Shouldn't Pres Obama be Shouting from the Rooftop

[BillsNYC]

I remember President-elect Obama lowering expectations before taking office by saying the economy was going to get much worse before it got better. After taking office I expected him to jumpstart the economy by saying the economy would improve.

 

But he's continuing to say the economy is getting worse and likening it to the Depression (which its nowhere near) which is forcing people to save money instead of spending it, further damaging the economy. I've been pondering what the benefit of this approach is, perhaps the President knows the upswing will occur just in time for the 2012 election and wants to make himself the hero when that time comes.

 

I then remembered how Dems attacked Bush for spreading fear to get his agenda across, and realized Obama may be using the same tactic in order to get the "stimulus" pushed through. How ironic is that?

 

After 9/11, Bush told people to go out and spend money, which Obama strongly criticized him for. However it may have been Bush's focus on strengthening the economy which saved the country from a deep recession after 9/11.

 

If the above is not the case, why is Obama continuing to trash the economy killing spending?

[KD in CA]

If the above is not the case, why is Obama continuing to trash the economy killing spending?

 

He wants to push the markets lower before he jumps in.

[PastaJoe]

After 9/11, Bush told people to go out and spend money, which Obama strongly criticized him for. However it may have been Bush's focus on strengthening the economy which saved the country from a deep recession after 9/11.

 

That was Bush's attempt at telling people to pay no attention to the man behind the curtain, just keep doing what you're doing because asking for shared sacrifice from Americans like Obama is might make people think twice about continuing the tax cuts for the wealthy while spending on war increased our debt.

[blzrul]

A hallmark of the Bush administration was denial. Perhaps it was outright ignorance, but I just think it was denial. They just didn't understand the reality that most Americans had to deal with. Obama knows it's bad and also knows to deny it would make him look like an idiot and further undermine confidence. American people are tough - yeah we'd like to hear "everything's fine, don't worry be happy" but we know that's not the case. So tell us the truth and we'll roll up our sleeves and work to deal with it as best we can.

 

Obama knows that people who are worried about losing their jobs and their homes are NOT about to tap into whatever savings they might have to "spend our way" out of a recession. If the financial markets were secure, doing so might help, but we're still on a very shaky foundation. The TARP handout was supposed to shore up that foundation, and clearly it has not. Yet another piece of shoddy legislation shoved through in a knee-jerk reaction. (Patriot Act anyone?)

 

I think that there are a LOT of good ideas in Washington that can be tapped to build a creative solution. What Obama is trying to do is to get people to talk, and listen. A big spending bill was written - it was a stake in the ground. He didn't expect it to sail through. But you have to start somewhere.

[John Adams]

I made this point a while ago. He needs to STFU and focus on the path forward. It REALLY is a problem.

 

When your leader (in any setting) keeps saying "We're !@#$ed," it becomes self-fulfilling. This is just a leadership point. Someone needs to clue him in.

[Johnny Coli]

But he's continuing to say the economy is getting worse and likening it to the Depression (which its nowhere near) which is forcing people to save money instead of spending it, further damaging the economy. I've been pondering what the benefit of this approach is, perhaps the President knows the upswing will occur just in time for the 2012 election and wants to make himself the hero when that time comes.

Maybe he's just being straight up with the American people? Economists are saying the worst is still coming, and people are saving rather than spending. Frankly, I believe the American people are not unhappy with this approach of actually telling them the truth, however discouraging. Obama isn't pulling any punches or trying to sell them a load of nonsense. Where you see a president you didn't vote for and don't like, many others see a refreshing change from the previous administration that ignored reality and tried selling the public a load of bull sh--. The recent polls show the American people are behind Obama by a wide margin. More to the point, when he does say its going to get worse in the near future, he is always quick to then say "Here's what we're going to try and do" to pull the economy out of the spiral. You may have enjoyed being lied to for eight years, but most of the rest of us enjoy being told the truth and what the plan is to solve the crisis.

[IDBillzFan]

I made this point a while ago. He needs to STFU and focus on the path forward. It REALLY is a problem.

 

When your leader (in any setting) keeps saying "We're !@#$ed," it becomes self-fulfilling. This is just a leadership point. Someone needs to clue him in.

I completely agree with this. It is particularly frustrating, and it seems he's more interested in scaring people than he is motivating them, for the sake of pushing his stimulus package through.

[blzrul]

I made this point a while ago. He needs to STFU and focus on the path forward. It REALLY is a problem.

 

When your leader (in any setting) keeps saying "We're !@#$ed," it becomes self-fulfilling. This is just a leadership point. Someone needs to clue him in.

He's saying "we're @#$@#$ed and here's what we need to do to fix it, and we CAN fix it." Funny how people are selectively hearing only that we're in trouble. Of course, we KNOW that. But the politicians in DC are doing just fine thank you. They're using to dicking around while the people suffer.

 

As a leader he's trying to instill a sense of urgency into the moribund DC bureaucracy to MOVE. Come on - for the price tag of this thing, in "normal" times, it would either take months to go through or it would be killed out-of-hand. He's nurturing it along as best he can.

[Dan]

I remember President-elect Obama lowering expectations before taking office by saying the economy was going to get much worse before it got better. After taking office I expected him to jumpstart the economy by saying the economy would improve.

...

Wow, you really did have high hopes for the guy. Would he have to wave his hands during this incantation, or would his words, alone, be good enough?

 

 

[finknottle]

I made this point a while ago. He needs to STFU and focus on the path forward. It REALLY is a problem.

 

When your leader (in any setting) keeps saying "We're !@#$ed," it becomes self-fulfilling. This is just a leadership point. Someone needs to clue him in.

 

The problem is that he had the wrong guy cluing him in.

 

One word: malaise.

[StupidNation]

He's saying "we're @#$@#$ed and here's what we need to do to fix it, and we CAN fix it." Funny how people are selectively hearing only that we're in trouble. Of course, we KNOW that. But the politicians in DC are doing just fine thank you. They're using to dicking around while the people suffer.

 

Well from I know, he knew that a bubble was created by over-stimulation, so his answer is to re-inflate it. He also campaigned on Hope and Change and yet we are getting Bush spend first save second, and Despair instead of Hope.

 

Putting more money in re-stimulating a bubble is lunacy and we are going to go from a recession to a dollar crisis.

 

Can anyone tell me which one historically is worse? If we really wanted "Change" and regulation for fat-cats where is the move to regulate the Fed and have oversight of what they do?

[John Adams]

I made this point a while ago. He needs to STFU and focus on the path forward. It REALLY is a problem.

 

When your leader (in any setting) keeps saying "We're !@#$ed," it becomes self-fulfilling. This is just a leadership point. Someone needs to clue him in.

 

I agree with myself and so does this WSJ piece.

 

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123457303244386495.html

 

 

 

Job losses in the Great Depression were of an entirely different magnitude. In 1930, the economy shed 4.8% of the labor force. In 1931, 6.5%. And then in 1932, another 7.1%. Jobs were being lost at double or triple the rate of 2008-09 or 1981-82.

 

This was reflected in unemployment rates. The latest survey pegs U.S. unemployment at 7.6%. That's more than three percentage points below the 1982 peak (10.8%) and not even a third of the peak in 1932 (25.2%). You simply can't equate 7.6% unemployment with the Great Depression.

 

Other economic statistics also dispel any analogy between today's economic woes and the Great Depression. Real gross domestic product (GDP) rose in 2008, despite a bad fourth quarter. The Congressional Budget Office projects a GDP decline of 2% in 2009. That's comparable to 1982, when GDP contracted by 1.9%. It is nothing like 1930, when GDP fell by 9%, or 1931, when GDP contracted by another 8%, or 1932, when it fell yet another 13%.

 

Auto production last year declined by roughly 25%. That looks good compared to 1932, when production shriveled by 90%. The failure of a couple of dozen banks in 2008 just doesn't compare to over 10,000 bank failures in 1933, or even the 3,000-plus bank (Savings & Loan) failures in 1987-88. Stockholders can take some solace from the fact that the recent stock market debacle doesn't come close to the 90% devaluation of the early 1930s.

[BillsNYC]

I agree with myself and so does this WSJ piece.

 

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123457303244386495.html

 

HERE HERE!!!!

 

I've been waiting for somebody to write this.

[IDBillzFan]

I agree with myself and so does this WSJ piece.

 

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123457303244386495.html

If you can't find the analogy between today's economic problems and the Great Depression, you can't pass your stimulus bill.

 

Fear motivates.

[pBills]

The package will be signed today, he has not been in office for very long... yet everyone says that everything he does is wrong. Why don't you wait to see if it works? Did you do that for Bush? Hell you are even criticizing him for saying the economy is absolutely horrible? Why because it's the truth? "Fear Motivates" - of course... ask our last leadership. It works, but for only so far. Are we as a people so dumb that if the leader sugar coats the problem we'll feel better? No. I am glad he came out and said what was on his mind, spoke the truth about the economy. Better than what we have had from our leaders in the past.

 

Give the guy a break and see if something works... hold back on your hatred that is anything democrat or not your idea (because you know better?). I was hoping for more from the right after they said they would work with the new President. Fact is that they are not willing to work with him at all... and that is sad. This country will go no where if both sides can not work together. Some people criticize me for my avatar... I loved it during the political season. Now, I think it represents the right when Obama speaks.

[Johnny Coli]

The package will be signed today, he has not been in office for very long... yet everyone says that everything he does is wrong. Why don't you wait to see if it works? Did you do that for Bush? Hell you are even criticizing him for saying the economy is absolutely horrible? Why because it's the truth? "Fear Motivates" - of course... ask our last leadership. It works, but for only so far. Are we as a people so dumb that if the leader sugar coats the problem we'll feel better? No. I am glad he came out and said what was on his mind, spoke the truth about the economy. Better than what we have had from our leaders in the past.

 

Give the guy a break and see if something works... hold back on your hatred that is anything democrat or not your idea (because you know better?). I was hoping for more from the right after they said they would work with the new President. Fact is that they are not willing to work with him at all... and that is sad. This country will go no where if both sides can not work together. Some people criticize me for my avatar... I loved it during the political season. Now, I think it represents the right when Obama speaks.

Not really. Sure, if one only browsed the PPP one would get that impression. But the reality is a very large majority of Americans think Obama is doing a fantastic job. The ones that are openly rooting for him (and the country) to fail might shout the loudest, but they are on the fringe for a reason. They have no solutions, and they cling to ideas that are proven failures. Hell, they were 100% behind voting "no" to one of the most significant pieces of legislation in a generation, a piece of legislation that was necessary to undo the catastrophe their ideas and values created. Let them rant and tell you that you are the crazy one and not them. Empty ranting is all many of them have left.

[Chump Change]

The package will be signed today, he has not been in office for very long... yet everyone says that everything he does is wrong. Why don't you wait to see if it works? Did you do that for Bush? Hell you are even criticizing him for saying the economy is absolutely horrible? Why because it's the truth? "Fear Motivates" - of course... ask our last leadership. It works, but for only so far. Are we as a people so dumb that if the leader sugar coats the problem we'll feel better? No. I am glad he came out and said what was on his mind, spoke the truth about the economy. Better than what we have had from our leaders in the past.

 

Give the guy a break and see if something works... hold back on your hatred that is anything democrat or not your idea (because you know better?). I was hoping for more from the right after they said they would work with the new President. Fact is that they are not willing to work with him at all... and that is sad. This country will go no where if both sides can not work together. Some people criticize me for my avatar... I loved it during the political season. Now, I think it represents the right when Obama speaks.

 

What, did you expect that they would drop to thier knees and slob his knob like you and Johnny do here daily? Give me a break! Are you and Crayonz the same poster? Because your posts are as absurd as his.

 

So you thought the Republicans would roll out the red carpet for The One after Democrats like yourself were so respectful of Bush. What freaking world are you living in?

 

I will say that I'm hopeful that they all can get along for the sake of our nation, but with those nuts Pelosi and Reid running Congress, it looks unlikely.

[IDBillzFan]

But the reality is a very large majority of Americans think Obama is doing a fantastic job.

I agree completely. Millions of people voted for him, and it'll take at least a year or so for most human beings to fully understand the monstrous mistake he is making in signing that bill today. Once they realize that the guy they selected as President (with the guiding hands of the true caring and loving representatives of the people like Pelosi, Reid, Frank, etc.) is signing a bill that will totally FUBAR our grandchildren's financial futures, you'll realize how far ahead of the curve PPP is.

 

Obama is scheduled to speak at an Arizona high school on Wednesday, and if he's smart he'll start explaining to these teenagers exactly what it's going to cost them and their children to get out of the unbelievably irresponsible commitments he will sign today.

 

The ones that are openly rooting for him (and the country) to fail might shout the loudest...

Let me get this straight. If I'm critical of Obama. I want our country to fail. And if I'm not paying enough taxes, I'm not being Patriotic enough. Let me know if I'm missing anything.

[John Adams]

Not really. Sure, if one only browsed the PPP one would get that impression. But the reality is a very large majority of Americans think Obama is doing a fantastic job. The ones that are openly rooting for him (and the country) to fail might shout the loudest, but they are on the fringe for a reason. They have no solutions, and they cling to ideas that are proven failures. Hell, they were 100% behind voting "no" to one of the most significant pieces of legislation in a generation, a piece of legislation that was necessary to undo the catastrophe their ideas and values created. Let them rant and tell you that you are the crazy one and not them. Empty ranting is all many of them have left.

 

You can choose to hear this how you want to. My point, and concern, is that the current crisis is at least in part a crisis of confidence. By continuing to flame fears of the Depression (which we are still far from) and fearmongering up his base, he's doing the people that will get us out of the recession (the people who work and pay bills and take risks) a great disservice.

 

His spending plan may very well coincide with the time when a natural recovery would take place--maybe not. I wasn't commenting on his spending plan. I was commenting on his rhetoric. When the president says "Were !@#$ed," it's self-fulfilling. How about choosing a different FDR-like rhetoric? That's my critcism in this thread.

[stuckincincy]

Technology marches on. More science. The little men and women in their cubicles inexorably figure out how to reduce labor costs, how to save money, how to develop databases for ever and ever more data mining from the people.

 

Perhaps the Luddite were right...