“I ended Tuesday less confident about the direction of economic policy than I was in the morning,” wrote Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman. His problem with the economic part of the speech was its conventionality. “In response to an unprecedented economic crisis – or, more accurately, a crisis whose only real precedent is the Great Depression – Mr. Obama did what people in Washington do when they want to sound serious: He spoke, more or less in the abstract, of the need to make hard choices and stand up to special interests. That’s not enough. In fact, it’s not even right.”
Krugman said that “this is, first and foremost, a crisis brought on by a runaway financial industry. And if we failed to rein in that industry, it wasn’t because Americans ‘collectively’ refused to make hard choices; the American public had no idea what was going on, and the people who did know what was going on mostly thought deregulation was a great idea.”
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95 Comments
There is no Nobel Prize in economics:
http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/
Rather there is the The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. To show how much it’s worth Milton Friedman won the prize. His economic philosophy has had a consistent track record of destroying economies (Chile, Russia, United States, etc.)
Hence the reason the argument from authority fails as a justification of a position. But in this case Krugman’s analysis of the economic situation is accurate because liberals have a much better grasp on economics than conservatives and Obama would be wise to disregard suggestions on economics by Republicans.
And don’t try to solve these economic problems by throwing more Chinese money at the problems. Someone with the knowledge must actually go in and get grease on their hands while rebuilding the engine.
What a shock. Maggotpunk making excuses for the Messiah. If the Messiah said jump off a bridge, Maggotpunk would ask “how high?”
SIG HEIL OBAMA! ALL HAIL MIGHTY FUHRER OBAMA! LET US BOW AND KNEEL BEFORE THE MESSIAH!
Obama has no Rezco or Blago to get him special deals now.
He’ll have to actually use honest methods for finance recovery.
Though I take no pleasure in being right, I’ve been saying this was going to happen for the past 18 months. Laws and regulation that were put in place after the Great Depression have been dismantled in the name of “Free Market”. Republicans have always said that the market would police itself. How has that worked out?
America doesn’t manufacture much of anything anymore and we don’t take much out of the ground except some oil and coal. Our economy is based on paper chasing paper. How long did we really expect that to last?
Our economy is based on paper chasing paper. How long did we really expect that to last?
Yep. We’ve been selling puffed air to each other for entirely too long. But I’m not sure whether an inaugaral speech was the place to get wonkish, though Obama certainly should have pointed out more sharply just how corrupt the financial system had become, one in which the correct type of criminality was both encouraged and handsomely rewarded. Roosevelt’s first inaugaral was a blistering attack, but that’s just not Obama’s style.
But, in a senee, there was a collective falure of all of us, for sleepwalking through history, and pretendihng that we can just ignore the government and get on with our daily lives. As Ralph Nader once said, “IF you don’t turn on to politics, politics will turn on you.”
And for those who misread that message, and are so confident of Obama that they think they can go back to sleep, news flash: the slogan was “yes we can”!
There’s still a huge amount of work to be done.
“I’m not sure whether an inaugural speech was the place to get wonkish, though Obama certainly should have pointed out more sharply just how corrupt the financial system had become, one in which the correct type of criminality was both encouraged and handsomely rewarded.”
And the flagrance is mind-numbing. The financial system is out of control.Since it hasn’t regulated itself, I see no choice but government regulation. Anthima to free-marketers, but necessary if we’re ever going to get out of this mess. And somebody (lots of somebodys) needs to go to jail. Enough is enough.
President Obama is right that we all need to do our part in this “new era of responsibility.” But those who caused this current crisis owe a special obligation to make amends. And lax government enforcement, which allowed the crisis to fester, must come to an end.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/60599.html
“Inaugural address was weak on economics”
What? From ‘The ONE’!
The inaugural address was weak in its entirety. We are beginning now to see what we have with this ‘pig in a poke’.
“Boxlock20″ –
It was an inaugural address, not the Sermon on the Mount.
The economy is a bigger mess than we’re acknowledging but we have improved chances of getting out of this quagmire because of President Obama and Democratic majorities in Congress.
The Republican members of Congress can attempt to obstruct the progress, but won’t stop it. They’ll spend their time justifying their mistakes, rewriting history and making speeches in hopes everyone forgets how poorly they govern.
Monkeyhawk asked a great question yesterday and outside the feeble personal attacks, he didn’t get any responses, and he got no answers. I checked back hoping to read something / anything of substance. Nadda.
So, without permission, I want to repeat his question and see if it brings any answer.
“When is the last time the CONs have been right? About anything? ANYTHING?!?!
When was that, CONs?
When was the last time you were right?”
http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/2009/01/hillary-isnt-so-divisive-these-days/#comments
In yesterday’s bipartisan meeting with members of congress, Obama made it clear exactly who’s in charge with two words, “I won”. Republicans are pretty much responsible for the problems we now face; it’s time for them to quit trying to obstruct and start contributing to solving the problems.
Gripe all you want about Obama but at this late date, he’s the only hope we have left. If Obama fails, we all fail. If we don’t make it work now there will be no “do overs”. “I told you so” is small comfort if we’re all standing in soup lines.
“It was an inaugural address, not the Sermon on the Mount.”—Monkeyhawk
What’s your point? It still was without substance and booooring. You would think will all the hoopla over his inauguration he would have put more into it or had someone ‘help’ him with his homework.
But no.
“new era of responsibility.”
——————————
Era of responsibility my a$$.
When a politician makes such broad comments reality is they will do exactly OPPOSITE the rhetoric.
850 billion Stimulus = unstimulus
Responsibility=NO responsibility. The $850 billion will include billions in more free lunch money for businesses and those who do not work (e.g. socialized healthcare, more food stamp handouts(is anyone actually starving now?), and unemployment compensation. And welfare for CEO’s big businesses which are failing, worthless infrastructure projects (e.g. making federal buildings more energy efficient = no return on investment, cost of projects will be greater than energy efficiency improvenments. AND let us not forget plenty of pork for the democrats loyal states.
By the time the spending glut is done, the markets will have continued to crash, the realization that the USA is so far in debt it will never get out – will turn off foreign investors, inflation will skyrocket, and the percent of GDP required to pay off just the interest on the national debt will reach new record levels.
In short politicians do the opposite of what they promise.
Bush 2001 Stimulus package via republican congress = no stimulus.
Bush 2008 150 billion stimulus package via democrats congress = no stimulus
Bush 2008 800 billion stimulus package via democrats congress = no stimulus
Obama 2009 850 billion stimulus package = ?
Anyone taking bets?
I’ll wait to pass judgement until Obama actually sends his proposals to Congress. The inauguration address simply does not lend itself to such specifics.
As for Mr. INFERIOR above – feel free to bow down to whomever your God Rush commands.
Has anyone received even so much as a free cup of coffee from the federal government stimulus packages so far?
Reminds me of a skit presented by the actors/actresses in a medicine show out in western Kansas when I was a kid.
The show took place on the back of a large farm truck in a vacant downtown lot surrounded on three sides by a tarpollian. After several individual acts and songs by the show’s actors and actresses, all the actors would gather on the stage and walk around complaining about their personal finances. It seems that all owed others some five dollars each but none had any income.
Suddenly a dollar bill fluttered over the back “fence” falling to one of the actors. He said, “Wow, I just found a dollar bill.” The next actor said, “Now you can pay me a dollar on the five dollars you owe me.”
Thus the newly found dollar bill was passed around from actor to actor paying each person one of the five dollars owed.
The dollar bill made the rounds again until another dollar was paid by each on the original five dollar debt.
Then the dollar was passed around three more times until the original debt of five dollars was paid off by everyone, leaving everyone free of debt.
Then the original finder of the single paper dollar said, “Now I can go to Fairmont’s store and buy everyone an ice cream cone. (Back in the days of the 5 cent double-dip cone at Fairmont’s ice cream store on Main street.)
But unbeknownst to him, the original dollar bill was caught by a breeze, most likely aided by a string tied firmly thereto, and fluttered up and over the back fence to disappear again (at least until the next medicine show.)
AS A TEN YEAR OLD KID, I LOOKED AT MY DAD AND SAID, “WOW, CAN THAT REALLY HAPPEN?” HE SAID, “NO WAY BOY, THAT CAN ONLY HAPPEN IN A MEDICINE SHOW.”
Now, many years later, I’m not so sure!
Just delete everything after “weak” in the headline of this thread and you would be accurate.
And if the speech was full of details and volumes of the exact courses to be taken then the talk would have been. “Oh he is so long winded and talking above our heads!”. It seems an agreement that the full details of the failure of the financial system is not known to the general public, So just what would the good be if Obama had given a full account? In a sense we are whom Jack Nicholson was talking about in a few good men. “You can’t handle the truth!”. No one really is wanting to know the total truth or would believe it to begin with. We would rather someone else handle the details and leave us alone. And yes so we can continue to sleep.
writerdog
Posted January 24, 2009 at 10:07 am | Permalink
In a sense we are whom Jack Nicholson was talking about in a few good men. “You can’t handle the truth!”. No one really is wanting to know the total truth or would believe it to begin with.
___________________________________________________
Absolutely!
Especially when you consider that the true deficit is around 54 trillion dollars when we count in off-budget expenses like the cost of the wars and unfunded liabilities like Social Security, etc.
JW – there actually is some truth in that medicine show. It is called “velocity” of money.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velocity_of_money
Put simply: if I have a dollar and go to a store and spend it buying a widget. The store then buys inventory from the wholesaler. He inturn buys from the factory. Factory pays a worker to make the widget. Worker in turn spends at another store. Eventually that dollar makes its way back to me and the process continues.
A major key here is confidence – I need to be willing to spend for the process to work.
Sorry, I meant debt instead of deficit.
Another multiplyer – instead of handouts use public works. That way we have something to show for our spending.
A simple example: I know someone who is financially hurting. I’m a nice guy; I could give him some cash to get him through. I won’t. Instead, I’ll HIRE him to do some things I really need done but don’t want to do. He feeds his family, I get my work done. AND – he can hold his head high in front of his children who see him working.
Of course the speech was weak on the economy. The person giving the speech is weak on the economy. Especially in the real world in which we live, instead of the fantasy world that he lives in. The economic crisis happened because those in charge of overseeing, thus regulating the actions of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, looked the other way while they took payoffs in contributions. People like Barney Frank, and Christopher Dodd. Although Obama was not responsible for overseeing any actions, he was still number two on the payoff list. You don’t think they looked the other way? Listen for yourself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGT_cSi7Rs
On January 16, 2009, Treasury announced a further bailout of Bank of America. Bank of America expressed “surprise” that the investment bank Merrill Lynch which it took over in September lost $15.3 billion in the last quarter of 2008. In a deal structured similarly to the recent one with Citigroup, BoA will receive another $20 billion in TARP funds (in exchange for $4 billion in BoA stock) and it will receive a “backstop” for some $98.2 billion of its crap assets. BoA will cover the first $10 billion, the FDIC picks up the next $10 billion and the Fed and BoA split any other losses on the remaining $78.2 billion, 90% by the Fed, 10% by BoA.
So just to recap, BoA is at most out $4 billion in stock plus $10 billion in initial losses plus 10% of $78.2 billion in subsequent losses or $21.8 billion. But it just received $20 billion from Paulson so for a net pay out of $1.8 billion, it has gotten a government guarantee on $98.2 billion of its crap assets.
http://oxdown.firedoglake.com/diary/3065
=======================================================
This “bailout” is going to cost the taxpayers over 13 trillion dollars. Paulson and his cronies belong in jail for foisting off this bad joke on the American people. Every CEO, COO, and the rest of the morons who bought into the CMO, CDO, CDS nightmare should be up on trial for stealing from the American people.
The is currently over $1.4 quadrillion out there in the e-world, most of it uncontrolled and unregulated. That’s over one hundred times the total output of the world’s economy. I’m now in the unemployment line because of these thieves. And no, I haven’t seen a free cup of coffee out of it, just an ungreased shaft.
JMW – you forgot to mention that Merrill paid out big bonuses to their executives as a reward for destroying the company.
What really irks me is that the Bush administration nationalized the financial industry but then left the same executives in charge who had destroyed the industry.
Just had to get that hate Bush jab in didn’t you Ben? You people are so pathetic. Your hatred has really destroyed your soul. No wonder you fell for such a phony as BHO. Oh well, you folks made this bed. Now your going to get to lay in it.
Chris – you are really funny. Thanks for the comic relief.
You don’t challenge anything I said – just whine about it after your earlier hate-Obama diatribe. And, of course, another display of your soul-destroying hatred for the President.
You should take your routine to the Looney Bin here in Wichita.
“What really irks me is that the Bush administration nationalized the financial industry”
What really irks me is that liberals and democrats REFUSE to acknowledge that the Democrats who control congress did NOT have to vore AYE to the Bailout.
You want someone to blame and they WANT you to blame anyone but your party. It’s the game.
And you suckers fall for it to the doom of our economy.
Congress made changes to the Bailout and are just as responsible under our governmental form for
the nationalized financial industry.
RoaCH – actually, if you paid any attention, I HAVE faulted the Democrats for having trusted Bush. More than once.
#
bth
Posted January 24, 2009 at 10:52 am | Permalink
RoaCH – actually, if you paid any attention, I HAVE faulted the Democrats for having trusted Bush. More than once.
=============================
Hedge any bets lately? :D
At least Krugman is on track about the cause (lack of regulation), repubs still think it was acorn and cra. I think we’ll see a re-regulation of the financial industry. I’d like to see bonus claw backs from places that have used our money to pay bonuses.
An inaugural is not the place to discuss specifics of an economic plan, esp. when that plan is still to be molded. True bush would have a preconceived plan and stick to it right or wrong, and it was always wrong. When you’re in unchartered waters best to have options of maneuvering and changing directions.
I feel much better with Obama at the helm.
I’d say the ultimate ‘hedge’ is the Republics blaming Democrats for not restraining their boy Bush.
bth
Posted January 24, 2009 at 10:18 am | Permalink
Another multiplyer – instead of handouts use public works. That way we have something to show for our spending.
—————
Ben of your two examples the second one will work to put new money into the economy. This one will only recycle our tax dollars. Eventually the country will collapse under it’s own weight. This didn’t work for FDR and it won’t now. We need to export products and have new money come into the country. We need to create private jobs that will stimulate spending. It isn’t a quick fix problem.
For the dems to deny any cupability is like putting your head in the sand and expecting to see the sun shine. Bush is gone. You can continue to blame him until hell freezes over but that won’t improve the economy.
While you and your party are casting stones blame the senate that has passed out of committee the nomination of a man who is a close associate of Paulson. They were responsible together for the oversight of a significant portion of the failure of the banking industry.
Study this and then write, call, email what ever it takes. Let your senator and congressman know that business as usual won’t cut it. Get mad. Demand action now. We have the power to change things but only if we stop casting stones and take back the power of the people.
Obaama will tell us that “we all have some skin in this” and that we’re going to have to sacrifice and blah freekin’ blah. What’s with the huge spending for a party or three? He’ll have no problem spending $150 million plus on this inauguration (and you dolt’s have no problem with that) at the same time telling us to sacrifice? Give me a break.
Ron Paul would NOT have had the stupid parties.
Like Nero, playing the fiddle or doing the “bump” while Rome burns. And like Nero blamed the fires that HE himself started on the Christians, so Obaaama blames American’s.
Krugman was right, American’s had no clue. And now that “they do”, they still don’t. Still, they stay ignorant, fat and lazy and full of denial (right Reguliar?).
okob – as long as what we do as ‘public works’ are things we need (transportation for example) then, in efect, we DO get the multiplyer. For example, if I don’t have to replace tires and suspension parts from hitting potholes thenI and my business benefit.
Listen to me now, instead of just laughing at me for once. Everything that us “twoofer’s” and “Paultard’s” have been saying over the past 7 years (and 3 years on here) is coming to fruition and is becoming overt.
Buy gold, storable food, seeds and other things that you wouldn’t think of for trade. Our “society” (and I use that term REAL loosely) is about to break down and Katrina was a beta test for what will happen.
The new “bail out” is not meant to “help our economy”, it’s meant to further bankrupt us all. It’s meant to lay insane amounts of debt upon our laps. We’ll be begging for help…no…YOU’LL be begging for help. And we’ll get it (at the point of a sword). Like Raum, Joe, Colin, Madelaine all said, “there will be “unpopular decisions” to be made”. I wonder what those will be????
Enjoy the Change® you asked for.
Ben I’m not saying don’t fix the infrastructure. I’m saying don’t do it with the expectation of fixing the economy.
BTW you example could put mechanics and tire builders out of a job :).
Pleefer says: Krugman was right, American’s had no clue. And now that “they do”, they still don’t. Still, they stay ignorant, fat and lazy and full of denial (right Reguliar?).
– - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – — – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – — – -
First of all, Krugman has never been right about anything. People who can, do. People who can’t, teach. People who can’t even teach, write for the New York Times. Nobel Prize winner my ass.
He does however, clearly surmise the Democrats attitude about the American people. After all, these are the same people who foolishly kept us out of power for twelve awful years. Now that we are back, we are going to take care of these poor, ignorant dolts who are not nearly sophisticated enough to understand the ways of high finance or government. Just as soon as we kill off talk radio and free speech on the internet, we will be able to once again tell them only what we want them to know. Then we will achieve our dream of a Soviet America. It will be so much easier than stealing elections like we have to do now, when we are the only choice on the ballot.
First off — to return to this thread’s alleged topic — inaugural addresses aren’t supposed to be policy papers. They exist to establish the President’s philosophy of leadership.
Given what we all understand about the economic mess George WMD Bush left him with, Obama gave the nation an “eat your spinach” speech. It’s not gonna be easy and it’s gonna take some time to fix what’s wrong after Shrub’s Reign of Error.
Second: I, too, was a bit disappointed Obama didn’t give one of his patented inspirational speeches. It sure screwed up a lot of CONservative pundits’ pre-written criticisms of the speech; the ol’ “He can give a good speech, but…” trope. There weren’t a lot of applause lines, but there was some profound stuff in Obama’s address. Read it again.
Third: We are now four days into the Obama presidency. Four days.
I think I’ll hedge by buying all the tinfoil I can get my hands on so I can charge top dollar to Pleefer and Chris and all the others tucked away in their bunkers to wear on their heads.
Dennis
It’s not the messenger I’m worried about…who cares about Krugman himself? It’s the message. And the message that American’s are dumbed-down,fat and lazy is completely true.
We’re trained monkey’s, nothing more. There are only a few million here in America that actually have a single thought of their own, the rest are parrots.
I’m a Steeler fan and have been since it was the Steel Curtain. I’m glad to see where they are this year, but really, I could give a shti less. We’re taught to put our tribal instincts into that soap opera crap instead of putting them to use by protecting our real tribe. Family, Community.
Same with the stupid “major Political Party’s”. We’re kept divided, arguing about BS that WILL NEVER be decided while both sides are killing us (financially and literally).
I’m convinced this country is full of insane people.
“There weren’t a lot of applause lines, but there was some profound stuff in Obama’s address. Read it again.”
——–
For your convenience:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090120/ap_on_go_pr_wh/inauguration_obama_text
In order for me to take a seat in that bunker Dennis, you will have to give up yours.
okob – you make a good point about infrastructure not being everything. However, there is a lot that needs to be done in what has traditionally been the public sector. So, if we accellerate doing that we can, to at least some extent, ‘prime the pump.’ Note, for example, Republican Todd Tiahrt touting a contract for his former employer as economic development for the Wichita area.
There are many things in the area – roads, bridges, water, sewer, etc. Then, entering into the private sector, enhanced Sec 179 and bonus depreciation can encourage investment of all kinds. And a grey are – public/private – electricity transmission and R&D.
It will take a lot to turn this thing around.
“Then we will achieve our dream of a Soviet America.”
Go for it Chris!
:)
Dennis, you’re a fugstick too. Ya’ll are coming out of the woodwork. Are there anymore than 5 people on this stupid blog that actually think?
So here’s a BIG middle finger to you too, you yellow piece of schitt.
I wish I could get a look at you’re big dumb faces when your hope gets punched in the face by your God, Obaaama.
Go fug yourselves.
You all have nothing insulting to say to me when I’m “bashing” Bushco, but when I take on your messiah, you can hang.
Gutless swine, lick my balzak. I’ve my own tinfoil.
Geez Pleefer, would you please finish your melt-down already? You’re getting spittle all over the place.
“Are there anymore than 5 people on this stupid blog that actually think?”
Of course you include yourself among these 5 great minds, yes?
You need to get a grip. Your Messianic complex is wearing thin.
If we’re all so dumb and beneath your contempt, why do you spend so much time here? Kind of reflects badly on you, no?
Pleefer seems to be in a permanent melt-down.
pleefer – while I do not subscribe to Austrian school I do find such discussions interesting. However, I must agree with others that you have melted down a bit here today.
#
cosmos_originally
Posted January 24, 2009 at 1:40 pm | Permalink
Pleefer seems to be in a permanent melt-down.
___________________________________________________
I agree,Cosmos. Something must have happened lately in his personal life. He used to be such a thoughtful poster. Now, he thinks he’s better than everybody else.
Isn’t everyone fighting some kind of battle, dealing with a personal challenge (or maybe several)?
#
lindainks55
Posted January 24, 2009 at 1:52 pm | Permalink
Isn’t everyone fighting some kind of battle, dealing with a personal challenge (or maybe several)?
___________________________________________________
Sure seems like it. If it’s not one thing, it’s another. I guess I should be more understanding.
Thanks for resetting my compass Lindainks. Another thoughtful post.
I still have those tinfoil futures. You want to buy some?
Dennis
Great line in Men in Black II: Agent K: Son, you need professional help.
Woman in film rental place: He’s getting it. It isn’t helping.
Seems appropriate.
Dennis
Obama has one HUGE problem…
http://i14.servimg.com/u/f14/11/74/63/27/he_s_s10.jpg
I hope he kills the SOB!!! (for good)
ANTI – lets see now. He was born in 1889. That would make him 120 years old today.
btw, it was a joke….humor is lacking in this blog.
btw=bth, sorry.
Who would be that stupid Ben?
I am suprised you looked up the B-day and did the math.
(again, HUMOR)
Damn scientist!!! ;)
Yea – we get that way sometimes!
#
bth
Posted January 24, 2009 at 3:58 pm | Permalink
Yea – we get that way sometimes!
———–
We do too!
Have a good one Ben!
I don’t think I’m better than everyone else, I just don’t understand why people don’t want to face reality.
As Mike Muir (of ST fame) says, “I’m not crazy, you’re the one who’s crazy”.
I could get on here and post (backtobacktobacktobacktoback) news stories of the insanity of this world and you all would call it coincidence or that it wasn’t real or that it’s just some kooky conspiracy theory.
I’m freaked out that this demagogue, Obama, is treated like a savior to so many lemmings. Study the word demagogue, please. Know the Greek usage…it’s exactly what is happening.
I’m getting on here, trying to show my fellow (Kansans first) countrymen, the big picture and I’m treated like a dipschitt. I can handle it, my own mom thinks the same way about me. Maybe she will be fine, her bank tells her that “her money is safe” when they have no idea themselves what is about to transpire. Seems risky to me and I’ll feel bad for her if she loses her CD’s too.
I guess this is what is meant by casting pearls before swine eh? I’ll stop, because I don’t like getting worked up like I do on here. In person, word’s come across like they are supposed to, typing them gets lost in translation.
Sorry folks.
Pleefer – the only people calling Obama a savior or messiah are the nutcases on the right. Note, for example, “Ictinferior” and “Boxlock” above. To me, he is simply the President. And I hope he proves to be a good one.
No, there are sooooo many pics of people doing the whole scream at the Beatles thing. Lemmings.
And the headlines all over “Obama lifts his hand, raises a nation” and “Obama Has Only Four Years To Save The Earth”.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/jan/18/jim-hansen-obama
Sickening.
Pleefer,
Thank you for the Guardian link — Dr. Hansen is spot on.
Pleefer, c’mon now.
You think Hansen’s grim prediction has anything to do with Obama. C’mon man: You don’t think Hansen wouldn’t be offering the same prediction for McCain? DUH!
You must be crazy! Institutionalize you! We have to stick you in an institution. It’s the only solution, to get you needed professional help, to protect you from the enemy, yourself. /sarcasm-and-obscure-reference OFF
Pleefer
Posted January 24, 2009 at 9:10 pm | Permalink
I’m freaked out that this demagogue, Obama, is treated like a savior to so many lemmings.
___________________________________________________
Pleefer, I think what you’re seeing is relief and hope. The kind of hope that people have after the end of an 8 year nightmare.
I don’t disagree with you; some really bad things are coming our way. But Obama is the only president we’ve got. There’s no do-overs, no time to get it right next time. Does Obama have a lot of support? Hell yes! Can he do anything to stop the bus from going over the cliff?
We’ll see.
I hope he can help us. But we’d do better to help ourselves.
And McCain? That was a joke in and of itself…they ran a corpse against Obama.
“Pleefer” –
Read this:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/25/opinion/25rich.html?_r=1
Frank Rich on President Obama’s inaugural address.
Dick Cavett on the inaugural –
http://cavett.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/im-not-weeping-its-an-allergy/?em
Pleef,
“I’m freaked out that this demagogue, Obama, is treated like a savior to so many lemmings.”
How does it feel to have moved down from the bottom 24% who were Bush apologists to the bottom 12% who disapprove of Obama? Is everybody out of step but you?
You think I liked Bushco? Do you not pay attention to me? Maybe only now since I’m “Obama bashing”?
Obaaama is nothing more (or less) than Bushco Negro. (sorry)
And I’m proud to be in that 12% mix…we’re right.
I wish the first black President …damn Clinton already took that…the second black President was for the people and was a real hero like MLK. No instead we get a bankers’ bitsch.
Monkeyhawk,
The Frank Rich article was great and I agree with his take on it. We ALL, left and right took a bite out of it.
It still doesn’t answer why Obama chose to spend that frivolous money on the party’s after the inauguration.
I and my wife still have yet to take a honeymoon (we were married in ‘99).
He didn’t set anywhere near a “good tone” with me. No actually, he proved that there is a set of rules for us and one for them.
I’m a VERY PROUD and VERY RIGHT 12%er.
Dick Cavets’???
Ehhhh…not so much.
Dreamy-cultists stuff proving demagoguery.
I had to agree with the “feeling sorry for Bushco” thing, though.
I’ll wait to see if Obaaama rescinds any of the Hitlerian doctrines (executive orders) of Bushco.
Let us see if the Democrats get rid of the USAPatriot Act…
If it happens, I’ll champion everything that a democrat stands for. For then, I will know that there truly is a difference.
I’ll be waiting a long time, I’m sure.
Pleefer posted January 25, 2009 at 8:48 am
It still doesn’t answer why Obama chose to spend that frivolous money on the party’s after the inauguration.
—————–
All of the inauguration parties were Obama’s decision, and under his control?
He IS the President right Cosmos?
Or are you admitting that he’s just a pretty face and fantastic speaker? Are you admitting that he runs nothing and that he does what he is told?
If he truly was “for the people” he would have set an example and said, “we start here, there will be no celebrations until we get this economy straight”.
Nope, he wants to party it up, he wants his cut.
MEET THE NEW BOSS, SAME AS THE OLD BOSS.
Pleefer posted January 25, 2009 at 10:00 am
He IS the President right Cosmos?
———–
Correct. . . he is not the dictator of the U.S.
MH:
Thanks for the Cavett linky. Loved it!
Slightly OT, but worth it:
http://kansasjackass.blogspot.com/2009/01/dissent-un-american-say-again-billo.html
Hey Mr. C,
Got some of those digital converters on the station’s coat hangers yet? :)
Thanks, mrcontroversy! I hadn’t seen that episode and enjoyed it a bunch!
Reg,
Working on it.
If I didn’t want a birthday party, I wouldn’t have one. Simple.
Monkeyhawk,
I finally read both the Frank Rich and the Dick Cavett op-ed pieces you linked to. Thanks — I enjoyed reading both.
Pleefer,
I doubt that many people would want to give you a birthday party — and it’s a safe bet that millions of people worldwide will never celebrate your inauguration as POTUS.
Are you really that simple?
It was an analogy (and a very astute one at that). It has nothing to do with me and everything to do with a truth that hurt’s your ego and shows you to be an ignorant dolt.
I am loved and liked by people that matter. You are not one of them. If I knew you personally, I wouldn’t like you. We would not be friends or share the same circle of friends. Your life seems fragile and meaningless. You have one train of thought and one thought alone. And when the truth gets in your way, you just choose to dismiss it and insult the messenger with rediculous ad hominem attacks.
You “friend”, are the prime example of and a perfect representation of YOUR party. Try refuting my logic, goober.
hurts
Pleefer,
Your analogy that the parties celebrating the inauguration of the 44th POTUS were equivalent to his birthday party does not “hurt”. Your “birthday party” analogy is so wrong, and stupid, it’s funny.
He, as President, could have told everyone planning the gala event(s) to postpone them to a “more appropriate” time. It would have sent a more positive message to the rest of us non believers that he is indeed serious about tackling the economic issues at hand. Instead, he chose…HE CHOSE to fiddle while the rest of us burn. Facts are facts.
But like Hillary running in the red throughout her campaign and then Obama asking all of you to “bail her out”, this is how you all of you take care of bidness.
You can’t blame the CEO’s of these banks for bonuses and parties or flying private jets to a Senate hearing if your own man does the exact same thing.
My point was, that I can choose to have a party (birthday or otherwise) the same way that I can choose NOT to have a party.
Equating an inaugural party to a birthday party?? I guess it isn’t unfathomable, but that wasn’t even close to my point. I never mentioned HIS birthday.
Dang, you’re weird.
Pleefer posted January 25, 2009 at 4:53 pm
If I didn’t want a birthday party, I wouldn’t have one. Simple.
“Your analogy that the parties celebrating the inauguration of the 44th POTUS were equivalent to his birthday party does not “hurt”.”-Cosmo
Your words, not mine.
Please stop before you hurt yourself.