INTERNATIONAL

Obama's Challenge

Forget the protesters. The real anger at America this week is coming from European governments.

By John Barry | Newsweek Web Exclusive
Apr 2, 2009 | Updated: 9:02  a.m. ET Apr 2, 2009

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  • Posted By: memo2 @ 04/20/2009 9:11:58 AM

    We all just going on diferent direction's one person said this the other said that, how unbelievable people react at diferent way's probable most never been at Europe to know what happen's there after The Dolar go up in 1978, and how this people was forced to change also their money untill all they go for the Euro Dolar most of us don't have any idea of why all this people thinking that way or in some way we are been blame this devaluation cost to others big time for what now after all this year's is coming arround like some people said what gos arround is coming arround most of us just we learn on part what happen with our economy all this was a mess, right now most economist trying to blame people what they never pay back their loans that is not true the problem is the high value of interest, the Bank institutions never go as the economy they just keep the same high interest rate and honest this interest rate will be the same all time all this G 20"s need understand the investment's the past presidents did before 1980 are no working any longer and USA need to stop billin out, and sell USA bonds to other Country's we need to pay back the money we own to all other Country's untill then nothing will going to change no matter what we do or what we said, this Administration don't have the knowledge to confront this Economic situation Mr:Obama only have the ability to deal in public and organize well his presidential propaganda, but to deal with the real issues our Nation fronfront right now and in the future just don't know what he need's to do that's why the only way for them was to take money from all as Nancy Pelosi, Bernake, and Gethner along with some economic adviser's suggest to Obama to use this money and what happen it never work instead they make more biger our debit now they know billing out Bank's and other company's will not work so everything stall again in the mind time we all been ovserbe how others will fall and losse their houses and job's the cuestion is how long, but no matter what Mr:Obama is doing fine no problem he can keep living his cuality life, if I tell you what we can to solve this situation no body cares and no body will lisen I know that this is just my comment to tell you other Country's pass for this situation already and they pass with success therefore all this people from Europe they have a reazon in some way, we just know it now and this is just the beginning we all can be strong and we can solve this we can't wait from this Administration we need to react and keep find our selfs the way to help ourself's keep find any kind of work in honest way no body no body will came to you we need to go and find it ourselfs !.......

  • Posted By: OnlyCure=Truth @ 04/18/2009 3:57:36 PM

    This happened in the 60's and was it reported in the News NO!

    From 14:03 until 14:10, the Israeli air assault unleashed hell, concentrating a coordinated strafing attack first of bombs, then of rockets, armor-piercing bullets, and napalm on the ship's communication antennas and crew. Basically these fighters exhausted all of their ordnance and ammunition on a ship they knew could not return fire before they left. (3) page 16 and (4). Israel later confirmed that multiple Mirage fighter-bombers and Dassault Mystyres swept-wing fighters were used, and this was confirmed from photographs taken by Liberty sailors. During the assault, the aircraft jammed all frequencies so the Liberty was only able to communicate during the short intervals when the Israeli rockets were in-flight, as the fighters had to switch off jamming temporarily. (1) page 36. Also during the assault, the American flag was shot away, but before the torpedo attack began, it was replaced with a larger 8x13 foot version. (3) page 19.

    Between 14:24 and 14:28, the three torpedo boats arrived in visual range and were reported as flying Israeli flags. (3) page 19 and (1) page 36.

    At 14:31, both the USS Liberty and the torpedo boats opened fire at each other. At least five (5) torpedoes were launched, and two (2) torpedoes made contact at about 14:35, and later mechanical analysis revealed one of the torpedoes hit in an area where a few meters in either direction would likely have broken the ship in half. Twenty-five (25) Americans working in the SIGINT section were killed instantly by this torpedo. Following the torpedoes, the Israeli boats raked the USS Liberty with cannon and machine-gun fire, shooting at any visible sailor above deck. At one point, the Israelis concentrated their fire on the boiler, trying to cause an explosion and sink the ship. The torpedo boats were later confirmed to be Ayah class motor torpedo boats, each carrying two (2) torpedoes, and (4) cannons. Before the ship was scrapped, there were 861 holes larger than a man's fist and thousands of 0.50 caliber machine gun holes. (3) pages 19-20, (2) pages 7-8, (1) page 37-38. Same as the fighter attack, basically the Israelis expended all of their ordnance and then just opened up with machine-guns, possibly to keep the sailors from activating a new radio line. They threw everything they had at the USS Liberty, trying to sink a defenseless vessel that they had confirmed to be American.

  • Posted By: manishyt @ 04/08/2009 10:14:23 AM

    G20 Declares Itself A Success.
    In London this evening, the G20 leaders gave themselves an enormous pat on the back for coming to agreement on how to tackle the world???s financial meltdown. They will now jet home to tell their people that renewed prosperity is within reach. The only problem for the G20 is that its leaders didn???t actually agree on any of the substantive issues. We suggest that not getting agreement on any of these questionable goals was perhaps the biggest achievement of all.
    http://dailyexception.com/2009/04/02/g20-declares-itself-a-success/

  • Posted By: MOLLY73 @ 04/08/2009 7:26:06 AM

    I don't think it really matters what we say in any matter concerning the goings on in Washington. We can say what we 'think' but that's about as far as that goes. Most opinions are just that, OPINIONS !

  • Posted By: benluclar @ 04/02/2009 11:24:04 AM

    I truly cannot believe my eyes when I see those in awe of Obama to this day! Surely, those of you hopefuls are seeing the daily socialism flowing down upon us all like volcanic lava.
    What in God's name are you masses observing? Can you possibly read, hear, see .... ultimately, think?
    Hello out there ... where is everyone?
    Are you not patriotically shamed and unpleasantly shocked by the flow of incompetent nonsense happening day by day by day so far, i.e., handing the British Prime Minister a set of DVDs is now considered an act of good intention and considered by the current President's ''thought process'' to be historically profound in its intention?
    My God ... help us, please to help ourselves and swell with admiration, not adoration of our new ''leader''???




    • Posted By: lovedeedee @ 04/02/2009 12:09:36 PM

      Brainwashing is alive and well in America.. thanks to the repugs party.

      • Posted By: RummyD @ 04/04/2009 8:43:36 PM

        Socialism was introduced by the Bush regime in their last days. Don't blame Obama. He's just the new kid on the block. Bush's ruin wast brought about by the Rummy and Dicky Show and their Republican fans. How could Obama fix eight years of mismanagement in couple months with all all special interest groups in the congress and government bureaucracies? You think he's God???

      • Posted By: paproudmom @ 04/03/2009 12:52:02 PM

        Calling republicans repugs is hateful. I thought you were so happy living in socialist-land. Hate does not equal happiness.

    • Posted By: lovedeedee @ 04/02/2009 11:29:22 AM

      Well.... Obviously your capitalism DOES NOT WORK !! So maybe it is time to try something else, isn't it ??

      • Posted By: benluclar @ 04/02/2009 11:31:38 AM

        Try something else???
        Obama is sure trying ''something else''. That something is SOCIALISM.
        You won't ''lovedeedee'' for very long unless Obama tells you you are ALLOWED to.
        That is your something else!

        • Posted By: lovedeedee @ 04/02/2009 11:42:49 AM

          I live in a socialist country and I am a us citizen. I am also a business owner !! If life was so bad in socialist countries, do you really believe I would choose to live in one ??? Over 100 000 americans live in France and 100 000 's thousand more live in other parts of Europe .

          What give you this idea that our governments control our lives ?? the facts is the happiest poeple live in socialist countries which should prove to you that every thing you're being told about socialism is a lie !

          • Posted By: paproudmom @ 04/03/2009 12:48:36 PM

            As a American who loves living in the US I have no interest in become a socialist. Since you do, it is good that you decided to reside elsewhere. I will continue to believe in the form of government that our founding fathers establishe(a republic).

          • Posted By: cornhead @ 04/02/2009 11:52:10 AM

            Je vous invite de lire les paroles de Frédéric Bastiat pour une liste complète des problèmes de socialisme

            • Posted By: lovedeedee @ 04/02/2009 12:10:49 PM

              Aucun systeme n'est parfais ! en connaissez vous un qui le soit ?? moi, non.

              • Posted By: cornhead @ 04/02/2009 3:51:12 PM

                Non, mais croyez-vous que le système européen est préférable au système américain? En Europe vos taux de croissances sont en bas, vos taux de chomage sont pire qu'aux USA, et la crise économique est plus profonde chez vous. Notre système n'est pas parfait par ce que notre gouvernement a abodonné le vrai système économique libre lors des années 30. Cependant, notre système est un hybride de socialisme et capitalisme et nous avons eu beaucoup de succès par rapport d'Éurope. Malheureusement le gouvernement amèricain a causé la crise courante en essayant de manipuler le vrai marché libre!

          • Posted By: archmsu @ 04/02/2009 2:42:09 PM

            The "happiest people?" is that a fact or just your opinion? No wonder your left...........

            The French.........."Cheese-eating-surrender-monkeys." I love when they riot because the government can't give them a job. "Please goverment, help me, i can't make it on my own, and if you don't i'll kill you!"

    • Posted By: zijws @ 04/02/2009 2:15:04 PM

      Do you seriously know what socialism is? Go look it up in the dictionary.

      • Posted By: archmsu @ 04/02/2009 2:30:55 PM

        Do you, idiot! Socialism is when the government takes over all aspects of your life. Lets look at the score card, shall we. Obama is taking over the auto industry. He is pushing for nationalized Health care (so healthy people can pay for drug addicts and fat people). He is going to take over the Banking industry, which will effect almost everything in our economy. Wake up, before your told when and were you can go the bathroom, sounds crazy doesn't it. But it's the end result of the road we're going down. Didn't you read Orwell's "1984" in high-school? Or did you start high-school after they dumbed it down. Let me guess.....you had to read "I'm special and I matter" by Tavis Smiley.

        • Posted By: bobroberts @ 04/02/2009 3:22:46 PM

          No, archmsu, you don't know what socialism is and you can't learn it on FOX news.

          • Posted By: archmsu @ 04/02/2009 8:59:47 PM

            Don't own a television Mr Roberts. Nice try though..........

            • Posted By: bobroberts @ 04/03/2009 12:33:34 PM

              By the way, the "government" is 1984 is fascist, not socialist. Ironic that you would invoke George Orwell, who hated ignorance more than any type of government.

    • Posted By: zijws @ 04/02/2009 2:11:35 PM

      Do you seriously even know what the concept of socialism is? Go look it up in a dictionary and make sure you know what you're talking about before you embarrass your self.

    • Posted By: zijws @ 04/02/2009 2:09:00 PM

      Do you seriously even know what the concept of socialism is? Go look it up in a dictionary and make sure you know what you're talking about before you embarrass your self.

  • Posted By: Dr. James @ 04/03/2009 11:10:37 PM

    President Obama is facing a world in financial trouble. The side effects are rather painful at the ground level. We more investment in people. America needs jobs and banks that care about both business and people. We need to be a partner in the world. America needs less bombs more intelligence and more cooperation. I f we have rich people hiding money from the government and hurting people this should be a criminal offence.We need that money to save our nation. Obama served America well on the world stage.

  • Posted By: tj88 @ 04/03/2009 8:37:16 PM

    Difficult to believe the drivel this idiot author puts out. It's like reading something a sixth grader wrote. It's no wonder Newsweek is going bankrupt.

  • Posted By: Loden Green @ 04/02/2009 11:15:00 AM

    Were it not for America, Europe would today be living under the swastika flag and shouting "Sig Heil!" The French, in particular, have extremely short memories. There are over 60,000 U.S. soldiers buried under the soil of France. During the cold war, the only thing that kept the Russian Army from coming over the North German Slope was the U.S. nuclear unbrella. These people across the pond need to get over thier penchant for eveything being an "insult", grow up and smell the coffee.

    • Posted By: lovedeedee @ 04/02/2009 11:31:01 AM

      And yourself has a very short memory too ?? Remember the war on independance ??? Why do you think you live in america ??? because of the french !

      • Posted By: paproudmom @ 04/03/2009 1:00:58 PM

        Oh give me a break. The French did not come in till they were convinced that the colonies had a chance to win. The colonist did that on their own. While we owe much thanks to France for it's assistance they hardly won the war for us. A good comparison since you want to bring up a historical comparison would be to compare the behavior of the citizens in the colonies to the French citizens in their conduct during their revolutions. Can you say guillotine?

      • Posted By: cornhead @ 04/02/2009 11:56:17 AM

        La Guerre d'independance s'est passé il y a plus de 230 ans. Les deux geurres mondiales se sont passées il y a 50 ans. Qui parmi nous a le memoire plus court?

      • Posted By: cornhead @ 04/02/2009 11:50:11 AM

        Je vous remercie.

    • Posted By: lovedeedee @ 04/02/2009 11:32:21 AM

      Oh you people hate to be criticized, because you think you are so perfect and so superior to every body else. You arrogance has no end, has it ??

      • Posted By: paproudmom @ 04/03/2009 12:55:51 PM

        You are the one who sounds so smug in superior. Do you own a mirror. Perhaps you should consider taking a hard look in it before you criticize others.

      • Posted By: cornhead @ 04/02/2009 11:45:25 AM

        Ce n'est que les français qui nous depassent dans l'arrogance.

        • Posted By: lovedeedee @ 04/02/2009 12:08:23 PM

          Tous les francais ne sont pas arrogant...

          • Posted By: cornhead @ 04/02/2009 3:43:21 PM

            "Ditto" ou le mot équivalent en français

  • Posted By: Noely @ 04/02/2009 2:50:30 PM

    nowhere on earth is there an economy wherein capitalism is totally unfetterd and unregulated by government - but that does not mean that the entire world is comprised of socialist regimes. The current financial meltdown is directly attributable to the failure of government to regulate capitalism - AIG, Wall Street, banks, lending institutions - they all did as they pleased, arguing that if the government would just get off their backs, everything would be fine. We now see how that worked out. Using the power of the federal government - temporarily - to clean up the mess is not the advent of socialism. And, in any event - what do you propose as an alternative - do nothing?

    • Posted By: bobroberts @ 04/02/2009 3:08:04 PM

      Exactly ... all "isms" are on a political spectrum, but I suspect most people decrying socialism have no clue that the matter is not black and white. Deregulation, greed and incompetence on the part of Bush's handlers got us to where we are today -- in need of bailouts so the whole system doesn't fall apart and in need of regulation to moderate the human tendency toward greed.

      • Posted By: paproudmom @ 04/03/2009 12:53:47 PM

        I don't need the government to "regulate" me. I can control myself.

      • Posted By: archmsu @ 04/02/2009 9:10:20 PM

        How come you never mention Congress..................BUSh, BUsh, Bush. News flash, he's not in office anymore. Plus, who ok'ed all he's bull ***, Congress, which has been Democratic for ther last 2.5 years..................

  • Posted By: HolyRoller @ 04/03/2009 12:48:35 AM

    Well fellow Newsweak commentators....looks like our beloved PrezBo-Zo Hussein...has allowed his....true MOHAMMEDNESS....to shine bright, all throughout mohammedville...while attending the G20, PrezBo-Zo had...The Audacity of Dope...to BOW to the King of Saudi Arabia....the well deserved criticism has begun...here is a very recently posted account of his soiling of...The Office of The Presidency.........

    ..."President Obama greeted the king of Saudi Arabia with a full bow from the waist yesterday, a move one commentator described as a violation of protocol and not worthy of the office he holds.

    !I am quite certain that this is not the protocol, and is most unbecoming a president of the United States," writes Clarice Feldman in an American Thinker commentary......"

    It can be viewed on YouTube.....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JGK-xbXxMw

    The man is a CROOK and a FRAUD

    O..ne
    B..ig
    A..sz
    M..istake
    A..merica

    NOBAMA!!!

    The situation developed as leaders of the world attending the G20 summit in London assembled for a photograph to mark the event

  • Posted By: charliefromtexas @ 04/02/2009 12:04:12 PM

    Somebody should arrest W. and Dick and prosecute them. These two war criminals and mass murderers (they literally murdered a vast human population by war and by economic collapse they created) must be put to justice.

    • Posted By: John Dough @ 04/02/2009 9:42:29 PM

      Democrat presidents got us into WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam costing 600,000 American soldiers lives millions more wounded, 75 million civilian casualties and billions upon billions of wa spednig. Makes the Bush war look like a picnic.

    • Posted By: lovedeedee @ 04/02/2009 12:14:25 PM

      Agree... the damage these people have done is tremendous. They should be arrested but unfortunatly, they are above the law.

      • Posted By: archmsu @ 04/02/2009 9:02:39 PM

        Damage? My life didn't change one bit....................How come your so sensitve?

    • Posted By: sm1061 @ 04/02/2009 3:45:19 PM

      this kind of tough talk is laughable. thank god that there are relatively few people around like you that are so radical and irrational in their thought that common sense and the ability to see certain obvious truths is totally lost. By using the term war criminal you are immediately drawing comparisons to past and present leaders around the gloabe that are truly and undeniably guilty of genocide, etc. You spout off at the mouth and act as though you are the voice of an overwhelming amount of people that would take action of the Bush admin. if they were not "above the law" the truth is that this will never happen because so few people share your misplaced anger that no one really pays you any attention. You're a small, small voice. More people pity you than acknowledge your thoughts as meaningful. Please, PLEASE, shut up. no one is actually listening or inspired.

    • Posted By: charliefromtexas @ 04/02/2009 12:06:02 PM

      these two outlaws are still free out there. Put them behind bars and quick. That dickydarthbader may not live too long. b4 this s*ker dies, he should be put in jail.

  • Posted By: bobroberts @ 04/02/2009 12:35:36 PM

    American arrogance and inability to handle any kind of criticism, combined with greed as a social value and sloganeering as a replacement for informed political thought, will help lead the U.S. in its downfall to a second-rate and maybe even third-rate nation in the 21st Century. Indeed, this descent is already well underway.

    • Posted By: bobroberts @ 04/02/2009 12:53:43 PM

      Anyone who needs evidence of this only needs to read the comments of sprues2, Lucas H and benluclar. Sad to think the best we can do is watch FOX news, blame the bogeymen of media and socialism, and then carry on business as usual. I don't consider myself a Democrat or a Republican, but Obama is our only hope.

      • Posted By: oreillyb @ 04/02/2009 1:00:26 PM

        Your out of your bloody mind if you're putting your entire trust in this politcally naive office boy.

        • Posted By: bobroberts @ 04/02/2009 3:03:23 PM

          Who are you proposing instead, Rush Limbaugh or Sarah Palin?

          • Posted By: archmsu @ 04/02/2009 9:04:21 PM

            No Palin is white trash and Limbaugh is a soap-boxer. I just want common sense.

      • Posted By: archmsu @ 04/02/2009 2:07:19 PM

        Instead of putting your fatih in a "used car salesmen," try putting some faith in yourself. Gosh, when did we become a country so dependent on our "masters!"

  • Posted By: smitty113 @ 04/02/2009 1:36:54 PM

    Is this article a joke? Let me guess 3 years from now we are still going to be hearing that it is Geo. Bush's fault. I bet it was Geo Bush's fault that Obama gave the unreadable DVD's to the British Prime Minister??? Enough all ready... This is the most tiring subject... It's amazing how the LIberals don't want to blame the democratic congress (go look the % of times dems owned congress vs repubs) or they don't want to blame Franks or Dodd .. or wait they have to start blaming Dodd the truth was to hard to cover up. .. Obama owns the economy now with all he has done to screw this country up... Goodness knows what our children will be left to deal with (or wait - that's right they'll just blame Bush... it'll be his fault that Obama sigh the stimulus bill and the ridiculous budget) I bet it is even Bush's fault Obama March Madness pick's didn't make the final 4

    • Posted By: runswithscissors @ 04/02/2009 2:05:28 PM

      We are still waiting. WE ARE STILL WAITING for one, JUST ONE, of you Bush supporters to apologize for the disasterous state of our nation. Until then you can just sit back and expect fifty years of reminders of what horrific damage YOU did to this country.

      • Posted By: archmsu @ 04/02/2009 2:20:46 PM

        Don't you think your overracting. I voted for the guy but can admit he did turn out to be failure, he was a "spendocrat." Kinda like Obama. You know......spending your way out of your problems. But the truth is, people like you have become what they hate. Your more aligned with politics and politicians (power crave) ) then you are with your fellow Americans. Which makes you just like the Germans in the early 1940s, putting the "state" ahead of the people. How else do you explain the concentration camps and state sponsored genocide. All those people couldn't have been racists or agreed with straving humans to death, they just went along with their politicians.......

        • Posted By: runswithscissors @ 04/02/2009 5:24:50 PM

          Take a deep breath.

    • Posted By: ozarkajuice @ 04/02/2009 1:57:15 PM

  • Posted By: Noely @ 04/02/2009 4:24:03 PM

    Cornhead, you proved my point: Of course the government is not always the voice of fiscal reason and restraint; but, in this instance it is trying to be that. That does not mean that is a socialist government. This does not have to become a chicken and egg argument, because no matter how or why we got to where we are, you cannot deny that if the proper regulation and supervision had been in place, the "bubble" would not have formed in the first place. For example, credit default swaps were given triple a security ratings when everyone involved knew they were risky as hell. And, as I said, the action of the government now is not the onset of socialism - it is a temporary measure designed to ensure the continuation of free market capitalism. The invisible hand you referred to is not the government's hand alone. There is no gold standard - the government prints money that is essentially worthless - because nothing backs it up. Only the goods and services produced by private enterprise give that currency its' value. Banks and other private institutions control the value of a dollar as much as uncle sam does. So, I say, print the money, gobs of it, and thereby start the production of the goods and services that give it value.

    • Posted By: AverageJoe American @ 04/02/2009 4:45:36 PM

      It is sad how Americans still continue to run over the same old ground with same old remarks we've all heard for decades. There is no such thing as a government, society, or market, that is completely capitalist or completely socialist. The U.S. in times past has had to resort to some socialism to move ahead economically and even now the Chinese have entered the realm of capitalism to enhance their socialism. Commies/Socialists - BAD - Capitalists - GOOD, thinking is dead and has no use anymore. Greed cannot go on unrestrained in this country due to economic repurcussions heaped on the rest of the world. Wall Street along with AIG played a very dangerous game with not only the U.S. Market, but the world market as well. How long do you think other countries will stand by and do nothing while we pamper these greedy, economic, criminals that have despoiled America and the rest of the world for their own gain and then act as if they did nothing wrong? They even expect a bonus for their idiocy and misconduct. Whether it be the fault of the government or Wall Street or both is no longer of any consequence. What matters is what needs to be done now whether by means of socialism or capitalism to get the U.S. economy and the world economy back on track. If not, the U.S.could face economic sanctions from the rest of the world. The U.S. no longer has the credibility or the power it once had in world affairs. The Bully may get Bullied if we do not start thinking in terms of what will work to turn things around and not what label is given to means.

      • Posted By: cornhead @ 04/02/2009 5:09:18 PM

        Don't mistake a temporary "stimulus" plan with what the Obama administration is proposing in its budget and stimulus package. I agree that the government must act as a referee in regards to a free market economy and some regulation is certainly necessary to maintain a level playing field. But can we truly rely on the same government players with their special interests and the same bedfellows? Does Obama truly represent a break from the past or his merely the newest puppet in a long list of puppets to powerful corporate and union entities trying to save their skins? They wield the power and so they choose the winners and the losers. Is that inherently fair? Should the government be in the business of saving AIG while letting Lehman fail? Should the government agree to save GM and let Chrysler go by the wayside? Either the government needs to prop up everyone, or the government should prop up no one (I prefer the latter of course). That is why the fairest way to handle this crisis is to allow those who made the risky decisions fall on their swords--and I speak to the government too! It's amazing how quickly you put your trust in the same mechanism (the governmnet) that you hated six months ago. Let's be frank, how is Obama different from Bush? Do you trust him more explicitly because of the "D" next to his name? Does his previous experience inspire any additional confidence? No, his appointees are merely Clinton re-treads and government insiders. He's not a refreshing change--he's the status quo with only a desire to make Americans used to and more dependent on more government hand outs. They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions--well, we're on that road and most Americans are happily oblivious to it.

  • Posted By: Noely @ 04/02/2009 3:13:27 PM

    In a true socialist system, the State owns the means of production - there is no private enterprise of any kind. A farmer does not own his farm, and if he sells milk, butter eggs, corn, beef or pork, he does not keep the proceeds of the sale - he turns the money over to the state. That is why a black market thrives in socialist systems. The "bailout" we are experiencing is therefore not the equivalent of socialism. The government is bailing out private enterprise in the hope that it will continue to thrive.
    Do you capitalists propose the privatization of all government functions? How about privatizing social security - turn over your retirement savings to Wall Street - Yeah, that would be a good bet.

    Or, how about health care - let insurance companies disctate what care if any you recieve, and let them continue to make all decisions, not your doctor, about the specific treatment you will or will not receive, and how much it will cost. Can't afford insurance - or can't get it at all? Too bad - you die.

    Unless you propose true solutions to these questions that tax cuts and free-market capitalism will provide, there is no point in simply repeating the word "socialism" as some kind of epithet. That is a straw man argument.

    • Posted By: cornhead @ 04/02/2009 4:04:27 PM

      As if the government is a benevolent watch dog of fiscal reason and restraint! In your honest opinion what's worse Wall Street or Washington? Aren't they one and the same? It really becomes a chicken and egg debate. Is Washington's greed and corruption complicit in the market fall? Don't look to far for that answer. Dodd, Frank, Bush, Clinton, Carter, even Reagan probably had a role in this mess because they created a propped up an unsustainable bubble that was bound to burst. The free market unfettered by government intervention would never have led to this. The invisible hand is far more effective than the heavy hand, I promise you. With that being said, what do we do now? Well, we certainly don't spend our way out of this mess. At some point we'll have to take our medecine. Do we do it know or do we let our children inherit it later? That is the question you need to ask yourself.

  • Posted By: Marcos A. Rondineli @ 04/02/2009 3:59:11 PM

    In moments of crisis, the words on the world are world's concerns. It is, as my point of view, a hudge mistake taking this summit results as benefits for one only country.
    What is being discussed in the table is the planet's future, not U.S.A's.
    I support Obama, as brazilian, but under the faith that the U.S. emerging from this moment stronger, this will be good for everybody else.
    Sharing... controlling,... rulling... moniterizing.... fiscalising.... and mainly correcting past mistakes... that will rise our life qualitiy, facing a better future.
    Well, let's wait and see.

  • Posted By: JustAJoe @ 04/02/2009 3:20:59 PM

    I hope they notice the American people rejected Bush's ways and elected someone who pledged to change them. This is a very different American leader and a very different administration. They are now getting what they wanted and deserved in their relationships with the US.

  • Posted By: The Messiah @ 04/02/2009 2:05:00 PM

    If ScumBama thinks the people in the UK are angry, wait until Americans impeach the criminal.

  • Posted By: wordsmith1050 @ 04/02/2009 1:41:18 PM

    We had come within a decade or so of recovering from the complete mess Reagan made of things and then we got the worst of all possible boobs in W. Please, no more conservatives in positions of leadership. It's not that there aren't smart ones, it's that they tend to be fearful of change and thus tend to try to hold it back rather than guide it. Change is going to happen whether we like it or not, and history is replete with examples of leaders trying to tamp it down, which one can only do for so long before it bursts out and continues on its way. We need leaders who don't try to move us to some stage in the past but rather use the past's lessons in guiding change. Obama is one of those people with a broad perspective on the world, a keen understanding of the sweep of history, and the courage to look to the future and not fear it. I just hope he can repair enough of W's damage before the next conservative boob manipulates the nation's fears and wreaks more havok on the U.S. and the world.

    • Posted By: archmsu @ 04/02/2009 2:04:48 PM

      Do have any facts to go with this self-rightous dribble. Look, Bush was a lousy president. He was like JFK, he made a couple great moves but the rest of his presidency was junk. But what makes people like you so scary is that you have blind faith in Obama........which is the same thing you hated about the Bush administration. Maybe a little less emotion and a little more logic.

  • Posted By: kgriff2 @ 04/02/2009 1:50:41 PM

    Ah, so Obama's failure to charm the European leaders is Bush's fault. Um. Or, could it be they see Obama as operating way above his naieve head, an example of the Peter Principle and the fact stupid Americans elected a celebrity to the high position of president? Naw.

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