321,000 Jobs — But What About Benghazi?

“By any standard,” Mitch McConnell told the nation this summer, in prepared remarks, “Barack Obama has been a disaster for our country.”

That is as preposterously false as was then-candidate George W. Bush’s multi-trillion-dollar lie that “by far the vast majority” of his proposed tax cuts would go to people “at the bottom of the economic ladder.”

(Remember how outraged Republicans were over the $30,000 Whitewater investment the they found questionable? How does that compare with a clear-cut multi-trillion dollar lie?)

Somehow we find ourselves in a world where enormous lies in service of the phenomenally wealthy require no retraction.

But just for the record, 321,000 net new private sector jobs were added last month — the 57th consecutive month of private job creation, the longest streak of private-sector job growth on record.  (Monthly job growth during the eight Bush years averaged 58,000.)

Job growth, it seems to me, is “a standard” by which presidents might be judged.

Others:  Gasoline prices — lower than they’ve been in years.  The stock market — near triple its Bush-inherited low.  The deficit — cut by two-thirds from its Bush-inherited high.  The housing market — stabilized.  Detroit — thriving.  Bin Laden — dead.  China — cooperating on climate change.  Health care inflation — lowest in 50 years.  Health care security — highest ever, as no one need now worry about developing a “pre-existing condition.”

And then there are other little things:  Spectacular progress for millions of LGBT Americans and the tens of millions of friends and relatives who wish them well.  Over-the-counter availability of Plan B, to reduce unwanted pregnancies and abortions.  Tripled female representation on the Supreme Court.  A better deal for those taking student loans.  The Credit Card Bill of Rights.  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.  A $10.10 minimum wage for the employees of federal contractors.  A deal with Swiss banks to cooperate in giving up tax evaders.  And — oh, yeah — regaining the respect of leaders around the globe.  And health care coverage for 10 million people who lacked it a year ago.  And more.

Meanwhile . . .

Major Republican accomplishments these same six years include:

> Blocking the American Jobs Act that would have boosted the economy revitalizing our crumbling infrastructure;

> Blocking an increase in the federal minimum wage (that would have cut the demand for food stamps and other government “hand-outs” and, economists say, boosted the economy for everyone);

> Blocking the Senate passed (68-32) bi-partisan comprehensive immigration bill economists agree would also have boosted the economy;

> Blocking the universal background checks that even 74% of NRA members favor;

> Shutting down the government (and perhaps again at the end of this week!) over refusal to pay the bills they themselves racked up;

> Misleading a growing number of Americans to think the scientists have it wrong on climate change; and, of course . . .

> Completing 7 investigations into the deaths of 4 brave Americans killed at Benghazi.  Most recently:

WASHINGTON (AP) — A two-year investigation by the Republican-controlled House Intelligence Committee has found that the CIA and the military acted properly in responding to the 2012 attack on a U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, and asserted no wrongdoing by Obama administration appointees  . . .  no intelligence failure, no delay in sending a CIA rescue team, no missed opportunity for a military rescue . . . [and that neither Susan] Rice or any other government official acted in bad faith or intentionally misled the American people. . . .