President Obama’s Weekly Address: ‘I Know Some Are Skeptical’

I’m not skeptical. I am proud our President has surrounded himself with experts who have devised this plan to help our economy.
People go to the website and read the entire plan before you criticize it. It is a ‘big picture’ plan that is going to help the economy broadly and carefully.
Unlike the $350 billion dollars Bush gave to Paulson to spend, these dollars will have accountability, have specific areas the money must be spent on to actually stimulate the economy in many sectors. At the same time we are getting very necessary services and goods, such as better port security. (remember the 9/11 commission detailed the weak security at our ports as a major flaw in our defenses)
Compare it to a household’s economy. If you are borrowing money should you buy something frivolous like a 60 inch plasma tv and expensive sound system which will only raise your monthly electric bill or should you buy the new roof for your house, protecting your investment?
Obama’s plan makes sense.

Democrats were the ones who wrote the terms of the first $350 billion–not Bush. So they can take credit for its faliure and its lack of transparency.
This is nothing like a household’s finances. Households don’t print money. Borrowing money, even for something as important as a roof, increases your financial risk. That’s a fact. That’s why you’re supposed to have an emergency fund of at least 3 months of expenses at all times. What the government is doing is printing money, with no guarantee of return, bringing us closer and closer to default. We’ve saddled future generations with unbelievable amounts of debt for a plan presented by a man who’s never run anything in his life except a slick campaign. History has shown us repeatedly that no amount of government spending can create economic growth, yet people continue to believe the myth that it can. Only the private sector can create sustainable growth. A few months from now we’ll be told all the money spent did no good, and then what? The value of our money will be ravaged by inflation.
Accountability??? Hahaha. Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, Jim Johnson, Frank Raines, and their Democratic cronies were largely responsible for getting this train wreck started. See any calls for accountability for their actions by Obama? Didn’t think so. On the contrary, they’ve been given the task of trying to “fix” the problem they created (and profiting from that as well). Washington is totally corrupt. And ignorant Americans look to these politicians for guidance instead of throwing them out of office. We deserve the pain we get.

Jen, that I agree with your comments completely. Where is the accountability for Barney Franks?
This so called “stimulus” bill includes 1.5 billion dollars for abortion. It also includes billions of dollars for the arts. Where is the stimulus affect for our economy in these items? This bill is nothing more than an attempt by Obama to pay back the extremist on the left that supported him during the campaign.
America deserves better than the same old politics as usual. Mr. Obama promised that change and should be held accountable if he will not hold others in his party accountable.

Oh, by the way the stimulus bill also includes 21.8 billion dollars for California. You red states that have been responsible and have lived within your means you have just subsidized the out of control leftist utopia in la-la land.
Doesn’t that make you feel great about living within your means? This whole bill is nothing more than a thinly vailed attempt to bailout the failed liberal agenda.

The stimulus also includes money for Amtrack (yes, the money loosing boondoggle). It includes money for office furniture, again does that stimulate the economy?
3% goes to infrastructure after all the hype that Obama gave to talking about that during the campaign.
Acorn will also receive money under this plan. Who in their right mind would support giving stimulus money to a group that is nothing more than political thugs? How does this help our economy?
Where is the media on all of this stuff? How will our government survive when this kind of crap can be pushed through with no media scrutiny? Sad day for America….

I’m outraged that the media is not outraged.

Angie, the Republicans held hearings in both 2002 and again in 2005 to warn about the impending risk related to the derivative obscured home mortgages. In both cases it was people like Barney Franks and Chris Dodd that told everyone that it was ok and we didn’t need to do anything. The Republicans were essentially called racists because they dared to ask that the loans given for home mortgages meet EXISTING standards. The Democrats have used the Community Reinvestment Act as a way to give freebies to their low income supporters. They are responsible for the result of this attempt to win elections at any cost.
Angie, the videos of those meetings I spoke about are posted on the Internet. They are there for everyone to see who is not blinded by the media’s attempt to hide Democratic Party malfeasance. All I ask is that you view those before perpetuating a lie.
Unfortunately, we the American people will be paying for that failure of leadership for a long time.

I am skeptical because for one Ron Paul said it wouldn’t work and he has been right about everything.

Jen, James – Peter Schiff is running against Dodd in Conneticut next go around. Schiff was Paul’s economic advisor, and he predicted much of the mess we now find ourselves in years ago.

Just keep telling yourselves these things Republicans! The Republican President Bush As well as Republican congress BLEW UP GOVERMENT BLEW UP THE NATIONAL DEBT WITH SPENDING AND MORE SPENDING IN IRAQ no regulation, funny now the Republicans want to cry about Obama and his stimulis plan PLEEEZE.And all of a sudden they are Fiscial Conservitive WHAT A JOKE THE DO NOTHING I DONT CARE GREEDY REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS BECOME IF THEY CANT LEAD OR WORK IN A BI PARTISAN MANNER THEN PACK UP AND GET OUT LORD KNOWS THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING LEAD FOLLOW OR BE GONE GOP! FED UP WITH REPUBLICANS!

PaizPlease, Obama does not appear to want to work together. He has childishly taunted Republicans by saying “I won” and has also told Republicans that they can only listen to certain people.
I for one will not “work together” to lead our nation into the misery and stench that emanates from socialism. America became great because our founding fathers created a system of government that encouraged self reliance and an entrepreneurial spirit. Why should we work together to bring the mediocrity of European style socialism to America?

James – I like what you have to say on the economic front, but you have to convince your fellow republicans to drop the love for killing people who disagree with Israel building settlements, erecting checkpoints, and blockading Gaza. I believe Obama is a disaster on spending and he has no problem with the unending slaughter of babies in the womb, but republicans love to spread fear about Muslims, and this for me is a big problem.

“If we think as “citizens and not partisans” as President Obama encourages…………..
After the mess the previous administration created for our Nation and the world, I suggest that skeptics at least give it a chance.”
That is a way to get people to work together. Talk togetherness in the first sentence and point fingers in the second.

This country went from surplus under Clinton to massive debt in eight years.
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We had massive debt under Clinton, it was the budget deficit he managed to reduce/remove for a short time.
Obama is now facing a historic deficit, and says the only way to solve our problem is to make it bigger.
He may be right, but working together does not mean just doing what he and Congress want to do. Let’s be wise.

“If we think as “citizens and not partisans” as President Obama encourages
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Beware the politician that tells you the way to act as a “citizen and not as a partisan” is to do what he wants.

Well after 8 years of Republican economics I am convinced they have no clue what they are doing so its time to give Mr. Obama a chance.
Trickle down doesn’t work for the rest of us. Spending us into a black hole on needless wars and giving away tax cuts to the wealthy doesn’t help the rest of us. The mess we are in illustrates that sooner or later if the rest of us suffer we might even make the rich and powerful suffer as well.
Mr. Obama can’t begin to be as bad as his predecessor. I hope he will be great.

“We had massive debt under Clinton, it was the budget deficit he managed to reduce/remove for a short time.”
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Maybee- Actually, Clinton inherited a large trillion+ debt which he managed down into a surplus at the end of his term. Yes, a stimulus plan will increase the deficit; but this time, rather than 350 billion being released into the financial and banking coffers without oversight, the money will have safeguards in how it’s spent and visibility. If Obama enacts a good stimulus plan, then the increases in employment, consumer spending, and good and services will help offset the debt. I prefer to hoping it works to assuming it won’t.

To all Obama Haters and Republicans out there: I have a question WHAT JOBS DID PRESIDENT BUSH CREATE UNDER HIS PRESIDENCY Last I checked Unemployment is about to hit an all time High!

The problem with the Republicans are they dont want to get out of the stone ages and get in with the 21st Century. And President Obama Is a 21st Century President, cmon Republicans try things Diffrently for once instead of the old same Trickle down Idealogy WAKE UP SMEEL THE ROSES IT HAS NOT WORKED Get up with the times!

Ben Straubb
Good point but its going to cost MONEY To care for them, And God forbid The Republicans will have a melt down to spend money to care for our troops But they had no Problem spending Money to get them killed or wounded you see thats why the Republicans are Pathetic selfish greedy Party!

Concerned in Ohio
First of all I am not on welfare I work thank you very much, But the wealthy and the Rich have been getting Welfare for so long now The time has come For the Middleclass to stop giving Rich wealthy the welfare!

WHEN BUSH WON TWICE I DID NOT HEAR THE DEMOCRATS SING WELL HE DID WIN!
First of all first time around he was selected not Elected he stole the Presidency
Second time around around he unfortunatley was Elected due to his fears and lies!

Concerned in Ohio
You really need to lay off Fox news Last I checked Obama wants to Invest in Infrastrature you know Our crumbiling Bridges and roads Bush Neglected for 8 Years.

The real focus needs to be on the vehicles that brought us to this point, not blaming democrat and republican politicians that merely pay to play
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Well said. When the economy becomes a bipartisan fighting point, then mistakes don’t get owned and corrected.

The stimulus needs to be more than twice what Obama is asking for, and it needs to last at least four years. Look what happened in the 30′s when FDR stopped spending and tried to balance the budget – the economy tanked again, until war spending brought it back.
The question is why is Obama being so nice to the GOP? There isn’t anything he can do to get their votes, and anything he does do to try to get their votes is just more damaging.
The conservatives lost. Their ideology suffered a humiliating defeat at the polls, and they need to get over it. Obama can help by giving them some tough love.

Maybee- Actually, Clinton inherited a large trillion+ debt which he managed down into a surplus at the end of his term.
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Kathy- there is a difference between a budget deficit and debt.
Clinton did not eliminate debt and create a surplus. At the end of his term, we were about $6 trillion in DEBT. He eliminated deficit spending and had a surplus in the budget.
As for the current stimulus plan- I too hope it works. I’m not assuming it won’t. But the best way to make sure something works is to plan well and do it right.

Concerned in OH—ROFLMAO, Bush won once. Obama won in a popular and electoral landslide. Bush never won by such a large margin, not even against Kerry.

Hey Angie, educate yourself ok…. only 3.3% of the stimulus package goes to infastructure.. Obama is an idiot if he thinks this is going to help, and most of this spending happens AFTER 2010.
OBAMA NOT PREPARED TO LEAD
America ..Safe no more

Kathy- there is a difference between a budget deficit and debt.
Clinton did not eliminate debt and create a surplus. At the end of his term, we were about $6 trillion in DEBT. He eliminated deficit spending and had a surplus in the budget.
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That’s right – a budget deficit is the difference between spending and revenue receive for a particular year, which in turn, is piled into the cumulative debt. I may have been using the two interchangeably.
Yes, he eliminated deficit spending through balancing the budget. I think Clinton inherited a 4 trillion dollar debt that expanded from around 900 billion in 1982. He revised the previous course of the last 12 years by raising the taxes for the wealthy and reducing them for the middle and working class. It produced a budgetary surplus to pay down the national debt, and yes, eliminate deficit spending. In 2000, there was no debt and a surplus of 236 billion. Needless to say, Obama has received relevant criticism for not repealing the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy as he is setting the course for deficit spending with his stimulus plan. But then it’s probably a calculation to insure passage of his economic plan.

Obama has no moral center and no ethical code. He is like a reed blowing in the wind!
And he will fail because he is out of touch with the majority of Americans!
He is not a messiah or the one, and he is not a king. He is just an inexperienced guy trying to shove his ideology off on the USA! :(
He has no record of a walk thay matches his talk, and he is not gaining any ground now! :(

The Campaign for 2012 is already under way! :(
Right on Concerned in OH – Why do you think all the infrastructure spending is scheduled for 2011 and 2012?
It is too bad that Obama has no moral center and no code of ethics. Americans will not be fooled twice!
Obama will fail because he is out of touch with the majority of Americans!
He is not a messiah or the one, and he is not a king. He is just an inexperienced guy trying to shove his ideology off on the USA! :(
He has no record of a walk that matches his talk. Don’t expect that to change now!

Here’s how the Republicans ran the government when they had control of the Presidency and the Congress.
REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT
$421 Billion OVER BUDGET (2002)
$555 Billion OVER BUDGET (2003)
$596 Billion OVER BUDGET (2004)
$554 Billion OVER BUDGET (2005)
$574 Billion OVER BUDGET (2006)
All of this was RECORD overspending.
At least with this current Government the money will be spent on developing the country itself
(All figures from the Bureau of Public Debt, United States Department of the Treasury)

REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT
$421 Billion OVER BUDGET (2002)
$555 Billion OVER BUDGET (2003)
$596 Billion OVER BUDGET (2004)
$554 Billion OVER BUDGET (2005)
$574 Billion OVER BUDGET (2006)
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And from 2006 to the present, the Dems have had control, and tail spinned us into this recession, with their ideology that even if you can’t afford a home…you should buy one. We’ll force the banks to comply.
I will admit, that Republicans did their part in this, by lack of getting anything done, when they could have. Both parties have failed us. Big changes are needed, but not by anyone in either party.
Change will only come, when we as people pull our heads out of the clouds, and stop buying into the same ol same ol in political promises.
So long as we vote these clods into office, we have only ourselves to blame.

He is right about one thing and that some are skeptical, myself included. I understand that there is a need for action, what it is I am not sure of but one thing I do know and that is that printing money is bound to make it worth less and someones taxes are going to go into orbit one day in the future. We as a society have spent too much, ignored saving for our futures and allowed the government a free hand in our pockets.
A couple of years ago I thought what has happened would never come about. There were warnings from many and we as well as our representatives brushed these warnings aside. Matter of factly, it seemed Congress was asleep when it come to doing their jobs, especially oversite of freddie and fannie. As a citizen I appreciate the conditions the President faces but ask that he listen to all advice and warnings and make good choices. After all we were given 2 ears for a reason.

Angie you wrote: “I have a question WHAT JOBS DID PRESIDENT BUSH CREATE UNDER HIS PRESIDENCY Last I checked Unemployment is about to hit an all time High!”
Between September 2003 and December 2007 there were 5 million jobs created (52 consecutive months of job growth). GDP was up 7.2% in the 3rd Quarter of 2003 and up 4.0% in the 4th Quarter of 2003; Up 3.1% for all of 2004; Up 4.4% for all of 2005; Up 3.2% for all of 2006 and Up 3.2% for all of 2007. Even in the first two Quarters of 2008 GDP was up 0.9% and 2.8%. All in spite of the War, in spite of the skyrocketing of energy costs and in spite of the downturn in the housing market. Had it not been for the bubble bursting on the subprime flexible mortgage rates, which caused the freezing up of loans, the housing market would already be rebounding. There are millions of individuals who are in the market to buy homes but they are just unable to get loans.
Now then, the latest unemployment figure (December 2008) is 7.2% We are no where near record unemployment. First of all during the Great Depression unemployment bottomed out at 24.9% unemployment. From January 1975 through December 1987, we had a rough period for unemployment.
Here are the yearly averages:
1975–8.5%
1976–7.7%
1977–7.1%
1978–6.1%
1979–5.9%
1980–7.2%
1981–7.6%
1982–9.7%
1983–9.6%
1984–7.5%
1985–7.2%
1986–7.0%
1987–6.2%

What about my Ford Explorer stacey?

Well, besides the fact the Bush government ran up it’s own borrowing debt of a half a trillion dollars each year of his presidency.

I am beginning to think this country IS becoming the Old Soviet Union.
The Liberal Media in this country is using ‘Repetitious Media Indoctrinating’ to produce a CONTROLLED ELECTORIATE, just like The SOVIET UNION used to. The bias prior to the election was unprecedented and so far, since Obama has assumed office, it has actually gotten worse. The Liberal Media does not seem to be ashamed, they seem to be proud as they examine (and admit) their bias. One of CNN’s reporters actually said they had a “love fest” going on. They are NOT ashamed , they are Gloating as they INDOCTRINATE.

The liberal media is evil. President Obama is evil. The Democrats are evil. Liberals are evil.
In fact everybody is evil except for the right wingers and the Republicans.

Mr. Obama and his sheep still believe that the government is what has made America great. They refuse to acknowledge that it is the people who have made this country great! So they will continue to interfere with the lives of the people, because they think they know what is good for you, and that you don’t know what is good for you. Goodbye to democracy, we loved you; hello socialism! I stopped giving to the United Way back in the early 80′s when I realized that some of the money went towards abortion. I wanted no part of baby killing then, and I want no part of it now. To be forced to give toward something so evil and vile is beyond comprehension. But that is exactly what Mr. Obama is doing with our tax dollars. Wake up America. Your life is not your own. God help us all!!!!!!

Correction: The deficit spending was eliminated with the debt at 5.6T *in 2000.* I forgot to add something.

Mr. Obama and his sheep
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Hmm…. with well over a 70% approval rating. it would seem that you are out of touch with the rest of society, but so is the GOP

Isn’t the reality of it that:
Carter wanted what He called a “Peace Dividend” (which in reality seldom exists) so he severely cut military spending. This weakened us severely (especially against the Soviets) and many people knowledgeable about the military said so. Then Reagan cut spending on everything except the military, where he vastly out-spent his other cuts.
All this left a big deficit for Bush Senior. Bush Senior then broke his pledge not to raise taxes, by raising taxes to deal with the deficit military spending of Reagan. This substantially put the budget back on track but Clinton took (or was given) credit for it. Then the Tech Crass of 2000 happened where Clinton handed Bush II a recession and a moderately well off budget.
The wars have run the budget up to where they are now and it is still being debated about the necessity of the wars. The Afghan war would have run it up all by itself, but the Iraq war really ran it up. If democracy prevails in Iraq it will probably be considered worth it (by objective historians – but certainly not by the present day emotionalistic liberal crowd).
Another point: If Bush II is held responsible for this present recession by not demanding to see and inspect Fanny, Freddie & the Big Banks Books ,do we not also hold Clinton responsible for the Tech Crash by not demanding to inspect Enron’s, & MCI’s, & Solomon Smith’s, & Arthur Andi’s Books etc. etc ……………If Bush II is responsible for not ‘Predicting the Future’ is Clinton not responsible also !!!??

Flash Override, what you stated may very well be accurate. I only reported the figures as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). If the figures are that dramatically different then it is up to the BLS to provide more comparable statistics.

The liberal media is corrupt. President Obama is corrupt. The Democrats are corrupt. Liberals are corrupt.
In fact everybody is corrupt except for the right wingers and the Republicans.

Flash Overdrive…..newsflash pal!!!
Barney,Chris,Clintons,kennedys’ ect ect all millionaires! Criminals…..we shall soon see when we finally collect ourselves and demand a true hearing on the Fannie and Freddie give-away and splash!! Seems the Dems forced banks to give bad loans to deadbeats and people who could NEVER pay. All in the name of “You have a right to a home!” Someone school me here… where is it written in the Bill of Rights that you are entitled to a home? A job? Medical Care? Food? If you don’t earn it you don’t deserve it! Why give anything to anyone if they CANNOT AFFORD IT? This is the crap that got this nation where it is now and spending our way out of it is not the answer. Ask Japan!! Just look at ALL the hands out there right now after the government started backing companies. THIS IS FLAT OUT WRONG!!

Oh GOODIE! Another one-way website from the not-so-great dictator with the outsize grin.
Thanks for providing the text. MANY of Brock’s subjects — un-rich and/or rural millions without high-speed internet connections — can’t VIEW His princely puss on video (maybe that’s the idea, given the NO-”change” on robo-war and total surveillance).
Which is a relief, really: He’s over-exposed.

I can’t believe the vitriol coming out of the 12% who disapprove of Obama. The corporate media and their right wing whine-a-thon is just too sickening to watch anymore.

Stimulus Package Bull…I say Bull..it’s Chicago PAY FOR PLAY..Obama wants to fulfill his campaign promises through his package…wrong…how does the following stimulate jobs.
1) 10,000 schools..No … Furnish the names of these schools…how much…what jobs will it create? BULL! Pay for play for whose neighborhoods?
2) The Arts…pay for play for Hollywood.
3) Washington Mall….grass.. please…that’s Bull.
4) Contraceptives….pay for play for the idealogy of the left.
5) Bailing out the states…
they should be balancing every year…poor management. They are paying for services for illegal aliens and now it becomes all the taxpayers problem. California is the number one example.
6)Pell grants…Bull. That won’t stimulate crap this year …another pay for play to college students and a campaign slogan in 4yrs.
7) Head start…Bull… campaign slogan in 4 yrs… won’t stimulate crap right now.
8)Contraceptives…Bull…
NO PORK…
NO GROUND WORK FOR THE NEXT ELECTION..
NO TO THE STIMULUS PACKAGE.
I HAVE FAITH IN THIS COUNTRY…WE WILL DO JUST FINE WITHOUT IT.
OBAMA NEEDS TO RUN THOSE UNDER SEPARATE …UNDER HIS NAME AND LET THEM PASS OR FAIL ON THEIR ON MERIT.

Why don’t all the old mindset republicans take a bus to the moon and stay there forever…? Is your absurd mentality that got us in this messy situation…Just to think that there are some idiots who give as…le Bush a percent of approval is sickening and prove of how disconnected you are from todays America.
America has changed already and we don’t have space or time to loose with your bull…We need to remake America and we are starting with the right foot with Obama, if you don’t see it just take the bus to the moon….and stay there, this is not your America anymore as you define it.