Why Obama Needs To Be Superman

Reader Comments

Back to blog

+1

soundtracks of AL 7:32AM July 17, 2009

Kill Babies, import illegals to work because we have a shortfall % attitude problem...give candy to our war enemies and prosecute our leaders...give more cady to war prisoners so they won't cut our heads off. Give our manufacturing away so we don't have to do anything except figure out how to eaise new taxes. Print money, so we don't have to earn it. Let the Government take over everything, as capitalists are stupid and greedy people. Tax more so wealth can be taken from the dirty rich and be given to the industrious poor. Promoter the ills of Global warming so Al Gore can make another 100 mill next year. Pay extra for energy when we have oil here...don't drill baby...make the world safe for the Caibou and the Polar bears...and heep Anwar so we can have a frozen resort. Give the most violent Arabs more money so they can do their terror.

Buy foreign cars, suits, watches, shoes, shirts, appliances, and anything made "over there" ... and wonder why many are unemploed. WAKE UP AMERICA ... TAKE GOD OUT OF OUR LUVES...AND THE BEAT GOES ON....GOOD OLD HEADONISM, GREED, POWER-TAKING WINS AGAIN.

Greg Swofford of NY 12:01PM June 05, 2009

is that Democrats didn't have an effectual majority in Congress over the past 2 years, they couldn't even filibuster war spending, nothing at all really. That they had any majority-like powers, especially with cancer and illness plaguing members, is a horrible myth spread by people who've never set foot in a congressional chamber.

Clinton Administration worked to allow economically disadvantaged groups of people to get loans. It didn't force the banks to make high-risk loans without explaining the terms as they are legally required to, nor did it make them give out crazy financing schemes that exponentially raise, nor did cause massive speculation on housing prices, nor did it make them package and resell the loans as if they were good in the first place. Deregulation allowed that.

I'll give you opening the door to the poor to invest in something and try to become financially stable has a part in this, but a much smaller one if the banks didn't get all money-crazy. I'd support keeping that door open to the poor even after this crisis.

Everyone had their pockets lined with Fanny and Freddie, but Conservatives pushed to make them private, deregulated companies, you know, all that LESS GOVERNMENT CONTROL so they can become huge, well-connected lobbyists instead!

I'm sorry you think "Bush and 27 other officials" were some kind of champions against Fanny and Freddy, but they didn't make much fuss about them until everyone else was too. If they thought it was as bad as they said in your quote from 3 years ago, then they sure were pretty bad at doing anything with their words.

Attack immanent from Osama Bid Laden

Housing Crisis immanent from Fanny and Freddy Mac

Hard to do anything about something you don't think is that important. Apathy and stupidity is not limited to one party or another.

So let's try to find actual businesses, people, and decisions that are responsible, shall we?

And coherent paragraphs, let's try to find those too.

Shaun of HI 9:07AM February 09, 2009

People still think everything that has happened is Mr. Bush's "fault"- people need to go back to school and take Govt. 101 - ideas can come through and then not go through - because it has to go through the House - So 3 years ago when Then-Pres. Bush and 27 Members said - we need to do something NOW ! SO THAT WE DO NOT HAVE A HOUSING CRISIS -who was WRONG- Mr. Bush or the rest of the Freddie & Fannie leaders sucking millions from it??? "No we do not have problems - We are fine" - look at the tapes of the inquires -it's available to the public-The "Democratic" Senate& House chose to Overlook Fixing what is now the UNDOING OF OUR ONCE 'GREAT NATION" tell me why Raines and people involved needed any salary over a million ? the President doesn't even make a million - and yet the PUBLIC PERCEPTION IS THAT all this that has happened was Bush's fault. That is wrong. Was he a Perfect President - No - we haven't had one of those since - hmmm - i can't even go that far back - Clinton- bad boy with serious issues- he started the Bad Loan writing - and actually mumbled a little(admitting that his administration passed the Act to make loans avail to a more diverse group- Yeshe spoke about that in the infamous David Letterman-(Chris Rock -Sat. night live) who am i for ? - So come on Folks - at least get the facts Straight ! Politicans have "mis-used" taypayer dollars with Pork Bellies so badly -and Biden is one who played along with that... let alone these bonuses that went out to Freddie and Fannie Exec's - makes me sick-to read about it-but it makes me even more sick - that people don't even realize who & whom was part of that Fiasco - and did any of you bother to wonder why B.O. voted PRESENT SO MANY TIMES OVER A YEA- OR NEY ? No you just heard "change" and like Consumers to a Good Coca-Cola ad ...you just wanted to drink it up.......We need Change -but we need "Good -Change- We need a new Speaker of The House !!for one - and Representation that actually cares about the taxpayers -not some gala ball to go too- my house value tanks- my 401k WITHERED AWAY now- my life ins- values went down and they upped the preum.( which was suppose to be locked in for life -all because of this )and everyone points fingers at the Pres. even though he tried to get the House to address the now real MORTGAGE MELTDOWNS---- the Press and the Public are at fault for not paying attention to the facts - the information is out there -but who knew it would be this bad this fast-the new president best get a grip on the HOUSING MARKET IT THE ONLY THING THAT WILL HOLD UP THE ECONOMY- there is a Domino Effect here & scared people will sell - leave there homes making the values go down even more-jobs get lost - more homes get lost -they need to offer a reduced rate or no interest payments to every family with a mortgage over 3 yrs. old to insure them recovering the losses they have had on there home values - if they did that the $$ left over could help people immensely-- Needed NOW

janet of AZ 4:08PM January 21, 2009

You are an idiot. Brazilians use sugar cane for their ethanol which is 6 times more efficient than corn ethanol. Corn ethanol is not the solution.

Putting people back to work with government jobs instead of letting the free markets do the job is the authors point here I believe. Ever heard of the bridge to nowhere? That's the governments idea of putting people back to work.

I like Obama but he his setting himself up for failure. Of course he has said things will get worse before they get better. That and the fact that he can blame Bush means that no matter what happens he always say that it was his predecesor's fault. Also, where is all the money coming for these projects? We have a huge deficit. You can't cut taxes and raise spending at the same time. Our dollar is going to be absolutely worthless.

Dave of CA 4:19PM January 16, 2009

A fair enough if negative assessment. Of course understanding the downside barriers is vital to figuring out how to over-coming them. Most of the huge inventory of problems being tackled have been accumulated over the last three decades and rather willfully accumulated at that by our collective refusal to face up to them while allowing/enabling narrow (special) interests to control the public agenda for their own ends. A basic theorem in political economy - people invest the time and energy in what provides a return and a rational voter gets more bang from researching a trip to the movies and a meal than in analyzing policies. The real questions are a) is the pain now sufficient to overcome the obvious costs of change and b) will that trigger the formation of the necessary coalitions required for implementing change. Notice that your listing of previous government change programs fits perfectly into this model.

If you'd like to see a more complete inventory and assessment of these barriers try this:

http://tinyurl.com/72ddnm (Changes and Challenges: a New Year Unlike Most Others)

dblwyo of CT 7:05AM January 14, 2009

You'd think someone in such an administration of change would be bold enough to do what works, not just what makes political hay.

As the author noted, nothing in Obama's plan is new, and all previous models have failed.

It's sad that more people aren't imbued with more basic skills of critical thinking to stop and say "Hey, I've seen that before, and it didn't work."

And yes, the traditional definition of pork is sending truck loads of money to congressional districts for local spending. Think West Virginia and that every road, bridge or building is named for Robt Byrd.

RayG01 of AZ 6:39PM January 10, 2009

http://www.glennbeck.com/mediaplayer/player.html?3

Shaun of TX 12:47PM January 10, 2009

Simply changing the department heads in government will be an immediate improvement. Our nation has been wilting under a lack of leadership and ideas for years. While there are many areas needing many things, simply the change of department heads will be an immediate improvement!!! Next the legislation to reverse the legislation which caused our downfall in the first place!!!

Ray Fisher of NM 9:14AM January 10, 2009

Try convincing Brazillians that ethanol is not useful.

Obama has appointed a man to get health care goals accomplished that has a proven record of accomplishing goals.

You call putting jobless people back to work "pork". They call it pork chops and ham on the family's dinner table.

Updating the energy grid to handle all forms of energy would be a bargain at $1 trillion--much better than the Bush $1 trillion that accomplished nothing but a recession.

The U.S. pentagon created the internet, not those other countries that simply hitch-hiked a ride.

Yes, maybe this time it will be different and maybe not. But why did you end on that note without suggesting what you believe might work instead?

As you can see by this post, it is easy to sit back and criticize--but all it accomplishes is that there are views other than yours and mine.

HillbillyBill of TN 8:42AM January 09, 2009

Add Your Thoughts
Your comment will be posted immediately, unless it is spam or contains profanity. For more information, please see our Comments FAQ.

Back to blog

Rick Newman

Rick Newman

The global economy is mysterious, even scary. Chief Business Correspondent Rick Newman connects the dots. In addition to his writing for U.S. News, Rick is the co-author of two books: Firefight: Inside the Battle to Save the Pentagon on 9/11, and Bury Us Upside Down: The Misty Pilots and the Secret Battle for the Ho Chi Minh Trail.


Read Rick's latest blog entries here.

advertisement

advertisement