Romney Campaign Press Release - Progress Report On Obama's "Real Change" For Floridians

"Nearly four years after promising Floridians they would bring 'real change,' the Obama-Biden team is back in Florida today. But with a record of high unemployment, falling wages, and skyrocketing gas prices, voters won't be fooled by the same broken promises and empty rhetoric this time around. President Obama's campaign team says the American people will judge him on his record - and unfortunately for the President, they are right." -Andrea Saul, Romney Campaign Spokesperson

In The Final Days Of The 2008 Campaign, Barack Obama Promised To Deliver "Real Change" On The Economy:

In A 2008 Miami Campaign Event, Candidate Obama Promised "Real Change" And Asked Voters If They Were Better Off Than They Were Four Years Ago. OBAMA: "What we need is honest leadership and real change, and that's why I'm running for President of the United States. Now, more than ever, this campaign has to be about the problems facing the American people - because this is a moment of great uncertainty for America. The economic crisis we face is the worst since the Great Depression. ... At this rate, the question isn't just 'are you better off than you were four years ago?', it's 'are you better off than you were four weeks ago?'" (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks, Miami, FL, 10/21/08)

What Type Of "Real Change" Has President Obama Delivered On Jobs? Higher Unemployment And Declining Wages:

Candidate Obama Promised To Fix Job Losses And Improve Wages. OBAMA: "We've lost more than 750,000 jobs this year - and we just learned that here in Florida, we lost nearly 11,000 jobs in September alone. Wages are lower than they've been in a decade, at a time when the cost of health care and college have never been higher." (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks, Miami, FL, 10/21/08)

Under President Obama, Florida's Unemployment Rate Has Increased From 8.7% In January 2009 To 9.0% In March 2012.  (Bureau Of Labor Statistics Website, www.bls.gov, Accessed 4/21/12)

• Miami's Unemployment Rate Is Currently 10.7%. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics Website, www.bls.gov, Accessed 4/21/12)

During President Obama's Time In Office, Florida Has Lost 107,600 Jobs. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics Website, www.bls.gov, Accessed 4/21/12)

In 2011, 53% Of Floridians Were Out Of Work For At Least Six Months - The "Highest Rate Of Long-Term Unemployment In The Nation." "If you lose your job in Florida, chances are you won't find another one any time soon. The Sunshine State has the highest rate of long-term unemployment in the nation. Some 53% of jobless Floridians were out of work for more than six months in 2011, according to Brookings' Hamilton Project, which crunched Census data." (Tami Luhby, "Worst Place To Lose Your Job: Florida," CNN Money, 1/31/12)

Florida Workers Who Are Able To Find New Jobs Are Being "Paid On Average About 25 Percent Less" Than The Jobs They Held Previously. "The drop in Florida unemployment masks a troubling trend: The new jobs continue to pay far less than the ones that have been lost. The state added 114,000 jobs last year. But the bulk of them paid on average about 25 percent less than the jobs that disappeared, according to a Tampa Bay Times analysis of jobs and industry wage data." (Jeff Harrington, "Florida Still Losing Ground In Wages Despite Uptick In Jobs," Tampa Bay Times, 2/6/12)

What Type Of Change Has President Obama Delivered For Families Struggling With Their Bills? Skyrocketing Gas Prices And More Foreclosures:

Candidate Obama: "It's Getting Harder And Harder To Make The Mortgage, Or Fill Up Your Gas Tank..." OBAMA: "It's getting harder and harder to make the mortgage, or fill up your gas tank, or even keep the electricity on at the end of the month. At this rate, the question isn't just 'are you better off than you were four years ago?', it's 'are you better off than you were four weeks ago?'" (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks, Miami, FL, 10/21/08)

Gas Prices In Florida Have More Than Doubled During President Obama's Time In Office, Increasing From $1.86 Per Gallon In January 2009 To $3.88 Per Gallon Today. (AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report, www.aaa.com, Accessed 4/21/12)

In The First Quarter Of 2012, Florida Had The Sixth Highest Foreclosure Rate In The Nation. "Other states with foreclosure rates ranking among the top 10 in the first quarter were Georgia (one in 119 housing units with a foreclosure filing), Florida (one in 123), Illinois (one in 141), Michigan (one in 162), Colorado (one in 191), Utah (one in 198) and Wisconsin (one in 206)." (RealtyTrac, "Q1 2012 Foreclosure Activity Lowest Since Q4 2007," Press Release, 4/5/12)

Foreclosures In Southern Florida Have Increased By 85 Percent In The Last Year. "Banks were busy in South Florida last month filing new foreclosures on 4,119 homes, an 85 percent increase from March 2011 and an indication that lenders continue to make up for time lost during the robo-signing scandal." (Kimberly Miller, "Foreclosures, Repos Up From Last Year In South Florida," Palm Beach Post, 4/12/12)

In The Fourth Quarter Of 2011, 44% Of All Of Florida's Mortgaged Properties Were Underwater - The Third-Highest Rate In The Nation. "Nevada had the highest negative equity percentage with 61 percent of all of its mortgaged properties underwater, followed by Arizona (48 percent), Florida (44percent), Michigan (35 percent) and Georgia (33 percent). This is the second consecutive quarter that Georgia was in the top five, surpassing California (30 percent) which previously had been in the top five since tracking began in 2009." (CoreLogic, "CoreLogic® Reports Negative Equity Increase In Q4 2011," Press Release, 3/1/12)

And President Obama Failed To Deliver Change On The Increasing Costs For Health Care And College:

Candidate Obama: "The Cost Of Health Care And College Have Never Been Higher." OBAMA: "Wages are lower than they've been in a decade, at a time when the cost of health care and college have never been higher. It's getting harder and harder to make the mortgage, or fill up your gas tank, or even keep the electricity on at the end of the month." (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks, Miami, FL, 10/21/08)

In 2012, Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance Costs In Florida Are Projected To Increase 8%. "The cost for employer-sponsored health insurance in Florida is expected to increase 8 percent next year..." (Liz Freeman, "Study: Florida Workers Face 8 Percent Health Insurance Cost Hike Or Higher Deductible," Naples News, 11/21/11)

Under President Obama, The Average Cost Of College Has Increased By 25% At Four-Year Public Schools Across The Country. (College Board, www.collegeboard.org, Accessed 4/22/12)

The Cost Of College Is Currently At "An All-Time High." "Nationally, the cost of a full credit load has passed $8,000, an all-time high. Throw in room and board, and the average list price for a state school now runs more than $17,000 a year, according to the twin annual reports on college costs and student aid published Wednesday by the College Board." (Justin Poe, "College Prices Up Again As States Slash Budgets," The Associated Press, 10/26/11)