Yes, the harsh reality of the Obama administration greatly saddens the majority of Americans, which is why Obama's ratings are sinking lower than a snake's belly.
I'll take that as a confession that you didn't know they were not the same thing. How was TARP a waste when a good chunk of the money has been repaid and last I heart, most (if not all) of it will eventually be repaid? Where's the waste? Also, how was the stimulus a waste when it has been estimated by multiple sources (including some non-partisan) that the stimulus is responsible for there being about 2-3 million more jobs in the US today than there would have been without it?
Compared to what? The consensus among most economic advisors was that if we didn't bleed cash into the system, we faced an economic depression. So, we did and what we got was what we got. Any hypothetical 'other' choice of action and it's eventual outcome is just monday morning quarterbacking. You don't know if the Amercan Banking system would have entered a death spiral, or would have had a glorious golden age of efficently killing off the weak, and you never will. Give the man credit, he considered the options, made a tough choice and commited. We are not in a depression. Now let the pople who won't face unemployment, empty bellies, evictions, repo'd cars and no availability of loans pay for it.
thumbs, do you find any of these Woodward points (from the quoted list) surprising? For Woodward, and especially compared to his Bush expose, I thought this was pretty tame. I mean, doubts and disagreement about the way forward (or backward) in Afghanistan? Yeah, welcome to the last 2,000+ years! I hope there is more detailed and surprising material in that book; I usually enjoy reading his stuff and would like to know more about the inner workings of Obama's team.
Worse than Bush the Younger in the first term, but about the same compared the second term. I hate to be evasive, but it is really too early to tell. The indicators IMO are that Obama is challenging Jimmy Carter as the worst President in modern history. However, at this point I'm more interested in what the "current events" historians like Woodward have to say.
seriously thumbs, this has to be one of the dumbest things you have ever posted. And you keep doing it! it's crazy!
Based solely on the bullet points, I (gasp) agree with SamFisher in his assessment that it looks to be a boring read despite all the "explosive materials" verbiage in the media. However, I have already ordered the book and expect it next week. It will take longer than usual to read because of some travel plans, but, like you, I look forward to it.
Really? Wasn't Bush's signature accomplishment in his first term starting a war in retaliation for the worst terrorist attack ever on US soil, which also happened under his watch? What has Obama done that's worse than allowing 9/11 to happen, then dropping the ball in Afghanistan by starting an unprovoked war somewhere else? You constantly criticize Obama for spending money our country doesn't have, but he inherited quite a large deficit. Bush inherited a budget surplus and gave it away by handing hundreds of billions of dollars to the wealthiest 2% of Americans, and that's somehow better? And those tax breaks for the wealthy certainly didn't help with job creation, which was abysmal during the Bush years. You were angry at how Obama and the Dems "forced" through health care reform with little debate (nearly one year's worth), but you don't have a problem with Bush signing the Patriot Act into law only a month after it was written?
The war with Iraq and the Patriot Act were not only drew bi-partisan support, but both parties heavily favored them, unlike the highly partisan enactment of the health care bill. Bush IMO acted as he should have in his first term, but he ignored his father's advice and did not pull out of Iraq in time. (I had been critical of Bush the Elder for not finishing Saddam Hussein, but he had a far better grasp of Mideast politics -- he left Saddam as a counter-balance to Iran.) By not ending the war at a favorable point, Bush the Younger's second term was a disaster, especially because of the waste and fraud he allowed in the aftermath. However, as bad as Bush the Younger's fiscal profligacy was, Obama has blazed new trails in that area -- nay, he didn't just blaze a trail, he has burned swaths of debilitating debt like an economic Sherman's march to the sea.
Seriously though... You couldn't be more spot on. I don't understand right-wing/rural America's obsession with protection of the top 2%. The Grand Ole' Sheriffs of Nottingham completely decimated the middle class. It is still amazing how one guy CUT taxes for the large majority of people is still being portrayed as one who raises taxes.
I would not hold my breath, our friend's data processing capacities are suspect, witnesseth: And, by "heavily favored" the Iraq war - this idiot means, out of 50 democratic senators and 209 representatives, 147 voted against and 111 voted for.
LOL To the Grand Ole' Sheriffs of Nottingham, bi-partisan support must mean that at least 1 person voted against the parTEA line.
That title belongs to W and no one can come close. Plretty much created zero job. Created negative real income. Loss on the stock market. Two idiotic wars. There is not a single positive you can name over his 8 year term.
