This Slate article about Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is a remarkable description of the kinds of programs and vision of Obama’s presidency. It’s really amazing stuff.
In the discussion about why the New Deal was popular and Obama’s Recovery Act wasn’t, the author notes:
FDR launched the New Deal after the U.S. had suffered through more than two years of depression under Hoover, while Obama launched the stimulus when the economy was nowhere near rock bottom. Everyone knew about the financial earthquake, but the economic tsunami hadn’t yet hit the shore.
That is, Obama passed the Act long before Americans were suffering the kind of devastating loss that they experienced in the Great Depression. Maybe you don’t have time for the book, but do read the article. It is one of the most clear explanations of what Obama is and has been up to as President. You can either vote for a guy who fires people when industry is suffering, or you can vote for a guy who tries to make sure people don’t starve if they lose their jobs = Not a tough call in my opinion.