It’s the economy, stupid: The US Presidential elections in 2012

President Barack Obama’s handling of the US economy has come under close scrutiny following the publication of Confidence Men by Ron Suskind – which charts his struggle to contain the Wall Street crash. His bitter battle with Congress for a deal on the debt crisis has ensured that the economy will play…

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Barack Obama’s handling of the economy will be closely scrutinised in the US presidential election campaign next year. AFP/Mandel Ngan

President Barack Obama’s handling of the US economy has come under close scrutiny following the publication of Confidence Men by Ron Suskind – which charts his struggle to contain the Wall Street crash. His bitter battle with Congress for a deal on the debt crisis has ensured that the economy will play a central role in how people vote in next year’s presidential elections.

In a video produced by the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney, Professor William Chafe of Duke University analyses the issues involved, and who President Obama’s Republican opponent is likely to be.

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2 Comments sorted by

  1. Will Turner

    logged in via Facebook

    According to Professor Chafe it looks like the next 12 months will be critically important for America's coming decade. Here's hoping the gridlock in Washington can be overcome lest America's economic problems spill over and affect us all.

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  2. Andrew Hack

    IT Project Manager

    Wrong, wrong, so wrong.

    America have one choice if they want to turn things around for the better. They need to elect someone who actually understands economics; the only option is Ron Paul. (Maybe Johnson but I don't think he has the support to make it)

    Anyone else, whether Obama or any of the other Republican candidates, will just mean more of the same.

    Professor Chafe is obviously a supporter of Obama, but I have to ask; has America not yet learned from the past 4 years that bailouts and stimulus don't work?

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