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Bushed

Can the president do more about the economy?

By Daniel Gross | Newsweek Web Exclusive
Jun 10, 2008 | Updated: 11:15  a.m. ET Jun 10, 2008

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  • Posted By: Nins @ 06/20/2008 2:58:33 PM

    Comment: Hydrogen fuel cells are the answer to our gasoline crisis, not offshore drilling for more oil. Oil is a dirty industry with a very limited fuel supply remaining on the planet. Hydrogen fuel cells use algae to produce energy, and instead of producing CO2 (like oil and gasoline) they emit water and oxygen, which improve the atmosphere and help clean the air that you breathe. Hydrogen fuel cell cars have already been manufactured and work extremely well. General Motors, Honda and BMW all have hydrogen fuel cell cars IN PRODUCTION, not just in development. In five or ten years, we will all be driving them. Unless of course Newt Gingrich and Geo. W Bush succeed in blocking clean energy technology, and ramming this crazy offshore drilling bill through Congress.

    Want to dominate the global economy? THE FUTURE BELONGS TO THE NATION THAT CAN SUCCESSFULLY BREAK FREE OF FOSSIL FUEL. That is where your tax dollars should be going -- to strengthen America.

    Obama's education plan is unique in the history of America. He wants to train thousands of new scientists and engineers to create the best renewable energy infrastucture on the planet. That way, when the oil runs out, the OPEC countries will be coming to US for their energy needs.

    Obama is not just a tax and spend Democrat. His education program isn't about your kids taking more art classes, or getting a free ride through college. It is about investing iN American INDIVIDUALS, to STRENGTHEN the American economy. Why ship jobs overseas when we can create them right here while we break free from our oil dependence. Why pour billions into offshore drilling that will provide less than a decade's worth of oil and gas, when we could put that money into an energy infrastructure that really would free us and is renewable -- it would last forever.

  • Posted By: Micky Marsh @ 06/17/2008 1:57:50 PM

    Comment: Because he only has six more months remaining in office and you need a five year plan to fix the economy. Americans are smart people you can't trick them with speeches like............MY PEOPLE OF AMERICA, ONE THING I CAN ASSURE YOU IS THAT, THE UNITED STATES DOLLAR WILL NOT BE DEVALUED IT WILL ONLY GO THROUGH A PROCESS OF DEPRECIATION.

  • Posted By: willnotvoteobama @ 06/15/2008 7:07:48 PM

    Comment: Quote of the Day........' My friends, we live in the greatest nation
    in the history of the world. I hope you'll join with me as we try
    to change it.' -- Barack Obama
    W.T.F.WHY CHANGE IT ......... ITS ALREADY THE GREATEST NATION !!!!! DUMB ASS OBAMA !

    • Posted By: nmcalpine @ 06/17/2008 12:41:01 PM

      Comment: I think that you are the dumb ass if you think that this nation doesn't need change. It is still the greatest nation that we know of but it will always be in need of change. That is how we have been able to compete in the global market we are a nation that is constantly changing and adjusting. That is also how we should be in our daily lives. Over the past 7+ years we have been changing only for the worst. You obviously don't like or agree with Mr. Obama and therefore you scrutinize everything that the man says without having a bit of objectivity but when you grow as a person you will learn the art of critical thinking and be able to listen to a person regaurdless of how you fell about them or their positions and be able to be objective and understand their message. Especially one as simple as the quote you just refered to.

      • Posted By: MikePalos @ 06/24/2008 4:30:49 PM

        Comment: This nation is always changing, what a lame slogan from a lame candidate who doesn't understand economics. Anyone who knows even the least about economics should know that a President can do VERY little for an economy in the short run. The effects of a presidents ecomic policy lags, usually well into the next presidents term. This is fundamental in economics. This is also evident with gas prices above $4. Due to policies made 10 years or more ago.

  • Posted By: techie22 @ 06/14/2008 1:55:01 PM

    Comment: They don't teach that course at Regent University !

  • Posted By: jloclo @ 06/13/2008 12:53:29 AM

    Comment: NO,he has screwed us rolyally and now another election for the top seat. It will take years to rebuild america again. No one wants to wait for years to fix our problems that we are facing now. Thanks to all the lame politicians in this country that dont give a rats ass about it. Come on america, we are better and smarter than that to run this country. BUSH JR. is a daddy's boy. He's father was an idiot. Like father like son. Lets get rid of all those crooked politicians and the other idiots in office.

  • Posted By: MisterQ @ 06/12/2008 9:25:46 PM

    Comment: Unfortunately, the only thing that would remotely make increased domestic oil production affordable is the artificially high price of oil and low dollar. It's expensive to drill our reserrves. By the time you fix the economy, you've wasted your time and money and it's back to importing from cheap affordable sources so we can all drive at a cost we like. For better or wose, recovering from the oil crunch and the ugly years of deficit war spending probably both take the form of some kind of direct discount access to Iraq's oil.

  • Posted By: Southlander @ 06/12/2008 8:09:40 PM

    Comment: All this, as China drills for oil 60 miles off the Florida coast. The only way to fix this crisis is to drill for oil in America. All of this non-sense that government is doing with slamming the oil exexs is wastefull in of itself. Oil drives everything, including our economy. Why can't these brillant minds running our country see that? Bring oil prices down and people will have more money to spend in other area and other things. Oil comes first. It's now as important as oxygen.....oh crap! Now that I've said they will start imposing a tax on it too!!.....Idiots!

  • Posted By: Wile @ 06/12/2008 9:51:12 AM

    Comment: If all debt were to be repaid to bankers, public & private, there would be no money in circulation. They make the money so easily on a computer or a press & force people to use their slave credits through the federal income tax laws. These laws demand all taxes be paid in reserve notes. Once you understand this process, you'll know that much more debt/principle/money is needed every day to service the prior day's debts. This process can't go on forever. The fed warns people of debt & inflation in the Media while causing all of it.

  • Posted By: armandojibarra @ 06/12/2008 1:14:29 AM

    Comment: Hi Mr. Aqueduct. You are doing a mighty fine job of carrying water for Obama and the Democrats.

    Your article is completely out of touch. Do you anything about economics? I think not.

  • Posted By: nohobohos1 @ 06/12/2008 12:00:08 AM

    Comment: I wouldn't blame the oil company execs if some of them are indignant about our judgements of them. They've been supplying all the oil we felt we needed (remember those gas guzzlers as far back as the 50s???) and it's a lot of work to invade countries and create financial institutions to control the resources of other countries so that we can continue to buy all our "stuff" without worrying about the consequences.

    Again...change the way and the why we spend and we change the economy.
    Rant done.

  • Posted By: nohobohos1 @ 06/11/2008 11:40:57 PM

    Comment: Only the American people can change the American economy. Two-thirds of it is consumer spending.
    Wall Street is simply about making wagers on consumer spending.

    The way we affect this spending is to change our myth about the American Dream. You don't get better as a person by buying more things. The only message that's been sent to the financial world is that we're willing to buy anything at any cost - damn the consequences if I lose my job, if my child gets sick, if a natural disaster strikes.

    Here's the hard truth: If you don't own your company (and know it's financial prospects intimately), IF YOU DON'T HAVE A SKILL OR TALENT THAT IS RARE AND.OR EXCECPTIONAL (AN IMPORTANT AID IN REMAINING GAINFULLY EMPLOYED FOR MANY YEARS),if your health or the health of a family member is sketchy, if you make good money now but know that you tend to spend extravagantly, then these are signs, for example, that you don't belong in a six figure or more home.

    And let's kill this myth: Every American doesn't deserve or need a home. (Hell, some people don't even want one and they can afford them.)

    The harder truth: most of us fall into one or more of those categories.

    All of these things, losing a job, illness, overspending , could put anyone in debt. But bankruptcy and ruin it should not cause. Yes, deregulation run amok can contribute, but it wouldn't contribute in the massive numbers that it has if we just change the way we think about what we buy and why we buy it.

  • Posted By: phiomalibumalibu @ 06/11/2008 10:32:48 PM

    Comment: Importing over a million IT workers from other countries, mostly INDIA is one of the biggest mistakes this country ever made....basically, ignoring the possibilities that Americans wanted those jobs, and our KIDS Need those JOBs...

  • Posted By: CorbinB2 @ 06/11/2008 9:13:02 PM

    Comment: The war caused this problem and nothing short of ending it will even come close to 'getting back to where we once were'. Frankly, pandora's box is wide open now, with the hinges unscrewed and buried 500 feet underneath the deepest ocean, along with the keys, the lock.....you get the idea.

    Bush, either through his actions, the actions of his administration and even in a large do to his and their inaction let this mess unfold right in front of us. It is way beyond repair now and with our world reputation shot all to he**(double hockey sticks), we're just screwed.

    George junior had quite the opportunity to make history here with some innovative financial and energy specific policies, but he chose to not act at all or let some one else run the war mongering show.

    Now here we are with $4 gas, outrageous national deficit and debt, a dollar that is getting more worthless by the day, and the list goes on and on and on and on. What we really need is for corporate America to use their control and fix this since they are the only ones who can exert any pressure that would register as effective anyway.

    As consumers we need to demand affordable alternative energy, affordable health care for everyone and people in office who actually give a damn about this country and will take action to prove it. If your representatives aren't these people DON'T vote for them anyway. Take the lesson from Brewster's Millions and choose none of the above if the peopl on the ballot aren't doing or willing to do what is required. PERIOD!

  • Posted By: Broke in Texas @ 06/11/2008 8:34:34 PM

    Comment: Must allow drilling everywhere-impose strict safeguards to protect enviroment
    Do not allow any more oil company consolidations, lessens competion
    Massive goverment subsify to build 10 to 15 coal to gas/diesel plants(scattered aroung the country),1 billion to 2 billon each, a gift to the American people. 30 billion for solar plants, 30 billion for wind plants, gift to the American people. Go back to regulating utilities.Allow a decent profit not excess. All autos sold in the U.S. must be able to run on gasoline, E85, pure ethanol, coal gasoline. When a driver pulls up to the pump he has a choice.
    The president should stop by executive order, the USA will not export oil/gasolineto other countries, none period.
    All auto sold must get 35+ per gallon, period.
    choice.

  • Posted By: phoenixtoo @ 06/11/2008 4:03:23 PM

    Comment: oh please Lord preserve us from any of his help.the best thing he could possibly do for us is to play golf, read his comics, color with his crayons, anything except "help"

  • Posted By: soap box @ 06/11/2008 3:52:24 PM

    Comment: I think that joyoung's comment is more than a little over the top. Anarchy didn't work in Somalia very well.

  • Posted By: joyoung @ 06/11/2008 3:42:02 PM

    Comment: part of the solution to this problem would be a terrorist attack on washington d.c. that kills every single politician running the government. we've already seen over the last 2 decades that the government does nothing for americans. i'm quite certain we could do better ourselves. i guess it's too bad kennedy's stroke didn't kill him.

    • Posted By: Southlander @ 06/12/2008 8:16:23 PM

      Comment: little strong there don't ya think?

  • Posted By: soap box @ 06/11/2008 3:27:36 PM

    Comment: The wealthy people in this country have "disposable income" than when the robber barons were in power in the turn of the last century. Their money and the corporation's money are two different things. The Europeans think that the salaries that CEO's in this coulntry make are laughable. Much of their salaries should go to the stock holders and employees in the firm. This economy depends on cheep energy and a strong middle class. Right now we have neither. Why should the top 1% hold 40% of the wealth? Anyone who feels we depend on the fabulously wealthy is a sucker.

    • Posted By: MikePalos @ 06/24/2008 4:37:38 PM

      Comment: Try getting a job from a poor person.

  • Posted By: jmbrennan @ 06/11/2008 2:43:59 PM

    Comment: So what is your point? That the government can control the economy/ Do you really think gas prices are going to go down if we have Obama or whomever in the top seat?
    Lower energy costs the way liberals & enviornmentalist see it calls for no drilling, mining or nuclear developement. New technologies are the answer they say. Well have a new boat is the answer when your sinking, but how long to build one after the enviornmental impact study? The water is coming in by the keel, over the washbox,, and down the hatches. WHAT DO YOU FLAT EARTH LIVE IN THE COLD & DARK SOCIALIST HAVE FOR AN IMMEDIATE ANSWER? I know, blame Exxon / Mobil! RIGHT.

    • Posted By: raddave @ 06/11/2008 4:47:52 PM

      Comment: High Gas prices are only one problem with the economy. More drilling will not bring down the cost of oil, there is enough oil pumped out now. The problem is refining capabilities and no one seems interested in investing their record profits to build more. New technologies are the answer over the long run. I agree we should build more nuclear facilities, Even Al Gore has said this.

  • Posted By: Nadine122 @ 06/11/2008 2:39:09 PM

    Comment: P.S. - What does Herpes have anything to do with this?

  • Posted By: thompsonHS @ 06/11/2008 2:36:44 PM

    Comment: If I wasn't afraid of being labeled a terrorist I would make a comment how our problems have stemmed from the fact that those old politicians have gotten far to comfortable up there on capital hill and that we should do something to take away that comfort. I am not saying we should go (lame) duck hunting, that will accomplish nothing (in facIf I wasn't afraid of being labeled a terrorist I would make a comment how our problems have stemmed from the fact that those old politicians have gotten far to comfortable up there on capital hill and that we should do something to take away that comfort. I am not saying we should go (lame) duck hunting, which will accomplish nothing (in fact just for saying that I probably just booked a ticket to Guantanimo bay). We should however make sure the politicians know that if they are not willing to work for us, like we elected them to do, we will find someone else to do it, and we don't have to wait for the next election to force change, Protest, don't sit here and blog, remind them that the American people are not just a mindless horde for them to take advantage of. Again this will probably be my last post because for exercising my first amendment rights make me a terrorist. Maybe that???s what our government needs, to remember they should still be afraid of us, they still only have power if we give it to them, and we can take it away too. But I don't want to take an all expense paid trip to Guantanamo so I am not going to say what I am thinking.t just for saying that i probably just booked a ticket to Guantanamo bay) . We should

  • Posted By: paulte @ 06/11/2008 2:33:09 PM

    Comment: Americans are dumb and greedy. That's why we have the economic problems we do.

    Why do stupid Americans drive SUVs? We need smaller, more fuel efficient cars and people need to drive their cars less frequently. Start walking to the grocery store when you just need a carton of milk or a pack of cigarettes. The price of oil can't keep going up if demand goes down. Also, we should start shipping some of the Iraq oil over to the USA to help pay for that stupid war!

    The govt needs to get involved with the mortgage industry and reform it. All the damage done to the housing market can't be undone but the future can be completely different. People who can't afford mortgages can't buy houses from now on! Wow, that's simple. If that rule were in place, we wouldn't have the mortgage problem.

    It's all a matter of common sense. The problem is not the free market; it is Americans thinking thay can have it all. How about a little self-discipline America? Q: Why should 1 in 4 adults in NYC have the the herpes virus? A: Because they are pigs!

    • Posted By: Nadine122 @ 06/11/2008 2:37:50 PM

      Comment: Paulte,

      Gasoline has become a beast of its' own. It is no longer based on supply and demand, but rather speculation and INELASTIC DEMAND.

      There's no short solution for the problem.

      The problem, mainly, is that the current administration is pulling out all the stops to avoid a Recession. What a "Free Market" that is. Bear Stearns should have tanked - and yes, brought down many institutions, with it.

      We're living in a society that rewards recklessness and greed - on a corporate [LARGE] scale?

      Why would the Average Joe - the little guy - be any different??

      • Posted By: paulte @ 06/11/2008 4:45:28 PM

        Comment: If the govt decides to save a corporation in the interest of keeping a lot of average Joes and Janes from losing their jobs, then it can put the screws to that corporation as a penalty and monitor it. The message won't be lost on other corporations. Illegal and dishonest practices should be punished by the state.

        I don't agree that the demand for gas is inelastic. There is at least some room for decreasing consumption. I still say that so long as we stay in Iraq, we should take a certain amount of their oil to pay for our presence. That will help to put a downward pressure on oil prices. We also need to get back at all the oil producing nations in some manner.

        • Posted By: fat_fuel_holic @ 06/12/2008 11:59:50 PM

          Comment: Illegal and dishonest practices can't be punished by a state that is already dishonest. That is the equivalent of punishing terrorists by committing terrorism on them. Oh, wait, we're already doing that... Fact of the matter is, G-Dub is simply finishing up what Daddy failed at a long time ago and set it all up to where his Halliburton buddy and the Bush family- dripping with wealth from oil- their main career- benefit from it... Anyone who doesn't think this war is about oil and revenge is nuts. He (they) don't give a rat's posterior about the bad economy because they have enough wealth to weather it. Now it's up to "dub's" friend McCain (who sounds a lot like G-Dub if you close your eyes and listen) to carry on the Dub's regime and we pay $10 a gallon for fuel while our Country crumbles... Then there's O'Bama... Let's tear down the borders and let everyone in and drive the economy further into the hole and raise unemployment by unemploying the people already here paying their taxes and going broke doing it while the illegals simply take over.

          Sounds to me like it's time for a REVOLUTION!!!

          Everyone needs to go out, get a job and earn a living. We need to drill for oil right in the middle of the Pentagon if we have to, and damn the tree huggers and their demonspawn. Get over it, the natural resources we get from the Earth would have eventually oozed out and caught fire and burned creating pollution if there wasn't one soul here eating a jelly doughnut while listening on their Ipod and soaking up the cold air conditioning in their hybrid while wearing a hat, dark clothing and SPF-6134 sun screen. We can't control global warming. It's a cycle, just like the sun rising and setting.

          Like a case of bad gas, this too shall pass. It's gonna stink for awhile, though.

  • Posted By: benmora1956 @ 06/11/2008 2:33:07 PM

    Comment: Stop printing unbacked money, stop threats of future wars and start pulling out of Iraq. See that was not so hard.

  • Posted By: benmora1956 @ 06/11/2008 2:31:58 PM

    Comment: Stop printing unbacked money, stop talk of war and start pulling out of Iraq. See problem partially solved.

  • Posted By: johnjohndoe @ 06/11/2008 1:53:34 PM

    Comment: Cheney and Bush created this economy, even their Puppet McCain won't be able to fix it, and if elected, Cheney and Bush will have the perftect nieve "FALL GUY", to cover their tails.

    • Posted By: prbkcc @ 06/11/2008 3:28:00 PM

      Comment: anyone who believes that the next elected official in any level of the US government, whether repub/dem or conserv/lib, is any less corrupt or is going to make everything all better is sadly ill-informed and naive. All of Washington is a giant game, and to play the game you have to make shady deals, lie, change stance, and do everything that every politicain is accused of. the actual good and decent politicans are the ones you will never hear anything about, either good or bad. its sad that we have been religated to picking the lesser of two evils all the time.

    • Posted By: summer4077 @ 06/11/2008 2:04:26 PM

      Comment: Ok, I really abhor Bush/Cheney and think they are terrible leaders. But honestly, Congress has a lot to do with this, too. They make policies and laws...Bush doesn't act alone in a vacuum of sorts. Congress was (and probably still is) filled with corrupt politicians who only want to line their pockets. The entire administration is what got us into this mess. Well, that and the Americans who willingly voted the chuckleheads in. I, for one, never supported this administration. Hopefully we can get started on the painful process of turning things around.

      • Posted By: MikePalos @ 06/24/2008 4:41:09 PM

        Comment: Not a dime or a dollar is spent until Congress spends it.

  • Posted By: rtdugan04@hotmail.com @ 06/11/2008 1:45:16 PM

    Comment: I took Macroecomics last semester in school and see this differently. Americans have spent the last 25 years spending more than they make and getting by on debt, now it is coming back to bite us and we are all surprised. Americans need to wake up to the realization the Discover and AmEx are not going to solve our problems. If each of us were to be on a budget and spend less than we make, putting the extra money in our savings accounts, you would see our economy improve. Americans have to quit relying on the Fed & President Bush and start fixing the problem ourselves.

  • Posted By: rtdugan04@hotmail.com @ 06/11/2008 1:44:34 PM

    Comment: I took Macroecomics last semester in school and see this differently. Americans have spent the last 25 years spending more than they make and getting by on debt, now it is coming back to bite us and we are all surprised. Americans need to wake up to the realization the Discover and AmEx are not going to solve our problems. If each of us were to be on a budget and spend less than we make, putting the extra money in our savings accounts, you would see our economy improve. Americans have to quit relying on the Fed & President Bush and start fixing the problem ourselves.

    • Posted By: MikePalos @ 06/24/2008 4:42:46 PM

      Comment: Oh geez, someone took an economics class. Its refreshing to hear an educated comment. Thank you!

  • Posted By: willnotvoteobama @ 06/11/2008 1:28:31 PM

    Comment: JUST SO YOU KNOW I'M SICK OF ALL THE THIS IS HISTORIC TIME FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT BULL *** IT WILL BE HISTORIC WHEN WE CAN ELECT SOMEONE WHO DON'T LIE TROUGH THIER TEETH TO GET ELECTED ALL THIS IS BULL *** PLAIN AND SIMPLE THE PARTIES DON'T CARE HOW WE FEEL THEY JUST DO WHATEVER THEY CAN TO GET THIER PERSON ELECTED AND WE FIGHT IT OUT ON THESES *** BLOGS WAKE UP PEOPLE ALL OF THE CANIDATES SUCK REAL BAD........................................................ OUR CHOICES ARE DUMB OR DUMBER WHICH ONE DO YOU LIKE ???

  • Posted By: willnotvoteobama @ 06/11/2008 1:26:20 PM

    Comment: JUST SO YOU KNOW I'M SICK OF ALL THE THIS IS HISTORIC TIME FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT BULL *** IT WILL BE HISTORIC WHEN WE CAN ELECT SOMEONE WHO DON'T LIE TROUGH THIER TEETH TO GET ELECTED ALL THIS IS BULL *** PLAIN AND SIMPLE THE PARTIES DON'T CARE HOW WE FEEL THEY JUST DO WHATEVER THEY CAN TO GET THIER PERSON ELECTED AND WE FIGHT IT OUT ON THESES *** BLOGS WAKE UP PEOPLE ALL OF THE CANIDATES SUCK REAL BAD ARE CHOICES ARE DUMB OR DUMBER WHICH ONE DO YOU LIKE ???

    • Posted By: nmcalpine @ 06/17/2008 3:15:17 PM

      Comment: Stop crying you moron! You sound like a damn fool! If you don't like the candidates don't vote or better yet why don't you run for public office. Do something great for this country you so called "love". People always grip and complain while they are sitting on thier butt doing nothing. Nobody really cares what your sick of, the fact is these are historic times wether you like it or not. You and people like you are a lot like mustard you need to ketchup.

  • Posted By: kdawg860 @ 06/11/2008 1:24:22 PM

    Comment: the economic stimulus was created by printing money out of thin air, increasing the money supply and decreasing the value of the dollar further. this drives prices up everywhere, hurting everyone. it's not that there are too many global economic factors for bush to help the economy. the president nor any government can help an economy by stimulating or regulating it. the only way to help an economy is to make it freer. and we've been doing exactly the opposite for the past hundred years.

  • Posted By: pinkpanther87413 @ 06/11/2008 1:16:13 PM

    Comment: Maxium life span grows to 78,mmm one years older than McCain, so ask Obama, he has got many years to go! We the People have a week, till we go to war with Iran,, cause McCain wants to build[ 20 ] more nuke plants, and Oh my God?? Iran Wants[ ONE ] and we will go to WAR??? so they cannot get
    [ ONE plant ] to our [15-20] working plants,,,bullshit! Don't bother to say, they will build nukes! SO WHAT, SO DO WE! WE OWN OVER 2000 NUKES!!! THEY OWN, WELL NONE!!! HOW MANY IS THAT????

    • Posted By: prbkcc @ 06/11/2008 3:19:39 PM

      Comment: Well, you are correct in a way, a peace loving country (not that we are the best and brightest example) should be allowed to have nuke energy as a clean and efficient means to power their nation. A couple of non-technical problems occur with a country like Iran; the likelyhood that they would use thier nuke plants to make bombs, waepons, etc and then use them is frighteningly high, they may not be technologically or financially capable to safely operate these plants to prevent death of thier people. currentl y the single major problem with our plants is that we have no solution of disposing/recycling spent fuel rods, but the current way is the safest and most reliable way that we can at the moment with current technology.

      Yes we have nukes, but unless we are attacked in a manner the warrants thier use, then we are not going to use them. whereas i would think that the leaders of Iran would have little or no qualms of using that kind of weapon system against thier own people, other nations, or us. so i think in the current state of the world it is for the best that iran does not have Nuclear capabiliteis.

  • Posted By: willnotvoteobama @ 06/11/2008 1:10:46 PM

    Comment: How destructive to the U.S. economy would a Barack Obama presidency be?

    An exclusive Newsmax analysis warns: There could be a very rough time ahead.

    Beneath Obama's flowery rhetoric lies a dangerous economic plan that will wreak havoc on the American economy.

    Obama plans to return to the failed policies of high taxation coupled with an expansion of government spending.

    Worse, Obama says he is absolutely committed to almost doubling the capital gains rate ??? something he will easily accomplish with a Democrat Congress.

    In the coming months ??? when investors realize that Obama will raise the cap gains rate ??? there could be a stampede of asset sales as investors rush to take their profits now to avoid Obama's doubling of the tax rates next year.

    All of these issues and more are explored in Newsmax magazine's special report "Obamanomics ??? the Coming Tax-and-Spend Nightmare," by Wall Street Journal columnist John Fund.

    This Newsmax magazine special report gives Americans the first in-depth look at the Democratic presidential candidate's likely strategies ??? and how they will affect not just the larger economy, but your personal wealth as well.

    Indeed, Obama makes no bones about his plans to go on a tax rampage. Not only would he increase the capital-gains tax rate from 15 percent to as much as 28 percent, he wants to allow the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts to expire in 2010, which effectively raises taxes on Americans by tens of billions of dollars.

    He also wants to do away with the $102,000 FICA payroll tax cap, which means anyone making over $102,000 would pay an additional 7 percent in taxes on earned income.

    And the loan dividend tax rate George Bush implemented? Under President Obama it will be DOA!

    • Posted By: PaTriotDE @ 06/11/2008 1:26:58 PM

      Comment: Of course, and you believe in Newsmax, a conservative "news" organization backed and founded by conservatives to preserve and advance conservative values. The same people that brought us this economy, the war in Iraq, the most corrupt presidency in history and the most ignorant and unpopular president in history. Now go drink your cool aid moron.

      • Posted By: MikePalos @ 06/24/2008 5:01:55 PM

        Comment: You obviously don't know squat about economics. For one thing Capital Gains affects everyone who wants to sell their home, little bitty people like me, not just investors in stock markets. Expiring Bushes tax cuts incurs an additional $1000 on an individual making only 40k per year. If you know how to figure your taxes it would be clear to you. But you prefer to let someone else do it. Stay ignorant and wonder why your spending money is dwindling

      • Posted By: willnotvoteobama @ 06/11/2008 9:03:54 PM

        Comment: FUCC YOU YOU LEFTIST AZZ WIPE IF I COULD FIND YOU I WOULD DRIVE MY 11' FOOT RIGHT UP YOUR LIBERAL AZZ

        • Posted By: nmcalpine @ 06/17/2008 3:18:35 PM

          Comment: Damn guy you got some big azz feet!

          • Posted By: nmcalpine @ 06/17/2008 3:35:23 PM

            Comment: 11 feet?? Hell man do you do porn for a living.

      • Posted By: dave1228 @ 06/11/2008 3:00:51 PM

        Comment: I agree raising taxes would hurt. Even if its way above my tax bracket. If the rich get taxed more, they'll have less disposable income to buy the things the lower/middle class manufacture. I and many other Americans depend on the (marginally) rich having that money to blow. Take that and you take my job too.

        • Posted By: MikePalos @ 06/24/2008 5:08:05 PM

          Comment: The rich people are the ones WE get jobs from. Ever hear of someone getting a job from a poor person. If the rich hold back from spending who will buy these new technology vehicles. They start off with very high prices that only the rich can afford, eventually through mass production, & the recoup of R&D, the price is affordable by us. For example, the TV, the AUTO, the dishwasher, air conditioning etc. were all purchased first by someone rich, if they didn't buy it.; it went out of production _layoffs followed.

  • Posted By: Nins @ 06/11/2008 12:54:32 PM

    Comment: Here's some change you can believe in: the amount of times McCain has changed his values and positions on the issues.

    The reason half of the conservative Christian right hates McCain is because they think that they can't trust him. McCain started his career as part of the Christian right (there's a little-known fact). Once he landed in the soup as part of the Keating Five (which almost derailed his career) he positioned himself as a liberal and became a reformer for campaign finance in an effort to resurrect himself. For those of you who don't remember, the Keating scandal had to do with some shim sham corporations pumping money into McCain's coffers. So McCain became a reformer to shine up his tarnished image, and that was his first departure from the right.

    Other, more serious betrayals of the right came later, after McCain got swift boated by Bush in 1999. The great Texas Republican political machine laid McCain to waste, and McCain was mad as hell. He started voting against the party line and against Bush. He suddenly supported abortion rights, opposed the Bush tax cuts, co-sponsored a patient's bill of rights with Kennedy and Edwards, and got on the environmental bandwagon with John Kerry. My gosh, he even tried to crack down on gun shows in legislation he put forth with then-Democrat Joe Lieberman. And in 2001, when Senator Jeffords of Vermont switched from Republican to Independent in an effort to counteract Bush's stranglehold on the Senate, McCain announced that he was considering becoming a Democrat, and went into a pow-wow with Senator Tom Daschle at his Sedona ranch. And did you know that John Kerry floated the idea of having McCain as his VP in '04? That was to have cemented his status as a newly-minted Democrat.

    But instead of joining Kerry, McCain suddenly switched his affiliation, came out in support of Bush in '04, and jettisoned his liberal image. Suddenly, it was the "old" McCain from the 1980s back in the saddle, the neo-conservative, take no prisoners Creationist. Against abortion. For the war. The SAME man who opposed a Federal amendment banning gay marriage and openly met with gay groups now was pushing a gay marriage ban in Arizona. The SAME man who said in 1999 that he was opposed to overturning Roe vs. Wade, now suddenly in 2007 is promising that he will stack the deck in the Supreme Court with religious right judges and overturn Roe vs. Wade.

    But the religious right isn't so sure about him. He's supported so many different opposing positions at so many times, that they are afraid that they are getting played in the name of McCain's political expediency.

    You don't have to take my word for this. Watch news clips of McCain talking about the same issues in different years, which proves what I have written. Get on the Straight Talk Express and get it straight from the horse's mouth:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEtZlR3zp4c

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ajm5JTf7jZs&feature=related

  • Posted By: ploughman @ 06/11/2008 12:48:41 PM

    Comment: Indeed, Bush is bound to the same ideology-based messages and simply isn't enough of an independent thinker to think outside of them (or seriously reflect about how he has gone off-course). History won't reward stubbornness without accomplishment; the opportunity cost in time lost has just been too great. It'll be more like "What were we thinking?" when damage from energy, global warming and loss of hegemony comes into clearer relief. Bush's unwillingness to call on people outside the military to sacrifice anything also won't look good at all.

    A better president would be working hard on a compromise that allows for some short-term moves like oil drilling, but also acknowledges that there's no LONG-TERM oil-dominant strategy and the numbers for a "drill our way out" scenario don't add up, much as conservatives would like to believe otherwise. In that vein, funding for R&D across a number of alternative-energy fronts needs to be greatly increased. To take just one: upgrading the power grid for delivery of wind energy. It'd take a big initial government investment (a bit like Hoover Dam did), but would pay for itself eventually and is especially valuable because there's no waste product. Solar research also needs a big boost. But Bush and Cheney show a pattern of supporting mainly industries that are already big and well-lobbied, despite their pollution problems.

    • Posted By: Nins @ 06/11/2008 12:55:49 PM

      Comment: Bravo, Poughman! Great post.

      • Posted By: MikePalos @ 06/24/2008 5:10:07 PM

        Comment: We've had record high tax revenues during this admistration, which proves the tax cuts worked. What we didn't have is restraint on spending. Not a dollar get spent until Congress spends it.

  • Posted By: Nins @ 06/11/2008 12:37:24 PM

    Comment:

    Oil and war, war and oil. Environmental destruction. Endless greed. US corporations getting tax breaks while shipping jobs overseas to countries that have no environmental protection laws, no workers' rights, no human rights. Countries where people are factory slaves and the air is so polluted you can hardly breathe. US military violating the Geneva convention, torturing prisoners. US government imprisoning people without charging them with any crimes, and holding them for years without trial. Working class Americans losing their homes in a mortgage banking scandal, and the government bails out the banks, not the working people.

    It's simple:

    If you are sickened by these things, vote for Obama. If you think these are good things, vote for McCain.

    I'm a Republican and I own two corporations. I thought it would be a cold day in hell before I ever said anything like this. But the unprecedented corporate greed aided and abetted by an unscrupulous Presidential administration is now starting to take down the US economy. I have to stand up and protest.

    Corporations are good only insofar as they strengthen America. When they start to weaken us, we need to re-evaluate the rules and regulations governing business.

    And we need to get rid of George W. Bush, along with all of his misguided policies that have dragged our once proud nation into the mud.

    • Posted By: Reporter Guy @ 06/11/2008 5:12:42 PM

      Comment: Also, I love when people say in their posts: "I'm a veteran" OR "I'm a Republican and I own two corporations" BUT blah blah blah
      Just because you post something does not make it so.
      All I know is you own a computer, log on to Newsweek's web site, and are a paid Obama staffer.
      People make all sorts of claims herein, and everyone reading them should take them with a bucket of salt, especially the ones where folks start talking about their personal lives: "I'm a white chemical engineer with a PhD and make $200K a year, and have always voted GOP, but this year I'm voting for Obama because he represents change."
      What a crock.
      More like: "I'm a creative college student getting paid $10 an hour to write pro-Obama posts all over the Web."

      • Posted By: MikePalos @ 06/24/2008 5:12:23 PM

        Comment: Oh man, I agree with you 100%. There isn't anyone the least bit educated in economics who would vote Democratic.

    • Posted By: Seasoned @ 06/11/2008 2:16:28 PM

      Comment: Nins.......You poor devil, there is nothing good that you can find in this country. This must be the worst place in the world.

      No wonder you are a Obama supporter......You are of the same mindset.

    • Posted By: Seasoned @ 06/11/2008 2:12:13 PM

      Comment: Nins,

      You poor devil, you see nothing good in this country at all. I understand why then you are a Obama supporter. Your are of the same mindset

    • Posted By: willnotvoteobama @ 06/11/2008 1:11:20 PM

      Comment: How destructive to the U.S. economy would a Barack Obama presidency be?

      An exclusive Newsmax analysis warns: There could be a very rough time ahead.

      Beneath Obama's flowery rhetoric lies a dangerous economic plan that will wreak havoc on the American economy.

      Obama plans to return to the failed policies of high taxation coupled with an expansion of government spending.

      Worse, Obama says he is absolutely committed to almost doubling the capital gains rate ??? something he will easily accomplish with a Democrat Congress.

      In the coming months ??? when investors realize that Obama will raise the cap gains rate ??? there could be a stampede of asset sales as investors rush to take their profits now to avoid Obama's doubling of the tax rates next year.

      All of these issues and more are explored in Newsmax magazine's special report "Obamanomics ??? the Coming Tax-and-Spend Nightmare," by Wall Street Journal columnist John Fund.

      This Newsmax magazine special report gives Americans the first in-depth look at the Democratic presidential candidate's likely strategies ??? and how they will affect not just the larger economy, but your personal wealth as well.

      Indeed, Obama makes no bones about his plans to go on a tax rampage. Not only would he increase the capital-gains tax rate from 15 percent to as much as 28 percent, he wants to allow the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts to expire in 2010, which effectively raises taxes on Americans by tens of billions of dollars.

      He also wants to do away with the $102,000 FICA payroll tax cap, which means anyone making over $102,000 would pay an additional 7 percent in taxes on earned income.

      And the loan dividend tax rate George Bush implemented? Under President Obama it will be DOA!

  • Posted By: NewsWkDickG @ 06/11/2008 12:35:03 PM

    Comment: Democrats propose things and then President Bush's vetoes or threats and with Republican support nothing gets done. Without a 2/3 majority and/or having the presidency, having only a slim majority in congress isn't all that powerful; reference the recent effort to get higher taxes through on the excessive profits made by the oil companies. Also McCain calls Obama the most liberal senator and exaggerates that he will institute higher taxes for everyone, not just for the wealthy and for the corporations who take advantage as Obama states. McCain and the Republicans also accuse the Democrats of being 'big government' and of over spending (neglecting to admit that the Bush administration has outspent, with negligible return, all previous administrations). The reality is that, whether Democrat or Republican, it is necessary to understand that the concentration over the last decade and longer, especially over the last seven plus years, has been on limiting spending to benefit Special Interests and a select few and literally neglecting everything else. If that doesn't change, with Democratic greater spending or whatever, things are only going to get worse: note America's decaying infrastructure and how the poor/middle classes are steadily loosing ground while only the wealthy are gaining. And it is important to see that America doesn???t have a ???trickle down??? economy as some try to sell but rather we have a ???bubble up??? economy where when the poor and especially the middle class are better off, then everyone, the whole economy benefits (in contrast to when the wealthy are better off, it pretty much stays there). That is the reality that is hurting!

    • Posted By: MikePalos @ 06/24/2008 5:15:04 PM

      Comment: Only Congress spends brainiak. Higher taxes on corps mean higher prices, where do you think they get the money to pay the taxes, you ass you.

  • Posted By: Nins @ 06/11/2008 12:29:30 PM

    Comment: Yesterday John McCain said that "there is nothing wrong with the economy." Despite McCain's attempts to turn a blind eye and act like nothing is wrong, all of the indicators and the leading economists have dire predictions.

    Does this pretending that important pressing realities aren't real remind you of someone? Maybe Dubya Bush? McSame.

    I am VERY worried about the economy. So are lots of people, including Rupert Murdoch, multi-billionaire owner of FoxNews and an arch-conservative Republican. Mr. Murdoch is supporting Obama and has predicted that Obama will win the general election, because he says that McCain is "weak on the economy" and that with McCain as President "the recession would deepen into a depression."

    Warren Buffet, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway and the richest man in the world is also supporting Obama, because he also believes Obama has what it takes to turn around our failing economy.

    Honestly, I think that both of these men know more about the economy and more about Obama's and McCain's capabilities than most of us do.

    Obama will win, and he will change our nation for the better.

    • Posted By: MikePalos @ 06/24/2008 5:20:29 PM

      Comment: There is nothing wrong with the economy, the numbers show it was worse during the Clinton years. Of course facts are not something Dems gravitate towards ( too complicated) its much easier to rely on emotions and someone telling you. If you went to school you'd know the economy goes up and down like this every 10 years or so regardless of who is in the WH. An economy won't see results of a President's policies for 10 years later, its called the lag. We are now seeing the results of the Clinton adminstrations' energy policies.

    • Posted By: Reporter Guy @ 06/11/2008 12:35:32 PM

      Comment: How's life on the Obama campaign?
      Keeping attention focused on the economy -- which goes up and down; remember the dotcom meltdown Bubba presided over? -- does wonders from diverting your candidate's 20-year association with a Rev. who God-damned America from his pulpit, and basically said we deserved 9/11.
      Good luck with selling that to middle America.

      • Posted By: raddave @ 06/11/2008 1:43:22 PM

        Comment: Don't forget that Jerry Falwell pretty much said we deserved 9/11 also.

        • Posted By: MikePalos @ 06/24/2008 5:21:50 PM

          Comment: And you deserve Jerry Falwell

        • Posted By: Reporter Guy @ 06/11/2008 7:43:29 PM

          Comment: So?
          Falwell was a nutbag also.

      • Posted By: bobbyb4n6 @ 06/11/2008 1:36:46 PM

        Comment: You mean like Pat Robertson, long time friend to GW who blamed it on the homosexuals and still got re-elected.

        • Posted By: MikePalos @ 06/24/2008 5:22:50 PM

          Comment: Pat Robertson got re-elected to what?

      • Posted By: Nins @ 06/11/2008 12:52:08 PM

        Comment: Oh, and I forgot to say that I really do think that Warren Buffet and Rupert Murdoch know A LOT MORE about the economy than you do, Reporter Guy. Murdoch, being a right wing Republican, probably even hates Obama. However, he announced that he is going to vote for Obama, because the economy is more important to him than his party affiliation.

        If Warren Buffett, Rupert Murdoch and the majority of the top economists think that the economy is in trouble, then I would believe them. I think that they know more about it than you and John McCain. McCain even admits that he knows nothing about the economy. I'm sorry, Reporter Guy, but that's the way it is.

        • Posted By: Reporter Guy @ 06/11/2008 5:04:52 PM

          Comment: Murdoch owns Fox News, is in the business of bringing attention to himself and his interests, and by endorsing Obama, he is serving his own interests.
          Which is fine, but liberals seem to miss this entirely.
          Same for Murdoch.
          I never said the economy wasn't in trouble, if you bothered to read my posts carefully.
          It's clearly in trouble, and this happens with a fair amount of regularity, even more so during presidential elections, as Wall Street abhors uncertainty.
          My point is, America and the rest of the world consumes a ridiculous amount of oil, of which OPEC has a stranglehold. Every president since FDR has dealt with oil problems, so blame Dubya or McCain if you want, when the reality is, a Democratically controlled Congress has been in power 2 years and has done nada.
          And why must you presume I know less about the economy than Murdoch or Buffet?
          Awfully presumptuous, as you have no idea who I am.
          Moreover, you are clearly a paid Obama staffer, shilling for your man, when clearly your strategy is to divert attention from an inexperienced one term senator with a 20 year association of an anti-American "preacher."
          Good luck with that - frankly I think if Obama did not have Wright in his closet, he would be more palatable to middle America, but the fact is, many people don't trust him.
          And as much as you dislike Dubya, he was elected -- twice -- to the Oval Office.
          Gore lost. Kerry lost.
          Obama will lose too.

          • Posted By: MikePalos @ 06/24/2008 5:28:37 PM

            Comment: Also take note, Dems promised to lower gas pricess when campaigning in 06, it went up 90%. Food began to climb also after they came to power. While its not entirely their doing, the mere threat of higher taxes will raise prices and speculations in the market. Pelosi and Reid are the most incompetant Speaker & Senate leader in a couple of lifetimes.

        • Posted By: willnotvoteobama @ 06/11/2008 1:15:39 PM

          Comment: RUPERT MURDOCH IS PART OF RUSH'S OPERATION CHAOS THINK ABOUT IT IF THE DEMS WIN THEY WILL SHUT DOWN TALK RADIO WITH THE FAIRNESS DOCTRINE NOW ASK YOUR SELF THIS WHO OWNS THE MOST RADIO STATIONS THAT RUSH IS ON UMMMMMMM I'LL GIVE YOU A HINT HIS INITIALS ARE R.M. IF TALK RADIO SHUTS DOWN THEN MR.R.M. WILL LOSE ALOT OF $$$$

          • Posted By: raddave @ 06/11/2008 1:50:10 PM

            Comment: The Firness doctrine did not shut down any stations, it just said they had to provide an opposing view point whether it be a conservative or liberal viewpoint. Shutting down radio stations because of their viewpoints would be censorship. Limbaugh's show is on Premiere Radio Networks, a subsidiary of Clear Channel Communications, which is NOT owned by Rupert Murdoch.

      • Posted By: Nins @ 06/11/2008 12:44:48 PM

        Comment: The dotcom meltdown was only one small sector of the economy, and created a very mild recession that lasted nine months. Our current recession is effecting much larger swaths of our economy and our people. It has already lasted six months, and it has not yet even hit bottom.

        And just for the record Jerry Falwell also said that America deserved 9/11, that we brought the wrath of God on ourselves by tolerating homosexuality, etc.. And guess who is was on stage with Falwell, praising him grandly about 18 months ago? That would be John McCain.

  • Posted By: landonmkelsey @ 06/11/2008 12:19:55 PM

    Comment: drastic action for a spineless government and apathetic people!

    price controls fuel $2.50/gallon
    drop taxes 25%


    then instead let the fed gov and oil companies sweat!

  • Posted By: Nins @ 06/11/2008 12:14:48 PM

    Comment: In the first session of the 110th Congress (2007), McCain holds the dubious honor of missing, by a wide margin, more votes than any other Senator save one. The only one who missed more? That would be Senator Tim Johnson, who was recovering from a brain hemorrhage.

    The Washington Post has a database that tracks vote missed in the Senate. McCain missed a whopping 261 of 468 votes, about 56%. And it not because he wasn't there in the building. He refuses to vote on any bill that is controversial or that he might be criticized for. Consequently, he votes on almost all of the silly votes (like "Name a Daisy Day") but fails to be in the room when really important stuff is going down, like votes concerning the war in Iraq. Senator Harry Reid, the Senate Majority Leader became so angry with McCain about this that he took him task for it right on the Senate floor, saying "Senator McCain has spent considerable time defending the President on Iraq, but has only managed to show up for four of the last fourteen Iraq votes."

    In case you think I made that up, I will give you a reference: "McCain Missed Votes on Iraq Triggers Reid Rebuke" published in The Hill, May 17, 2007.

    You may be asking why would McCain not want to vote on Iraq? Because he already knew then that he would be running for President, and he knew the war was increasingly unpopular, and he didn't want the Democrats to be able to point to his record and say "Look how he votes on Iraq."

    McCain has also missed important votes on national security, funding of law enforcement, equipment for firefighters, and of course, his most recent no-show, on giving veterans the GI Bill. In fact, McCain misses more than half of his votes.

    Is this the kind of President that you want?

    • Posted By: amendment2man @ 06/11/2008 4:47:02 PM

      Comment: a truly skilful politician. this is what i need not some naive idealist with a bunch of supporters who are going to become disenfranchised ifIF he ever gets elected. this will be due to the fact that you will then grow up and become adults and realize that idealism has its place and the political dissappiontment is part of the game. they are only people. the way you all takl it sounds as if your boy can do magic.... almost want to see him get elected so you all will be shut up when he turns out to be just another politician.

  • Posted By: speckelbelly @ 06/11/2008 12:04:14 PM

    Comment: THERE IS GOING TO BE A REVOLUTION IN AMERICA COMMING SOON!
    THE POOR ,DISENFRANCHISED, ARE UPSET AS HELL!AMERICA IS NOT AMERICA ANYMORE!WE NEED TO GET BACK ON THE RIGHT TRACK ASAP!
    OIL CONTROLS EVERYTHING!NATIONALIZE BIG OIL!

    • Posted By: Nins @ 06/11/2008 12:21:34 PM

      Comment: Speckle, oddly enough, we already have nationalized big oil. Our government is a big oil machine, even fighting wars to further the oil industry's interests. Geo Bush Sr. and his son Dubya are Texas oil tycoons, and they have run the country for 12 of the last 20 years. They deregulated industry as well as banking, allowing big oil to become a huge cash cow for themselves and their friends. Oh... but they forgot to nationalize the profits. Instead, they increased the national debt and ran the economy into the ground. But they don't care. They have moved their businesses and their banking offshore, so we can go into another Great Depression without it hurting them one bit.

      Geo. W Bush is a criminal.

  • Posted By: Reporter Guy @ 06/11/2008 12:01:50 PM

    Comment: The economy goes up and down - it's purely cyclical.
    Pundits and partisans rage against the WH and Dubya.
    Meanwhile, a Democratically controlled Congress has been largely ineffectual, has an approval rating on par with Cheney.
    The media needs a scapegoat, as usual.
    Meanwhile, Dems are pissed at oil companies for reaping record profits, call for some sort of windfall tax, which is a slippery slope.
    China, Russia and India also want oil, which creates huge demand, far outpacing supply. OPEC has a monopoly on oil.
    This is somehow Dubya's fault?
    If anyone remembers history, they would realize our presidents have been dealing with oil problems since FDR cut a deal with the Saud family back in the day, and wisely so.
    The only answer, unfortunately, is more exploration and that means drilling in places we covet as pristine.
    We Americans *** and moan about high gas prices, but I don't see any shortage of cars on the road.
    We talk about cutting back our oil dependency, but everywhere I go, I see everyone driving around, cell phone glued to ear - status quo.

    • Posted By: amendment2man @ 06/11/2008 4:38:13 PM

      Comment: THANKS REPORTER GUY. you are not alone. how they hate to hear the truth and refuse to accept it.

      wait my daughter didn't get into Harvard with a 3.0 gpa ........Dubya's fault lets rant and rave.....its pathetic isn't it. well no matter who wins the general i hope he will be happy as persidential scapegoat of the United States. In my opinion they both suck. i will pick Mccain as he sucks less.

    • Posted By: PaTriotDE @ 06/11/2008 1:39:52 PM

      Comment: Reporter Guy, you are one of those 22% that approve of the most retarded president in history, I guess I can say good for you for being loyal, but not too much of a citizen when you cannot recognize that for the most part, it is the Bush administration that is to blame for a part of the country problems right now. Because alongside is the policies that they created to incite businesses to move our jobs to China and India, the continued support of the Saud family, remember, Bush senior consults for a Saudi conglomerate. Also you are dishonest when you say that Congress has an approval rating on par with Cheney. since this is as a whole, but when you break it down between democrat and republican guess who is at the bottom of the barrel?

    • Posted By: middleamericaguy @ 06/11/2008 12:48:21 PM

      Comment: Reporter guy, your's is the typical answer of someone who is not affected by the current economy. Good for you, but the fact is that the Bush Administration has been useless and ineffectual in addressing American issues at any level. I hope everyone that voted for Bush digs deeply inside their soul and pockets and asks themselves if it was worth it in the end.

  • Posted By: wisconsin liberal @ 06/11/2008 11:58:57 AM

    Comment: Comment: Last time i checked, congress is supposed to make the laws and bush is supposed to enforce them.

    Ths problem with this comment is that Bush keeps vetoing anything that Congress passes that doesn't benefit the big corporations. And the Democrates don't have enough votes yet to over ride his vetos. Don't blame the Democrats for the roadblocks the Republicans throw up that impede the progress of this country,

  • Posted By: prbkcc @ 06/11/2008 11:48:46 AM

    Comment: Last time i checked, congress is supposed to make the laws and bush is supposed to enforce them. Democrats have been in charge of congress for a while now, and what a bang up job they've done, they were right, they were going to bring change, except we have had change for the worse. how about passing laws that keep the price of crude from going up simply due to speculators making eachother rich, oil companies have had the same profit margins for the last ten years, nobody was complaining then when they were losing money, just because they are having record profits does not mean at all that they are price gouging. it simply means that with a weaker dollar, it takes more dollars to buy the same amount, and so the actual number of dollars from profit is higher, but with the same percentage profit margin. and stopping the filling of oil reserves is not any kind of an answer to oil prices. but niether is opening Anwar. the supply of oil isn't short, so therefore the demand should not be greater, it is the lack of new refineries, foreign consumption increase, price speculation, and the weak dollar that is to blame. how about making congress allow new refineries to be built and capping price speculation. i know this was a rant but come on people, get informed and don't let democrats and left wing agendists tell you what is going on, bush may not be the best president, but i am almost positive that one man is not the cause for all of our problems, and that is why there are three branches of government so that one man is not responsible.
    Side Note: Barack Obama- "We live in the greatest nation on earth, no help me change it"

  • Posted By: mikex777 @ 06/11/2008 11:47:27 AM

    Comment: Can the President do more about the economy? Of course!

    The problem is that talking about "the economy" is talking about something abstract that hardly ever affects everyone and, often, few in particular. It's pretty devoid of meaning unless you can identify yourself as part of a specific group directly affected by some particular action or condition.

    The relevant question is could the President (and Congress) do something that would help YOUR "economy," that is, improve your net income? The answer is almost always yes.

    For example, if you earn, say $50-100k a year, the President and Congress could legislate you a tax cut. If you're concerned that would increase the deficit, resulting in all taxpayers being forced to take a loan they have to repay in the future, it could be offset by increasing taxes on, say, those making, say, $500+k a year. You, and those in your income class, have had your "economy" improved. Of course, it puts a small dent in the "economy" of the very well off few.

    Anyway, talking about the "economy," and, even worse, talking about the stock market, has little relevance to the lives of most of us. Even gas prices have very different effects on different individuals. It all depends on the circumstances surrounding your particular sources of income. There's usually a very weak correlation between that and actions that affect "the economy."

    • Posted By: swilkes1 @ 06/11/2008 1:39:23 PM

      Comment: Look, man, there are definitely things we can talk about in 'the economy'. For one, the reason America has had a great economy for so long is our energy has come relatively cheaply. High energy prices drags the whole economy down.

      For another, good regulation is a good thing, contrary to the protestations of the GOP. Ever notice that neighborhoods with all kinds of different structures, and maybe a chicken farm in the middle of it, aren't blessed with high property values, while those gated communities usually have much higher property values? Well, one big reason is because of zoning laws -- REGULATION -- because nobody's gonna sink a lot of money in a house, only to have somebody else build a chicken farm next door and drive the value down of the investment. Likewise, the reason America has had such a long, largely interrupted economic boom after WW2 is because everybody everywhere was under the general impression that things were well run, and that anything invested here would, in effect, be a good investment because its a well run joint. Well, seeing as lately we've been unable to keep our food clean, our airplanes inspected, our toys lead free... its looking pretty clearly like our economy can't even protect its own citizens from predatory trade. Not really looking like a good investment if the economy is actually killing the citizens its supposed to serve!

      Have you also noticed that during every

  • Posted By: swilkes1 @ 06/11/2008 11:44:41 AM

    Comment: we shouldn't have to wait 7 months for somebody to start doing something. that's 7 months of more time we have to wait later, cause it's gonna take time to get anything done.

    great president we have. anybody else think this policy of sitting on your ass because you're a lame duck sounds a lot like HOOVER in the 30's?

    bush should be threatening the oil companies that if they don't start building refineries, he's gonna nationalize them. his precedent? teddy roosevelt. we can get more oil, we've got plenty in the us or close to us that doesn'