The President performed last night as well as any American citizen had a right to expect. He was informed, articulate and candid with the American people…something we have not heard from recent Presidents. He was just what the country needed: someone in command of the issues and the office. In short, he did a GREAT job last night.
I thought the questions were disappointingly lame...and reflected a lack of understanding of the nation's economic condition....AND what is needed to get us out of it. And then there was that reporter from the Washington Post who, in the midst of the nation's worst economic crisis since the Depression, asked about the President's reaction to New York Yankees’ A-Rod steroid case. Good grief.
Obama’s performance was impressive and may prove to be the tipping point for achieving his first major legislative victory.
Most interesting to me today is steadfast Republican recalcitrance on the stimulus bill.
They are betting the President will fail, they expect the country to fail, and that they alone will be around to pick up the pieces in 2010 and again in 2012. Think about it. The GOP clings tightly to the belief that tax cuts and smaller government are the only answer. That’s their story and they’re sticking to it. Is there no room for anyone with rational thought on their side of the aisle?
To put it another way: The Rs are betting on a total collapse of the economy. By opposing en mass, they are saying they don’t believe the stimulus bill will work. In other words, the “NO” party has no confidence in America.
3 comments:
What in the world just happened?
I just had my first chance to read through this bill and no wonder the markets reacted poorly, there is almost nothing that is reassuring in it. Who ever wrote this needs to understand that our entire financial system is based on confidence, confidence in our country's solvency for example is what makes our money worth anything, and this paper did nothing to give me confidence and obviously noone else with money to spend either. I thought the presidential address was right on target, but the product I am seeing here did not live up to the hype. I am happy that Obama is 44, but I am expecting more than this. Hopefully he is just getting warmed up, I will give him that this week, but not next or any day after.
The markets didn't react to the stimulus bill passing the Senate, the markets were reacting to the lack of specificity in the announcment Geithner made about how Treasury was going to address the banking morass. As for Obama, he did a great job last night answering economic questions in terms the American people could understand and in a way that would build confidence. That's something we haven't had and would never have under the other guys. I hope you will give him more than just another week. By my calendar, he hasn't even been in office a full month yet. You'll be getting a lot more ... and soon. Sit tight.
Forgive me if I am a little short on patience, I am tired of watching the markets, i.e. worldwide public confidence in our US economy, continue to slide even after our "rescue plan" is unveiled. I am ready for something positive and you say "...in a way that would build confidence." well where is the confidence, investors around the world have seen the plan and they are obviously not confident in its tenets. If it cant be positive then at least be definite, tell us that because of our generations long spending, not saving, habit we are in trouble and we have to get back to basics in order to recover. Remind us that this is the land of opportunity not the free ride. I think the whole world could understand that and it will force us all to refocus on what is important; God, Family, Country, Friends, in that order. Maybe then our nations eyes will be opened and priorities realligned. Instead of waiting for our bailout we, the people, will truly get involved, take responsibility for our own lives, take back control of our country, and realize the full potential that God has intended for us in His plan.
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