Remember who had the Congress for the 2 last years? You know when the you know what hit the walls. I was always told that Congress controls the "pursue strings" and that Congress was DEMOCRAT. Also what about the last 2 years- they never happen? He has really helped us all, hasn't he?

What kind of tea are you drinking! Nevermind we already know what kind! The kind that twists everyting into political rethoric regardless of facts, The big lie is embraced so that the gulible will believe. ( Look up "the big lie" you'll be disturbed to see who gets credit for it).

The monetary crash came in the last administration, the bailout was initiated in 2007, the H1B epidemic (no it's not a flu strain but it has made America sick) and the export of jobs overseas - financed using corporate tax breaks - began in the Reagenadministration as was the deregulation of just about everything and the ignoring of enforcement on many other fronts, the Iraq war and the fumbled reconstruction were all Duh-b-yeas doing and not only has Cheney's buddies been milking Iraq like a cow, but their hands are dirty in the gulf oil spill as well. You can change your name to Alice and go find a mad hatter to sip with but this ain't never-land!

Obama's biggest failing has been a lack of a very visible world class advisory team of academic economists to advise on a program to recover jobs in the US. With jobs comes earnings, tax revenue and economic revival but not until.

You think the state of the economy is a result of only 2 years of economic policy? That seems unlikely. Do you know exactly what was done that caused a complete financial collapse in only 2 years? America has become so incredibly short sighted. No long term awareness at all. Amazing.

bush ran the country into the ground!!!

It's a RE-peat-the-lie-to-the-PUBLIC-an talking point to keep harping on the financial collapse taking place after the democrats garnered majorities in congress. Bush was still president, with veto power. The demo-majority congress passed no legislation before the collapse which would be causative of it. They got into power too late to have any chance of stopping the crumbling house of cards Bush oversaw for the seven years prior.

Paul : Did Obama get into power too late to have any chance of stopping the crumbling house of cards?

Yes, too late to stop the beginning of the collapse, only there in time to shore up the foundation. Bevis, where were you, in a cave? The recession is only declared after twelve consecutive months of economic shrinkage, right at the end of Bush's term. That means the collapse began ten months before Obama took office, and even those numbers are suspect given the false prosperity aspect of the last forty years in this country.

Why must the President be required to perform acts of god. He can stop an oil-leak a mile under the ocean. He can improve the global economy increasing exports. He can part the seas.

He could be walking on two legs and breathing the same air as everyone else. Perhaps he's just a man like so many others.

Glenn,

The problem is that Obama doesn't realize he's just a man like so many others. This after-all, is the guy whose sole success outside of politics is writing two books about himself, the guy who upon receiving the democratic nomination remarked that it would begin the healing of the planet and stop the rising of the tides.

Sarkozy remarked something to the effect that Obama's naivety was only surpassed by his narcissism, but due to his narcissism, we would never understand how dangerous his naivety was.

When you consider the state of the economy, Iran teeing up for the bomb, etc., etc., Sarkozy pretty much summed it up.

Was it narcissism or just hope for a better tomorrow for all Americans ?

Right Mr. Obama. Wave that magic wand people seem to expect you to pull out of your wizard cape.

You must be unaware that since what the President does must be approved by congress, the President requires some help to produce all these magical results you expect. He has not only not been receiving any help, but has been obstructed at every turn. Even when the entire congress agrees with what he is trying to do. Doesn't make any sense to me.

You need to do THIS, Mr. Obama, but we will prevent you from doing it and then blame you when you don't. Sounds like a formula for success, doesn't it?

Heartlight3, I know the processes involved in gaining approval by congress, and as you well know, Obama owns the congress with his party in control. The Entitlement Party was accountable for the Stimulus, the takeover of the car and financial services industry, provided perks for the UNIONS, provided funds for those shovel ready projects, passed a failed health care bill that will cost us all, and has obstructed any dialouge other than that that he believes. The GOP hasn;t obstructed, it hasn't been invited to the dance. Did you see any GOP involvement in the formulation of the health care bill? I believe that was done behind closed doors.

Hey, the Bush administration was blasted by the Entitlement Party at every turn? Now the Dems villify anything not associated with their thoughts. Why do the progressives fear the mood in the country leading up to the mid-terms?

No one is "blaming" Obama for the crash. We were hoping for a leader who instead of playing the blame game would have taken action to set things straight. Bluntly, I believe Obama is not the right man for this very difficult job and from his actions appears to be Bush term III.

Further his agendas such as health care, credit card reform etc are so full of holes as to be worthless.

Imagine the Exxon Valdiz heading towards the rocks. The old captain had set the course of disaster, and the new ships captain was down painting the engine room, blaming the old captain for what was about to happen, instead of being at the bridge taking ALL possible actions to avert disaster.

GHX

Plenty of ignorants are indeed blaming Obama for the crash. Avoid superlatives like nobody and everybody and you'll sound less like Boehner and Dana Perino.

I'm not buying that excuse. They need to step up to the plate, grow a backbone, and do their patriotic duty for this country as well. Companies are sitting on record profits and not hiring. Take a chance and hire someone.

Say what you will about the stimulus, but there were hundreds of billions in tax breaks, and more tax break packages for small businesses that Congress couldn't pass.

Matt read all those wonderful bills full of unfunded liabilities that fall on the shoulders of the states at the end of the day. Yeah, green jobs are growing like weeds- do you really believe this? The experience of European countries is that because they have to subsidized- for every green job ,we lost 5 regular jobs. He has certainly grown on sector of the economy very well- the public one- thousands of government employees, all in the Union payrolls. They make more than their private sector counterpart and get 80% pension that you and I pay for. Good job Barry!

The companies have money but the demand for their product isn't there. Looking more and more like Mexico.

Yep. I believe his thinking during this interview was something like this:

"Hey, I just had a real nice vacation, let's not ruin my return with all this talk people without any source of income. The economy is where it needs to be. What does that mean exactly? ummm eerrrrr I don't really have a clue. hahahahahaha... Gawd, the teleprompter guy is really slow here. Hey, when is the next Olympic Games? I want to fly Air Force One to Europe again. That was fun."

So the argument is "IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE" the funny part is that there is no way to prove this one way or the other, so no intelligent discussion can be had. This like saying to a accident victim- yes you lost your arms but think is could be worse , it could be your arms and legs! And by the way we are in very deeeeep recession! Yes ,vote this November and remember the Bail-out, the stimulus, the HC reform , the Cap and trade agenda and the maneuvers to give amnesty to illegal immigrants without addressing the legal issues. I hope you vote them out now and in 2012

You are planning to put the badly injured accident victim back in the same car with the same driver that caused the accident, to continue driving. Very smart!!!!

Ivonne

There is a way to prove it. Withdraw the stimulus money from the economy in any economic computer model and the whole thing implodes on itself.

I recall the administration saying they HOPED that unemployment wouldn't exceed 8%. There is a difference between a goal and a promise. Mr. Obama had the advice of every prominent economist in the world and their best estimate was that the recession was less severe than it turned out to be. Have you never underestimated the consequences of anything? This was an unprecedented situation and NO ONE knew what to do about it. I think it is unreasonable to expect a magic fix. I would rather have someone who would get the advice of all the experts and act on their best advice to try to fix it than to just leave it and let it collapse from inaction.

Heartlight,

Since Obama never had Eco 101, he should have HOPED someone in the administration had a clue and that unemployment wouldn't blow by their 8% statement before the bill even passed.

Geez, unprecedented? No one knew what to do?(Well, maybe in the Obama administration.) Is that why Obama said the economy and jobs were the top priority and then spent all his time on HCR - he didn't know what to do? He didn't know what to do, so he says "lets throw a trillion out the window and HOPE unemployment doesn't exceed 8%"?

It won't take magic to fix the economy, it will take an election.

They hate "other peoples'" freedom.

Old argument.

Unfinished argument.

We all know that all recessions eventually end. It will be easier to talk about funding those food stamps after the recession ends.

Now that there is a new poll that shows that there is an overwhelming majority that wants more government deficit stimulus financing for jobs, I would like to see the rethugs promoting balancing the budget and eliminating the budget deficit very aggressively.

Alex,

Of course everyone knew the food stamps would be funded in the future, irregardless of the end of the recession. That was the lie about it not adding to the deficit, it just gets added on top in a few years instead of now. Makes no difference to our kids, that will have to pay for it either way.

Obama, Axelrod and Emanuel may not know jack crap about running the country or the economy, but they are brilliant at politics. With their disastrous handing of the economy and insane spending they have put the "rethugs" in a tough position regarding remedies. Solution to this mess is going to hurt. As long as it hurts the "rethugs", Obama could not care less about it hurting the American people.

Actually, Obama is not this stupid. He even knows that for that the stiumulus to work, you should probably spend it instead of waiting a year for the next election cycle to spend half of it. This is all about his radical progressive agenda, the expansion of the role and control of the federal government. If the stupid masses have to suffer while business/free markets and the rethugs are beaten down, so be it.

I am very glad that you got the point, but the rethugs can continue pushing to cut food stamps, nobody is stopping them they can cut food stamps at any time they choose. They could cut them in 2011, 2012, 2013 or whenever they choose.

And I am very surprised that you actually acknowledged Obama's deceit. Your honesty is to be respected, if nothing else.

Are you accussing Obama of being too intelligent to have a sense of honesty or integrity. He must be the only one.

remember he's only been President 20 months.

Uh, a president only gets 48 months to prove himself worthy of another term. If we don't see drastic improvements in 2011, he is one and done.

Jobseeker, if the rethugs had been in charge, you would have starved to death a long time ago without any unemployment benefits.

You want to know the Cure for this economy?..It's TAX CUTS....TAX CUTS ..AND MORE TAX CUTS...and yes for all you LIBERAL KOOLAID DRINKING LEFT WING ..That means for the Wealthiest Americans as well..That and repealing Obama Care and yes the Bush Prescription Drug Plan along with strong fiscal restraint and this country will be back on it feet in no time. Tax Cuts work everytime as long as reign in spending at the same time.

When were tax cuts met with reduced spending anywhere in the twentieth and/or twentyfirst century? Red herring straw man argument.

Tax cuts can produce greater revenue only temporarily. If the tax rate was one percent, we would be unable to reduce spending enough to accomodate that because we have to service our debt, a payment that rivals what we pay for our national defense.

Hey Paul,

I just wanted to say hi, still enjoy your comments and the skillful way they are framed. (That's a sincere compliment.)

I was curious on your thoughts regarding Iran/Bushehr. Another thing, do you ever look at Debka file and if you do, what do you think of that site?

Thanks - bob

President Obama was against the Iraq war. That was one of the reasons why he beat McCain.

Are you guys on the left planning to vote for the rethugs because you are unhappy with President Obama???

Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.

Here comes another tax break.