The spot is geared toward younger voters, at whom Obama's taxpayer-funded panderfest has been aimed over the last several days:
This American Crossroads video merges Reagan's 1980 "are you better off?" refrain with the McCain campaign's effective (and therefore raaaaacist, natch) "celebrity" ad from 2008:
That McCain hit drew blood because it forced voters to ask themselves why, exactly, they were caught up in a schoolgirl crush tizzy over an unaccomplished social climber. Obama went on to win comfortably, of course, but the economic collapse of September 2008 played the decisive role in determining that outcome. The "celebrity" riff helped keep the McCain-Palin ticket competitive. Remember, they were ahead in the polls two months out, so revisiting this theme after three-plus years of failure makes all the swooning seem even more shallow. So how about it, young voters? Has Obama actually made your lives any better? The statistics overwhelmingly indicate that he has not. But...but...he's trying to prevent Congress from doubling our student interest loan rates! Four quick facts:
(1) Obama felt so strongly about your rate reduction in the first place that he skipped two Senate votes on it in 2007. But all of a sudden it's the most pressing issue facing our nation. Odd.
(2) The Democrats who wrote the law now being discussed specifically designed it to expire in the middle of an election season. They manufactured a turn-key pander to manipulate you. Also note: Democrats could have fixed this when they controlled the entire agenda in 2009 and 2010, when Republicans were powerless to stop them. This truth also applies to the Buffett Rule and a host of other "we can't wait" agenda items.
(3) The Republicans have already agreed in principle to extend the lower rates. Mitt Romney announced his position on this a few days ago, and House Republicans have since agreed to follow through. They're going to pay for it with money the non-partisan GAO has scolded the Obama administration for wasting on a Medicare scheme. Democrats propose paying for it by raising taxes on small business owners. I'm sure that'll help you find a job and move out of your childhood room, right?
(4) Even after the rates get extended, the benefit per student will amount to roughly a cool seven bucks a month, according to some calculations. And the flood of artificially cheap loan money will continue to allow colleges to hike tuition year after year after year. The easier it is for you to get into debt to pay for school, the easier it is for Beloved U to raise your overall price tag.
Don't be hoodwinked, guys.