President Barack Obama - Term 1 and 2 Thread

[RedWingFan]

When republicans had control of Congress and Presidency in 2007, those people had jobs, unemployment was near 5%.

The anemic Bush economy was total smoke and mirrors fueled by the housing bubble. Tbe bubble has now burst and left us with a one trillion dollar loss in demand. An 800 billion dollar temporary stimulus was not adequate to offset that. Nothing can offset that. Welcome to the new normal. Inflating a new bubble, (or pining for the good ole days of the Bush-Clinton bubble economy), is NOT the solution.

We've already gone over Bush repeatedly calling on Dodd, Frank and the rest of Congress to overhaul Fannie and Freddie.

You said of course he said it, he just didn't really mean it (paraphrasing from memory)
Hard arguing with mindreaders!

[The_Noble_Cause]

We've already gone over Bush repeatedly calling on Dodd, Frank and the rest of Congress to overhaul Fannie and Freddie.

You said of course he said it, he just didn't really mean it (paraphrasing from memory)
Hard arguing with mindreaders!

No, I said Freddie and Fannie trailed the Wall Street investment banks in terms of subprime market share in the years preceeding the collapse. Numerous federal reserve studies, (most published in the WSJ), back this up. It took alot more than just Freddie and Fannie, and the ghost of Jimmy Carter's CRA, to freeze global credit markets and tank the world economy. As I've asked repeatedly, how did Freddie and Fannie (or the CRA) cause the too-big-to-fail investment banks to buy up subprime mortgages, bundle them into complex derivatives, give them false Triple A ratings, and sell them to investors around the world? Nobody forced investment banks like Bear-Stearns and Lehman to do ANYTHING. Blaming Dodd and Frank is lazy partisan scapegoating at its worst.

And given Bush’s record, and your party’s continued opposition to regulation, it IS hard to believe that Bush’s reform effort was made in good faith. Sorry. His administration was marked by deregulation in every sector from the environment to worker protections to, yes, housing.

[The_Noble_Cause]

O's off the hook and then re-distribution can really begin in earnst. Unless of course, us Re-thugs take matters back in November in a big way. I think we can.

Letting taxes return to Clinton-era levels = "re-distribution in earnest"?
C'mon dude, get a grip. Every Republican president of the past 50 years taxed the rich at higher levels than O or Clinton.

[conversationpc]

I don't think you or Deano are assholes... I DO think that the two polarized factions on this board do no service to their cause by ridiculing each other for having an opinion.. after all we are all Americans.. and the Constitution applies equally to all of us...

No, according to Deano, I'm anti-American because I don't believe people should receive unemployment benefits ad infinitum.

[7 Wishes]

So it was OK for the Bush and the Republicans in the 90's to, as Tom DeLay put it, "pass through GOP legislation even though it was entirely deficit-funded, because that's the way things were done then" to pay for a possibly illegal and certainly unnecessary war in Iraq, numerous wasteful spending projects, as well as massive tax cuts for Wall Street and the ultra-rich...but now that Obama and the Democrats are in the majority, everything needs to be completely balanced and paid for through a balanced budget?

Including paying out benefits to still-unemployed people who would otherwise be on the streets through no fault of their own - which constitutes a VAST majority of those still out of work? I suppose you think it's better they wind up on the streets. It's a myth that people are turning down jobs because they're "holding out" for better-paying ones - because if they did that, they would no longer receive unemployment benefits (that's the law and the way the system works). That's just a cute catchphrase coined by the Fox Five used to rile their viewers (who consistently and repeatedly score as the least intelligent and least knowledgeable of all news program viewers) who, predictably, abide them by parroting those lies anywhere and every time they can.

[The_Noble_Cause]

It's a myth that people are turning down jobs because they're "holding out" for better-paying ones - because if they did that, they would no longer receive unemployment benefits (that's the law and the way the system works).

Varies per state. Some enforce, others don't.

[conversationpc]

So it was OK for the Bush and the Republicans in the 90's to, as Tom DeLay put it, "pass through GOP legislation even though it was entirely deficit-funded, because that's the way things were done then" to pay for a possibly illegal and certainly unnecessary war in Iraq, numerous wasteful spending projects, as well as massive tax cuts for Wall Street and the ultra-rich...but now that Obama and the Democrats are in the majority, everything needs to be completely balanced and paid for through a balanced budget?

Who said it was OK?

[7 Wishes]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124571390708339073.html#articleTabs_interactive%26articleTabs%3Dinteractive

This is what people are getting worked up about? Starvation wages?

According to the second link, 32 states can discontinue benefits if the UE finds out an individual has refused a job offer. That leaves 18 states wherein that is NOT the case.

So, FF - nice try. I'm right on with this one, and I just love how you make posts like that without knowing any facts. Try again, LiePaster.

State Max weekly payment Max # of weeks
Alabama $255 59
Alaska $370-442 79
Arizona $240 72
Arkansas $431 72
California $450 79
Colorado $431-475 72
Connecticut $519-594 72
Delaware $330 59
Florida $275 79
Georgia $330 79
Hawaii $545 59
Idaho $363 72
Illinois $385-534 72
Indiana $390 79
Iowa $361-443 46
Kansas $423 59
Kentucky $415 79
Louisiana $284 46
Maine $344-516 72
Maryland $380 59
Massachusetts $628-942 72
Michigan $362 79
Minnesota $351-566 79
Mississippi $230 59
Missouri $320 79
Montana $407 72
Nebraska $308 46
Nevada $393 79
New Hampshire $427 59
New Jersey $584 79
New Mexico $359-459 46
New York $405 72
North Carolina $494 79
North Dakota $406 46
Ohio $370-503 79
Oklahoma $409 46
Oregon $482 79
Pennsylvania $558-566 72
Rhode Island $528-660 79
South Carolina $326 72
South Dakota $298 46
Tennessee $275 59
Texas $392 59
Utah $444 46
Vermont $425 72
Virginia $378 72
Washington $541 79
Washington, D.C. $359 79
West Virginia $424 59
Wisconsin $363 79
Wyoming $415 46
Average $410 67.33

http://blog.lawinfo.com/2008/12/02/have-you-been-laid-off-know-your-unemployment-rights/

[treetopovskaya]

why can't people just be nice instead of always attacking?

Nice? WTF? I was just making a point. You and your neo-con cronies don't spare the adjectives when it comes to disagreeing with me. I guess turnabout isn't fair play. Typical Republican.

And don't try to deny it, tree...you are most CERTAINLY a Republican.

proof please. show me the post where i attacked you with adjectives.

i'm not responsible for how others talk to you. that goes both ways right?

[Rockindeano]

I don't think you or Deano are assholes... I DO think that the two polarized factions on this board do no service to their cause by ridiculing each other for having an opinion.. after all we are all Americans.. and the Constitution applies equally to all of us...

No, according to Deano, I'm anti-American because I don't believe people should receive unemployment benefits ad infinitum.

That's right. Your selfish, ridiculous thoughts on Unemployment benefits are anti American. To let your fellow countrymen become homeless is sickening. Like I said, if the Dems bring this up in the midterms, it will kill the republicans.

[Rockindeano]

Oh and by the way RWF, way to win the "easy" Senate seat in Nevada. Harry Reid is going to win that going away. Only the GOP would fuck up a sure thing. I am telling you, the losses won't be as bad as you or Liefinder think they will be.

Most recent poll out of NV:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls ... -1517.html

Of course good ol Rasmussen has Reid trailing. Hysterical. Every single poll Rasmussen does has the rethug winning. Complete garbage.

[Rockindeano]

Spokeswoman says Vice President Joe Biden will pay $219,000 fine by FEC for 2008 presidential campaign violations http://bit.ly/cMPXOi
42 minutes ago via breakingnews.com

So what. Make sure to report to us when Rove goes to prison. He should already be there.

[donnaplease]

According to the second link, 32 states can discontinue benefits if the UE finds out an individual has refused a job offer. That leaves 18 states wherein that is NOT the case.

Yep, you are in fantasy land. Wish I could join ya but reality is what it is. You have to be a complete fool to believe that people are not taking their full 99 weeks of UE and not accepting job offers. So a fool you are. So be it.

Well, as much as some people want to go back to work, it is understandable that they would continue to stay home and draw unemployment benefits before they would accept a lower paying job (just to be employed) that only paid as much as the unemployment benefits that they are currently receiving. I was under the impression that UNDER-employed people would still receive some unemployment benefits to augment their lost wages, but in Virginia apparently that isn't the case. I think it's reasonable that some people feel that they've earned these benefits and they are going to use them for as long as they can. I don't think it's a case where they 'turn down' an offer, per se', as much as it might be that they aren't applying for jobs that pay considerably less than what they're used to making. In the past, someone might take a "grunt" job, just to bring in a paycheck until something better comes along. I think that's just not happening much these days. I'm not sure how many of those kinds of jobs are out there, anyway.

And then there are those that don't even try to go back to work. They apply for jobs (only to meet the unemployment office's requirements) that they are not qualified for and have no real chance of getting. Just another example of people abusing the system.

[donnaplease]

Spokeswoman says Vice President Joe Biden will pay $219,000 fine by FEC for 2008 presidential campaign violations http://bit.ly/cMPXOi
42 minutes ago via breakingnews.com

So what. Make sure to report to us when Rove goes to prison. He should already be there.

Why 4 is Rove going to the pokey?

[Rockindeano]

Spokeswoman says Vice President Joe Biden will pay $219,000 fine by FEC for 2008 presidential campaign violations http://bit.ly/cMPXOi
42 minutes ago via breakingnews.com

So what. Make sure to report to us when Rove goes to prison. He should already be there.

Why 4 is Rove going to the pokey?

If you have to ask I am not about to engage in conversation. He committed numerous crimes in his stay at the White House.

[conversationpc]

I don't think you or Deano are assholes... I DO think that the two polarized factions on this board do no service to their cause by ridiculing each other for having an opinion.. after all we are all Americans.. and the Constitution applies equally to all of us...

No, according to Deano, I'm anti-American because I don't believe people should receive unemployment benefits ad infinitum.

That's right. Your selfish, ridiculous thoughts on Unemployment benefits are anti American. To let your fellow countrymen become homeless is sickening. Like I said, if the Dems bring this up in the midterms, it will kill the republicans.

Crying about how Republicans do this kind of thing and then you resort to the same thing. What a hypocrite you are.

[donnaplease]

Spokeswoman says Vice President Joe Biden will pay $219,000 fine by FEC for 2008 presidential campaign violations http://bit.ly/cMPXOi
42 minutes ago via breakingnews.com

So what. Make sure to report to us when Rove goes to prison. He should already be there.

Why 4 is Rove going to the pokey?

If you have to ask I am not about to engage in conversation. He committed numerous crimes in his stay at the White House.

Oh, gotcha. I see you can't articulate his supposed crimes, you just want to accuse him of committing them. Kinda like Bush's murder spree, huh?

[Rockindeano]

I don't think you or Deano are assholes... I DO think that the two polarized factions on this board do no service to their cause by ridiculing each other for having an opinion.. after all we are all Americans.. and the Constitution applies equally to all of us...

No, according to Deano, I'm anti-American because I don't believe people should receive unemployment benefits ad infinitum.

That's right. Your selfish, ridiculous thoughts on Unemployment benefits are anti American. To let your fellow countrymen become homeless is sickening. Like I said, if the Dems bring this up in the midterms, it will kill the republicans.

Crying about how Republicans do this kind of thing and then you resort to the same thing. What a hypocrite you are.

Fuck you Dave. How am I the hypocrite? I am in favor of extending unemployment benefits. You want to say no because??? Fox News told you so? Please, enlighten me as to why you have NO compassion. Some Christian. I am sure God is real proud of you and your fellow "Christians."

[Rockindeano]

Spokeswoman says Vice President Joe Biden will pay $219,000 fine by FEC for 2008 presidential campaign violations http://bit.ly/cMPXOi
42 minutes ago via breakingnews.com

So what. Make sure to report to us when Rove goes to prison. He should already be there.

Why 4 is Rove going to the pokey?

If you have to ask I am not about to engage in conversation. He committed numerous crimes in his stay at the White House.

Oh, gotcha. I see you can't articulate his supposed crimes, you just want to accuse him of committing them. Kinda like Bush's murder spree, huh?

OK, I'll play along.

Forgetting he crimes for one minute, can you please tell me why Karl Rove is allowed to be in contempt of Congress? That's right, subpoenaed twice to testify before Congress, Rove was a no show. He even once skipped out of the country. Now, had Mr. Rove had nothing to hide, he surely would have showed up and answered the questions. But no, he thumbed his nose at the law.

And you support him. How surprising.

[Rockindeano]

Donna, google Valerie Plame for starters.

[conversationpc]

Crying about how Republicans do this kind of thing and then you resort to the same thing. What a hypocrite you are.

Fuck you Dave. How am I the hypocrite? I am in favor of extending unemployment benefits. You want to say no because??? Fox News told you so? Please, enlighten me as to why you have NO compassion. Some Christian. I am sure God is real proud of you and your fellow "Christians."

You and your fellow leftists constantly scream about how those damn Republicans threw the anti-American card out there while war is going on but then you throw it down just because someone doesn't believe it's the government's responsibility to support people on unemployment.

And don't give me that BS about having no compassion. You don't know jack about me, what I do with my free time, who I'm helping, what causes I give to, etc. You have no freaking clue but you think you're so damn smart that you think just because I don't believe the government should give unemployment benefits to someone ad infinitum that I just must be a heartless individual. If you think I'm heartless, tell that to my adopted daughter, the foster kids we've helped, the animals we've rescued, the ministries we've worked in, etc. Some of you nimrods on the left think you have to support government programs to "help" people instead of taking individual responsibility and actually getting your hands dirty and helping someone the good old-fashioned way, i.e. giving your own time and money instead of relying on the government to do it for you.

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress... - James 1:27

Mat 25:34-45
(34) "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
(35) For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
(36) I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
(37) "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
(38 ) When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
(39) When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
(40) "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
(41) "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
(42) For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,
(43) I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
(44) "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
(45) "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

[Rockindeano]

You and your fellow leftists constantly scream about how those damn Republicans threw the anti-American card out there while war is going on but then you throw it down just because someone doesn't believe it's the government's responsibility to support people on unemployment.

What a load of shit. I don't need to read Bible verses.

As to your statement above, it IS the responsibility of the Government to help it's citizens, especially, since the Government created the problem (Bush Economy) in the first place! What don't you fucking understand? Bush caused this disaster and now you want to turn your back on the very people of this nation? Like I said, run on that agenda this Fall...please God I hope.

[conversationpc]

What a load of shit. I don't need to read Bible verses.

Of course not. Makes you a little uncomfortable, doesn't it?

As to your statement above, it IS the responsibility of the Government to help it's citizens, especially, since the Government created the problem (Bush Economy) in the first place! What don't you fucking understand? Bush caused this disaster and now you want to turn your back on the very people of this nation? Like I said, run on that agenda this Fall...please God I hope.

EVERY President going back nearly 100 years has contributed to our current economic problems. Bush no more caused it than did FDR, Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Clinton, etc., and Democratic and Republican-controlled congresses, for that matter, that didn't know how to say no to overspending. Get your head out of your ass and start studying history.

[Rockindeano]

What a load of shit. I don't need to read Bible verses.

Of course not. Makes you a little uncomfortable, doesn't it?

As to your statement above, it IS the responsibility of the Government to help it's citizens, especially, since the Government created the problem (Bush Economy) in the first place! What don't you fucking understand? Bush caused this disaster and now you want to turn your back on the very people of this nation? Like I said, run on that agenda this Fall...please God I hope.

EVERY President going back nearly 100 years has contributed to our current economic problems. Bush no more caused it than did FDR, Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Clinton, etc., and Democratic and Republican-controlled congresses, for that matter, that didn't know how to say no to overspending. Get your head out of your ass and start studying history.

I know history quite well, thank you. Yeah, I get that every president had his problems, some more than others, but the Bush term is especially peculiar. He took a nice lofty SURPLUS and drove the nation into the gutter. Even Jimmy Carter didn't do that. The point is, and this is fact, that the Democrats have a much better reputation pertaining to the economy than the republicans. Please try not to derail this argument. The GOP threw us into a severe recession, almost a depression and now turn their backs against EVERY American who needs help. Brilliant.

By the way, I don't know why the republicans are balking at this. For every 1 dollar spent on Unemployment benefits, the return is a 1.60. Seems a pretty good investment if you ask me. But nah, let's let the folks lose their cars, homes and livelihoods. I hope that everyone who does lose their home and car goes on welfare. That will absolutely piss you Cons off and I can guarantee you they will not vote for a republican again. It's akin to abortion. You will never see Roe overturned because it is political suicide for republicans. This ignorance on UI is the same thing. Like I said, Go for it, losers.

[conversationpc]

I know history quite well, thank you. Yeah, I get that every president had his problems, some more than others, but the Bush term is especially peculiar. He took a nice lofty SURPLUS and drove the nation into the gutter. Even Jimmy Carter didn't do that. The point is, and this is fact, that the Democrats have a much better reputation pertaining to the economy than the republicans. Please try not to derail this argument. The GOP threw us into a severe recession, almost a depression and now turn their backs against EVERY American who needs help. Brilliant.

The Democrooks don't have a "much better reputation" about anything, much less the economy.

By the way, I don't know why the republicans are balking at this. For every 1 dollar spent on Unemployment benefits, the return is a 1.60. Seems a pretty good investment if you ask me. But nah, let's let the folks lose their cars, homes and livelihoods. I hope that everyone who does lose their home and car goes on welfare. That will absolutely piss you Cons off and I can guarantee you they will not vote for a republican again. It's akin to abortion. You will never see Roe overturned because it is political suicide for republicans. This ignorance on UI is the same thing. Like I said, Go for it, losers.

I could not care less if Republicans lose. They don't deserve votes any more than the crooks on the other side do. Losers, all of them.

[Rockindeano]

I could not care less if Republicans lose. They don't deserve votes any more than the crooks on the other side do. Losers, all of them.

You're so full of shit. Of course you care whether the GOP loses or not. You come on here solely for the purpose of fighting against the Dems. I gotta say Dave, there is such a striking contrast to you Faith Based folks and the GOP. You cite passages in the Good Book, and the GOP, the party of God , is nowhere near what the fucking Bible says. Why is it you Thumpers always have to vote GOP? Is it the Abortion issue?

[7 Wishes]

Enough of this bullshit for one night.

Exhibit A: Bush planned to invade Iraq two years before 9/11:
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/01/11/bush_began_iraq_plan_pre_911_oneill_says/

Exhibit B: Republicans engage in wasteful, runaway spending when a neo-con is President, but claim to want to "rein in spending" when there's a Democrat in office:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/02/19/on_fiscal_conservative_hypocrites__104467.html

Exhibit C: Dubbya did NOT inherit a recession. That is beyond reproach.
http://www.perrspectives.com/blog/archives/001358.htm

Exhibit D: Thanks to the unnecessary (and in many people's minds, illegal) war in Iraq and numerous other terrible fiscal and budgetary decisions during the last decade, Dubbya Presided over the worst 8-year period in American economics since Hoover:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/11/AR2009011102301.html?hpid=topnews

Exhibit E: Republican talking head and Fox News judge Andrew Napolitano thinks Bush and Cheney Should Have Been Indicted for Torturing, for Spying and Arresting Without Warrants as well as lying to the country:
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/node/38320

Exhibit F: The GOP has used lies and distortion to mislead the public about the Healthcare Overhall Bill:
http://crooksandliars.com/jon-perr/republican-malpractice-myths

That's all for now. I'll be back in a while.

[RedWingFan]

Oh and by the way RWF, way to win the "easy" Senate seat in Nevada. Harry Reid is going to win that going away. Only the GOP would fuck up a sure thing. I am telling you, the losses won't be as bad as you or Liefinder think they will be.

Most recent poll out of NV:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls ... -1517.html

Of course good ol Rasmussen has Reid trailing. Hysterical. Every single poll Rasmussen does has the rethug winning. Complete garbage.

It's all irrelevent until the debates start. Wait til that weasel Reid has to defend his despicable actions in Washington on live tv.

[RedWingFan]

Donna, google Valerie Plame for starters.

result= Richard Armitage. Except for lefty wacko sites.

[donnaplease]

Forgetting he crimes for one minute, can you please tell me why Karl Rove is allowed to be in contempt of Congress? That's right, subpoenaed twice to testify before Congress, Rove was a no show. He even once skipped out of the country. Now, had Mr. Rove had nothing to hide, he surely would have showed up and answered the questions. But no, he thumbed his nose at the law.

So why hasn't he been arrested for these so-called crimes? They certainly know where to find him, he's on Fox News a few times a week. I should know, I've got my DVR set to automatically detect his voice and begin recording because I don't want to miss any opportunity to be further brainwashed by him. It's fun being a minion... I'd encourage you to try it, but I can tell you're busy being a lemming...