Gas prices have more than doubled since Barack Obama took office. His deficit spending makes George Bush look like a rank amateur. 78% of Americans recognize inflation is on the rise. One dollar bill buys less and less. We’re a little bit more pregnant in Libya, but just barely. Our foreign policy is rudderless and often against our best interests.

Today comes news that for the first time since the Great Depression, more Americans get government money than give the government money. Americans are dependent on Washington for the livelihoods.

Also out late yesterday, CNS News reports that we will hit the legal limit on the national debt in less than a week. This is surprising news to pretty much everyone. But the data comes from the Treasury Department itself.

This is no way to enter a re-election campaign. Barack Obama cannot run on hope or change. Instead, he is going to run on fear. It is abundantly apparent and confirmed to me by several Democrats who’d know. Barack Obama’s re-election strategy will be a scorched earth campaign.

Over the next few months, Barack Obama will seek to define the Republicans as willing to kill the old and young, pass radical legislation, and send us into the league of the third world. “But wait,” you say. “Barack Obama has already done that.”

In essence, yes. So Obama is not going to run on defending his record. He’s going to run on saying that Republicans will be even worse than him and, oh by the way, none of it is his fault.

Barack Obama has largely gotten a pass his whole life. He’s never been in a real executive role. By his own admission in his book he was largely a failed community organizer. And now he is failed President.

The only way to hang on to his job is to peddle fear and intimidation of those who’d stand in his way. This is also one reason so many Republicans are waiting to announce their runs. They all know the moment they come out swinging, Obama’s union goons and money will savage them.

At the same time, the GOP has yet to mount a successful attack on Obama to make him own high gas, high inflation, declining dollars, and our declining standing in the world. If they don’t get out there soon, the hill they have to climb will be even higher.