Obama whips out his Hatchet...heeeeeeyaaaaw!
 

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/vid...ng_freeze.html

I actually like this idea but apparently even Obama's own principles are for sale when he needs to cover his ass.........promises, promises.

It's a desperation move to look decisive and probably a bad idea in our current economy. There certainly is no intellectual consistency in having pushed the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and then freezing spending before the bulk of the stimulus money has even been spent. Politics as usual.

Particularly when it's going to save around 15 bil. And even that laughable amount has the left sites in an uproar.

This goes on the list :D

Pete

The question I wonder is if America will buy what he is selling? Will he be able to turn this around or will Americans see his actions for what they really are, desperate attempts to save his party from his own self inflicted wounds?
I am not sure if this will pass the smell test because from what I hear in my area from both Left and Right is he isnt fooling anyone and infact some are more angry or insulted that Obama thinks people are too stupid to see what he is doing.

It's all about changing the narrative. Obama gets decisive, "fights" for the people, and takes on a profligate congress with one hand while fighting Wall Street with the other. :confused:

I don't want a President or Congresscritter who is gonna "Fight" for me...I just want 'em to do what they were elected to do...Why is there this notion that we have to "Fight" w/our gov't to get it to do what its supposed to do in the 1st place ?

Politics trump conviction. Go figure.

RC

Amazing lack of response to this post. Hmmm.:confused:

Higher taxes and healthcare reform is not working out so well. Gun control?
nah, that bit em ass once before. He's grasping for air, not sure what their
platform will be next neither does he. Give him a break, he's never even ran
a hot dog stand much less the whole friggin world he thinks is his.

I'm guessing you mean a shortage of folks coming to Obama's defense. I guess I'm going to disappoint you. He has flip-flopped on this. I think he's wrong. Right during the campaign and wrong now.

The stimulus is showing signs of working. Were it not for the stimuli under both Bush and Obama we'd be in a full blown depression now instead of a weak recovery. The two Nobel economists we have here, Joseph Stiglitz and Paul Krugman, think so and think more Federal spending is necessary to maintain and strengthen the recovery, especially in the area of job creation.

John

Dammit, what the hell are we gonna talk about if your going to agree with us.:D

Not that I think you're a mind-reader, but what do you think is his motivation here?:confused:

I like broccoli?

John

I wish to hell I knew, Pat. I don't know what to make of this guy any more.

John

Pretty much what I predicted - said it here somewhere. After the American suicide attempt in Massachusetts he came out and said "won't change a thing- full speed ahead" and then move quickly to look like he is all about the economy. I'm no economist, but this seems like a bad move, but probably a popular one. I'd guess they had good polling on it before they did it.

It reads as a capitulation to the Teabaggers. I hope that's not what it actually is.

John

Not just them I think. People want to see something done on the economy. This is one of those things that a politician does because they can. Much easier than actually solving a problem. Like signing "tough" laws putting a kid smoking pot in jail for 50 years. "Look at me! I'm tough on crime!"

I know but addressing the economy was the first thing he did when he took office and it was successful in a limited way. What he accomplished primarily was to keep things from getting worse.

I guess people don't see that as an achievement because things aren't better for the average person. Not being worse doesn't mean anything to them at a visceral level because they didn't experience "the worse".

Of course, there are the Republicans screaming that the real solution is to stop spending and dole out more tax cuts to the wealthy so they can hire more peons. Trickle down.

John

You've got it in a nut shell. This isn't about actual reality, this is about mediated reality. This is about Republicans and apparently voters saying "you didn't do enough" and Obama saying, okay, how 'bout this? Has little or nothing to do with making anything better. This is where they say "we're the good guys, remember, but if we can't get elected we can't do any good! So we'll do this llliiiiitle bit of bad..." and it all goes to shit.

Well, now even Ben Stein has come out to say that stimulus spending is the way to go and rolling back the Bush tax cuts is the way to fund it. It's a good sign that even an arch-conservative like Stein starts talking economic sense.

In addition to being an actor and game show host, Stein is a Yale educated lawyer who was an honors graduate in economics at Columbia. He worked in both the Nixon and Ford Administrations. Funnily enough, he graduated from high school with Carl Bernstein, leading some people to wonder whether he was "Deep Throat".

John

Playin' it by ear? Learning as he goes? Sure is agravating as hell, but something good might come of it, I guess?:confused:

Kind of reminds me of some of the mechanics I work with. They don't do any real troubleshooting. What they do is....Try this....Naw, that didn't work. Try that....Oh, shit! Whew! THAT was close!
Okay, so turn that screw. What's it do? Hell if I know....whoops! What the hell? Put it back. Now try that.......BANG! SHIT! OH MAN THAT HURT! Okay just ummmm, squirt some oil on it and see if that works...................:mad::mad::mad:

Dave

It's okay, but I'd rather have asparagus anyday..............

Dave

There you go examining the psychology behind peoples actions. I do this to people all of the time, and they hate me for it.
"So, why are you so upset about taxes? Did the bullies beat you up and take your lunch money in grade school? Did they humiliate you in front of class by calling you "bitch boy" or "girly man"? Does this explain your rabid homophobia?"

Seriously, though John. You may be onto something here.

Dave

Screw trickle down I am tired of being pissed on.

Not sure where you live but neither stimulus did shit and we are on the brink of a depression.

Sorry but I am tired of the news telling us how much better things have gotten. Bullshit the only ones its gotten better for is wallstreet and they can kiss my ass.

Even that is up for debate Dave. In the last week we've lost ground on our retirement savings. Still up from last April by over 33% but I'm not holding my breath for more.

I agree on the stimulus though, it hasn't made anything better around here. Then again I'm one of those guys that needs immediate gratification and have very short sight of the real world.

I don't entirely agree. But that does seem to be the feeling among many folks. They figured a year was enough to fix it and it clearly hasn't been fixed.

More like 3-5 years is my best guess but unlike those who say new, better biz will replace those that were lost, im again calling BS.

Really, Ed?

You don't think if NOTHING had been done we would all be in fat city by now, creating 50 million tax free income jobs a day, and living like Kings?

Or are you one of those crazies who thinks "letting it fail" would have been just that, an utter failure?

Dave

Ever read, "Who moved my Cheese"? That silly corporate propaganda rag all of the large corporate employers are handing out? That's exactly what they're telling people, Dave. It has some good points but...............

Dave

California, like it says on all my posts. Things are bad here but not as bad as where you are.

Things are better, as opposed to good. More importantly, things aren't worse which they certainly would be if Obama hadn't taken the steps he did. You didn't really expect Obama could undo 8 years of Bush in only 1 year, did you?

John

Never heard of it but. Just going by what my gut tells me. And my gut tells me states like Michigan will never regain even a small portion of the jobs that were lost.

Nope I did not expect a quick change. Were talking politics here :)

What I did hope for was for the change that he campaigned on. The only thing were getting is the bill.

Nope, not for a very long time at least. And not the same kind of jobs, certainly nothing that provides the strong wages the auto and steel industry once did, Dave.

Dave

P.s., I created a new thread dedicated to this book. Under "economy".

For those criticizing Obama for what he's done on the economy since the election (and I have slung some of this criticism;)), put on your "hypothetical thinking cap" and project what you think would have occurred if McCain/Palin had won. Don't forget while offering you conjecture that McCain dismissed the notion that the economy was even in trouble as things were imploding around him.

I, for one, think he would have been forced to do virtually the exact same thing in terms of the stimulus package. I think he would now be sucking up to the banks instead of picking a fight FWIW. I don't think the country would be any further along toward recovery under his stewardship, however. For the right-leaning folks here, if you believe we would be further along, be specific as to why you believe this to be true.

I don't like to dwell too much on what ifs. Pretty sure we were hosed either.

Had McCain and Palin won we would be strapped with the combined lowest IQ"s
to ever be elected pres and vp.

Stupid folks make stupid judgments.
That is just a simple fact.
We would be in a world of hurt if grandpa and dim bulb were elected.
I really have to wonder what is wrong with a party that would even offer them up.

You guys have to reinvent yourselves. Think outside the box. Light some bridges, slap some boards painted with drapes on them over the busted out windows. Hand out clean needles on the street corners. Have your entire government arrested. You know, get the money folks moving back in :D

I'd think it'd be kinda hard to pick a fight when you're grabbing your ankles. Oh wait, you're talking McCain. :)

Pete