# Obama's Jobs Speech

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-jobs-speech/595442>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [September 6, 2011, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-jobs-speech/595442 "2011-09-06T23:28:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 9

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**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-jobs-speech/595442/161 "2011-09-15T01:14:05Z")

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> [@Fear\_Itself](#):
>
> Feldstein is wrong to claim that all we get for $200,000 is one job. We also get new bridges, upgraded schools and modernized water systems. Well worth the investment.

I was just going to say that.

It’s not just a job. It’s also what society gets to its benefit from said job.

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**Author:** ![New\_Deal\_Democrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9d8465/32.png) [@New\_Deal\_Democrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/New_Deal_Democrat)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-jobs-speech/595442/162 "2011-09-15T01:22:13Z")

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When Franklin Roosevelt was elected in 1932 unemployment was 23.6 percent. It rose slightly after his inauguration, but had declined to 21.7 percent during the Congressional election of 1934. This enabled the Democrats to win more seats in both houses of Congress. This in turn enabled Roosevelt to do more to lead the country out of the Great Depression.

Republicans still like to say that the New Deal prolonged the Depression. Most Americans did not think so at the time, because things were getting better, after getting steadily worse under Herbert Hoover.

Unfortunately, things have not been getting better since the inauguration of Barack Obama. In January 2009 unemployment was 7.8 percent. After rising to 10.1 percent, it was 9.8 percent during the election of November 2010. This enabled Republicans to win seats in both houses of Congress. These Republicans will stand in the way of everything Obama tries to do to reduce unemployment.

At this point Obama can only hope things get better. And they have, to an extent. In October 2009 the unemployment rate was 10.1 percent. Now it is 9.0 percent.

> **[United States Unemployment Rate](https://www.infoplease.com/business/labor/united-states-unemployment-rate)**
>
> Find information and statistics about the overall unemployment rate in the United States from 1920 to 2013.

[http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/data/UNRATE.txt](http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/data/UNRATE.txt)

> **[Gallup - Workplace Consulting & Global Research](https://www.gallup.com/home.aspx)**
>
> Gallup is more than management consulting. Learn how our understanding of the human experience helps clients and the billions they serve thrive.

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