Column: Economic issues are what truly matter this election

As the marathon presidential campaign finally comes to an end, the recaps and implications for the future will be clogging the airwaves for weeks to come.

Between 2008 and now, we have gone from “Hope and Change” in 2008 to “Forward” in 2012 with a continued “Hope” that things will “Change” for the better.

I know that sounds corny, but if there were a better way to sum up the President’s attempts to cast a positive outlook for electing him for another four years, I haven’t seen it.

In 2008 “Hope and Change” sounded like a wonderful dream within reach, but four years later America is still speaking within the frame of whether or not the economy is anywhere close to where it’s supposed to be.

The simple fact is that we are barely there, but don’t let President Obama’s campaign tell you that. Instead the President has tried to focus on the fact that Mitt Romney has money and is a Republican. At least, that’s the basic summary of his attacks.

Obama called Romney’s higher income and previous work at Bain Capital into question early on, including repeated demands for Romney to release more than a few year’s worth of tax returns. Last time I checked, though, this wasn’t really what was affecting people’s abilities to find jobs.

Then there is this strange focus on social issues.

You know, that “War on Women” supposedly being committed by Republicans and conservatives, and therefore by Mitt Romney.

Ideological differences aside, the Obama campaign have made some interesting choices when attempting to, let’s be honest, divert voters’ attention away from the lack of “Hope and Change” taking place in the economy.

Two examples of this desperation are the use of the controversial Sandra Fluke on the campaign trail and comedian Lena Dunham’s campaign video likening voting for Obama for the first time to one’s first sexual experience. That totally has everything to do with slow economy growth, right?

Mitt Romney has obviously taken the you-would-be-stupid-to-miss-this political road by attacking the incumbent Obama about America’s lack of economic growth.

The response from the Obama camp, however, is somewhat more surprising. With a focus on issues that bear no real weight on determining Romney’s ability or inability to govern and promote effective economic policy, Obama has come off this election appearing more desperate than he should for someone who portrays such confidence in his own record.

Apparently, Obama’s “Hope” is that voters will “Change” their focus from their pocketbooks and lack of a job to blindly vote for him again. Zing.

Greg Sainer is a senior communication studies major. He can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].