In Obama's Defense
By ParaTed2k
@ParaTed2k (22940)
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
August 18, 2011 1:35am CST
In Obama's defense, the president and Congress can only do so much about the economy. Most of what happens to the economy is basically on autopilot, and no one can do anything about that.
Our economy was doomed to tank at this time in our history the minute the Greatest Generation had a "baby boom" then the Baby boomers decided not to have so many kids. In other words, the big houses the economy fueled by the baby boom raising families could only exist as long as they continued to need bigger houses and enjoying the good life bought for them by their parents.
So in that way, yes, Obama did inherit a mess.
So I don't hold Obama or Congress responsible in the least for that part of the economy.
However...
The most important part of the economy that the President is the ONLY person who can affect improvement is Confidence in consumers to feel safe about our money.
Prs. Bush's policies helped fuel confidence in our economy through 9/11, the worst hurricane season in recent history, and a normal recession cycle. Of course, his policies couldn't hold out forever... the a few bubbles burst one right after the other, and us consumers lost confidence.
So enter Prs. Obama.
He told us he had plans that would get us out of the recession...
But instead of presenting those plans, he told Congress to write up several plans to help "jump start" the economy. Congressional leaders in turn allowed lobbyists to write the bills, which were then pushed through Congress, padded by Congress, changed, folded, spindled and mutilated... then sent on to Obama to sign... which he did.
But none of those plans did the one thing that would have helped them make the difference... None of them inspired confidence in us consumers. None of them convinced employers (government or private sector) to put shovels in hands.
So, again, while I don't fault Obama for the things he has no control of, I fault him completely for completely failing in the things that ARE his job.
Remember, he wasn't drafted, he campaigned for this job, and insisted that if we just elect him, There will be "Hope" and "Change"... but once again, the most unfair thing you can do to Obama is believe his own words.
2 people like this
6 responses
@BalthasarTheRat (656)
• United States
18 Aug 11
You have to be careful with that "In Obama's defense" stuff. You'll get banned from MyLot for saying something like that if some people had their way!
All great points though. Obama has not been a boon to the economy and has barely been a band-aid.
What I do find odd is the insistence that GW Bush had a great plan that was working. By lowering taxes and increasing Federal spending during a time when we had unprecedented positive budget projections was reckless. Had he held government at its 2000 level, with slight increases each year for cost of living and military expenditure, and kept the taxes at least close to where they were, the budget could have been balanced throughout his term, with an actual profit projected by now. Republicans could still have the White House and government could be continuing a gradual shrink with new tax breaks that were in line with a balanced budget. Instead he was swayed by the big projections into thinking he could allow Congress to continue buying their constiuencies' votes and still allow huge tax breaks. Denying these mistakes is worse than defending Obama, who will likely just go down as a "do nothing" President.
To further be fair to Obama (I know, against my own advice), He tried "Change" with the Medical reforms and America whined, and "Hope" is free to keep regardless what happens: to lose it is not his fault so long as he pretends to care. Alot of people still have hope that he will make a difference, perhaps even enough people to get him re-elected.
Scared yet?
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
18 Aug 11
The proof of Bush's policies is in the pudding. They did get us through the hits to our economy I cited. I'm not saying he did everything right, or sugar coating what he did wrong, but what worked, did work.
@GardenGerty (169426)
• United States
18 Aug 11
So many people forget how complex the situation is and that really the President is not able to wave a magic wand and get things going. He has to lead, and that is not what has happened. And he has to have congress follow, not jerk us off on tangents.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
18 Aug 11
I know Obama begged for the office and I resent him whining about it. He has no comprehension of what a budget is, how finances work. He has never had to stick to a budget or see the consequences of personal over spending, apparently, so he has no understanding of why the nation is in such a mess. And he REFUSES to listen to anyone who has any common sense advice on fixing the economy because he knows that would curtail spending.
So while I accept the fact that the economy was in a mess when he took office, I refuse to cut him any slack because he's had years to fix it and refuses to listen to good advice--because that advice goes against his apparently ingrained belief that money appears out of thin air and no one pays for it. "Government" is the good fairy with endless funds and Obama refuses to believe otherwise.
Then again, he may just be destroying our economy so he can make this a communist country. When enough people are starving and out of work they'll vote for anything they think can help them feed their children.
@o2bnocn (2992)
• United States
19 Aug 11
I understand and respect your opinion. All I really have to say on this matter is that Obama is looked at badly because we are in such a economic mess. There is no easy fix to the problem. The solution will take longer than people realize. Obama didn't create this mess, it was already this way when he went into office and a lot of people seem to forget that!
I have heard of people wanting to eagerly blame Obama for the economic issues. Some people are not going to like him no matter what he does while he is in office. You also have to remember that some people will never agree on politics. I don't generally like politics but I understand its important.
In my opinion Obama has done a good job. I may not agree with every little thing he does, but overall I like him. I don't care what other people's opinion about him are. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
19 Aug 11
The problem is though, none of his economic policies have shown any amount of success.
He is the one that said he could fix the problems with our economy, now HE is the one saying it's too hard.
While I don't blame him for the parts of the economy that have nothing to do with the president, I will hold him responsible for the parts that do... and I will expect him to accept the responsibilities that go with the job he wanted, and is already campaigning to keep.
Do you hold him responsible for anything?
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
18 Aug 11
I've answered a few discussion on 'politically correct' today here on myLot. We can say all the right things and still not mean the right things. Hope is NOT hope if there is no action behing it. It is an empty word of no meaning unless something is done to promote it. Rhetoric is empty if the words are spoken and not acted upon. Change is another empty word if the speaker means one thing and implies another. For instance, which direction is the change taking us? Just saying change does not mean it's for the good. It is my opinion that Obama did inherit a mess, but he's made it a worse mess than he started out with because he meant one thing, and we 'heard' another.
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
24 Aug 11
Dare I say it? Obama is not stupid. And the people surrounding him are not stupid. So, how does a smart administration make such STUPID moves? Deliberately?
@crossbones27 (52905)
• Mojave, California
20 Aug 11
While I agree with most of what you said. I think Obama's big mistake as far as the economy goes is that he went after health care instead of staying focused on the economy. I know the reason he went after healthcare was because the house and senate was controlled by Democrats. That was going to be the only time he would be able to pass it. I know Obama believed at that time that it would help with jobs because it would lower the costs for employers to provide healthcare for their employees. This giving them more money for hiring people. The problem with that is most of what he was able to pass don't take effect until years down the road. So it is not going to do our economy no good right now. Now that is what Obama believed at the time not me, before people decide to jump on me. I think he could of been able to pass a lot more job bills if he would of stayed focused on it, while the Democrats had control of everything. Whether they would of been effective or not is a different story. I would of been happy with him failing 99 times out of a 100 as long as that one thing was able to pull us out of this mess. Now once again congress is divided, so good luck getting anything done.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
20 Aug 11
Both work towards his goal of making the most people as dependent on the government as possible.
@crossbones27 (52905)
• Mojave, California
20 Aug 11
Well I guess if he Obama is trying to that then he is not as smart as people say he is. That would just make his job that much harder in the long run.
