Obama's solution to the failing economy:

[IGBT]

prior to that comment he said the private sector is doing "just fine". So which is it?? What's the teleprompter saying today??

 

[CPA]

prior to that comment he said the private sector is doing "just fine". So which is it?? What's the teleprompter saying today??

his solution was so absurd, I didn't even get into that comment.

 

[Darwin333]

Failing economy you say? With an ongoing recovery now in process despite the efforts of the Repubs to make every single effort to keep it from happening?

Duplicity and pursuing a proven failed ideology is the preferred modus operandi for creating a healthy and wealthy nation for ALL?

Yeah.......right. lol

I am not a repub but I would beg to differ with the "recovery in process" statement. Its more of the exact same that we have been doing, expanding credit at a faster rate than GDP. Without the expansion of credit we would have printed a negative growth number this year (and every year for quite a ways back I believe).

The problem is that its not mathematically possible to continue to do that forever.

 

[Darwin333]

The problem is the overspending from before was that it was during an up cycle. When jobs are good, you don't need to push as hard on stimulus because you're already on the positive side of the feedback loop. It's only when jobs are bad the we should be deficit spending in huge amounts.

We need to tackle the debt, but not until after we've gotten ourselves out of this mess. Otherwise, it'll become a nasty death spiral of austerity like what Europe has now.

Its going to be extremely painful regardless of when we do it, that is a simple mathematical fact. Matter of fact a very good argument can be made that we are actually making the pain a lot worse by putting it off.

 

[Charles Kozierok]

Its going to be extremely painful regardless of when we do it, that is a simple mathematical fact. Matter of fact a very good argument can be made that we are actually making the pain a lot worse by putting it off.

An argument can also be made that we are making the pain a lot worse by the amount we are doing it right now, during a recovery.

Go take a look at how well austerity is working in the UK.

Public sector employment may not be a good long-term solution, but laying off hundreds of thousands of people when unemployment is already high, so those people, instead of collecting paychecks, go on UI or welfare? Makes lots of sense.

And of course, blame Obama for being a "socialist" when the public sector has shrunk under his watch after growing under George W. Bush and even Saint Ronnie.

What is the right's solution to the whole mess? More tax cuts for the wealthy, and for corporations making record profits. Duh.

 

[thraashman]

I find it amusing when conservatives think they understand anything about economics when every time we go with their policies things get worse. How can Republicans keep pushing ideas that time and again have been proven wrong with a 0% variance?

 

[Charles Kozierok]

How can Republicans keep pushing ideas that time and again have been proven wrong with a 0% variance?

An ignorant electorate easily manipulated into voting against their own interests through dishonesty, oversimplification of complex issues, jingoism, and an unholy alliance with religious extremists.

 

[Matt1970]

I find it amusing when conservatives think they understand anything about economics when every time we go with their policies things get worse. How can Republicans keep pushing ideas that time and again have been proven wrong with a 0% variance?

Ya, those 80's and 90's and even up to 2007 were horrible times.

 

[fskimospy]

Ya, those 80's and 90's and even up to 2007 were horrible times.

Hmm, I was unaware that Clinton was pursuing 'conservative economics'. In fact I was told that his tax hikes would kill the economy. I was also unaware that inflating a massive housing bubble that almost destroyed the world economy was good economic policy. But hey, it looks great so long as you entirely ignore the consequences of it!

I didn't know anyone was still ballsy enough to try and defend Bush's economic policies. I guess I was wrong.

 

[Charles Kozierok]

Ya, those 80's and 90's and even up to 2007 were horrible times.

This reminds me of an old cartoon. A guy has fallen out of a building and as he passes the fourth floor on the way to the sidewalk, he calls out: "So far, so good!"

 

[Matt1970]

Hmm, I was unaware that Clinton was pursuing 'conservative economics'. In fact I was told that his tax hikes would kill the economy. I was also unaware that inflating a massive housing bubble that almost destroyed the world economy was good economic policy. But hey, it looks great so long as you entirely ignore the consequences of it!

I didn't know anyone was still ballsy enough to try and defend Bush's economic policies. I guess I was wrong.

The GOP Contract With America (Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act) was signed by Clinton. That along with the Internet Bubble almost balanced the buget. That was back when Repubs and Dems actually worked together. Besides, according to the Libs we are all still under Regeanomics so your point is mute.

 

[Matt1970]

This reminds me of an old cartoon. A guy has fallen out of a building and as he passes the fourth floor on the way to the sidewalk, he calls out: "So far, so good!"

Kind of like Obama and the Libs explaining why we need to keep speding Trillions we don't have.

 

[fskimospy]

The GOP Contract With America (Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act) was signed by Clinton. That along with the Internet Bubble almost balanced the buget. That was back when Repubs and Dems actually worked together. Besides, according to the Libs we are all still under Regeanomics so your point is mute.

First, my point would be 'moot', not 'mute', just so you know.

Outside of all that, if you need to invent things for other people to supposedly believe in order to justify your position, that's a bad sign. I have to say that I'm impressed that a bill which altered such a tiny portion of the federal budget had such a profound impact on the ideology of our economics for an entire decade. Who knew!?

I seriously wonder where you get these ideas sometimes.

 

[Charles Kozierok]

Kind of like Obama and the Libs explaining why we need to keep speding Trillions we don't have.

We have to keep spending trillions because tax revenues are too low for our expenses.

Still waiting for specific meaningful lists of what the Republicans would cut.

Last time I checked, the robot on your party's ticket for president wants to start a new war, increase defense spending and cut taxes. That doesn't sound to me like a recipe for deficit reduction.

 

[Incorruptible]

We have to keep spending trillions because tax revenues are too low for our expenses.

Still waiting for specific meaningful lists of what the Republicans would cut.

Last time I checked, the robot on your party's ticket for president wants to start a new war, increase defense spending and cut taxes. That doesn't sound to me like a recipe for deficit reduction.

obama wants to attack Iran as well but I guess its alright because hes a democrat.

 

[Jhhnn]

obama wants to attack Iran as well but I guess its alright because hes a democrat.

If Obama really wanted to attack Iran, he would. He's the CinC, ordered the attacks on Libya entirely w/o Congressional say-so.

 

[LunarRay]

Obama is Keynesian, so the answer is always, spend more money
spend as much money as possible, the more you put into the economy , the more it floats around to all the people
spend money for people not to work , spend people for people to work for the govt , it all helps, spend spend spend spend spend spend $ $ $ $

It is all about what the House and Senate are... they legislate... Obama simply carries out their laws that he don't veto.... What has he vetoed? What has even gotten to his desk?

IF you voted then it is all your fault.... you and the rest of us who put these clowns in office... Get folks in office who will work to produce something... anything that will work... They've lots of Economists with lots of ideas bouncing about ... USE THEM! Congress is not isolated from reality they simply don't bother to look at it while they tell us their reality is what is true... and we buy into that cuz we get to feel good listening... how about feeling good working and buying stuff and like that... How about Congress looking at the streets filled with hungry folks and folks on their way to the streets... That is reality! What ever they're doing is NOT working... You'd think they'd figure that out unless that IS the plan.

 

[LunarRay]

This reminds me of an old cartoon. A guy has fallen out of a building and as he passes the fourth floor on the way to the sidewalk, he calls out: "So far, so good!"

I'm going to use that... hehehehehehe and without attribution... but then only my doggies listen to me and well... they don't much care so long as they get walked and fed...

But, I'd wager they'd use them long sharp teeth if either of their needs were not met... not like us dumb humans.

 

[Incorruptible]

If Obama really wanted to attack Iran, he would. He's the CinC, ordered the attacks on Libya entirely w/o Congressional say-so.

Because the American people would be outraged, him and Romney have both stated they will attack Iran and the situation is much smaller than Libya. There is no way he would attack Iran before the election

 

[LunarRay]

Because the American people would be outraged, him and Romney have both stated they will attack Iran and the situation is much smaller than Libya. There is no way he would attack Iran before the election

What was it Cassius Clay said to the Drafters.... "I ain't got no issue with them VietCong"... They, the Iranians, are about as dangerous to us as the Cong were... They both are dangerous but to who?

Wars cost money... I'd rather build a bridge than a bomb and build it here than there especially after we dropped the bombs to destroy their bridges.... Wars cause folks to get hurt... and the cost of that don't end when the war does... Young folks go to war... usually non affluent ones and they come home in need of the VA and that costs money.... Building bridges is much better and healthier...

 

[boomerang]

Let's start off with one factual point of order: when Obama started running for this particular job, nobody had any idea of what was awaiting the country in 2008. He couldn't really have quit in the middle once the campaign was underway. So while you can say he "wanted the job", that's true, but he didn't get what he thought he was getting when he started out.

Is your inference that he'd like to have quit? Is that why you mention it? Because this entire paragraph has no real relevance. The unexpected comes with the job. Nobody running for it should be that naive.

Both political parties have a bad habit of taking into account the previous administrations when they were their opponents', and ignoring those administrations when they were not. In this case, the Rs pretend Bush never existed and blame everything on Obama. If Romney wins in November, the Rs will blame everything on Obama for four years, while the Democrats will pretend Obama never existed.

Regardless of the blame game, the damage that Bush and Cheney did to this country is real and long-lasting. It doesn't disappear because of partisan spats. And it is something that needs to be accounted for even if Obama "ran for the job".

Yes, yes, we've got it. We've been hearing it for three and a half years. Obama is still saying it. Personally, I would expect the individual that holds the highest office in the land to act with the dignity that behooves the office. Account for it, fine, blabber continuously about it, well children are prone to blame things on others. Adults suck it up, roll up their sleeves and get to work. But most importantly, they have to be capable of doing the job. Guess who's not?

He may lose in November, but I don't think he will. "Failure" is in the eye of the beholder -- I think Obama has done some things well, some things not so well. He's had quite a few demonstrable successes IMO, and some areas where he's really done a lousy job.

This comment is so blatantly partisan that it should be ignored. It's the classic "I'm a moderate" approach that we all see through and some of us feel a little guilty about when we use it. "Failure is in the eye of the beholder" - give me a fucking break.

I'll also point out that when he made that comment, he probably assumed that the Republicans would run a good candidate against him this year. They aren't.

Now you've put words in Obama's mouth and wrapped it up in an assumption. The Romney dig makes it worse not better. It's an afterthought that should not have been included.

Childish insults aside, it is a fact -- not opinion, demonstrable, verifiable fact -- that Republicans have been specifically trying to derail and delegitimize Obama's presidency from the start. From the planning sessions on the day of his inauguration, the record number of filibusters, to McConnell's brazen admission that keeping Obama from being reelected was their #1 priority, there's valid reason for Obama to blame Republicans for a fairly unprecedented level of obstructionism.

It's become de rigueur in politics and in DC most spectacularly. Is it in the best interest of the country? Of course not. Do both sides play the game? Absolutely. The words you wrote may play well in your head, but for the rest of us it's horseshit plain and simple. Save the drama for your mama.

More ad hominems. Unimpressive.

What would your analysis be of the many posts that get no response here? If you think those of us on the right have been "put in our place" and are just completely tongue-tied and too flummoxed to answer you'd be wrong. So many posts are so juvenile as to not warrant an answer. I know you'll be in full denial on this one.

Ah, but that's exactly the point. He's not special. He's like millions of Americans who watched what happened the last time the Republicans had control of all three branches of government: the worst terror attack on US soil; a budget surplus squandered; banks running amok leading to a financial crash; and thousands of US lives wasted on a war based on lies.

Yes, yes, yes, we've heard it all thousands of times. When you cry wolf too often after a while we tend to believe there's no wolf. If I had the inclination I could give you the background on nearly every point you made that would refute them but you'd still be in denial. The thousand of US lives is a waste, that's for certain but the conspiracy theories spun by the left surrounding our entry into that fiasco are put forth to further an agenda. It's a tale that has been told so often that it's now considered truth. It plays well with like minds, I do understand that.

Everyone has pathetically short memories. So many people forget that in early 2009, a lot of people thought we were headed for a second Great Depression. Now they bitch and moan because the recovery isn't fast enough, forgetting how much worse things could have been.

They bitch and moan because the recovery has taken far too long because it has been approached using a model based in European Socialism (to sanitize what is really happening). In comparison to every downturn we've had in recent history, this one has drug on way in excess of the others. Blaming Bush is convenient. Proclaiming that Obama is a bumbler that is trying to transform the country in the middle of the financial crisis and that has lengthened our recovery substantially is blasphemous to the left. Nothing that you said warrants keeping him in office. Give him a pass if you want for whatever reason makes you sleep at night. He is unwilling to take the steps needed to assist in the recovery of our economy because those steps are counter to the ideals he embraces. He wants to transform the nation. You can't have rich folks and the middle class in his vision of America. Equal distribution of misery is his idea of nirvana. He subscribes to the theory that you sometimes have to tear down what you have to build what you want.

Has Obama been perfect? Far from it. Would putting Romney in charge to give us a repeat of the Bush years be better? Far from it.

Thanks for sharing your opinion, unfortunately I heard no trumpets blaring in proclamation when you said it. Obama is in over his head. He's not up to the job and is just too damned lazy to perform it. He does like to play golf though.

I already feel dirty for even replying.

 

[Doppel]

I hope there aren't actually people around who think that a Republican president is somehow going to do better than Obama right now. Granted, Obama is useless as hell but only a true hardcore partisan not paying any attention over the past decade believes Romeny, for example, will somehow improve upon this.

 

[LunarRay]

I hope there aren't actually people around who think that a Republican president is somehow going to do better than Obama right now. Granted, Obama is useless as hell but only a true hardcore partisan not paying any attention over the past decade believes Romeny, for example, will somehow improve upon this.

We need about 450 different Congress critters and a few thousand companies all working in the same direction to remedy this mess... Obama is best left to practice his tank riding technique to Grenada or someplace and Romney to France in search of more like minded Mormons.

 

[Darwin333]

An argument can also be made that we are making the pain a lot worse by the amount we are doing it right now, during a recovery.

Go take a look at how well austerity is working in the UK.

Public sector employment may not be a good long-term solution, but laying off hundreds of thousands of people when unemployment is already high, so those people, instead of collecting paychecks, go on UI or welfare? Makes lots of sense.

And of course, blame Obama for being a "socialist" when the public sector has shrunk under his watch after growing under George W. Bush and even Saint Ronnie.

What is the right's solution to the whole mess? More tax cuts for the wealthy, and for corporations making record profits. Duh.

The rights solution is equally dumb and won't work either.

 

[Jhhnn]

It's become de rigueur in politics and in DC most spectacularly. Is it in the best interest of the country? Of course not. Do both sides play the game? Absolutely. The words you wrote may play well in your head, but for the rest of us it's horseshit plain and simple. Save the drama for your mama.

False equivalency FTL. Today's Republicans have held & filibustered in a fashion unmatched by anybody previous. They've taken hostages every time they could, like the whole debt ceiling dance & tying extended unemployment benefits to extended taxcuts for people who don't need taxcuts in the most severe economic downturn since 1929, created by their defective ideology.

Repubs' solution?

"I got mine- Screw you!"