Rebuild our Economy

[Greebo]

You're kidding, right?

Bush was flamed for being in a kindergarten reading to kids when the towers were hit. Bush was flamed for not stopping immediately and leaving when he got word of the first impact (mind you we ALL thought that #1 hitting was an accident). If Bush had shown that he could have walked on water, the papers would have headlined "BUSH CAN'T SWIM".

If you think there aren't any rabid fanatics on the Democrat side of the aisle, you've got blinders on. BOTH parties have their fanatics and walking embarrassments to their causes.

[Luckybustert]

You misunderstood what I wrote.

You read that I said that all Republicans are racist. If that were true, that would have made me a racist.

What I actually said was that there are some very racist and vocal people who are aligned with the Republican party, and I do not want to belong to a political party that accepts them and encourages them by appearing on their talk shows and promoting their books. That's just one of my larger problems with the GOP. Another issue that I have with them is the hypocrisy of running on a "family values" and "Christian values" platform, and then blocking any effort to reform the health care system.

I'm sorry for the misunderstanding.

Thank you for clarifying that; I did not see the word "some" in your earlier post. I feel there are more than enough examples of hypocrisy and racism to be found on BOTH sides of the aisle. I'll give you an example. I work for a government agency and a member of Obama's transition team gave a presentation at my workplace. The presentation began with an overview of the administration's agenda and then went into a segment on the demographics of those who voted for Obama. When it got to my particular age group, she noted that the large percentage of those in my age group voted for him and were college-educated (they were "intelligent"). She went on to say that (her words) those who didn't vote for him were what they call "the Bubba vote"....and it was VERY clear she meant the white, racist, uneducated redneck vote. I didn't vote for Obama, so guess which group I'm supposedly a card-carrying member of? It's unfortunate. Being bi-racial, I feel Obama had a golden opportunity to promote harmony between the black and white races. I also think he's blown that opportunity by using the race card when it's to his political advantage and by displaying some racist tendencies himself. I believe some of the efforts to block health reform that you speak of may be related to abortion coverage? If so, I would say those politicians who were elected on a "family values" or "Christian values" platform are in alignment with that particular platform if they vote against a measure that includes it. They were elected on a platform which is clearly anti-abortion. Personally, I have a huge problem with politicians on both sides of the aisle who try to use each others' sex lives to malign. I don't care that a politician is cheating on his wife, cruising for gay sex, likes to dress in women's underwear....these "scandals" serve no purpose but to publically humiliate political rivals and to distract from the work they should be doing. Has anyone taken a look at what Congress makes an hour when you break it down? I think that would be very interesting to know. As a government employee, I have a real hard spot that we are contiually expected to do more and more with less and less, work harder and faster, make sure our work is done before we can go on vacation and have to make arrangements to ensure it doesn't fall behind while we're gone, but up the food chain Congress is not held to the same standards. I don't care what party they are....bills should be read and understood before voting on them. Anything less is both incompetent and irresponsible. Work should be done in a timely manner and without so many vacations, especially the taxpayer-funded ones. I view all of our Congress, both Republicans AND Democrats, to be grossly overpaid, underworked, and full of hot air. Term limits, anyone?

[NikoSan999]

I don't care what party they are....bills should be read and understood before voting on them. Anything less is both incompetent and irresponsible. Work should be done in a timely manner and without so many vacations, especially the taxpayer-funded ones. I view all of our Congress, both Republicans AND Democrats, to be grossly overpaid, underworked, and full of hot air. Term limits, anyone?

Count me as a yes on all of the above. Ideas anyone?

[littleplum]

You're kidding, right?

Bush was flamed for being in a kindergarten reading to kids when the towers were hit. Bush was flamed for not stopping immediately and leaving when he got word of the first impact (mind you we ALL thought that #1 hitting was an accident). If Bush had shown that he could have walked on water, the papers would have headlined "BUSH CAN'T SWIM".

If you think there aren't any rabid fanatics on the Democrat side of the aisle, you've got blinders on. BOTH parties have their fanatics and walking embarrassments to their causes.

I didn't say that there weren't rabid fanatical Democrats/liberals. I said that the liberal commentators never made racist and hateful comments about FL Bush the way that certain Republican commentators have about FL Obama.

And I'm well aware of the racism in the Democrat party (i.e. "Barack the Magic Negro"). I did not leave the GOP for the Democrat party. Or any other party for that matter. I just can't get behind even 75% of what any one party espouses, so I'm partyless. My husband and his entire family and all our friends (save one) are Republican, so it makes for interesting conversation in which I am accused of criticizing unfairly with "blinders on".

So, anyway - Obama is not telling Americans to spend their way out of the recession. He is telling the banks to loosen up their grip on the money and start lending to small and medium businesses again, so they can rehire some laid off people, who can then start buying the necessities and a few luxuries again, thus leading to more hiring, etc. Obviously, the way that the economy recovers is by people going out and circulating money in the economy, but Obama is not proposing that people run up credit card debt in that speech.

And as for the comment that Bush only signed that bill because Obama asked him...Bush is a grown man and at that time had been president for just about 8 years (give or take a few days). It was ultimately his decision to sign the bill or not, and I think it is ridiculous to try and put the blame on Obama for Bush signing the bill. Bush has never been as fiscally conservative as I thought he would be when I cast votes for his electors, and he has been far more socially conservative than I ever imagined he would be.

And Obama didn't ask for this, either: http://www.cnbc.com/id/22725685

[littleplum]

Thank you for clarifying that; I did not see the word "some" in your earlier post.

That's because I didn't write the word some. I proof read, but I missed that, because I knew what I meant. There was an implied "some". I guess I need to be more careful and make sure that it's super-duper clear.

I feel there are more than enough examples of hypocrisy and racism to be found on BOTH sides of the aisle. I'll give you an example. I work for a government agency and a member of Obama's transition team gave a presentation at my workplace. The presentation began with an overview of the administration's agenda and then went into a segment on the demographics of those who voted for Obama. When it got to my particular age group, she noted that the large percentage of those in my age group voted for him and were college-educated (they were "intelligent"). She went on to say that (her words) those who didn't vote for him were what they call "the Bubba vote"....and it was VERY clear she meant the white, racist, uneducated redneck vote.

That's pretty classist, but I wouldn't call it racism.

I didn't vote for Obama, so guess which group I'm supposedly a card-carrying member of?

I have no idea. Did she call you "bubba"?[

It's unfortunate. Being bi-racial, I feel Obama had a golden opportunity to promote harmony between the black and white races. I also think he's blown that opportunity by using the race card when it's to his political advantage and by displaying some racist tendencies himself.

I agree he has done that, however, if certain people would stop making racist personal attacks, he'd have no ammo. Wouldn't you agree?

I believe some of the efforts to block health reform that you speak of may be related to abortion coverage? If so, I would say those politicians who were elected on a "family values" or "Christian values" platform are in alignment with that particular platform if they vote against a measure that includes it. They were elected on a platform which is clearly anti-abortion.

There are some who are (and have been since the beginning) adamantly opposed to any kind of health care reform. Instead of presenting their own solutions, all I hear about is opposition to anything the Democrats present.

Personally, I have a huge problem with politicians on both sides of the aisle who try to use each others' sex lives to malign. I don't care that a politician is cheating on his wife, cruising for gay sex, likes to dress in women's underwear....these "scandals" serve no purpose but to publically humiliate political rivals and to distract from the work they should be doing.

I agree.

Has anyone taken a look at what Congress makes an hour when you break it down? I think that would be very interesting to know. As a government employee, I have a real hard spot that we are contiually expected to do more and more with less and less, work harder and faster, make sure our work is done before we can go on vacation and have to make arrangements to ensure it doesn't fall behind while we're gone, but up the food chain Congress is not held to the same standards. I don't care what party they are....bills should be read and understood before voting on them. Anything less is both incompetent and irresponsible. Work should be done in a timely manner and without so many vacations, especially the taxpayer-funded ones. I view all of our Congress, both Republicans AND Democrats, to be grossly overpaid, underworked, and full of hot air. Term limits, anyone?

I agree.

We agree on a lot more than you might think.