Slow growth is a lot better than negative growth. The stimulus did what it was supposed to, reverse a deep recession before it became a depression.
Recessions happen regularly and they always reverse eventually. We didn't need the government to stop it.
It probably should have been bigger, but Obama worked with Congress and got something done.
That's the mark of success.
The economy sucks, period. What Obama has done hasn't helped. Stimulus is like a payday loan, you can't go forward on that sort of policy you need real income coming in. How do you do that? By incentivising private financial transactions.
Its easy to say it would have worked out if the auto companies went bankrupt. Luckily wiser people, like Obama and most sensible Republicans, know that its not just jobs that were saved, its a huge part of our industrial base, critical to our national defense. Do you want that controlled by Honda, Toyota, Kia, Fiat, Volkswagen ??
Bankruptcy is not a death sentence, its an opportunity to restructure to become more profitable. GM is making the same mistakes that they were before and people just aren't buying their cars like they used to. We are subsidizing failure.
There still would have been an auto industry if the government didn't bailout GM, it just would have been different. Different is good since the two companies needed to be bailed out in the first place.
Your proposals are extremely radical. That IS NOT what sensible business people want. They want sensible, moderate government.
I'm not sure which proposals you are talking about.
That's why Obama is the real pro-business choice.
You didn't establish that at all.
The healthcare fines for business is a red herring. The vast majority of health care plans provided by business are not going to be fined, just the Cadillac plans that drive health care costs up.
I'm saying that businesses have to provide an "acceptable" level of coverage determined by the government or be fined. That is anti business. Any policy that forces cost on a business is anti business.
Obamacare makes it easier for individuals to get healthcare. And it does some things to improve preventative care. It isn't perfect, but its better than the status quo, much better.
Obamacare doesn't make it easier to get health care it makes it a requirement for breathing. If you don't care about your liberty that is your problem but I care about mine.
My proposal for health care is for there to be real health insurance and not what we have now. Right now it isn't insurance. When you buy car insurance does it cover oil changes? Engine flushes? Engine repair? New tires? Car insurance covers a narrow range of expenses.
I was in the doctors office and when it came time for him to right up the prescription he asked if I had insurance. So if I had insurance he would give me this more expensive medicine but he would give me a cheaper alternative if I didn't. Do you think this practice drives up cost? Of course it does. If I am spending somebody else's money I'll pick the more expensive more times than not. If I am spending my own money I'll pick the medicine that gives me the best value for my money.
Health insurance should cover catastrophic care and that's about it. The more the consumer has a choice the lower the costs will be, assuming they are spending their own money.