[tomder55]

The Action Americans Need


By Barack Obama
Thursday, February 5, 2009; A17

By now, it's clear to everyone that we have inherited an economic crisis as deep and dire as any since the days of the Great Depression. Millions of jobs that Americans relied on just a year ago are gone; millions more of the nest eggs families worked so hard to build have vanished. People everywhere are worried about what tomorrow will bring.
What Americans expect from Washington is action that matches the urgency they feel in their daily lives -- action that's swift, bold and wise enough for us to climb out of this crisis.
Because each day we wait to begin the work of turning our economy around, more people lose their jobs, their savings and their homes. And if nothing is done, this recession might linger for years. Our economy will lose 5 million more jobs. Unemployment will approach double digits. Our nation will sink deeper into a crisis that, at some point, we may not be able to reverse.
That's why I feel such a sense of urgency about the recovery plan before Congress. With it, we will create or save more than 3 million jobs over the next two years, provide immediate tax relief to 95 percent of American workers, ignite spending by businesses and consumers alike, and take steps to strengthen our country for years to come.
This plan is more than a prescription for short-term spending -- it's a strategy for America's long-term growth and opportunity in areas such as renewable energy, health care and education. And it's a strategy that will be implemented with unprecedented transparency and accountability, so Americans know where their tax dollars are going and how they are being spent.
In recent days, there have been misguided criticisms of this plan that echo the failed theories that helped lead us into this crisis -- the notion that tax cuts alone will solve all our problems; that we can meet our enormous tests with half-steps and piecemeal measures; that we can ignore fundamental challenges such as energy independence and the high cost of health care and still expect our economy and our country to thrive.
I reject these theories, and so did the American people when they went to the polls in November and voted resoundingly for change. They know that we have tried it those ways for too long. And because we have, our health-care costs still rise faster than inflation. Our dependence on foreign oil still threatens our economy and our security. Our children still study in schools that put them at a disadvantage. We've seen the tragic consequences when our bridges crumble and our levees fail.
Every day, our economy gets sicker -- and the time for a remedy that puts Americans back to work, jump-starts our economy and invests in lasting growth is now.
Now is the time to protect health insurance for the more than 8 million Americans at risk of losing their coverage and to computerize the health-care records of every American within five years, saving billions of dollars and countless lives in the process.
Now is the time to save billions by making 2 million homes and 75 percent of federal buildings more energy-efficient, and to double our capacity to generate alternative sources of energy within three years.
Now is the time to give our children every advantage they need to compete by upgrading 10,000 schools with state-of-the-art classrooms, libraries and labs; by training our teachers in math and science; and by bringing the dream of a college education within reach for millions of Americans.
And now is the time to create the jobs that remake America for the 21st century by rebuilding aging roads, bridges and levees; designing a smart electrical grid; and connecting every corner of the country to the information superhighway.
These are the actions Americans expect us to take without delay. They're patient enough to know that our economic recovery will be measured in years, not months. But they have no patience for the same old partisan gridlock that stands in the way of action while our economy continues to slide.
So we have a choice to make. We can once again let Washington's bad habits stand in the way of progress. Or we can pull together and say that in America, our destiny isn't written for us but by us. We can place good ideas ahead of old ideological battles, and a sense of purpose above the same narrow partisanship. We can act boldly to turn crisis into opportunity and, together, write the next great chapter in our history and meet the test of our time.
The writer is president of the United States.

Barack Obama - The Action Americans Need - washingtonpost.com

If we don't enact the exact policies that President Obama advocates, then we will face dire consequences. Isn't that what candidate Obama used to call the "politics of fear"?
The economy will recover with or without the bucket list stimulus bill and it probably would recover quicker if the gvt wasn't going to waste resourses building frisbee golf courses.
2 weeks into his term he is beginning to sound like a beaten down Jimmy Carter calling the national mood a malaise. Come on man of HOPE . Show a little more optimism .

[speechlesstx]

It's not politics of fear when it comes from the left. I pointed out the Dems fear game all during the campaign season and everyone here just shrugged their shoulders. But it is politics of fear, the Dems are just playing on different fears and they have an all too willing accomplice in the media.

The business page was all fear today, take this little AP gem:

Circuit City ripples go beyond vacancies, layoffs

By VINNEE TONG and EMILY FREDRIX

Circuit City will finally flicker out when its last 567 stores close this year, but the bankruptcy of the nation's second-largest electronics retailer will ripple across the U.S. economy for years.

In its wake will be 18.71 million square feet of vacant space in a faltering real estate market. More than 40,000 workers will be jobless, including 7,000 laid off last year.

Shopping centers will lose rental income. Suppliers will lose display space. Newspapers already struggling with falling ad revenues will have one less glossy insert in their Sunday editions.

Circuit City is bigger by far than any other retailer that has gone under in the current recession. The job outlook for its workers is far worse. The prospects for suppliers finding other customers is grim, and a larger pool of creditors are likely to go unpaid...

Shareholders likely will get nothing, as is typical in many bankruptcies, and the thousands of creditors who may get something will likely receive far less than what they are owed.

Employees, thrown into a worsening job market, will likely cut their own spending in ways that reverberate...

Got to get that stimulus passed, so let's scare the heck out of the public.

[George_1950]

The politics of fear and desperation. "50% Say Stimulus Plan Likely to Make Things Worse" Rasmussen Reports™: The Most Comprehensive Public Opinion Site.
The reappearing 'Right Wing Conspiracy'.

[TexasParent]

Um... just what emotion other than fear would you suggest people have a layoffs happen all around them or to them? Heck even in southeast Texas and enginneer friend of mine said that a company she works for who only last year were coming to all their enginneers and giving them unsolicited raises; just yesterday laid off 50 people.

She called us about 3 days before this happened as they had heard a rumour about it; and she was afraid of losing her job.

It's not President Obama creating this fear, it's the fear of what is happening in communities all across America.

Furthermore, should the President lie to us about the State of Union? Personally I got tired of the BS coming out of Washington with the Bush administration.

John McCain during the election said the fundamentals of the economy are strong; when he knew things were crumbling around him. Saying things are good, don't make them good.

[tomder55]

Remember when the left chided President Bush for "talking down the economy "?

Here let me jog your memory

Washington Memo; For Bush, a Chronicle Of Bad News Foretold - New York Times

Thanks Ever So Much, President Poor-Mouth | Newsweek Business | Newsweek.com

SEN. RICHARD DURBIN (D), ILLINOIS: Despite the advice of Chairman Greenspan and economists that we need to restore consumer confidence, the president has talked down the economy in an effort to talk up his tax cut. It appears that when President Bush looks at the economy he doesn't see the donut, he just sees the hole.
CNN Transcript - Crossfire: Is President Bush Talking Down the Economy and Talking Up an Energy Crisis? - March 20, 2001

Bush and co. talking down economy?: The Swamp

[George_1950]

It's not President Obama creating this fear, it's the fear of what is happening in communities all across America.
good.

What do you call this? "Our nation will sink deeper into a crisis that, at some point, we may not be able to reverse." Quoted from above.

The economy of the U.S. is constantly under attack from the left; and beginning in September 2008, from a Republican president of the U.S.; all of which is an outrage. I do not apologize for Bush (either of them); they both deserve criticism of their disgraceful behavior while in their position of trust.

[TexasParent]

Yeah... that's it, blame our current crisis on the left for talking down the economy... geez :rolleyes:

If the Bush economy could be brought to it knees by talk; how strong was it in the first place... you guys kill me sometimes... whew, thank goodness I'm near a defibulator!:D

[speechlesstx]

I sure seem to recall the Democrats and the media talking down the economy when it WAS good. I also recall a certain Barney Frank telling us that Fannie and Freddie were fundamentally sound last July (even though Bush repeatedly warned of concerns). It all reminds me of something appropriate that Kerry said in a 2004 debate:

I'll tell you exactly how I can do it: by reinstating what President Bush took away, which is called pay as you go.

During the 1990s, we had pay-as-you-go rules. If you were going to pass something in the Congress, you had to show where you are going to pay for it and how.

President Bush has taken -- he's the only president in history to do this.

He's also the only president in 72 years to lose jobs -- 1.6 million jobs lost. He's the only president to have incomes of families go down for the last three years; the only president to see exports go down; the only president to see the lowest level of business investment in our country as it is today.

Now, I'm going to reverse that. I'm going to change that. We're going to restore the fiscal discipline we had in the 1990s.

Blah, blah, blah... sound familiar?

I’m not for anyone blowing smoke up your skirt, but we need leadership, not doom and gloom, and I thought that’s what we were supposed to be getting from Obama. When the left and their pals in the media are constantly hammering us on how bad things are what do they expect the public to do, rush out and spend extravagantly? No, and that’s why they’re doing it, to convince the public of the need to support this ridiculous stimulus package because it’s the only thing that can save us. Hogwash, we need to over this power trip and get some leadership. If you’ve seen the polls on this package you’d know the American public is not being fooled on this so who can blame them for sitting on their wallets with the Dems so eager to play fast and loose with our future?

[speechlesstx]

Vote for the Snuggie Stimulus!

[TexasParent]

Speaking of the ultimate Politics of Fear, it appears that Cheney isn't joining your chorus of "Let the sunshine....let the sunshine in....the sunshine in...".

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/poli...nuclear_a.html

WASHINGTON - Cheney isn't finished scaring the bejesus out of America.

The former vice president warned Wednesday that there's a "high probability" the U.S. will get nuked by terrorists during President Obama's watch.

"The ultimate threat to the country [is] a 9/11-type event where the terrorists are armed with something much more dangerous than an airline ticket and a box cutter - a nuclear weapon or a biological agent of some kind," Cheney told Politico.com from his latest undisclosed location - his new Virginia office.

Cheney said that "perhaps hundreds of thousands of people" would perish in such a strike, and that "there's a high probability of such an attempt."

He's still the best at it, isn't he... the crafty old pro scared the world into thinking Iraq had WMD's so we could invade... it's like riding a bike for him isn't it? ;)

[George_1950]

Speaking of the ultimate Politics of Fear, it appears that Cheney isn't joining your chorus of "Let the sunshine....let the sunshine in....the sunshine in...".

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/poli...nuclear_a.html



He's still the best at it, isn't he...the crafty old pro scared the world into thinking Iraq had WMD's so we could invade...it's like riding a bike for him isn't it? ;)

Yep, there's ol Cheney, still watching 24.

[tomder55]

What Cheney says is self evident. Not much to add . Obviously the President has not reviewed the circumstance behind the various national security decisions made by the Bush White House and instead is in a rush to fulfill the campaign promises he made to liberal bloggers.

[inthebox]

https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/curren...ml#post1528944


I thought the mark of a good leader is vision. Reagan's vision was optimistic, Obama's is pessimistic. Obama is like Jimmy Carter in this regard.

Also the market and the economy can, in a large part, be driven by emotion.

Do you want a positive or a negative emotion or vision of the economy?

This is not to disregard the fact that the economy is currently in the tank, but do you want a half time speech by a coach that says woe is us when we are behind, or do you want a coach that believes his team can overcome the current deficit and go on to victory?


In regards to terrorism, this is real, lest you already forgot 9/11.

As I recall DC was part of the prior administration that made it possible for some to forget about terrorism.





G&P

[excon]

If we don't enact the exact policies that President Obama advocates, then we will face dire consequences.

Hello tom:

Does that mean the president shouldn't warn us of impending danger??

Or, do you mean that Obama should IGNORE the danger??

Or, do you mean the president should only SCARE us when he's telling the truth, like the dufus? (snicker, snicker)

Or, is it that YOU don't believe Obama?

I actually don't know WHAT you're saying...

excon

[excon]

Hello again, tom:

Let me see here. I REALLY want to understand what you're saying...

Back a few years ago, there were a FEW people in charge who told us that we were going to be attacked by Saddam Hussein. I say the word FEW, because it really wasn't more than a dozen.

And, of course, they were WRONG.

Now, however, TODAY, we've got a LOT of people saying that we're about to go over a cliff. I use the word LOT, because there really are a LOT of very well trained professional people saying the SAME thing...

I believed the dufus. I figured he knew more than me... But, he didn't.

I gather from your post, that you don't believe Obama (or all those other people either).

Call me crazy, but I believe my president once again.

Now, if you DO believe him, why would you think that Bush style tax cuts are the answer??

If Bush style tax cuts worked, why are we here?? They work - only for the few at the expense of the many...

Those who stand in the way of Obama, in the name of a discredited economic philosophy, are putting the nation's future at risk. The American economy is on the edge of catastrophe, and much of the Republican Party is trying to push it over that edge.

excon

[speechlesstx]

I call it hypocrisy. After all theses years of listening to the Democrats complain of GOP "politics of fear" they've obviously embraced it. It seems more and more Americans DON'T believe him on this as support has dropped to 37 percent.

Suppose the new president give us some of "hope" that was the centerpiece of his campaign and restore confidence to the public. You don't get the economy going with scare tactics... especially when the solution is potentially more dangerous than doing nothing.

CBO: Obama stimulus harmful over long haul [Rich Lowry]

From the Washington Times:

President Obama's economic recovery package will actually hurt the economy more in the long run than if he were to do nothing, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said Wednesday.

CBO, the official scorekeepers for legislation, said the House and Senate bills will help in the short term but result in so much government debt that within a few years they would crowd out private investment, actually leading to a lower Gross Domestic Product over the next 10 years than if the government had done nothing.

CBO estimates that by 2019 the Senate legislation would reduce GDP by 0.1 percent to 0.3 percent on net. [The House bill] would have similar long-run effects, CBO said in a letter to Sen. Judd Gregg, New Hampshire Republican, who was tapped by Mr. Obama on Tuesday to be Commerce Secretary.

[tomder55]

Ex
He's a chicken-little . His talking down the economy is contributing to the problem . You know as well as I that if it was President Bush talking this way the MSM and the Dems would call it a scare tactic .I can hear the Goracle screaming "HE PLAYED ON OUR FEARS !!!"

That's the only way he can justify bumrushing this 30% increase in budgetary spending disguised as a "stimulus bill" through Congress.

If he's so concerned about the economy perhaps he shouldn't have outsourced the stimulus bill to Pelosi and limited it to things that would really help the economy (ie no frisby golf park construction by illegal aliens... doing the jobs Americans won't do).

The most cynical aspect of this is that he rails against the failed policies of the past when Republicans suggest that there should be more tax reduction in the bill . But he won the election with the lie that he would cut taxes for the vast majority of Americans . Had he run on a policy of reckless spending he would not have been elected .

[tomder55]

Those who stand in the way of Obama, in the name of a discredited economic philosophy, are putting the nation's future at risk. The American economy is on the edge of catastrophe, and much of the Republican Party is trying to push it over that edge.

Yes I hear what he is saying . If you disagree with him you are leading the economy over the cliff and are playing the same old stale politics. If you agree you are bipartisan.

The Presidentwelcomes a bipartisan debate, but only if Republicans reject their own policies in favor of his spending priorities.

[excon]

The Presidentwelcomes a bipartisan debate, but only if Republicans reject their own policies in favor of his spending priorities.

Hello again, tom:

I understand. To you, bipartisanship means it's YOUR way or the HIGHWAY. That's the way it's been with you guys..

I don't know where you get that stuff from... That isn't how politics are done. Oh, that's the way it was DONE in the dufus administration, and in the Tom DeLay congress... That's why we're in the jackpot we are.

The Democrats were completely shut out. The dufus NEVER listened to anybody. He never compromised. He never bent.

Somehow, YOU think that's good. But, it ain't the way politics are done.

There's a new sheriff in town. He understand bi-partisanship - SOOO much so, that he offered a tax cut compromise BEFORE he even started negotiating.

Then the leader of the Republican party, Rush Limbaugh saw the chink, and went in for the kill. The only thing you're killing, though, is US.

excon

[tomder55]

Really ? SCHIP ; Medicare Part B drug entitlement , NCLB were all major Democrat initiatives he signed into law.