Since taking office, President Obama has taken advantage of every opportunity to talk down America’s economy, productivity, and future opportunities, and to shovel blame for the consequences of that doom-and-gloom pessimism onto the administration that preceded his.

Yesterday, the market closed below 7,000 for the first time since 1997 — the first year of President Clinton’s second term. Further, since the Democrats took over Congress in January 2007, the Dow has lost 46% of its value — 5,699.86 points — with 1,452.38 of that decline coming in the mere month and a half since President Obama’s inauguration.

For a man who soared to the presidency on the wings of detail-less but (to some) uplifting slogans like “hope” and “change,” Mr. Obama’s tone, words, and actions since actually becoming president have been devoid of anything even remotely resembling either hope or change — and the markets, which are representative of the U.S. economy as a whole, have continued to react accordingly.

He can repeat the weak (and growing weaker with repetition) defense that he “inherited” this crisis all he wants, but President Obama’s policies and proposals are what is currently driving the economy further into the ground, not some economic Trojan Horse the outgoing Bush administration bequeathed the 44th president.

Originally posted at the Arena.