Obama on the Economy—PICTURES

By Catherine Hollander

Updated: November 7, 2012 | 11:56 a.m.
April 27, 2012 | 6:00 a.m.

This slideshow looks at President Obama's policy positions in four key areas: General philosophy, job creation, housing, and monetary policy.

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General Philosophy: Obama’s main economic philosophy? The government "can help." As he told Congress in September, "Our recovery will be driven not by Washington but by our businesses and our workers. But ... we can make a difference." (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Job Creation: Obama plans to use a combination of infrastructure spending, skills training, tax cuts for small businesses, and hiring incentives to create jobs. (Carolyn Kaster/AP)

Housing: The housing market will be a drag on Obama’s legacy, as it is clearly the main drag on the recovery. The administration has introduced a patchwork of proposals to shore up the sector but has tended to sideline anything politically risky. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Monetary Policy: The Obama administration has repeatedly declined to designate China a currency manipulator, which could open the door to trade sanctions. Instead, the president simply urged China to play by global trade rules. ((AP Photo/ Haraz N. Ghanbari))

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