You can sum up Obama's fitness for the job by this one failure.

[Joe Fields]

It is something that grates on me every single day, because it could have been done, yet he chose a much different path, and the fact that he didn't has caused millions more Americans to suffer needlessly. And I'm just not sure how much he cares.

His failure? Turning to Wall Street and handing over the keys to the Federal Reserve, when he should have announced a massive Rooseveltian style WPA jobs program AS SOON AS HE TOOK OFFICE.

In case anyone has forgotten, this country was hemorrhaging 500,000 to 700,000 jobs PER MONTH, at the time Bush left office.

No one will be able to convince me that Obama couldn't have done it then. At that moment in time, he had more political capital than he would ever have.

But he chose Wall Street. It was their money and his slick rhetoric that got him elected, but when you boil it down, it was their money. He owed them. And he paid them off.

And we got kissed off. He may as well have flipped us the finger, because that's how I felt.

I will not forget, and I will not forgive.

This jobs bill he wants passed now is never going to come to be. Instead of being a strong and forceful leader coming right out of the gate, he has shown the opposition that he is weak and naive, to say the least, or that he is willingly complicit in his caving in to every republican demand. The party of NO will get their way again.

And people want to reward him for this kind of performance?

Not me. No way.

[Amonester]

1. What you did not mention was the fact that bu$h started it.

Ok, they're all bought and paid for.

Not gonna change tomorrow (or next week).

What to do?

[Timbuk3]

2. How would you get your ideas

past this congress?

[Amonester]

3. General Strike.

There's no other (real) way.

No General Strike = No Change.

[Timbuk3]

5. I agree with this

I wish I knew how to pull it off.

[Amonester]

8. A 'longer' way is to elect a filibuster-proof majority of progressives

in the Senate, a big enough majority of progressive reps in the house (both majorities that will promise a Public Campaign Act, and many other 'changes'), that will not be 'bought' by the plutocRat$ and who will send their progressive bills to the President's desk.

[Timbuk3]

11. I think we're aligned

...but I'll let you decide.

My wish list includes electing a veto-proof majority in the Senate, and a majority in the house.

I firmly believe Obama would sign any bills they send him.

But so many people are so focused on proving they're "perfectly" left they've lost sight of the goal; crushing the teabaggers.

[Amonester]

15. And crushing the teaRoari$t$ who fund and propagandize them.

:thumbsup:

[malaise]

47. Including those pushing the trolls

at DU

[bjobotts]

103. U overlook all the good, the start of financial regulatory agency etc. for one assumption

[bjobotts]

104. Millions of jobs saved by the auto bailout would never have happened but for Obama

[bjobotts]

105. The masses elected Obama not Wall street.The banksters could and can destroy our economy save for Ob

[bjobotts]

106. It was Bush and Bernacke/Paulson that bailed out the banks.Obama cold not stop it

[bjobotts]

107. So U can't 'forgive' proves your shallow thinking.Guess you can't forgive any president then.

[bjobotts]

108. Stand inthe corner and pout or demand and pressure the one you support to do better.

[bjobotts]

109. Why aren't U going off on Boehner & Cantor or Ryan, Perry Bachmann etc?

[bjobotts]

111. How about McConnell and senate repubs blocking everything to kneecap administration's agenda?

[bjobotts]

112. Yeah, let's all hate Obama, he's just "unforgivable".All the damage he's done huh.

[druidity33]

123. You're spamming this thread. nt.

[Cool Logic]

181. Corporate welfare is not a sensible economic policy.

[Pigheaded]

182. Millions????

[eomer]

35. A simple majority in the Senate is good enough.

In other words, what we had in 2009/2010. Because they can use the budget reconciliation process, which can't be filibustered.

But it would have to be a simple majority not merely of (D) after the name but rather of people who really are working for working people. That's what was missing in 2009/2010. We had a majority of Dems then but they were, too many of them, working for corporate sponsors.

[tomp]

38. agreed. it is naive to trust (D). nt

[treestar]

56. This is so true. The energy wasted over President Obama

should be used in states where this might happen.

My state has a blue doggish Dem, so I can work on trying to get better Dems into office or just blame President Obama. Which way is easier and which way has more effect?

[defendandprotect]

161. How do we ignore that the Dem Party is under control of the THIRD WAY?

Certainly that has an impact on its agenda and selection of its candidates?

And we've already had more than 20 years of RW Koch Bros. funded DLC control

over the party and its candidates!

What's left of the party -- ?

Maybe we should try to find out -- ?

[aquart]

33. Well, you need unions for that.

And they've carefully destroyed most of them. Most people aren't in unions. AND THEY WON'T RISK THEIR JOBS. Not yet.

So start thinking about a 21st century approach.

[Hatchling]

48. Not only destroyed but made them look "evil".

I'm in San Diego where Von's, Ralph;s and Albertson's employees are preparing to go on strike. I overheard a Walmart Employee discussing the topic. Apparently those grocery unionists are not allowed into her particular Walmart even just to shop.(I don't know how this is legal.) She approved of this because she certainly didn't want them in there talking union and screwing up her job. She was also circulating a petition to go on the ballot allowing her Walmart to become a SUper Store thereby putting nearby grocery stores out of business and union workers out of a job.

[defendandprotect]

162. Ironic -- because what she's doing will probably end up making her even poorer ....

but the other really weird aspect of this purposeful decline is that it is certainly

putting many other companies -- large and small -- out of business --

Capitalism isn't about competition, it's about killing the competition --


If we truly want democracy, then we need economic democracy and capitalism ain't it!

[HappyMe]

59. I don't think a general strike is possible.

Not everyone is in a union. Also there is the fact that you don't show up for work, you don't get paid. I don't know anybody willing to forgo a paycheck.

[Scruffy1]

64. It's the only option left.

Electoral contests have become beauty pageants run by the corporate media. We need to start organizing block by block,shop by shop. It will require massive planning and coordination. We can do it.

[bjobotts]

113. Except for the corporate media paid by billionaires and an army of lobbyists

[Timbuk3]

4. Sorry

I meant that to be a reply to the original post.

[Joe Fields]

10. I would have rammed my ideas down the republicans throats,

and made them choke on them. Executive orders, whirlwind tours of the U.S. stopping and making speeches wherever I went, daily television news sound bites, slicker messaging and packing of ideas, in general using the office as a TRUE bully pulpit.

Americans were wanting real change, and he could have done this and given all of us something to believe in. You make it sound hopeless, and it may be now, but there was once a window of opportunity, and he flat blew it.

[Amonester]

17. Agreed. The next question is, are you married and do you have kids?

I believe only a President who's Single could 'risk' doing it your way.

And a President 'Single' is 'un-electable' (dunno why) to begin with. :(

[tomp]

39. agreed. instead we got obamafail deluxe. nt

[Enthusiast]

43. Unlike the mandate Bush claimed he had,

Obama had a true mandate from the people that elected him. But, as you say.........

[CrispyQ]

61. When he remained silent the summer of the health care debate, I wondered,

"What the fuck is wrong with him?" The Remote Area Medical group had that huge free medical event in Los Angeles. Obama should have had people on the ground interviewing patients & doctors & putting their comments on the web. He should have gone on TV & said, "American, this is what single payer would be like, only better! You can go to your own doctor, in your own town."

Instead, silence, while the teabaggers spent the summer going on & on about death panels & killing grandma. The guy is an amateur or he's not on our side.

[gateley]

71. You could ram away, but unless they VOTE accordingly, you've

accomplished nothing except make them hate you more.

It's so easy from out here, isn't it.

[Joe Fields]

89. I would have done what LBJ did. Take them into his office,

one by one and let them know that money for their state and their district is going to dry up, unless they play ball. It's simple, really. Just takes big balls.

[gateley]

139. I'd love to see that, but at this point I think they have so much

money backing them, they could get the spin out there.

In order for money to dry up in their States, wouldn't that have to be voted on, too?

[Joe Fields]

142. At the time of Obama's inauguration, the dems had both houses

of congress locked up tight. Dems controlled all of the committees and sub-committees. Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi wielded a lot of influence, and believe me, if Obama, at that time had brought republican leaders into his office, one at a time, and told them that their state's money would dry up, it would have sent shivvers down the spine of every single one of them.

Of course, now it is too late for that.

[BzaDem]

168. That's really a bunch of nonsense. Appropriations bills require 60 votes to pass. They would have

just laughed in Obama's face, left his office, and blocked any bill that wasn't to their liking. In fact, they blocked ALL appropriations bills in 2010 at the end of the year.

While it may serve as a helpful coping mechanism to make up powers that the President doesn't have, it doesn't serve any discussion tethered to the constraints of reality.

[Joe Fields]

188. would never have had to get that far. do you not read history?

[BzaDem]

195. You really are putting a lot of weight on your historical analysis, which is blatantly wrong.

LBJ had 68 Senate Seats, plus a bunch of Republicans more liberal than some Democrats. FDR had 76.

I gave you a concrete reason why Republicans would have laughed Obama out of his own room. If you want to rebut that, you need to explain the mechanics of how Obama overcomes the reason. You can't just say "well my mistaken historical analogies say he can" -- you need an actual way. And you don't have one.

[gateley]

186. Okay, presented that way, now you've got me thinking.

Hmmmm. But as you say, now it's too late. Sigh.

[Doctor_J]

98. Which they would have done if he'd pressed the issues he campaigned on

but he never did

[gateley]

140. They never would have -- even when we had the house McConnell

would filibuster (or threaten to and apparently that's all it takes these days :eyes:) and nothing got anywhere.

He said from Day One that their goal was to make sure Obama would be a one-term President (as you know), and they have stopped him every inch of the way.

He wouldn't have gotten the votes. I have no doubt in my mind.

[Joe Fields]

143. You, sir, have no sense of history. I've seen it happen quite often in my life.

[gateley]

185. Perhaps not, but that's still my take on it.

And I'm a ma'am. :)

[nobodyspecial]

148. So, you running for president

since you have such insight on how to do it and all?

[Joe Fields]

153. i would do better than obama...

[nobodyspecial]

155. Go for it.

Easier said than done, but I hear the left is looking for a new savior. Why not toss your name in the ring?

[BzaDem]

169. +1

[SidDithers]

180. LMFAO...

:rofl:

Sid

[DeadEyeDyck]

152. I agree with you but the order of events matter

The day after entering office, Obama could have proposed America send a manned space flight to Alpha-Centoria. I don't think another President had such a mandate except Washington. In some ways, Obama had even more support because he had world adoration. Where he went wrong was on the order of tasks that he pursued.

He should have selected the top 3 MOST progressive bills and pushed for them first. That would have "sealed the deal" with his left and sent the message that he was strongly backed.

[Duppers]

165. Like 3 previous presidents

I can think of who cared about pushing policies to benefit the country more than they cared about a 2nd term or being liked.

FDR, Turman, & LBJ.

[Creideiki]

45. The 2009 House would have passed it.

The failures are in the Senate and the White House. The Senate for not getting filibuster reform through the first day of session. The White House for abdicating leadership of the Democratic Party to--who? Does anyone really know who runs the Democratic Party right now? Bill Daley?

[robinlynne]

72. When Obama took office he had 200+ million people standing behind him.

It was NOT this congress. And simply removing Lieberman's chairmanship would have made him vote however the Dems wanted him to vote.

[pezDispenser]

80. +1

Lieberman's chairmanship was the key

[defendandprotect]

164. +1

[leftstreet]

189. +1

[Occulus]

46. "this country was hemorrhaging 500,000 to 700,000 jobs PER MONTH, at the time Bush left office. "

Right from the OP.

[defendandprotect]

163. ... and now 66 MILLION living in poverty -- 50 MILLION without health care --

[ozone_man]

6. He had his chance, but chose poorly.

"he should have announced a massive Rooseveltian style WPA jobs program AS SOON AS HE TOOK OFFICE."

He chose to bail out Wall Street. He's a corporate politician, nothing more I'm afraid.

[Amonester]

13. Perhaps, that's how he 'always' saw the Presidency's role.

Or the fact that he has a beautiful family he wants to keep taking care of for decades (and not risk getting some 'poweRful' jeRk$ 'jump the shark' and plot dangerous plans because of their never-ending greed). :mad:

[tblue]

27. Your guess is as good as mine.

I can only ever go by the actions he takes.

His concept of the office does appear very limited in scope. Does not have to be, but that's his choice. He makes himself small. The country's in a world of hurt. We need him big.

And then there's leadership. It's intangible, maybe even sorta spiritual, and hard to do well if you're not a natural, I guess. A leader doesn't need to talk down to people or scold them to get them to do what he wants. I always get the sense that he's annoyed at people, but it's usually the wrong people.

[StarsInHerHair]

133. cowards need not apply, he should have already considered his family

[Amonester]

159. As it stands, no 'single' candidate has a modicum of a chance

of being elected POTUS.

A woman or a man who loves his family and wants to care for them is definitely NOT a coward.



On edit: Except for AWOL bu$h, and six-deferments cheney.

[StarsInHerHair]

202. so throwing the ENTIRE NATION away for your family is a GOOD thing?

[rtracey]

69. WPA jobs program was not needed if these happened or didn't happen

The problem everyone seems to be overlooking is the fact that:

1. Every Republican seem to forget anything that happened before 2009. As of TARP, Bush tax cuts, Bush failed stimulus package.

2. The Obama stimulus package, though large was not large enough.

3. Many of the states did not properly apply the funds given to them from the stimulus. They used to clear up their own books and not for shovel ready projects, that would have assisted in hiring.

The middle class are the job creators, not the rich. Corporation profits are the largest ever. Warehouses are filled with goods. The middle class are not buying the goods to spur growth. Pass the jobs bill,OR give the middle class the largest tax cut the have ever seen, perhaps 5000.00 per working adult, even if the middle does not spend on goods, they will buy food, clothing, things of necessity. When the warehouse stock begin to dwindle, then this will spur production, hiring and tax revenue will then begin to flow back to the government. The "rich job creators" are sitting on their wealth. Its up to us the democratic middle class to dig our country out of this hole we are in.

[Selatius]

7. Maybe he was simply intimidated into not doing any of that.

FDR was almost the victim of a military coup led by industrialists in the hard years of the Great Depression because he dared to ask them to pay higher taxes to build infrastructure and support jobs programs to put people back to work. He was hated on Wall Street and called a traitor to his class. The plot to overthrow FDR and install a pro-Hitler fascist dictatorship was simply called the Business Plot.

It is pure conjecture, but maybe backroom threats were involved in the early days of the transition period.

[Dragonfli]

14. Then he would be a coward as well as a failure (military personnel face death for duty every day) nt

[Selatius]

22. Well, there are few willing to go down the same way JFK did.

He was taken down in front of his own wife.

[Dragonfli]

28. It is what great men of honor are prepared to do, while putting up a fight.

If he had the constitution of a coward in the face of duty he shouold have resighned rather than hand over our country under duress to those that threatened him.

IF there were threats made, and IF they were serious enough for him to do the bidding of others with the nations highest office rather than hold the office as if it was his, then It is clearly an act of cowardice to hand over the reighns of power to his threateners. He could have welcomed their hatred as any marine would or he could resign his commision rather than let an enemy make a puppet of him.

That is the simple fact of the matter.


I do not think they sent a hit man into his room with the order to do as was commanded by some gruop, I think in fact he was and is simply implementing the right wing policies because he agrees with them, his most difficult task then would obviously be to sound like he did when her ran in the election while working deals that APPEAR to thwart him at every turn.

The Second scenerio seems logical to me, but none of us are in a position to know if he is a weak cowardly puppet, or a willing participant in moving the country ever rightward because he IS right wing.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

60. Wow, what a scenario... if that's true

A president comes into office with good intentions. The high mucky-mucks of the financial world take him into a back room and forcefully tell him that if he rocks the yachts, they'll arrange for Air Force One to crash while he and his family are on it.

He spends a sleepless night and then tells the networks that he wants to address the nation.

He says that he came into office with good intentions (and he lists them) but that his life and the lives of his family have been threatened by the financial elites. Faced with the dilemma of whether to act against his own deeply held principles or to endanger his family, he has chosen instead to resign and hand things over to the vice-president. He then NAMES THE PEOPLE WHO THREATENED HIM and urges the American people to boycott their business.

But it's just a fantasy, unfortunately.

The financial rewards for playing along with the Big Boys are huge, and so are the penalties for refusing.

[truedelphi]

66. + my household. We are more and more disgusted by

The narrow field of "choices" laid before us.

[anAustralianobserver]

87. There's a whole spectrum of intimidation and blackmail short of physical threats.

He's not some master con artist (except in the sense that all big politicians are skilful obfuscators and actors). The party bigwigs probably have scores of dodgy back-room deals they are complicit in and personal reputation-destroying files that they (or the party as a whole) cannot afford to be made public. This information can be used to kill bills and swing mid-term elections etc.

I think you can't get high up in politics except by keeping certain secrets, and politicians have scandal files on each other to keep each other in check. That does *not* mean they are all as bad as each other - again it's a broad spectrum. I think it's pretty easy to tell the real gangsters from the ones who are principled and patriotic but boxed in by the reality of being a public person in a game with a lot of corruption and ruthless players.

That's always how I saw Bill Clinton - someone who pragmatically wrestled with himself about whether it was worth doing some bad things in order to do some great things, and decided to stay in the game. Now I see the majority of politicians like this. The only thing which will change it is all the extra scrutiny they are getting (and the public being able to put personal scandals like the Weiner scandal in perspective).

[justabob]

121. indeed

I would hope that if it IS the first, that honor would come into play as you mentioned. I don't know which of the scenarios are true, or if it is some combination. In any case, we are screwed as a nation/people until we can stop it.

[Hawkowl]

9. That is absolutely true.

Obama is not the average American's friend.

[emilyg]

18. True. More true every day.

[bhikkhu]

12. There is a standing law against WPA style programs

As I recall, Reagan had a law passed that prohibited the government from running direct-employment type programs, except for temporary summer jobs for kids and things like that. It was a part of a big deal to gain some concession or other...I don't recall exactly, but it has been the law of the land for some time.

Given the composition and leanings of much of congress, the restriction on direct hiring could probably be reversed, but only in a similarly heinous deal where something equally dear was lost.

...on edit - so addressing the point of the OP - you're upset at Obama for not doing something which he was not legally allowed to do. Congress could conceivably do it, but like most things you have to understand the political side, and realize how laws are made, and the limits of power in a government of checks and balances.

[TheKentuckian]

29. Reagan made an Executive order that Obama refuses to overturn for no real reason.

It would still need funding and he can't get it but ending Reagan's petty little ban would be at least good symbolism.

[Auntie Bush]

53. You still have to get it passed by congress without a filabuster. Not much chance!

[truedelphi]

65. Oh, filibuster. So vrery scarey! Scarey!

Please, some of us are tired of that canard.

Fifty votes + the President of the Senate equals the creation of new legislation. And Joe biden, was the PResident of the Senate during the era of the Democratic majorities.

[TheKentuckian]

156. You don't have to get an Executive Order through Congress and I already expressed why you make it

despite not being able to get the actual funding through. It is a statement on the role of government and says where our values are.

[crim son]

16. Me too, I won't forget, I won't forgive.

Accepting the situation as it is and voting for more of the same is not the right thing to do for this country at this time. If we don't just say NO then what's left of liberalism is going to disappear entirely and I find it appalling that so many here advocate exactly that in 2012.

[emilyg]

19. I will say "NO".

[tblue]

20. Oh Joe.....

You are soooooooo not alone.

There are any number of failures that each in itself I could consider deal-breakers. Taken together, they are devastating. The most painful for me is, as you brought up, the astonishing waste of political capital and an enormous mandate, which lasted only a brief but very critical few months, the likes of which we will not see again in our lifetime. And that waste did not have to happen. It's unforgivable. You don't become president without being ready to seize opportunities. And you don't take office intending to wing it.

[Amonester]

23. What makes you so sure about "the likes of which we will not see again"

in our lifetime?

What makes you so sure of that?

IMHO, nothing.

[tblue]

26. Maybe cuz I'm older than you

and there has been nothing like this since, maybe,Bobby Kennedy. The groundswell of support for Obama, all those energized young people and first-time voters and volunteers, people standing on the sidewalks in the rain using their cell phones to reach voters out of state, people waiting in some places 4 hours in line just to vote. None of this is a common occurrence. And I can't stand the thought that many of those new voters could think it wasn't worth it to do it again.

I just heard Obama is polling 20-30% among independents, and less than 50% among some core Dem constituencies: Hispanics, for one.

How? HOW IN THE WORLD can anyone envision a repeat? Makes me mad because it did not have to be this way.

[coalition_unwilling]

24. Not even investigating Bush and Cheney. That's what did it for

me. Simply disgusting. And to think I carried an Obama sign for 12 months at our local Farmers' Market. What a schmuck I was. I won't get fooled again.

[tomp]

40. agree on the wasting of potential.

however, the other side of the argument is that the potential was really only an illusion as obama never intended to act the way he was portrayed.

in other words, obama was another grand deception by the ruling powers to make it look like change was coming. this type of deception is the classic democratic party role in "governing" america, i.e., making the rich richer.

the people on this website who continue to defend obama are de facto part of that deception as well.

my greatest personal disappointment was the failure to prosecute bush/cheney, inc.

[hfojvt]

21. I think your memory is faulty

even when his political capital was greatest, he barely got the stimulus bill passed. Even that had to be watered down with more tax cuts to get Collins vote (or was it Snowe? or both?) and the $500 making work pay credit was reduced to $400. And his cabinet picks were even getting derailed. Gregg withdrew. Richardson dropped out and even Daschle, for god's sake, a former Senate Majority leader had to withdraw, leading to the loss of another Senate seat (as Governor Kathleen Sebelius was in her 2nd and final term as Governor and likely would have run for the Senate seat, and perhaps won (perhaps not too, it being such a bad year in 2010, but her presence on the ballot would have probably created a better result for the KDP.))

It certainly would have taken longer for a better bill to be passed, and considering the job losses that were happening, it was important to pass something quickly.

Then there were other things going on. Blagojevich was getting arrested, and a recount was going on in Minnesota, one vote at a time.

As for saving the banking system, I still think that was the right thing to do, that a crash there would have been even more catastrophic than the crash that was going on. We'd still be trying to pick up the pieces, if not hopelessly mired in some end of civilization anarchy.

[ClassWarrior]

25. That's why you start with a better bill. Because after the all the watering down was done, we'd...

...have ended up in a better place.

:shrug:

NGU.

[eomer]

36. I think your memory has been hacked.

The real facts have been replaced with this invented fantasy.

Meanwhile in the real world a stimulus bill could have been passed under the budget reconciliation process and then only a simple (50%) majority would have been required. Senators Collins, Lieberman, and others at the super majority margin were not actually needed.

In other words, you've been fooled into believing Obama's excuse, which was not based on the truth.

[treestar]

57. Great memory you have there

Good post. Just getting a progressive President, alone, doesn't do it in our system and too many people think it's that easy.

[bluestate10]

110. Roosevelt did not get the New Deal started until his second term. nt

[Claudia Jones]

205. where is this talking point coming from?

Here are some highlights of the accomplishments during the first 3 years of the FDR administration.

First year:

- Emergency Banking Act; giving White House broad powers over banks (March 9)

- Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC); work and paychecks immediately for 250,000 workers (March 19)

- Federal Emergency Relief Act; immediate grants to states for relief projects (May 12)

- Agricultural Adjustment Act; immediate relief to farmers (May 12)

- Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA); constructing of dams and power plants along the Tennessee Valley (May 18)

- Federal Securities Act; regulating stocks and bonds (May 27)

- National Employment System Act (June 6)

- Home Owners Refinancing Act; mortgage money and other aid to a million homeowners (June 13)

- National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA) establishing the Public Works Administration (PWA) for construction of roads, public buildings and other projects while providing employment (June 16)

- Farm Credit Act; ending speculation on farm land to keep farmers on the land (June 13)

- Banking Act of 1933 (which establishes FDIC) (June 13)

- National Labor Board; to enforce the right of collective bargaining (August 5)

- Civil Works Administration (CWA); provides work for some four million unemployed over the winter months (November 8)

Second year:

- Gold Reserve Act; government control over fluctuations in the value of the dollar (January 30)

- Farm Mortgage Refinancing Act; assistance for farmers in refinancing their mortgages (January 31)

- Civil Works Emergency Relief Administration (February 15)

- Crop Loan Act; loans to farmers based on crop production and harvesting (February 23)

- Farm Mortgage Foreclosure Act; loans to farmers for recovering their property lost to foreclosure (June 12)

- National Housing Act; established the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to insure loans for construction, renovation or repairs of homes. (June 28)

- Taylor Grazing Act; 8 million acres of public land set aside for grazing. (June 28)

- Tobacco Control Act sets mandatory quotas limiting production. (June 28)

- Federal Farm Bankruptcy Act; moratorium on farm mortgage foreclosures. (June 28)

Third year:

- Emergency Relief Appropriation Act; five billion for immediate relief and increased employment. (April 8)

- Resettlement Administration (RA); aid for farm families forced to re-locate. (May 1)

- Rural Electrification Administration; public project to bring electricity to areas without. (May 11)

- Social Security Act; guaranteeing pensions to those retiring at 65, financial aid to dependent children and blind people, establishes a system of unemployment insurance. (August 14)

- Banking Act of 1935; holds banks more responsible and responsive to the public. (August 23)

- Public Utilities Act; regulation of gas and electric companies. (August 26)

- Revenue Act; increased taxation on inheritances, gifts, higher income individuals. (August 30)

[reformist2]

177. You're right. Sadly, the political will in Congress wasn't there.

It was all Obama could do to pass the so-called "stimulus" bill. It pulled us out of the economic tailspin, but it did nothing to address the long-term problem, that the private sector doesn't need as many workers as it used to, mostly because of the end of the housing bubble and continued outsourcing. What we got was really a "crash-prevention" package, not so much a "stimulus" package.

[Skittles]

30. CORRECT

instead he worked on that so-called healthcare "reform" and allowed repukes to take over the economic discussion

[okieinpain]

31. blah, blah, blah. don't vote, sit at home and get your behind

your keyboard and lead the nation to your utopia. i'm pretty sure all of those people at the GM, Chrysler and the banks think you're right on the money.

[Bluebear]

32. Banks?!

[bluestate10]

115. Yes. Banks. Not all bank employees are overpaid asses.

The great majority are everyday working people. President Obama was more interested in saving their jobs than those of the high paid jackals. Get some perspective, it may lead to happiness, finally.

[democrank]

34. President Obama squandered his historic opportunity.

Squandered it and invented this unrealistic la-la land of hand-holding with his "friends" across the aisle. He is weak and naive and millions have suffered because of it.

[bluestate10]

117. Would you write that about FDR? Check out what happened during his first term. nt

[quaker bill]

37. It is usually most helpful

to direct efforts to put out a fire to the place where things are burning. You might think otherwise, but if so, then you are incorrect.

A "massive WPA Program" would have been all but useless if job losses at 500K to 700K had continued. This had to be stopped and intervention in the markets was the only way to do it, and it worked. There is no scenario once the crash was fully formed, as it was when this President took office, where this intervention could have been avoided. The point in time to take such action would have been 5 or 6 years earlier, when the market showed clear signs of unbalance. I don't like that it was necessary, but I recognize ti.

Now I do agree that the first stimulus was not bold enough and contained to many supply side ideas. This next proposed round is better, but still contains too many supply side ideas. However, the supply side mythos is written large in the minds of the voting public. It is less large now than it was in 2008, but still pretty powerful, read the results in 2010 and weep. The people are just now beginning to wrap their heads around the fact that this BS doesn't actually work. This supply side orthodoxy will only truly die when the candidates who speak it consistently lose elections. We aren't there yet, and not even really all that close.

Whether you participate in the process of taking the country there is your call, and always has been.

[bluestate10]

118. Thanks man. Logic is in short supply on DU. nt

[Joe Fields]

145. It certainly is...n/t

:eyes:

[Joe Fields]

144. That is simply not true.

Putting people back to work repairing roads and bridges, cleaning and maintaining national parks, planting trees, creating artwork, "greening" of federal and state owned buildings, all of these ideas, and more, would have put unemployed Americans back to work, which could have kept hundreds of thousands of home owners from defaulting on their mortgages, which would have allowed millions of people to continue to consume goods and purchase services, which, in turn would have turned this economy around.

I could argue with you on the bank bailout, but you must realize that the all important prospect, at that time was putting people back to work. And it didn't really matter how they drew a paycheck.

[Solomon]

41. More delusion.

Obama Derangement Syndrome.

[RetroLounge]

85. Exactly what a right-winger would say

:puke:

RL

[Solomon]

114. LOL

Talk about projection... If I'm " right wing" you might as well quit right now because that makes you definitely "fringe". Which side doesn't matter since both fringes agree on Obama.

[bluestate10]

119. The OP is exactly what a rightwinger would do.

The question that I have for you is whether you have any ideas that would work? Any? If so get your dream candidate elected President. Go ahead, do it.

[inna]

158. disgusting personal attack and outright slander

:puke:

[Number23]

149. Emphasis on "more." Delusion appears to be the OP's speciality

Although it does seem that this is one is not headed for 300+ recs like his other frighteningly self-absorbed, fact-devoid spiel.

When even GD gets sick of your fringe foolishness, that is TRULY saying something.

[inna]

157. Yes, some people seem to be quite susceptible.

Certainly not the OP and 111 (at the very least) DUers who recommended this thread, much to their credit.

[Major Hogwash]

42. "No one will be able to convince me . . . "

Then this is not very productive for discussion, is it?

[SidDithers]

44. Haven't you already posted that you would rather have Rick Perry win in 2012 anyway?...

And yes, maybe a jerk like Rick Perry will become president because of people like me, but I'll tell you right now, we are headed in that direction sooner or later on this crash course, and I would rather have it be sooner, so that we can hit bottom quickly and rise back up.

Sid

[treestar]

55. OMG

I consider that attitude quoted as just evil, Sid. To wish that on the country because it's not progressive enough! This country has made a lot of progress, even with Reagan and the Bushes and the Tea Party. It does not deserve or require any such thing.

[Major Hogwash]

78. Wow! That is unnerving.

To find out now, at this late stage in the game, that DU is not the real world.

[NNN0LHI]

81. I sure have enjoyed watching people dancing around that post all day

:hi:

[Joe Fields]

91. Sid, you have a very convenient comprehension problem.

There is a huge difference between advocating the likes of Rick Perry for president and even voting for him, as opposed to advocating sitting on your hands and not voting for Obama, with the understanding that by doing so, a man like Rick Perry might, just might get elected.

You may say the end result will be the same, but those of us who stick to our principles will not be bullied into cowering by the likes of you trumpeting your fear and misinformation.

The bottom line is that Obama doesn't deserve my vote, and I will not enable him to win a second term. His actions in the White House are little different than those of his predecessor.

But I am most likely wasting these words on you, since you so conveniently misconstrue mine.

[SidDithers]

137. Tomato, tomahto. The words are yours, and it's pretty clear what they mean...nt

Sid

[Name removed]

146. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Number23]

151. You gotta love how the OP refers to you quoting his EXACT WORDS as "fear and misinformation!"

Oh my God!! What planet do these fucking people come from??!

[Joe Fields]

154. It is really sad that we have people like you who call themselves

democrats, and are nothing more than frogs in a pan of water, not knowing they are being fried.

[Number23]

166. Yes, lead me to the light, o' wise one!

:rofl:

Don't be mad that folks remember what you typed. No one forced you to write the miserable stupidity that Sid just threw back in your face. Or did they....?????

[BzaDem]

172. Wouldn't it be more sad that we have people who consider Rick Perry enablers to be Democrats?

Just in general, it would seem that however anyone defines progressive, at the very least it does not include enabling Rick Perry to become President on election day (and by extension all his policies to become enacted, and all his justices to become appointed).

[BzaDem]

170. You can feel free to not enable Obama, and therefore by definition enable Rick Perry.

But you cannot truthfully claim that a decision to not enable Obama is not simultaneously a decision to enable Rick Perry -- just as you cannot truthfully claim that 2+2=5.

So while someone absolutely has a comprehension problem, it is most certainly not Sid.

On election day 2012, if Perry is the nominee, there will likely be at least (when all is said and done) 40 million people who enable Rick Perry in the voting booth. They clearly would not be bullied to decide not to enable him, and no one here is claiming that they should be bullied. People are just pointing out that there is really no meaningful difference among any of the Rick Perry enablers. They all want to enable him, his policies, his ideology, and his appointees, since that is what their action is doing (and that is what they know their action is doing). Calling a spade a spade is not bullying.

[treestar]

203. Your vote is only one of many

It is what the people deserve, not what any particular politicians deserves.

The people "deserve" a Republican House of Representatives. You'll be one of the people who deserves President Perry.

[Dragonfli]

93. We know you will vote for Obama! Oh wait, you will have to settle for Harper /nt

[PurityOfEssence]

49. He's said that he's proud that 90% of the stimulus went out through private enterprise

Can anything be more clueless or damning?

The money should have been spent on pure paychecks, not infrastructure projects or sideways inducements, but direct paychecks to human beings. We could have hired IT people to tutor old folks on computer literacy, we could have done any number of things that wouldn't have wasted money on materials, but would have ALL gone into paychecks.

[defendandprotect]

97. Obama/Rahm "crowed" about "billions" in lucrative new contracts for business....!!!

and how grateful business should be to Obama!

Further, how Obama had "PRESERVED THE PRIVATE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM" -- !!

That's the most sickening when you have any understanding at all of how the

American public is suffering -- how many are ill and needing care urgently

abd how the problems simply worsen without needed care.


How many have lost their homes because of medical expenses --

How many unemployed have not only the terrors of joblessness but no health care

for themselves and their families --


and still people here think that Obama needs just a bit more time!! YIKES!

[blkmusclmachine]

50. It's a syndicate:

What do you expect?

[ProSense]

51. Senator Franken: The importance of the Reocovery Act

Senator Franken: The importance of the Reocovery Act

Tuesday, Sep 28

M. President, I rise today to discuss something I regret. I regret that Democrats have allowed the word "stimulus" to become a dirty word, one we avoid using. The President spoke a few weeks ago about his new plan to invest $50 billion in new infrastructure-projects that will improve safety and transportation. But he never once mentioned the words "stimulus" or "recovery." And that was probably a smart move on his part. Because frankly, the stimulus has gotten a bad rap. But this is a reputation that it absolutely does not deserve.

There are members of this body who opposed the Recovery Act because they thought it wouldn't work. It didn't jibe with their theory of economics, or how the government should address recessions. And that's fine. They were entitled to vote the way they thought best. But now, a year and a half later, we've been able to see the economic effects of the Recovery Act. And to deny that it has been a success is simply ignoring the data.

A recent poll showed that a majority of Americans believe that the stimulus bill either did nothing to help the economy, or made it even worse. The economic data, however, indicate otherwise. How do we explain this disparity between what people believe and what the data support?

Members of the American public don't form opinions out of thin air. They engage themselves-they watch the news, they listen to speeches by elected officials. And one would expect that watching the news and listening to your elected officials would be a decent way to form an opinion about something. But unfortunately, the talking heads on the news shows, along with many elected officials, having been feeding the American public half-truths about the Recovery Act. And that, frankly, is cheating the American people out of the facts.

Today I'd like to go through some of these claims made by the talking heads and elected officials, and then follow it up with some data. And that way the American people can use the facts to decide for themselves.

<...>

Another vital component of the Recovery Act that is often overlooked is its expanded funding for unemployment insurance that helped keep 3.3 million people, including 1 million children, out of poverty in 2009. Another overlooked but critical program in the Recovery Act is the funding for Head Start. The $2 billion allocation preserved Head Start and Early Head Start programming for 64,000 children across the country-over 900 in Minnesota alone. These programs are helping the most vulnerable kids in our communities.
It's simple-economic analysis suggests that the Recovery Act boosted demand, created millions of jobs, kept families in their homes, and helped the economy start growing again.

Let me tell you what I love about being a Senator. As opposed to being a candidate for Senate. I think most of my colleagues can relate to this. When you're a candidate, you're speaking mainly to your own party. When you're trying to get the nomination, when you're getting out the vote. But as a Senator, you talk to everyone. I travel all over the state of Minnesota and meet with mayors and city council members, and county commissioners, and small businesses.

And everywhere I go, they thank me for the Recovery Act. They thank me for the teachers and firefighters, for the Workforce Investment Act funds, which they used to train people for jobs. For the highway extension or the wastewater plant or the funds for rural broadband or for weatherization of public buildings.

In fact, Michael Gunwald, writing for Time Magazine, said this: "the Recovery Act is the most ambitious energy legislation in history, converting the Energy Department into the world's largest venture-capital fund. It's pouring $90 billion into clean energy, including unprecedented investments in a smart grid; energy efficiency; electric cars; renewable power from the sun, wind and earth; cleaner coal; advanced biofuels; and factories to manufacture green stuff in the U.S. The act will also triple the number of smart electric meters in our homes, quadruple the number of hybrids in the federal auto fleet and finance far-out energy research through a new government incubator modeled after the Pentagon agency that fathered the Internet."

A few weeks ago I heard a prominent conservative talking head on one of the Sunday news shows describe the Recovery Act this way. He said:

If I pay my neighbor $1,000 to dig a hole in my backyard and fill it up again and he pays me $1,000 to dig a hole in his backyard and fill it up again, according to the national income statistics, that's a $2,000 increment to GDP and two jobs have been created. The American people understand, however, there's no real wealth created in this kind of transfer payment.

How out of touch. How downright offensive. And yet this is why so many Americans believe that the Recovery Act hasn't created any jobs or just created jobs for bureaucrats.

You know, I worry that my speech today is too little, too late. I worry that many Americans have already formed their opinion about the Recovery Act-based on the inaccuracies they hear from beltway pundits or from their elected officials.

But, I challenge the talking heads and the elected officials to find the Spencers, Sheilas, Cecils, and Randys in their state-go out and watch them work. Or talk to a teacher in the classroom or a cop on the beat. They're not digging and filling holes in their neighbors' backyards. They're doing skilled, hard, necessary work-rebuilding our roads, teaching our kids-and getting paid for it. With their paychecks, they buy food for their families-which generates more demand. And that's an economic recovery in the making.

Great read!

[ellie]

52. I regret that I can only unrecommend this post once.

[Missy Vixen]

62. I'm sorry I couldn't recommend it more than once. n/t

[treestar]

54. We can sum up your understanding of the job in

two words: Very Little

Reward the Republicans then.

[hulka38]

75. Obama rewards the Republicans after every threat.

[orpupilofnature57]

58. He blew the chance for change on the delusions of cooperation and continuity.

[OwnedByFerrets]

63. Huge K and R

[Name removed]

67. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[NeonDog]

68. More Bush...More Reagan....

Woo-Hooo...another eights years of Bush/Reagan...IF OBAMA would have just waved his magic wands...we could have had free medical care...jobs for all...and gay marriage in Mississippi...and don't forget no more GUNS!!!

[Divernan]

125. OT, but I'm puzzled. You're a member since 2001 & have only 88 posts?

I think that sets a record of sorts.

[on point]

70. Conned, Craven, or Complicit, none inspire confidence in course...

Obama has not been the strong effective captain charting a new course we needed. Normal times we could suffer through such poor leadership, buy this is not normal times and requires someone more committed to actual change and not just 10 dimensional marketing manipulation played on the public while he constantly caves to the repukes.

[Katashi_itto]

73. Hi All my 1st post here thought I would jump in.

The Economic/Ecological Disaster

As someone who campaigned for Obama. I have been pretty disappointed.

But I don't think it matters anymore. Reality has a way of smacking you in the face.

Events are rapidly unfolding that we no longer have any real control over.

The financial meltdown has gone to economic melt-through. All the containment systems that kept things in check are gone.

Watch what happens to Greece.

When Greece goes there will be a massive domino effect.

Remember everything on the bank balance sheets are leveraged at hundreds of times their value. It's all a house of cards now.

We are now looking at a Financial Nuclear Winter. No escaping it now.

Our President had a window of opportunity and it was wasted.

36 months later the financial infrastructure has not been fixed, indeed the perpetrators have been rewarded. It is business as usual.

The Stimulus FIXED nothing. Remember that. It was desperately needed. But NOTHING was fixed.

It is no longer a matter of "if" but "when" the next collapse will occur.

Had the new president acted with an almost "Chinese" style solution, arresting the financial terrorists putting the Bush cabal at least in front of the Hague.

Maybe we might have stood a chance.

We needed a "reset" back then.

Now we will get a reset alright, but it will likely be very bloody.

If you don't think revolution can happen here in the US.

Envision gas at 9.00 - 12.00 a gallon, a loaf of bread at perhaps the same. Arab Spring could easily flow to the shores of the US.

Unless we get a massive cuts to military end to the wars even sooner and some sort of real WPA system we will have unrest here, and the unfolding of a fascist presidency.

However, who knows maybe a fascist presidency will wake people up or not.

The old poem seems to apply to American complacency very well

First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.


Me personally I'm working on my Masters and trying to figure out what countries will still want Americans in 3 years.

I may still vote Obama, simply because it would be him, or a Republican that has a 5th grade economic education.

A Republican whose idea to fix things would be more wars lots of prayer and maybe gladiatorial games for liberals.

[Dragonfli]

94. Welcome to DU. Excellent first post.

:hi:

[inna]

192. Welcome to DU! Great first post, Good to have you here!

:hi:

[Fruittree]

74. My understanding of the WPA jobs plan by

Roosevelt is that the people hired live in camps and were paid $1/day...Do you honestly think this would go over in this day and age? Not likely...When it was suggested that people who've been unemployed serve an apprenticeship in order to learn new skills, the outraged headlines here at DU were immediately that Obama was suggesting people work for free. You can criticize all you want of course but please try to be realistic. By the way, I will "reward him" because he has done as well as anyone given the current political situation.

[Katashi_itto]

76. Agree but when Collapse happens

Rock bottom wages may become really attractive along with say three meals a day.

[Fruittree]

82. That's the scary part..

I have two kids who are smart and good workers but what will they have here as a future? I feel less and less secure but I do know that I am not ready to hand their future into the hands of the Republicans so in whatever way I can, I am supporting Obama...I wish more people realized that he would be stronger with us at his back rather than sniping at him all the time. All the good things of this country have come because the people have stood up and made their voices heard - Where are we now? All you hear is the idiot Tea Party...

[Katashi_itto]

84. Well 3 million Americans are voting every year...

with their feet. Thats the amount of Americans that are becoming Expats.

I don't think the problem can be fixed in the regular way anymore. The system has been gamed with to much money that is defending the status quo. Nader had an excellent description "we are in a two party dictatorship"

I think the elites will milk the system till it Collapses and then ride the ensuing storm out in their Merc Serurity protected communities.

[Fruittree]

167. Maybe my view is tainted a bit but my family

immigrated here from Mexico. Based on their description of what government was like there, I don't have a strong feeling that there's anywhere to go sometimes although I do dream of a small town in Italy. At least I could be warm and poor! Sometimes I wonder why if every government in the world is collapsing due to debt we can't just say o.k. - let's all just start over - no debt for everyone! In a way - money has only the value we've chosen to give it. It has no practical or intrinsic value so the suffering caused by its lack is only as real and necessary as we choose to make it.

[Katashi_itto]

171. The Bible had an example of the "Jubilee" all

Debts were forgiven every 5-7 years I think.

The Chinese simply outlawed derivatives and would not honor them. They then executed a couple of bank executives to make their point. In the United States we do it differently we put bank executives in govt posts.

Which system do you think will work better?

[Katashi_itto]

173. I think any of the progressive/socialist countries

Northern Europe would do. Fairly safe against what is going to happen.

[Fruittree]

187. But cold and gray a lot of the time...

I guess you can't have everything.. :)

[Name removed]

77. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ProSense]

79. The President saved

the auto industry.

[cyberpj]

83. Apparently, "Yes We Can" never meant "Yes We Will". nt

[Name removed]

86. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Doctor_J]

88. Had he done what you suggest in Feb 2009, all 70 million who voted for him

would have been on the phone to DC railing at their Congress to get it done. We would have pressed the huge advantage we had when he took office, and pinned the Repukes to the mat. Soon thereafter Medicare For All would have been put forth and the same dynamic would have prevailed.

For reasons we will probably never know, he chose to adopt the very policies that had been soundly rejected three months prior. The will go down as the most wasted presidency of all time.

[Myrina]

90. +100

Well said.

[Joe Fields]

92. That's the main reason it grates on me so much.

He had a chance to do so much for so many...

[defendandprotect]

96. Agree -- Obama threw away his mandate while resurrecting GOP from the ashes!!

[defendandprotect]

95. It was a depression -- it is a depression -- and it is engineered and purposeful ...!!

Obama didn't fail -- he was highly successful for those he is serving ---

and it certainly isn't the public/general welfare!

[Joe Fields]

147. I agree, sadly, but that is a correct assessment.

I am sick of the spin by the politicians and the media. Recession my foot. We've been in a depression since 2008, and they are all scared to death to mention the word.

Now, economists are talking about a "double dip". WTF?

[defendandprotect]

160. True --

imo, it's important to keep the public from understanding what's really going on --

People know what should be done in a depression -- a recession is a little more

difficult to argue about --

Certainly the intent is to weaken citizens and the social structure --

Very sad for alL of us --

66 million Americans living in poverty --

That's a lot of pain and suffering --


:hi:

[Vidar]

99. K&R.

[AntiFascist]

100. Well, after all....

he also chose to go golfing with Boner.

[bluestate10]

101. Please go out and read unbiased historical accounts.

Roosevelt was moribund during his first term. His New Deal policies did not get jump started until he won a second term. Your ilk conveniently ignore that important fact.

[Bluenorthwest]

122. That's just not correct. 15 major legislative acts in the frist 100

days, which is why they call it The 100 Days and write articles about it. Read up:
http://www.epluribusmedia.org/features/2006/200609_FDR_pt4.html

[bluestate10]

126. None of which got started until his second term. You put up a lot of words,

that said nothing.

[Joe Fields]

130. What you are saying simply is not true.

One of the first things he did as president was to close the banks and declare a bank holiday, while he assured nervous depositors that the federal government would insure their bank deposits.

His "moribund" first term, as you described, caused the unemployment rate to drop from a horrific 25% down to 17%, no small feat. And I don't know exactly where you get your information, but the works programs he began in his first term weren't challenged by the courts until his second term.

The facts are that he put millions of people back to work in his first term of office. Challenge me on that fact. I'll play.

[druidity33]

134. Really? "Moribund?"

adjective. 1. in a dying state; near death. 2. on the verge of extinction or termination. 3. not progressing or advancing; stagnant

:shrug:

[inna]

190. OMG. "Your ilk", FDR "moribund" - how do you even get away with all this vile crap?

[Claudia Jones]

196. FDR

Here are some highlights of the accomplishments during the first 3 years of the FDR administration.

First year:

- Emergency Banking Act; giving White House broad powers over banks (March 9)

- Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC); work and paychecks immediately for 250,000 workers (March 19)

- Federal Emergency Relief Act; immediate grants to states for relief projects (May 12)

- Agricultural Adjustment Act; immediate relief to farmers (May 12)

- Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA); constructing of dams and power plants along the Tennessee Valley (May 18)

- Federal Securities Act; regulating stocks and bonds (May 27)

- National Employment System Act (June 6)

- Home Owners Refinancing Act; mortgage money and other aid to a million homeowners (June 13)

- National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA) establishing the Public Works Administration (PWA) for construction of roads, public buildings and other projects while providing employment (June 16)

- Farm Credit Act; ending speculation on farm land to keep farmers on the land (June 13)

- Banking Act of 1933 (which establishes FDIC) (June 13)

- National Labor Board; to enforce the right of collective bargaining (August 5)

- Civil Works Administration (CWA); provides work for some four million unemployed over the winter months (November 8)

Second year:

- Gold Reserve Act; government control over fluctuations in the value of the dollar (January 30)

- Farm Mortgage Refinancing Act; assistance for farmers in refinancing their mortgages (January 31)

- Civil Works Emergency Relief Administration (February 15)

- Crop Loan Act; loans to farmers based on crop production and harvesting (February 23)

- Farm Mortgage Foreclosure Act; loans to farmers for recovering their property lost to foreclosure (June 12)

- National Housing Act; established the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to insure loans for construction, renovation or repairs of homes. (June 28)

- Taylor Grazing Act; 8 million acres of public land set aside for grazing. (June 28)

- Tobacco Control Act sets mandatory quotas limiting production. (June 28)

- Federal Farm Bankruptcy Act; moratorium on farm mortgage foreclosures. (June 28)

Third year:

- Emergency Relief Appropriation Act; five billion for immediate relief and increased employment. (April 8)

- Resettlement Administration (RA); aid for farm families forced to re-locate. (May 1)

- Rural Electrification Administration; public project to bring electricity to areas without. (May 11)

- Social Security Act; guaranteeing pensions to those retiring at 65, financial aid to dependent children and blind people, establishes a system of unemployment insurance. (August 14)

- Banking Act of 1935; holds banks more responsible and responsive to the public. (August 23)

- Public Utilities Act; regulation of gas and electric companies. (August 26)

- Revenue Act; increased taxation on inheritances, gifts, higher income individuals. (August 30)

[Name removed]

102. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Joe Fields]

131. I am an American, who happens to be a real democrat.

I really don't want to associate myself with what is called the democratic party of today. It looks and acts nothing like the democratic party I grew up with some fifty odd years ago. In fact, it, and the enablers who have infested it frankly make me sick.

[Puglover]

183. "Infested"

Just perfect!

[unkachuck]

116. K&R....you've said it all....n/t

[baldguy]

120. Would you rather have Romney or Perry?

Or any other Republican for that matter?

[bluestate10]

128. The far Left dismisses your challenge as a fear tactic.

But President Perry or President Romney, with a republican Congress absolutely should scare the shit out of the far Left. But the far Left's delusion will have them making progress by protesting in the street and getting thrown in jail. During the meantime, the country would be taken back to the dark ages by republican goons. I take a stand, I have no fucking intention to go through the far Left's dream scenario with them. I have taken a stand and will work to re-elect President Obama and provide him with democratic support in Congress.

[Joe Fields]

132. A fat lot of good that did, when we controlled all three houses .

dream on.

[baldguy]

136. But that's the real choice you have: either support Obama, or get someone 1000x worse.

Any other choice is pure fantasy.

[Joe Fields]

150. Please explain a thousand times worse than what Obama has done...

Let's see, just off the top of my head...

He is continuing Bush's wars...

Hasn't closed Guantanamo...

Still believes in rendition...

Still allows illegal wiretapping of American civilians...

Believes in the continuation of the Patriot Act...

Continues to empty the taxpayer's coffers to Wall Street...

Refused to go after Bush and Cheney...

Has abandoned Israel...

Has no real foreign or domestic policy...

Did not come up with a jobs program immediately when he took office...

Has not directed the justice dept. to prosecute criminal behavior in the housing crisis.

Has not prosecuted one person in the banking scandals...

And, although I despise Perry, what more could he do to us that would be a thousand times worse, especially when Obama has signed off on everything that Bush had laid out in front of him?

I want a real answer from you.

[BzaDem]

174. Simple. Appoint justices that would rule most progressive economic policy as unconstitutional for

the next generation.

But then at least the Perry-enablers can blame a progressive President 25 years from now for not enacting fundamental change, even though their vote to enable Perry 25 years prior was the cause of that failure.

[baldguy]

184. How about ending SS & Medicare?

How about outlawing labor unions? How about returning to a time when only white male property owners could vote?

The US federal govt isn't a go-cart that can turn on a dime if you want it to change direction. It's a 2-mile long freight train that takes 10 miles to stop, and needs a railroad bed to be built before it can change course.

The only question is: are you willing build it?

Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

[Doctor_J]

141. We already did that once. Obama responded by working with the Repuke minority

instead of the Dem majority. Your delusion is that we're somehow going to have bigger majorities than we did in 2009-2010, or that calling Obama a Dem because he's further left than Perry makes it so. He had a big opportunity, he pissed it away, and no amount of pretending or fear-mongering is going to change that fact. And finally, protesting in the streets has at least as good an opportunity of succeeding as continuing to vote within the same system that got us to this debacle.

[dionysus]

124. who gives a shit?

:shrug:

[SidDithers]

179. Exactly...

:thumbsup:

Sid

[inna]

193. ?

who doesn't?

:wtf:

what a bizarre post.

[Maraya1969]

127. This is a very naive way of trying to understand and explain how the government works.

It is not as simple as you would like it to be.

[Joe Fields]

135. Anytime you wish to debate the inner workings of politics with me,

I am most eager to oblige.

I'm 55 years old and have followed politics closely all of my life.

My rant is valid. Politicians actions speak much louder than their words.

Can you even comprehend that this jobs bill, for example is the same style of tactic that Dick Nixon used to get re-elected in 1972? Only with Nixon it was Vietnam. In both cases, what they campaigned on to get re-elected on for a second term could have been accomplished in their first term.

I am a lot of things, but politically naive? No.

[BlueIris]

129. K&R. nt

[Hubert Flottz]

138. He pissed away what was probably the country's last chance.

We're fukt!

[Katashi_itto]

175. Timothy Geither Says it all in this Quote

"we grab money with our hands to stabilize the banks and expand the EFSF unconditionally." - T. Geither.

This is how American Bankster Thieve Operate in the US allowed to by the Adminstration. Luckily the Germans told him to "F" off.

In America, the FED and the bank system really are a cartel, in every sense of the word. The cartel protects it's interests. And if that means installing a President who promises to look the other way and preserve the cartel without prosecution, well that's what happens. The cartel supplies the money and support.

"Even Timothy Geithner, who attended the meeting of European finance ministers in Poland, fired off a broadside in Rösler's direction. In the same breath, he proposed the expansion—through leverage, of all things—of the European bailout mechanism, the EFSF. According to Austrian Finance Minister, Maria Fekter, who witnessed the scene, he warned of "catastrophic" economic risks due to the disputes among the countries of the Eurozone and due to the conflicts between these countries and the ECB. Then he demanded in dramatic terms, she said, that "we grab money with our hands to stabilize the banks and expand the EFSF unconditionally."

The smack-down was immediate. German Finance Minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, took Geithner to task and explained to him in no uncertain terms, according to Fekter, that it was not possible to burden the taxpayers to that extent, particularly not if only the taxpayers of Triple-A countries were to be burdened. A bailout "with tax money alone in the quantity that the USA imagines will not be feasible," Schäuble said. (Wiener Zeitung, article in German)."

Our major problem is we have our Own "Greece" The US Banking industry.

[Katashi_itto]

176. Watch our moves now. Betcha we pour trillions into Greece.

[Militant_Liberal]

178. Allowing Rick Warren to speak at the Inauguration

was the start and it has been down hill ever since....

[ThomWV]

199. Really, I thought exactly the same thing. But then I had listened to Rev. Wright's sermon

And I mean I listened to the entire sermon, not just the 30 second sound bite that was constantly replayed on the TV. I could not understand how Obama abandoned Reverend Wright after the sermon, not one thing he said in it was inaccurate or hyperbole.

[Arkana]

191. Congratulations, you've bought into every far-right meme about the President

in existence all at once.

Feel better now?

[inna]

194. laughable and despicable, patently false

how do you even come up with this lame crap?

[SidDithers]

197. Yup. You speak the truth...nt

Sid

[Joe Fields]

198. the trouble is, you can't handle the truth.

and, as always I see the usual suspects trying to spam my posts...

[SidDithers]

200. And I'll probably post your quote about preferring Perry in every thread of yours I see...

So that everyone who reads your "wisdom" knows exactly where you're coming from.

Sid

[Imagevision]

201. I still find it difficult to believe what Obama has turned into - Imagine Perry...

[celebritymagnet]

204. President Obama Should Rule The World

http://www.chicagonow.com/chicagonow-arts-entertainment/2011/09/president-obama-should-rule-the-world/