Obama is coming to our county on Monday for a town hall meeting on the economy.  I don't know what good it will do but I hope some.  Things are getting really, really hard on people around here.  Our unemployment was at 15.3% at the end of Dec. and is higher now.

I imagine there might be a few folks who'd like to ask him a question or two. Wonder what kind of screening the questioners will have to go through....

Brew wrote on Feb 6^th, 2009 at 7:28pm:

I imagine there might be a few folks who'd like to ask him a question or two. Wonder what kind of screening the questioners will have to go through....

Did you work on the Obama Campaign?

yes... you're in

LMAO. That was more tactfully put than my post was going to be. Well done.

Mike

Ask him if he agrees with Reagan's words in 1964,

Quote:

"The Founding Fathers knew a government can't control the economy without controlling people. And they knew when a government sets out to do that, it must use force and coercion to achieve its purpose. So we have come to a time for choosing..."

Jackie,

Did you ask him why the big rush on approving almost a trillion dollars of pork when most of it won't get spent for 12-24 months? And how, exactly, this spending is supposed to stimulate the economy and create jobs?

I ain't sayin', I'm just sayin'....

Quote:

It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.

Quote:

When we got into office, the thing that surprised me the most was that things were as bad as we'd been saying they were.

Two of my favorite Democrats

Charlie

I didn't go to the meeting.  I didn't have the time to spend hours in line to get a ticket.  I'm one of the lucky ones in this county who still has a job and I'm working hard to keep my employees jobs for them too.

I'm not going to get in a political discussion or debate.  All I will say on it is this......There were 1,500 very depressed (economically and mentally) people in the meeting today who did come away with at least a bit of hope.  It all may lead to nothing but they did have a few hours feeling they were worth the effort.

I did watch it on my computer and President Obama did a good job answering the questions.  Questions that were from the people and not staged.  

One more thing.....I was not for Obama and did not support him in the election or vote for him.  However, he was elected by the people.  As an American that makes him my president now.   I will respect him and do my best to support him.  He's hope for a lot of people.  God help him.

OK, you political debaters.....Ripe it up    ::)

I thought he did a good job of answering the questions posed to him and in the news conference later on. I really think the guy is trying.

Heck, my Senator from Texas, after shooting his mouth off for the last few weeks didn't even show up to vote.... guess he got my memo :) - the coward! Homeland Security might me at my door with some of the stuff I've been writing him lately...

Hugs BD

In regards to the press conference last night, I'm not sure we were watching the same thing. It was a tightly controlled affair with only approved reporters getting selected to ask questions. Obama read from a list, who was to be called on next. He didn’t call one person that wasn’t on the list.

I have not seen one press conference like this in the 30 years since I registered to vote. Presidents generally provide a short statement, then accept questions. When they accept questions, they look for a reporter with his/her hand raised, and they call on them.

This didn’t take place last night. Obama read names, then asked where the reporter was. Then he would ramble on for up to 7 or 8 minutes with an answer that sounded more like a ten year old’s description of why he didn’t do his homework.

He's still doing what he does best.  Campaigning.

At least I have the LOTTO to look forward to.  Hope is in the air.

Stating and defending your beliefs is doing the people's business IF you agree with Obamer.  If you disagree, you're practicing politics as usual.

Regardless of your politics or the relevancy of his statements, the guy is smooth....so smooth. He could sell tea to the Chinese.  8-)

Charlie

Charlie wrote on Feb 10^th, 2009 at 8:34am:

Regardless of your politics or the relevancy of his statements, the guy is smooth....so smooth. He could sell tea to the Chinese.  8-) Charlie

I hear what you're saying, Charlie, but I just don't recall ever thinking to myself that smoothness was a positive leadership quality.

People just need to open their eyes.

Last week he professed that the People had spoken in November and therefore we should blindly do whatever he wants.  However, up until that vote he preached "no pork".  In the 3rd debate he said the pork has got to go.  What happened to what the people voted for?

Republicans voted en mass for George Bush's socialist plan. It was okay then.

Charlie

Charlie wrote on Feb 10^th, 2009 at 11:00am:

Republicans voted en mass for George Bush's socialist plan. It was okay then. Charlie

Exactly. It was okay with that group of Republicans. Nobody ever called them Conservatives.

Well, sorry to disagree with some of you but I'm thinking he's making some sense. The American public voted for "change" in November, but apparently some in DC (both sides) forgot to listen.

When Congress (all of them) quit acting like a bunch of spoiled kids and start acting like grown ups, then we might get something done that's good for "our" country. But as long as we keep disagreeing along "party" lines - it ain't gonna solve a damn thing.

the facts are we've got the whole world pissed off at us, our economy is in shambles, too many people are out of work, our medical system is being run by insurance companies and DC is being run by lobbists. And we're all sitting around playing "who's got the biggest one".

I've always heard the fastest way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. Our new president has only been in office a few weeks. I'm all for giving him a little bit of a chance to do something - one thing at a time.

But then I like to see the glass half FULL...

Hugs BD

Isn't this the TARP 1 vote

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I don't see a Republican en-mass vote for the bill.

BarbaraD wrote on Feb 10^th, 2009 at 11:49am:

Well, sorry to disagree with some of you but I'm thinking he's making some sense. The American public voted for "change" in November, but apparently some in DC (both sides) forgot to listen. When Congress (all of them) quit acting like a bunch of spoiled kids and start acting like grown ups, then we might get something done that's good for "our" country. But as long as we keep disagreeing along "party" lines - it ain't gonna solve a damn thing. the facts are we've got the whole world pissed off at us, our economy is in shambles, too many people are out of work, our medical system is being run by insurance companies and DC is being run by lobbists. And we're all sitting around playing "who's got the biggest one". I've always heard the fastest way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. Our new president has only been in office a few weeks. I'm all for giving him a little bit of a chance to do something - one thing at a time. But then I like to see the glass half FULL... Hugs BD

All this plus $1.50 will get you a cup of coffee, but you better have the $1.50.

When you're a turd sitting in calm toilet, and someone comes along and flushes you down, you experience radical change. But it all falls under the umbrella of sewage.

This country is being taken on a ride down the waste pipe faster than ever before. I blame both parties, and there is not a damned thing any of us can do about it - until the next election. Even then, our choices will be limited to liberals with a (D) behind their names and liberals with an (R) behind their names. If you view that as the glass being half full, more power to you.

   If they don't vote for this spending package, were all going to die. That's what I heard. What I didn't hear was a reporter asking why most of these jobs that this is going to create are not going to happen for a couple of years. He is smooth, but it still sounded like a staged condescending, propaganda show.

Mike

M.R. wrote on Feb 10^th, 2009 at 12:37pm:

If they don't vote for this spending package, were all going to die. That's what I heard. What I didn't hear was a reporter asking why most of these jobs that this is going to create are not going to happen for a couple of years. He is smooth, but it still sounded like a staged condescending, propaganda show. Mike

40% of the dollar amount is tax cuts, which will start soon after the bill passes.  Some of the spending is in projects that will take time to set up, but others are shovel ready.  So in my estimate, most (more than half) of the spending will start to be felt pretty early.  

BarbaraD wrote on Feb 10^th, 2009 at 11:49am:

I'm all for giving him a little bit of a chance to do something - one thing at a time. But then I like to see the glass half FULL...

Yes, he's been in office for three weeks. If we keep giving him this many chances, I guarantee you won't recognize this country by the time the 2010 elections are here.

A somewhat lengthy article written by Randall Hoven at The American Thinker website today:

February 10, 2009

Change: The First Three Weeks

By Randall Hoven

Far be it from me to criticize Barack Obama before he's even had a chance to rule.  Well, he's had almost three weeks in office as I write, and some patterns are beginning to emerge.  Here is a list of accomplishments 20 days into President Obama's first term.

Prior to taking office.

Bill Richardson withdrew his nomination for Secretary of Commerce "under pressure of a federal investigation into how his political donors landed a lucrative transportation contract."  
In December, President-elect Obama introduced a $775B stimulus plan, which  enjoyed a 79% approval rating in the polls at the time .
By January 12, the cost of the stimulus was up to $850B and "43% of people surveyed called it a ‘good idea,' while 27% said it is a ‘bad idea.' The rest didn't have an opinion," according to the Wall Street Journal .

January 21.  Day One in office, or "Clean Government Day."

Obama issued an Executive Order on "Ethics Commitments by Executive Branch Personnel," which requires Obama's appointees to sign a statement saying they won't violate existing laws on things like gifts from lobbyists.  That is, if you work for Obama, you are expected to obey the law.  It's a new era.

Obama issued an Executive Order on "Presidential Records," which makes it easier to obtain former Presidents' documents over objections on grounds of executive privilege.  It specifically revokes George W. Bush's Executive Order 13233.  If you had been planning to take Bush to court, your job just got a little easier.

Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum on "Pay Freeze," which says, "I intend to freeze the salaries of senior members of the White House staff", and directs the Assistant to the President and the Chief of Staff to get back to him on that in 30 days.  The 30 days aren't up yet, so the freeze level is unknown at this time.

Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum on the "Freedom of Information Act," which, from what I can tell, does nothing new except direct the Attorney General to issue guidelines "reaffirming the commitment to accountability and transparency."  So existing policy is reaffirmed.

January 22, "Be Nice To Terrorists Day."

Obama issued an Executive Order on "Ensuring Lawful Interrogations," which defines "outrages upon personal dignity (including humiliating and degrading treatment)" as "torture" or the equivalent of torture, and not allowed by any agency of the US government, at least upon persons in custody.  (If you are not in custody, it is still OK for the government to humiliate you.)  This order also says all interrogations must be in accordance with the Army Field Manual - unless, of course, "the Attorney General with appropriate consultation provides further guidance."  I believe waterboarding used to require a go-ahead from the President or Vice President; now Eric Holder is good enough.

Obama issued an Executive Order on "Closure of Guantanamo Detention Facilities," which says Gitmo "shall be closed as soon as practicable, and no later than 1 year from the date of this order."  It also orders a halt in all military commissions there, while the Gitmo situation gets reviewed.

Obama issued an Executive Order on "Review of Detention Policy Options," which  establishes a task force to study what to do with "individuals captured or apprehended in connection with armed conflicts and counterterrorism operations."

Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum on the "Review of the Detention of Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri," who is being held as an enemy combatant in the Navy brig in Charleston, South Carolina.  He is the only enemy combatant known to be held in the continental US.  He is a citizen of Qatar, but was arrested in Peoria, Illinois, because, according to the New York Times , "government officials contended that he was an al-Qaeda sleeper agent, sent to the US to commit mass murder and disrupt the banking system."  This presidential memorandum says his case should be reviewed, just like all the Gitmo cases.  Apparently, the problem is not whether enemy combatants are held in Gitmo or somewhere else; the problem, apparently, is holding those who intend to commit mass murder at all.

January 23, "Be Nice To Abortionists Day."

Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum on "Mexico City Policy and Assistance for Voluntary Population Planning."  The Mexico City Policy was enacted by President Reagan, rescinded by President Clinton and reinstated by President Bush.  Now President Obama is rescinding it again.  The policy prohibits nongovernmental organizations from using federal funds "to pay for the performance of abortions ... or to motivate or coerce any person to practice abortions."  So rescinding that policy allows US government funds to pay for abortions or to coerce people to have or provide them.


January 26, "Help the US Automobile Industry Go Broke Quicker Day."

Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum on the "State of California Request for Waiver Under the Clean Air Act."  This memorandum orders the EPA to review the decision denying California a waiver to enforce stricter auto emissions standards.  If the waiver is granted, California will become the defacto arbiter of auto emissions standards in the US.  So in a case of obvious interstate commerce with enormous national economic impact, President Obama rediscovers the value of states' rights.

Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum on "The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007."  This memorandum directs the Secretary of Transportation and the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to do their jobs.  Federal law requires that the NHTSA publish a final rule on fuel standards for model year 2011 vehicles by March 30, 2009.  This memorandum says the NHTSA must comply with that federal law.

January 27, "Be Nice to Terrorist Lovers and Tax Cheats Day."

Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum on "Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related to Gaza."  This memorandum directs that up to $20.3 million be used for "humanitarian needs of Palestinian refugees and conflict victims in Gaza."  In a totally unrelated story one week later, "Armed police officials with the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza seized United Nations refugee supplies at gunpoint."  

Timothy Geithner was confirmed as Secretary of the Treasury.  Geithner suffered a short-lived controversy for failure to fully pay taxes.  He paid $34,000 in back taxes.  After admitting to "careless mistakes" in doing his own taxes, he is now in charge of tax collection for the government of the United States.

January 28, "Bipartisan Schmipartisan Day."

Obama's stimulus package passed the House with a vote of 244-188.  That version of the plan was $819B.  All 288 yea votes were from Democrats.  The opposition was bipartisan: all 177 Republicans and 11 Democrats.

January 29, "No Statute of Limitations on Anything Day."

Obama signed into law the "Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act," making it easier to file equal-pay lawsuits.  Before, such a lawsuit had to be filed within 180 days of the date the pay was agreed upon.  Now the limit is within 180 days of the most recent paycheck.  So trial lawyers can now search for pay discrimination decades into the past.

"A day after President Obama struck a conciliatory tone toward Iran, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad urged Washington on Wednesday to apologize for its actions toward his country for the past 60 years."  Iran has also given the preconditions necessary before talking with Obama: send all US military forces back to the US.

January 30, "Payback the Unions and Keep Joe Busy Day."

Obama issued an Executive Order on "Notification of Employee Rights Under Federal Labor Laws", which revokes George W. Bush's Executive Order 13201, which forced employers to notify employees of their rights.  However, government contractors will be forced to "post a notice, of such size and in such form, and containing such content as the Secretary of Labor shall prescribe, in conspicuous places in and about its plants and offices."  So the notices will no longer contain what President Bush wanted them to contain (e.g., their rights under the law), but what the new Secretary of Labor wants them to contain.

Obama issued an Executive Order on "Economy in Government Contracting", which says government contractors will no longer be reimbursed for "any activities undertaken to persuade employees to exercise or not to exercise" the right to organize and bargain collectively.

Obama issued an Executive Order on "Nondisplacement of Qualified Workers Under Service Contracts", which says a government contractor can't just hire who he wants, but must first try to hire the same people who worked for the previous contactor - the contractor who likely lost a competitive bid to the new contractor.
Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum on "White House Task Force on Middle-Class Working Families."  This puts Joe Biden in charge of a task force to "focus on raising the living standards of middle-class working families."  The task force must provide annual reports on its findings and recommendations.

February 3, "Being President is Hard Day."

Tom Daschle withdrew as Secretary of Health and Human Services due to controversy involving failure to fully pay his taxes from 2005 to 2007.  He ultimately paid $128,000 in back taxes plus $11,964 in interest.  He was also criticized for his lobbying ties to the health industry, after having made over $5 million in the last few years.

Nancy Killefer withdrew as deputy director at the Office of Management and Budget and the first "performance officer" in the White House due to tax problems, including failure to pay unemployment compensation on household help.

According to the Financial Times, "India has warned US President Barack Obama that he risks ‘barking up the wrong tree' if he seeks to broker a settlement between Pakistan and India over the disputed territory of Kashmir... the new US administration was in danger of dredging up out of date Clinton administration-era strategies... The warning comes as Richard Holbrooke, Mr Obama's special envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan, prepares to come to the region for the first time."

Support for Obama's stimulus package, now flirting with a $900B price tag, fell to 37%, according to Rasmussen.

Iran denied visas to the US Women's Badminton Team, sent by the US in hopes of easing tensions between the two countries.  

Iran launched its first satellite into space.  According to Voice of America , "to leaders and analysts in the west, the satellite launch represents a forward step in Iran's apparent quest to be both nuclear capable and able to deliver a warhead on target."

February 4, "More Socialized Medicine Day."

Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum on "State Children's Health Insurance Program."  This memorandum withdraws previous limits on the flexibility of states to set income eligibility standards for SCHIP.

February 5, "Community Organizing, Low-Flow Coffee-Makers and Trade-War Day."

Obama issued an Executive Order on "Amendments to Executive Order 13199 and Establishment of the President's Advisory Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships."  For some reason, the phrase "community initiatives" will be replaced with "neighborhood partnerships " throughout all language on the initiative.  Whatever "neighborhood partnerships" are, they have equal footing with faith-based ones.  In other words, the local Planned Parenthood or ACORN center will be treated like a house of God, in the eyes of the federal government.  So the "Faith-Based Initiative" is pretty much the same, except it's no longer faith based.

Obama issued an Executive Order on "Amendments to Executive Order 13199 and Establishment of the President's Advisory Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships."  For some reason, the phrase "community initiatives" will be replaced with "neighborhood partnerships" throughout all language on the initiative.  Whatever "neighborhood partnerships" are, they have equal footing with faith-based ones.  In other words, the local Planned Parenthood or ACORN center will be treated like a house of God, in the eyes of the federal government.

Obama issued a Presidential memorandum on "Appliance Efficiency Standards."  This memorandum directs the Secretary of Energy to do his or her job.  The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975, and a later court decree, require the DOE to issue efficiency standards for appliances by certain dates.  This memorandum says DOE should comply with the Act of 1975 and the later court decree.

According to Time, "Europe's euphoria over Barack Obama is fading fast. As Congress wrangles over the President's $819 billion stimulus package, a ‘buy American' clause has the European Union threatening legal action and retaliatory sanctions and opening up the prospect of an explosive trade war."

February 6.  "Be Even Nicer to Unions and Terrorists Day."

Obama issued an Executive Order on "Use of Project Labor Agreements for Federal Construction Projects", which revokes President Bush's Executive Orders 13202 and 13208.  This new order encourages federal executives to require government contractors and subcontractors to use union-organized labor.

Pakistan released Abdul Qadeer Khan from custody.  Khan was the father of Pakistan's bomb and also provided plans for nuclear weapons to Iran, Libya and North Korea.  He is considered a major nuclear proliferation threat.

In response to President Obama's Executive Order of January 22, charges were dropped against Gitmo detainee Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, an al-Qaida suspect in the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000, which killed 17 US sailors.

February 8.  "Moderate Republicans, Not So Moderate Jihadis Day."

The AP reports that the stimulus package is still in some trouble in the Senate.  The Senate version costs $827B, or just $8B more than the House version, after having been pared back from $900B, supposedly, due to the influence of a handful of Republican moderates.  That is, in the House, zero Republicans supported the stimulus, and its cost was $819B.  But in the Senate, due to support from a handful of Republican moderates, the cost will only be $827B.  That is how Republican moderates compromise.

Yemen released 170 al-Qaida suspects.  That's almost enough for nine 9/11s, by my arithmetic.  Maybe eight 9/11s and one London train bombing.

February 9.  Day 20, or  "Fear, Not Hope Day."

President Obama travelled to Indiana to rally grass-roots support for the stimulus package.  He said if it's not passed, and passed immediately, the crisis will be so deep that "we may be unable to reverse" it.  "We can't afford to wait.  We can't wait to see and hope for the best."  Re-read that last quote: President Obama said we can't hope - literally.  Other Democrats, in an effort to calm our fears, have called our situation "dark, darker, darkest," "in mortal danger of absolute collapse," and "Armageddon."

The AP reports that the stimulus package is still in some trouble in the Senate.  The Senate version costs $827B, or just $8B more than the House version, after having been pared back from $900B, supposedly, due to the influence of a handful of Republican moderates.  That is, in the House, zero Republicans supported the stimulus, and its cost was $819B.  But in the Senate, due to support from a handful of Republican moderates, the cost will only be $827B.  That is how Republican moderates compromise.

Yemen released 170 al-Qaida suspects .

I should also report on the progress of the Democratic Congress.  Here is what the House did already in 2009:

Established January 2009 as "National Stalking Awareness Month."
Supported the ideals of "National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week."

Established a redress process for individuals, such as suspected terrorists, wrongly delayed or prohibited from boarding a flight.
Reauthorized SCHIP.

Delayed digital TV.

Encouraged states to report to the feds information regarding people who die in the custody of state law enforcement agencies.

President Obama also said many words in these first 20 days: press conferences, speeches and op-ed pieces, but I left these out of the above list in order to concentrate on actions rather than words.  (To my knowledge, Obama did not complete another autobiography in the last three weeks.)

I probably missed a few things, but I think you get the drift.  Undo whatever Bush did.  Expect appointees to obey the law, with a mulligan given for first-time offenses less than $128,000.  Pay back Democratic special interests like unions, trial lawyers and Planned Parenthood.  Define "bipartisanship" as inviting Republicans to lunch and telling them, "I won."  Spend really, really huge amounts of other people's money.  Make terrorism a law enforcement issue instead of a national defense issue.  And watch terrorists and nuclear proliferators be released, from Pakistan to Yemen to Gitmo.

President Obama has lived up to my expectations.

I believe these first 20 days could best be summarized in the immortal words of Mark Steyn, who said, "We have nothing to hope for but hope itself."

(The dates given might not be exact, but close enough.  The source for Executive Orders and Presidential Memoranda was the White House.)

Brew, that article is so biased and distorted that it deserves no credence. A few examples:

CA emissions: So exactly how does allowing California the ability to tighten emissions standards pose a specific threat to the US auto industry? If all companies that sell cars in California are held to them, there is no competitive loss or gain for any company. Don't you think America can compete??

Also, not clear how to tar Obama with the fact that Pakistan 'released' AQ Khan - in reality, they changed his 'house arrest' to 'supervision' ... and from all accounts, the house arrest that Pakistan put him under during the previous administration was pretty loose.  But I guess that the need to invoke terrorism and communism outweighs any need to respect facts or truth ....

monty wrote on Feb 10^th, 2009 at 1:17pm:

Brew, that article is so biased and distorted that it deserves no credence. A few examples: CA emissions: So exactly how does allowing California the ability to tighten emissions standards pose a specific threat to the US auto industry? If all companies that sell cars in California are held to them, there is no competitive loss or gain for any company. Don't you think America can compete?? Also, not clear how to tar Obama with the fact that Pakistan 'released' AQ Khan - in reality, they changed his 'house arrest' to 'supervision' ... and from all accounts, the house arrest that Pakistan put him under during the previous administration was pretty loose.  But I guess that the need to invoke terrorism and communism outweighs any need to respect facts or truth ....

That's the beauty of quoting someone else's op/ed piece. I can agree with it without having written it.

I merely posted it to show how busy he's actually been.

Brew wrote on Feb 10^th, 2009 at 1:33pm:

[quote author=3230312B265F0 link=1233966239/23#23 date=1234289859] That's the beauty of quoting someone else's op/ed piece. I can agree with it without having written it. I merely posted it to show how busy he's actually been.

Oh, I thought an inaccurate description wouldn't properly show what he has been doing ... silly me.   ;)

Barb posted something akin to "he's only been in office for 3 weeks, give him a chance," or something like that. I merely posted the op-ed piece to show that he's been very busy. And for someone with my views, not for the good. We obviously disagree, so I'll expect that his supporters will take some of the responsibility when it gets worse.

In my not-worth-a-plug-nickle opinion...

Obama inherited a truely awful state of our Union.  It was going down fast long before he took office.  The turds in the toilet bowl of our economic crisis were and still are swirling the bowl.  The big flush hasn't finished yet from the old administration.  

Of course things are going to get worse before they get better.  That was foretold by leading economists 6 months ago at least if not much longer.

I'm no fan of alot of things that have been going on for many many years now.  I didn't vote for Obama either.  But I feel it's premature to blame his administration for things getting worse in the short term here.  He didn't cause it.  And no matter if he had 100% approval rate for what his plans are, they take time to impliment.

Oh look, there's a cliff up ahead... STEP ON THE GAS!

That's why we're alarmed.

If we've already passed that cliff, might give some concerns of a parachute.


seems we've accelerated past half a million jobs per month for a time.

My take on some of these posts is that it sounds like some of you are hoping....praying, that whatever Washington comes up, with will fail.

Charlie

Charlie,
You sure have a way of saying allot without saying much.

Quote:

My take on some of these posts is that it sounds like some of you are hoping....praying, that whatever Washington comes up, with will fail.

No, I hope he doesn't fail. I hope he comes through with some good ideas. Times are rough now, though him preaching the vote for this or die thing doesn't help. He can give a good speach, I'll give you that.

I put this more to the likes of shooting yourself in the right foot to make the pain in the left foot go away. Two wrongs don't make a right kind of thing. Given some time, I might even thing he's not bad, just wrong..... ;)

Mike

I am hoping and praying that Obama, Pelosi, Ried, and all of them FAIL at shredding our constitution.

Our constitution authorizes a LIMITED government, NOT an unlimited, omnipotent nanny state.  This country was formed on the principles of personal responsibility, NOT cradle-to-grave government.  We are a Republic of States.  The federal government is quickly usurping every power they can in the name of saving us, when in fact it is they who have ruined us.

There's a reason we have the right to bear arms, and I'm afraid that we'll soon be put in a position of exercising that right to defend ourselves against a Marxist regime.  Very afraid.

God, I am glad I own guns.

Does anyone here know how close we came to a complete collapse of the world economy in September?  There was a draw down of money market funds in the space of 1.5 hours that was over $550 Billion dollars.  The government tried like hell to stem the flow by pumping $150 B into the markets before they realized they didn't have the liquidity to sustain it.  They predicted that if left unchecked, they would have seen a drawdown of $5 TRILLION dollars or more and within 24 hours the entire world economy would have collapsed.  eventually, they *closed* the markets and offered a $250K gaurantee on all accounts.  This temporary fix has gotten us this far, but the fundemental problems still exist.

The fact is, the economy is teetering on the edge of disaster, and the government is spending TRILLIONS on a liberal wet-dream instead of addressing the problem at all.  Almost nothing in this bill is helpful.

I hope you all know how to grow your own food and hunt.  You better start learning.

How's THAT for alarmist?  When the depression is in full swing, do you think anybody will give a rat's ass if you are democrat or republican?  It doesn't matter anymore, really.

Not much point in arguing when talk of Marxism and communism pops up. There is no place to land.

Charlie

Charlie wrote on Feb 10^th, 2009 at 8:34am:

Regardless of your politics or the relevancy of his statements, the guy is smooth....so smooth. He could sell tea to the Chinese.  8-) Charlie

Smoothness isn't leadership.  After all Ex-Lax gives you smoothness but what comes out is still $hit.  Obama may give well oratory presentations but I find he doesn't have a firm grasp of what is needed.



Reagan's budgets to this day are still talked about as the whopper budget busters but this spending bill is talked about in the media as needed.  LOL  This will be the Albatross around the neck of our economy.

-P.

Quote:

Smoothness isn't leadership.

I said "regardless of your politics." I never said it was leadership.

I enjoy listening to people who know how to use the language. I thought Reagan was an excellent speaker. He had a sense of humor and liked people as well. It's so good to to hear after 8 years of "Duh."

Charlie

Charlie,

Here's a few Reagan quotes.

To paraphrase Winston Churchill, I did not take the oath I have just taken with the intention of presiding over the dissolution of the world's strongest economy.
Ronald Reagan

How do you tell a communist? Well, it's someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell an anti-Communist? It's someone who understands Marx and Lenin.
Ronald Reagan

We must reject the idea that every time a law's broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.
Ronald Reagan

No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth!
Ronald Reagan

I've never been able to understand why a Republican contributor is a 'fat cat' and a Democratic contributor of the same amount of money is a 'public-spirited philanthropist'.
Ronald Reagan

Let us be sure that those who come after will say of us in our time, that in our time we did everything that could be done. We finished the race; we kept them free; we kept the faith.
Ronald Reagan

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.
Ronald Reagan

Government always finds a need for whatever money it gets.
Ronald Reagan

Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them.
Ronald Reagan

Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves.
Ronald Reagan

Government is like a baby. An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other.
Ronald Reagan

Government's first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives.
Ronald Reagan

Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
Ronald Reagan

Governments tend not to solve problems, only to rearrange them.
Ronald Reagan

See? It's beautiful, well-thought out and an excellent way to express his philosopy....a good part of which I tend to admire, at least in principle. He also acknowledged that it's a wide country full of good people and although he was no fan of the left; he didn't call them unpatriotic.

He had his foot in the door once and understood that most people appreciated that after his 1981 tax decreases, he was pragmatic enough to aim a good chunk of his 1982 tax increases at those who acutally should be paying the things. He had his flaws but he was called a liberal conservative by a number of the right.

Charlie

Brew wrote on Feb 10^th, 2009 at 8:10am:

In regards to the press conference last night, I'm not sure we were watching the same thing. It was a tightly controlled affair with only approved reporters getting selected to ask questions. Obama read from a list, who was to be called on next. He didn’t call one person that wasn’t on the list. I have not seen one press conference like this in the 30 years since I registered to vote. Presidents generally provide a short statement, then accept questions. When they accept questions, they look for a reporter with his/her hand raised, and they call on them. This didn’t take place last night. Obama read names, then asked where the reporter was. Then he would ramble on for up to 7 or 8 minutes with an answer that sounded more like a ten year old’s description of why he didn’t do his homework.

Ahh ... I guess you missed the O'Reilly Factor where Bush's Press Secretary described how they would plan who to call on and who not to call on .... there was a pre-approved list, along with the illusion that he called on just anyone with their hand up.  


Quote:

O’REILLY: George Bush came in with a list of guys he was going to call on? FLEISCHER: Yes, I used to prepare it for him. I would give him a grid, show him where every reporter is seated. And there are some reporters, you know, in that briefing room, you can imagine, Bill, you get a lot of dot coms and other oddballs who come in there. They’re screened. O’REILLY: Like the Huffington Post. Now it gets called on. FLEISCHER: And I used to seat them all in one section. I would call it "Siberia." And I told the President, "Don’t call on Siberia."

I guess I missed it. Do I hold Bush and Obama in the same regard? Yeah, pretty much.

Quote:

Congressional leaders and the White House have crossed a first hurdle, tentatively agreeing to a $790 billion price tag on President Obama's economic stimulus bill. The new price tag reflects a cut of nearly $50 billion from the Senate version. Among the considered cuts to the bill, according to numerous Democratic aides involved in the talks, is a trim to Obama's tax credit -- $500 per worker and $1,000 per couple -- with a phase out beginning sooner than originally written: at about $70,000 per individual and $140,000 for couples.

Figures!!!!!

I don't get cutting big from the states. If anything made sense to me, it's letting the states give it a shot.

Charlie

Obama is the greatest salesman for the third party, I predict that in 2012 the folks will have had enough and the third party will get 34% of the vote!

How do I know this?, that's easy!

I Am Nostra-Dumbass!!!!   [smiley=crackup.gif]

With Shawn on sabatical, I'm glad to have another Oamer basher back on duty.

Welcome back to the circus.

Bob P wrote on Feb 12^th, 2009 at 4:54pm:

With Shawn on sabatical, I'm glad to have another Oamer basher back on duty. Welcome back to the circus.

Thank you, sir!  8-)

Personally I don't care for the Obama. I don't like anything he has done or that he will do. As far as what President Bush did or didn't do. The democrats were  in control of the house and senate, it was a stand off.
Bush might have accomplished something had they gave a inch.

Paul  [smiley=thumbsup.gif] I liked that post.

OK agree or disagree its not going to change my mind. ;-)

I'll disagree Elaine.  8-) The Democrats weren't in charge until 2007. They helped when they could before though when in the minority. Without them Bush would have had us living in the 19th century.

I like history but only as a visitor.  

Charlie

The two-party system is a ruse, and one that's designed to make people choose sides, have someone to root for, and create the illusion that progress is being made.

Don't fall for it.

Brew wrote on Feb 12^th, 2009 at 8:48pm:

The two-party system is a ruse, and one that's designed to make people choose sides, have someone to root for, and create the illusion that progress is being made. Don't fall for it.

wrote on Feb 12^th, 2009 at 4:52pm:

Obama is the greatest salesman for the third party, I predict that in 2012 the folks will have had enough and the third party will get 34% of the vote!

:D