Between Sudanese pirates, swine flu outbreaks, stock market woes, flyaway photo ops and oh, those Middle Eastern wars, it’s good to know President Obama can find some time here and there to re-arrange his furniture – with a little help from his friends, of course. (That’s Vermont Governor Jim Douglas in the Oval Office, in between discussions about the economic recovery plan.)
Barista Kids talked to little and big kids to see how they felt about this historic day. Preschoolers and kindergartners thought he should whoop it up and party. Older kids say they’re inspired and moved.
What say you, BaristaAdults? How do you feel about Obama’s First 100? Are you whooping, or hollering?
(Photo from White House photostream on Flickr.)
Obama’s First 100
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I’m in the 61%. Now, if we can just come up with a way to raise a couple of trillion dollars without increasing taxes….
Hopefully he can continue to “undo” much of the damage. It’s been like having someone open a window on a spring day after years of living in a dank and dusty place.
Compared to the last 8 years…hell yeah…I’m whooping!
I’m impressed that he moves his own furniture.
Its been a mixed bag thus far. Some rookie mistakes have been made such as the people in his Cabinet having to be removed, blaming Bush for the last 8 years in every speech, he and Geithner not being on the same page with their timing of the bailout plan, and being way too much a celebrity are all negatives. He needs to be the President of the United States, not focused on popularity, but issues and bringing the country back to where it needs to be. No more Leno, no more magazine covers with Michelle Obama looking like a model and not the First Lady, and no more press conferences to fill out your NCAA tournament bracket.
However, in a time where it is very much needed, he is a great motivator, speaker, and leader. Whether it is real or not, he instills confidence in people. That is something that I don’t think we would have gotten out of McCain, and I am a Republican who voted for McCain. Despite the fact that I do not agree with many of his views and views of Democrats in general, the intangible that he brings to the table puts me in the 61% of people that approve at this point.
I don’t know, jerseygurl, there are times when he gives me a chill.
Wonder if he’s moving the couch in feng shui style.
That’s what happens when you let in some fresh air, Nellie. Put on a sweater and be thankful we have someone who is open about mistakes and can apologize, address the issue and move on.
I’d rather get a fan and blow that troublesome fresh air away.
I am cautionsly whooping. He has had some missteps, which I think only reflect his lack of experience.
A “breath of fresh air” I think is extremely apt though, and his timing could not be better.
Hmmm…let’s see. The anointed one has reached out to our enemies like Chavez and Castro, men who have spewed hatred against the US and its people. His weak leadership has encouraged Iran and North Korea to go public about their nuclear ambitions. He has apologized to the world for the supposed arrogance of our nation I guess trying to appease the French and he certainly doesn’t come off looking and acting like the leader of the Free World
He has set our nation’s defense back to the Jimmy Carter days…if this 100 days is any indication of whats to come then we’re in deep do do.
Apologizing for past mistakes is a sign of strength, not weakness. Imagine, we will no longer torture people to get them to say things, even if untrue, that will strengthen our argument for a pre-emptive strike against a country we are determined to invade no matter the cost.
Whooping! If he allows the law to run its course, so that Bush and the gang can be brought to justice for crimes against humanity through the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
I’m holding my breath waiting for Iran, Cuba, North Korea and the FSU to apologize for their collective “past mistakes.”
Shouldn’t we have higher ethical aspirations than Iran, Cuba, and North Korea?
Those who think that more testosterone is the solution to every problem will inevitably think that Obama is weak. You see evidence of this all over the Internet these days, not just here.
Who cares about the first 100 days? Another artificial line of demarcation that means nothing. I’ll be more interested in the first year.
There are times when I worry that we may have another case of skills required to win a Presidential election not translating into skills required to govern well – and I’m not sure that we’ve had a President with both since Eisenhower.
But what NC said above is important. I think Obama’s been able to impart in a lot of people the sense that this country is still a great place where average folks can get a fair shake, & that we will bring it back out of this recession. I don’t see many other players on the public stage who are able to keep people’s hopes alive like that.
Obama can be called a great president only if he restores the constitution. He hasn’t yet.
Obama’s holier than thou demeanor and arrogance are going to be his undoing…and make Dick Cheney seem like Ryan Seacrest.
“Shouldn’t we have higher ethical aspirations than Iran, Cuba, and North Korea? ”
Why? Shouldn’t everyone be held to the same high standards? Why is torture OK in North Korea but not OK in the US? Everyone condemns the US for torture and other human rights violations but where’s the condemnation for other countries where you don’t even receive a trial? Where’s the outrage over female genital mutilation in certain African countries? Where’s the vitriol directed at the young Iraqi couple that was recently murdered because the woman’s family did not approve of them getting married?
The United States government doesn’t care about torture in general. We the US commits human rights violations the government is only concerned with the negative internal political consequences and losing votes. Other countries criticize the US government for torture because they are afraid the powerful US government might apply torture to them. We have working relationships with countries with greater human rights violations because they provide a product or service to US interests. The US government holds North Korea and Cuba in low esteem because they oppose US interests not because of their human rights violations.
“We have working relationships with countries with greater human rights violations because they provide a product or service to US interests.”
Bingo. Never thought I’d say this but agree with Lasermike.
“Obama’s holier than thou demeanor and arrogance are going to be his undoing”
Really? Cuz 80% of Americans “like” him according to a recent poll.
Maybe you should just admit that you’re part of the small group of people who really wouldn’t be pleased no matter who he is or what he does (just like I’m a part of that same group who despised Bush no matter what.)
He proposed the biggest defense budget ever, so I’m not sure how we’re back in the days of Carter.
“Shouldn’t everyone be held to the same high standards? Why is torture OK in North Korea but not OK in the US? Everyone condemns the US for torture and other human rights violations but where’s the condemnation for other countries where you don’t even receive a trial?”
There’s PLENTY of outrage. Look around you. The left is very upset by those things too.
Yes, everyone should be held to the same high standards. I happen to think we should LEAD the way. How can we claim that we’re a superior nation if we only hold ourselves to the lowest standards out there? Do you want to apply this to everything else? (i.e. it’s okay for men to stone women to death here because dangit, they do it in Iran!)
And also follow the LAWS that we (specifically, Ronald Reagan) help enact!
Granted, I love my country but I don’t think it always does the right thing. That being said, I’m tired of everyone blaming America for everything.
But Obama shaking hands with Chavez, Castro, bowing to the Saudi prince has a big ick factor. If Adolph Hitler or Stalin were alive, would he do the same with them?
No, but perhaps Bush would hold hands with them. Talk about an ick factor….
We should oppose torture with great force because it is a great crime against humanity. Torture murders the soul of the victim.
.. plus it hurts like hell!
As well as the soul of the perps although one can argue their souls have already been murdered.
and make Dick Cheney seem like Ryan Seacrest.
Iceman, you really should read this stuff you write–it’s funny!
Dick Cheney is the greatest murderer, torturer, and tyrant of our time. He is responsible for the deaths of over a million people and the end of a constitutional republic. To argue that Obama’s arrogance is greater than Cheney’s is insane.
Long time, first time. My thoughts on the first 100, for what it’s worth.
The single biggest issue facing Obama when he took office was the state of the banking industry. On that issue, I don’t think Obama has been successful. TARP has not worked and I have yet to hear of a plan that effectively addresses the CDO and CDO-squared notes that weigh down on the banks’ balance sheets. The backdoor nationalization of GM, the not-so-backdoor nationalization of AIG and the impending nationalization of Citi and BOA, not to mention nationalized health care, have injected the federal government into the formerly private sector in an unprecedented way. I don’t think the goverment is capable of running these enterprises effectively. And once the government is in, don’t expect it to get out. There’s a reason the Treasury Dep’t is allowing banks to repay their TARP “loans” — it’s the government’s hook.
I also think that the level of spending under Obama is simply unsustainable and will lead to inflation down the road. The deficit has grown from approximately 4% of GDP to approximately 13%, according to the CBO. (https://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/100xx/doc10014/03-20-PresidentBudget.pdf). And that doesn’t take into account the cost of nationalized health care or the negative impact on the economy of a cap-and-trade tax. The smart money I know is shorting Treasuries like there’s no tomorrow.
On foreign policy, I give Obama credit for maintaining continuity in military leadership in Iraq and Afghanistan. The rest, not so much. Sure, he capped some Somalian pirates, but when N. Korea buzzed a balistic missle, Obama’s response was to announce that the U.S. would be curtailing our missle defense program. Whatever one thinks of the interrogation methods used during the Bush administration, it was: (a) pointless; (b) harmful; and (c) CIA-morale crushing to release detailed descriptions of them to our enemies. The world apology tour reeks to me of a moral equivalency that I don’t subscribe to and that I think weakens our position internationally. For all the supposed good will that Obama’s express repudiation of America’s supposedly amoral past has earned us, how has it translated into a single tangible positive for the U.S.? Has anyone offered to send more troops to Iraq? To Afghanistan? Didn’t think so.
Anyway, I came into the start of the Obama administration with an open mind, and I would love to be proven wrong about all of the above.
Hmmm…let’s see. The anointed one has reached out to our enemies like Chavez and Castro, men who have spewed hatred against the US and its people. His weak leadership has encouraged Iran and North Korea to go public about their nuclear ambitions. He has apologized to the world for the supposed arrogance of our nation I guess trying to appease the French and he certainly doesn’t come off looking and acting like the leader of the Free World
Ice, I usually ignore your rantings because I take them merely as partisan tantrums arising from frustration that the political party near and dear to your heart has imploded almost overnight under the sheer weight of its own intolerance and inertia.
Yet you are really starting to sound as shrill as Glenn Beck. What’s next, are you going to write that you are crying at the keyboard because you “fear for our country?”
Contrary to your perception, Obama has not “reached out” to Chavez, other than reaching out to shake his hand, which was simply the polite and proper thing in that forum. Considering that Castro has outlasted the 45+ year embargo against him, along with several presidents, I would support a full and complete normalization of relations between the US and Cuba. What better way to expose the Cuban people to the fruits of freedom, democracy, and capitalism than to put them into daily contact with average Americans? And, with the deteriorating internal security situation in Mexico, Cuba would be poised to become the prime spring break destination for hordes of young, horny and drunk American college students. Castro may have outlasted Kennedy, Truman, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, and Bush II, but I think he’s no match against Girls Gone Wild.
The single biggest American foreign policy decision to strengthen and embolden Iran since the Islamic revolution was the decision to invade Iraq, because it replaced a secular strongman – and their mortal enemy – with an instable, and potentially ungovernable, country that may yet turn into another “Islamic republic.” And, you know as well as I do that North Korea has been pulling these stunts for the several past administrations; indeed, they have been the sovereign equivalent of the crazy-uncle-in-the-attack for our entire lives, coming down the stairs in his underwear and ratty bathrobe, threatening to kill the entire family, before retreating with some leftover chicken and a piece of pie.
And as for the French, I understand that they have decided to come in from the cold after all these years and will be rejoining NATO. To that I say, bienvenue en arrière! And if Obama had anything to do with that, I say, le bon travail!
Ice, soyez heureux! Les choses sont meilleures que vous pensez!
Viva la France! Viva USA!
I love Pork Roll’s posts. But, I swear, it’s like he’s speaking a foreign language some times… Half of his last post didn’t make any sense to me at all!
/ducks\
TARP has not worked and I have yet to hear of a plan that effectively addresses the CDO and CDO-squared notes that weigh down on the banks’ balance sheets.
Isn’t that what TALF is for? Of course TARP and the original AIG bailout didn’t even occur during his administration.
Sure, he capped some Somalian pirates, but when N. Korea buzzed a balistic missle, Obama’s response was to announce that the U.S. would be curtailing our missle defense program.
His response was? Uh no. Whether the anti-missile defense program is strategically worth ticking off the Russians is up for debate, especially since an NK nuclear weapon is not going to be delivered via missile anytime in the near future.
Whatever one thinks of the interrogation methods used during the Bush administration, it was: (a) pointless; (b) harmful; and (c) CIA-morale crushing to release detailed descriptions of them to our enemies.
And also (d), well within our rights to know what was being done in our name.
For all the supposed good will that Obama’s express repudiation of America’s supposedly amoral past has earned us, how has it translated into a single tangible positive for the U.S.?
Who knows? Good relationships with allies have all sorts of benefits.
???????? ??? ??? ??????????? ?? ???????? ??? ????????!
Het werd eens gezegd, schijnt het allen om in het Grieks worden geschreven!
Your last sentence may well be true, but private enterprise certainly hasn’t shown itself capable of running these enterprises effectively either.
Admittedly, not a response, just two events in close temporal vicinity to one another. His actual response of urging North Korea to abide by the UN resolutions already in place is Team America-esque (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0hk9vaqWUg).
As for it being “well within our rights” to know the contents of the memos, I’m not sure what “right” you mean. Until Obama decided to declassify them, they were classified. There are more memos on the topic and the interrogations themselves that remain classified. You may claim a right to see them, but try telling that to a judge. I’m curious to know what’s in the remaining memos (I suspect that they will reveal the type of information the harsh techniques extracted), but I’m unaware of any legal right to compel production of them.
As for it being “well within our rights” to know the contents of the memos, I’m not sure what “right” you mean. Until Obama decided to declassify them, they were classified. There are more memos on the topic and the interrogations themselves that remain classified. You may claim a right to see them, but try telling that to a judge.
Which is exactly what happened. These were released after a request by the ACLU under the Freedom of Information Act, established because Congress recognized citizen’s “right to know” during the LBJ adminstration.
Miss Martta, we don’t need banana republic dictators to apologize, just because we have the courage to see where we messed up as a world power.
They are held at lower standards than us. Jesus would be the role model that Obama follows, not Torquemada.
Who are we to hold anyone to a lower standard? Sounds kinda elitist, don’t it? I say let’s raise the standards–for everyone!
Come on Prof. I,am waiting LOL.I know those fingers are itching to type on this thread.I know you can,t resist.
Mike91: “Which is exactly what happened. These were released after a request by the ACLU under the Freedom of Information Act, established because Congress recognized citizen’s “right to know” during the LBJ adminstration.”
Me: Not really. Exemption 1 from FOIA allows agencies to withhold all documents properly classified as secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy. It was only after Obama declassified them that they were released. The argument that these documents were not properly classified doesn’t pass the sniff test.
In the photo, it appears that they are looking for change under the couch (I’m guessing they had already checked under the seat cushions). Part of their economic recovery plan, perhaps?
Rick,
It could also be argued that the information gained from those tortured is of the utmost importance to our national security and therefore classified, but the techniques themselves are of a dubiously legal nature and it’s in the country’s (read: Obama’s) best interest to have some patsies ready and in the public spotlight for if/when the international courts start issuing war crimes charges.
(The above argument is made ignoring the fact that some agencies are reporting that the CIA learned everything it could from those two that were waterboared a collective 200+ times before the first session and the argument of “If this is so effective, why did they need to be waterboareded 200+ times?”)
Dr. D,
Because I’m in the business of pleasin’, I offer this, which I wrote in the Photoshop thread:
“… I’ve come around on Michelle. Despite that fact that I know her true self is the one who has deep, racial problems with American. I do think that she has changed and at the very least makes me smile when I see her rockin’ J Crew, planting a garden or just being my First Lady. I loved Laura Bush too. Different women for sure, but strangely alike in their deep love for their man and family. Ain’t nuthin’ wrong with that!)
As for Obama.
I hope he gets over trying to please everyone.
I have respect for folks I disagree with, as long as I believe they are committed.
I don’t think he always is……….”
And his long-winded, non-answers during last night’s Love Conference, while devoid of Bush’s Syntax, were still empty.
Any other requests?
I can sing, too…
Nice picture of Barrack and Joe taking delivery on the new Jennifer Convertible.
This nonsense about the president “shaking hands” with “America’s enemies” is a scream.
Nixon slurped noodles with Mao, one of the biggest mass murderers of the 20th century.
Every president since Truman met with, talked with, and dined with a succession of Soviet thugs from Khruschev to Putin. These bastards all smiled nice for the camera while they funded and armed insurgents all over the world who were killing Americans.
Stalin? Well yes, as a matter of fact Roosevelt DID meet with him. And shake his hand.
We have wonderful examples of presidents shooting the breeze with Marcos, the Shah of Iran, the in-bred Saudi “princes”, and on and on. Are we then to assume that all of those presidents were also giving aid and comfort to the enemy? Or were they swallowing hard and trying to further America’s interests by making the sorts of accomodations that sometimes have to be made.
It seems that the blind hatred of Obama often leads otherwise intelligent people to make statements that are flat out absurd.
“We have wonderful examples of presidents shooting the breeze with Marcos, the Shah of Iran, the in-bred Saudi “princes”, and on and on.”
Yes, but does it make it right? I think not. I wish our President (as well as those before him) had grown a pair and stood up for what they believe. Breaking bread and shaking hands with someone denotes acceptance.
And, for the record, I do not have a “blind hatred” of Obama. I just don’t understand or approve of some of his actions. Conversely, I don’t harbor a blind acceptance of everything he does. I refuse to drink the Kool-Aid.
MM, I don’t know if you have a blind hatred for anyone. You were not named in my post.
I DO know that the selective outrage seen often on this site — folks outraged over something that Obama has done (or hasn’t done) whilst ignoring the very same things done by other presidents or political leaders — lends credence to the view that some will go to any lengths to make their own political hay.
.. even the Cherry Kool-Aid? It’s quite refreshing. Go on MM, have a sip. You’ll feel much better afterwards. Join us. Join us. Join us..
LOL…only if it’s laced with Tamiflu.
And while we’re on the subject of Obama, Janet Napolitano and whatnot, why hasn’t this administration closed the Mexican border if we are at Stage 5 in the flu pandemic? Bascially, all they’ve said was “wash your hands and stay away from sick people.”
But cro,
I think many are simply showing their own version of Bush Derangement Syndrome that libs showed for the past 8 years.
So it’s kinda hard to now ask for folks to be fair, when fair was certainly no the move of the day during the Bush years.
But this is how it has always gone.
And will always go.
We love a battle.
Stones or Beatles?
Smiths or Cure?
prof,
Beatles.
THE Cure.
I’m sure you’re right as far as the Bush Derangement Syndrome analogy. I’m simply noting it and calling folks on it.
However, for the most part Bush received good will from even non-supporters following 9/11. It didn’t last long, but most were aware that the country was in trouble and they rallied behind the president, hoping that he would lead us.
What happened next we all know, and we can argue forever as to the why of it.
But here, we have morons like Sean Hannity calling the economic mess the “Obama recession”.
In December!
MM,
Closing the borders would cost millions of dollars and require varying degrees of precise and critical planning.
I believe it would also heighten the amount of widespread panic. If we shut our doors people will really start to think, “oh sh*t, we’re screwed”. For now people are being optimisticly cautious without going overboard.
Someone else recently said in regards to H1N1 virus: “Why close the barn doors if the horses have already been let out?”. We already have cases of the flu in the US so there is no need to close the borders. Stay vigilant and this will subside. So far it seems to be much less threatening then SARS was a few years ago.
was anyone else disturbed by that sham of a press conference last night with obama? Why can’t the press ask him the tough questions and try to embarrass him like they did with Bush? What was accomplished by holding that love fest on prime time? what a mess
….. C’mon…..
Stones and Smiths.
why hasn’t this administration closed the Mexican border if we are at Stage 5 in the flu pandemic?
A couple of reasons:
A) Most of the documented cases are already in the US.
B) The definition for a “Stage 5” pandemic just means that cases have been documented in X amount of countries in Y regions. By those guidelines, most “common” flus are at least stage 5 every year.
C) In the US alone, over 30,000 people die from the “common” flu. So far, there have been less than 100 confirmed deaths from “swine” flu worldwide.
So, while the media loves to sensationalize the scary-sounding terminology that the CDC uses, the reality is that the odds of you or me catching this bug are minimal and the further odds of anyone in the US dying from it an even smaller fraction of that already ridiculously small chance. The higher-ups in the government are aware of this and are acting accordingly.
(The “first confirmed death within the US” was actually a Mexican child who somehow ended up in a Texas hospital long after he was already sick. To date, no US citizens who came down with this version of the flu have died from it.)
“Why can’t the press ask him the tough questions and try to embarrass him like they did with Bush?”
Let’s not rewrite history, Ice. Here are some of the “hard hitting” questions intended to “embarrass” Bush on March 6, 2003, soon before we invaded Iraq:
– “Do you ever worry, maybe in the wee, small hours, that you might be wrong and they might be right in thinking that this could lead to more terrorism, more anti-American sentiment, more instability in the Middle East? ”
– “…how is your faith guiding you?”
– “Do you believe it is essential for the security of the United States and its allies that North Korea be prevented from developing nuclear weapons? And are you in any way growing frustrated with the pace of the diplomacy there? ”
– “In the coming days, the American people are going to hear a lot of debate about this British proposal of a possible deadline being added to the resolution, or not. And I know you don’t want to tip your hand — this is a great diplomatic moment — but from the administration’s perspective and your own perspective, can you share for the American public what you view as the pros and cons associated with that proposal? ”
Real tough questions from a press corps directly before we started a war.
My point is, the press was pretty enamored of Bush when he first took office. They ridiculed Gore as a “brainiac” (still do) and tittered when Bush gave them nicknames.
It was only after Bush started effing things up royally (Katrina, anyone?) that they started becoming hostile. And the national media’s version of “hostile” is pretty amusing. It’s like they get mad when they have to cover real stuff instead of new White House puppies.
Iceman,
Because these events are staged theatrics. Bush was guilty of this too.
The Beatles , the Stones, The Cure and The Smiths are all great bands. Bush a great president? Not. Even Republicans tried to distance themselves from him during the last election. “Derangement” is not an accurate to describe those who were outraged by the actions of our own government when that outrage is well deserved.
Mrs M, really. Closing the border? And as for Obama standing up for what he believes, I would say he has done that and has done it graciously. Most Americans do expect our country to live up to it’s own high standards, and we finally have a president who acknowledges we have to lead the way and may have failed in some areas.
Yes, really, JG. We could be facing a health crisis, now is not the time to be politically correct.
GNM: As with any virus, there are a lot of unknown factors. Viruses can mutate into something even more virulent. We don’t know what this thing is capable of but why take a chance? It’s already been shown that it has the capability to spread, that we know. We just don’t know how far and wide but I would rather we err on the side of caution. It may be 2009 but people still die from the flu.
I don’t think its ‘deranged’ to ask for a minimum level of competance in our government. Like say, not starting wars we don’t have to.
And Republicans better be hoping swine flu doesn’t turn into a pandemic. They spearheaded removing $800 million from the stimulus package that was earmarked to combat precisely that.
Between swine flu, and that volcano that went up after they removed volcano monitoring from the stimulus, its like they’re reverse psychics.
DO know that the selective outrage seen often on this site — folks outraged over something that Obama has done (or hasn’t done) whilst ignoring the very same things done by other presidents or political leaders — lends credence to the view that some will go to any lengths to make their own political hay.
————————–
croaig, I think the opposite is true. There are folks who constantly excuse the “Great One” for his mistakes only because, no matter what he does, “it’s better than what Bush did.” The comparison is really getting old. Obama needs to be judged on his own merit.
His press conference last night was enchanting, troubling, surprising, and humbling.
Nellie – what mistakes has Obama made so far? Minor gaffes? Teleprompter flubs? Some cabinet appointments? He hasn’t started any wars or let people drown in a national disaster. As far as the the potential health crisis, he is doing exactly what he should. Putting back money the local level for precisely this kind of potential pandemic – and telling people to do exactly what doctors and health experts are telling us to do.
For once I find myself in violent agreement with the Republicans: at least with the 39% who believe that Obama is doing a good job.
nellie, I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree.
For me, its like those who continually note the “liberal” majority on this blog when, to me, the most frequent contributors — ROC, Iceman, MM, cathar, montclairgirl, you — are self-described conservatives. Its all in the eye of the beholder, I guess.
And I do agree that Obama should be judged on his own merits rather than in contrast with Bush, or anyone else for that matter. Though it does take restraint to listen to those who sat quietly while debt was piled up over the last 8 years carp now about fiscal responsibility.
But I’ll try!
Cro..that is one reason we conservatives were so disappointed in Bush’s tenure. After 9/11 he created the post of homeland security. 1 of every 6 fed employees are now working for that office. a colossal waste of taxpayer money. Are we anymore secure today? Since the Dept of Education the collective scores have gone down for our students. I only respected Bush for his defending America. Otherwise he was and is a buffoon who couldn’t lead and only caused a fiscal mess. As a conservative, I believe in the states rights and less federal govt power. Obama thinks (and his blue state stoolies) whatever is wrong can be righted by the feds. Wrong. Nothing the Feds touches works better than private enterprise. Obviously, we need the Feds for national defense, regulation of commerce and few federal programs to care for those who can’t help themselves but please tell Obama the states can take care of their own problems…we don’t need him riding in and trying to shove another failed and flawed federal program down our throats.
Iceman, I feel your pain. There is nowhere to go except redneck bars, Nascar races, tea parties and Fox news.
Nothing the Feds touches works better than private enterprise.
Capitalism doesn’t pay for itself. A strong public system is necessary to keep capitalism afloat.
PS Iceman “nothing works better than private enterprise”
Were you referring to Bear Stearns, or GM?
Spiro, you left out Chrysler. And Citibank.
OK, so we all agree that both government (think FEMA) and private enterprise suck. What’s left?
Partying, Ms. Martta, partying.
Bathtubs full of gin and flappers?
Don’t forget Enron and AIG.
Partying works for me although without the private enterprise with which I’m affiliated, I wouldn’t have money to party.
I want to again point out the “hostility” of the press when it came to President Bush in 2003.
This is from an Editor and Publisher story about the sixth anniversary of “Mission Accomplished:”
Chris Matthews on MSNBC called Bush a “hero” and boomed, “He won the war. He was an effective commander. Everybody recognizes that, I believe, except a few critics.” He added: “Women like a guy who’s president. Check it out. The women like this war. I think we like having a hero as our president. It’s simple.”
PBS’ Gwen Ifill said Bush was “part Tom Cruise, part Ronald Reagan.” On NBC, Brian Williams gushed, “The pictures were beautiful. It was quite something to see the first-ever American president on a — on a carrier landing.”
Bob Schieffer on CBS said: “As far as I’m concerned, that was one of the great pictures of all time.” His guest, Joe Klein, responded: “Well, that was probably the coolest presidential image since Bill Pullman played the jet fighter pilot in the movie Independence Day. That was the first thing that came to mind for me.”
Most of those folks are members of the Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy. Don’t seem much like Bush haters, do they? They are as gushing as the press is now with Obama.
https://tinyurl.com/cjthsu