President Barack Obama on Wednesday lauded the stimulus law, which hits its one-year mark, as a strong feat that prevented another severe economic depression and created or retained jobs for two million people.

But, with unemployment still very high, many are not feeling the effects of the recovery plan. This Obama noted, saying “It doesn’t yet feel like much of a recovery.”

To make matters worse, anti-incumbent sentiments seem to be the order of the day, and beginning with the loss of the Senate seat vacated by the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, Democrats are facing immense political pressure. A leading Senate Democratic moderate, Indiana’s Evan Bayh, earlier this week became one more of several lawmakers who said they will be leaving congress. This, coupled with the seeming stalemate between Democrats and Republicans in Washington, is fueling the public’s ire.

These events seem to play right into the hands of Republicans who are hoping for a Senate take over, since a third of the 100-member Senate seats are up for grabs come November.

Democrats, while they have a 59-41 Senate majority, no longer have the filibuster-proof majority, which many analysts believe they squandered, especially on the issue of healthcare reform.

But Obama’s message, as he marked the anniversary of the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), targeted the skeptics, who are concerned with the cost of the relief and Republican lawmakers who, despite voting against it and attacking him for it, are posing in photos at ribbon cuttings for projects it created.

The president reiterated to the public that the stimulus was a combination of tax cuts for most Americans, investments in education, energy and infrastructure, help for state governments and extended social service benefits.

“One year later, it is largely thanks to the recovery act that a second depression is no longer a possibility.” Obama said.

Despite relentless criticisms, Obama said he and his administration will “continue to do everything in our power to turn this economy around.” However, he added that the recovery act was not intended to save every job, or bring the economy back to its highest point. He said that is the job of businesses which are “the true engines of growth” while clarifying that the government’s job during a recession is to “provide a temporary boost” which the recovery act has done so far.

As the president touted the results of the stimulus, the jobs created and the various projects, he acknowledged that “Our work is far from over, but we have rescued the economy from the worst of this crisis. But said, “We will leave our children an economy that is stronger and more prosperous than it was before.”