit reduction, the limitation on deductions would have to be set at 15%. In other words, taxpayers in marginal tax brackets above 15% would lose some of the benefit of their itemized deductions. Obviously, such a change would have the greatest impact on taxpayers in high brackets with a lot of deductions. In particular, the limitation on deductions would hit taxpayers in high tax states – such as NY, NJ and California – particularly hard.
Let's say you have 100k in deductions, they may cap it at 45, which would end up costing you $18,000 a year. You lose the tax shield, not the full amount,100k-45k= 55k X 35% tax rate equals $18k
I am sorry but I don't see why they don't MEANS test areas of the country. A combined income of $250 in this area is a heck of a lot different than $250K in Alabama!!!! If you people don't see how this will hurt the economy, you are really kidding yourselves. Discretionary spending is going to go WAY DOWN and so is the economy.

I don't have much hope for this country. We have too many people that want free stuff. Should I have to pay for a 30 year old women's(Sandra Fluke) birth control? Should I have to pay for free school lunch for a kid that can afford a cell phone or a $100 pair of sneakers? We have too many parasites and we reward irresponsbile behavior. However, this craziness can not last because, we will run out of money very soon and govt. dependence never works. If govt. dependence works we would not have three generations of familes living in public housing and collecting welfare, would we? We would not be having welfare mothers spit out kids with multiple fathers like feral cats, would we? We would not have hard working people getting their money taken to re-distribute to the lazy,would we? Yes, the "Great Society" has been a dismal failure.

It was painful to read Fran Hopkins diatribe. Apparently it was painful for patch to post my original comment, so I will abbreviate it to "Get a Life."

Glen, I'm not really sure what your point is here. I think we;re on the same side -- I think you need to cut rates across the board, and broaden the base - I am a supply sider, but obviously I am in the minority.

I think to say couples making $250K combined income are RICH is definitely way off base, at least in the NY Metro area. There is no doubt raising taxes or taking away deductions is going to hurt upper middle class and small businesses - who, in this economy are just holding onto their jobs, not getting raises, not getting bonuses, still saving for their kids college funds, still paying insane property taxes. Something's gotta give. And just wait till the increased taxes with obamacare kick in -- what's coming is scary.

It is painful to read such a litany of lies and half-truths. This probably comes from too much exposure to right-wing media. Good thing the majority of the American public did not fall for the lies. And funny how the Repubs and Tea Partiers never acknowledge the tremendous damage done by Pres. GW Bush's two (stolen) terms.

I'm glad there was so much response to my post, but why is it that, if you express a viewpoint about President Obama's record that differs from the liberal-progressive-mainstream media narrative, the response is to vilify you? I don't think anyone refuted my statements, just trashed me for making them or fell back on "blame Bush." Fortunately, we still have a Constitutional right to free speech in this country and I think we can all agree about that.

How have government regulators thwarted development of natural resources? We will be the leading oil producer in the world by 2020, natural gas exploration is booming, and we are still blowing the tops off mountains for coal.

What's the issue?

Also...there is no European redistribution of wealth that didn't already exist. Taxes have been cut for almost every single american. Personal responsibility developed by the heritage foundation was enacted as the individual mandate.

Number of Rich Taxpayers: I wonder how many individuals involved? I am guessing 780,000 of the taxpayers. (I don't mean the whole 312 Million US population. Just the ones classified as a taxpayer. Secondly, i wonder the dollar ranges of these rich people? Some may make $250,000 and some over $5 Million.

Obama talks like rich people grow on trees. I would like to know how many there are and the composition. Then I know if all this rhetoric would truly fix Obama's debt and spending mess.

Don't forget that the debt benchmark is a moving target. If it is now $17 trillion, then add the existing debt service and the new spending increment MINUS whatever the "rich taxpayers" money is applied. So where would the first year end up?
I often hear Obama say things like, "Here is where we would be in 10 years" if we do such and such? Ahh, doesn't Obama know that he will be gone in 4 years? Also, people assume that the increased tax revenue will all be properly applied in the immediate year. I doubt it.
Have you seen any of his words on paper or a chart? Has he even balanced the budget ever?
and I am supposed to fall for the notion that the 2012 and 2013 tax payers will end the fiscal cliff? Are you falling for his talk? 50% of the people are.

I would love to read a Fran column about the high cost of college. We are being ripped off by the colleges and their unions. The parents are forced to look for outside dollar help. why is that? Why don't the colleges have reasonable cost to begin with?
In 1969, I paid $2,000 per Year for college. This included tuition, books, campus housing and 1 meal per day.
My 1976 MBA and 1980 MBA were EACH around $4,000 from start to end. So $8,000 total.
What is it now? I hear parents say $40,000 per year for 1 year of undergrad.
Anyone know?
All of these tricks to get a few bucks free funding for a kid is a smoke and mirrors deal. The cost should not be so high to begin with. It is a sin. This issue ripples into our lives. Yet, little talk about it everyday in the news or political people. all I hear are more college free-beeees by politicians if they get elected. What has our country turned into, whoring for college dollars??

Bill and Rachel say it better than anyone else!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pdz7hO1ZjNI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRpSAKw0V48

I agree they should cut spending but that is unlikely to happen. I know they are going to raise revenue either by limiting tax deductions or raising taxes -- BUT my big point here is how the heck do they come up with a COMBINED FAMILY INCOME OF $250 as the richest of the rich?? That means a woman making $125K and a man making $125K -- We aren't living in the 40s! That is NOT rich. If you have several kids, if you live in the NE particularly, you are getting by, but in no way shape or form are you rich. Home improvements, trips, upgrading your car, buying the kids some new clothing or just making due with hand me downs -- these are all things that have an affect on the economy if families choose to sit on the sidelines. How you libs just don't see that is mind blowing! It will have a detrimental effect no doubt -- at least let's stop calling combined family income of $250 RICH. They are going to hit the middle and upper middle class, period.