"The people have given me political capital..."

[Captain Obvious]

"... and I intend to spend it".

Does anyone remember this line? I may have not quoted it perfectly, but essentially it's what GW said right after he was re-elected.

And political capital he did spend, but my point is - just imagine the confidence that Obama will have if he gets re-elected. Second and final term, you don't have to kiss anyone's asses - just like GW, you're virtually free to stretch the limits of your office.

[shaarona]

"... and I intend to spend it".

Does anyone remember this line? I may have not quoted it perfectly, but essentially it's what GW said right after he was re-elected.

And political capital he did spend, but my point is - just imagine the confidence that Obama will have if he gets re-elected. Second and final term, you don't have to kiss anyone's asses - just like GW, you're virtually free to stretch the limits of your office.

That's what Bush said Nov 30th 2004.

I agree that there would be a huge surge of confidence and energy.

[shaarona]

You asked, do I feel free. Let me put it to you this way: I earned capital in the campaign, political capital, and now I intend to spend it. It is my style. That’s what happened in the — after the 2000 election, I earned some capital. I’ve earned capital in this election — and I’m going to spend it for what I told the people I’d spend it on, which is — you’ve heard the agenda: Social Security and tax reform, moving this economy forward, education, fighting and winning the war on terror.

http://moderateleft.com/?p=5195

[Conley]

If Obama wins it will be interesting to see how different his second term is...on one hand he didnt seem that radical when he had the chance with the dem congress...i think congress will be repub for his second term so i doubt he will be able to do anything too crazy even if he wanted to. i expect more of the same dubya -> obama -> possibly romney none of them have really been that different.

[Smartmouthwoman]

Not to encourage the continued beating of this dead horse.... but American taxpayers DID get a nice little tax rebate check when GW Bush was in office. We've certainly gotten nothing like that from Barack so to say they're the same is incorrect. At least some of Bush's spending found it's way into our pockets.

[Conley]

Well, getting our tax money back in a rebate is not as good as never having had the taxes taken in the first place...so in my mind the extension of the Bush tax cuts is similar. obama attacked libya, bush attacked iraq, so yes, I will grant you the two are not exactly the same :grin: but the philosophy, growing of the government, expansion of executive powers, etc all keeps going on and on. romney will do it too if given the chance.

[Smartmouthwoman]

Well, getting our tax money back in a rebate is not as good as never having had the taxes taken in the first place...so in my mind the extension of the Bush tax cuts is similar. obama attacked libya, bush attacked iraq, so yes, I will grant you the two are not exactly the same :grin: but the philosophy, growing of the government, expansion of executive powers, etc all keeps going on and on. romney will do it too if given the chance.

Hmmm, not sure getting it taken away and NOT getting any of it back is a better outcome!

Point is... Obama's spent TRILLIONS of dollars and the avg American family hasn't seen a dime of it. It was all swallowed up by fat cat corporations and political scams in the name of 'green' energy.

Bush spent a lot of money, too... but part of it went to middle class Americans and part of it went to finance the $4 prescription program that made a world of difference to many low and fixed income citizens.

Whatever else you think about Bush, you can't deny those facts. And no matter what you think of Obama, you can't come up with a single program that's put a dime in Americans' pockets.

[KC]

Whatever else you think about Bush, you can't deny those facts. And no matter what you think of Obama, you can't come up with a single program that's put a dime in Americans' pockets.


Cash 4 clunkers
The extension of unemployment benefits
The tax cuts he's passed for many American families (http://ctj.org/pdf/truthaboutobamataxcuts.pdf)
The expansion of the student loans under President Obama

Whether or not you agree with these programs is one thing, but they do all represent programs that have at least in part put cash into Americans' pockets.

[Smartmouthwoman]

Cash 4 clunkers
The extension of unemployment benefits
The tax cuts he's passed for many American families (http://ctj.org/pdf/truthaboutobamataxcuts.pdf)
The expansion of the student loans under President Obama
Whether or not you agree with these programs is one thing, but they do all represent programs that have at least in part put cash into Americans' pockets.


Now that's funny. Cash 4 Clunkers gave folks new cars they'll be paying for at least the next 5 years... payments they didn't have before Uncle Sam waved a carrot under their noses to help out their fat cat buddies in the auto industry.

None so blind as those who refuse to see.

[KC]

Now that's funny. Cash 4 Clunkers gave folks new cars they'll be paying for at least the next 5 years... payments they didn't have before Uncle Sam waved a carrot under their noses to help out their fat cat buddies in the auto industry.

None so blind as those who refuse to see.

Cash for clunkers gave people money in the form of a rebate, if I'm not mistaken. My response was to your challenge to name programs that put money in the hands of Americans. By definition this would count.

I'm not supportive of that program, and it may certainly be true that it was only passed in order to satisfy special interests in the auto industry. I don't think there are any federal laws that are passed without satisfying the various moneyed interests.

[Captain Obvious]

The key isn't giving people money for doing nothing, it's giving people opportunities to be productive and earn their keep.

It's a win-win situation. All Obama did is buy popularity.

[roadmaster]

Cash 4 clunkers
The extension of unemployment benefits
The tax cuts he's passed for many American families (http://ctj.org/pdf/truthaboutobamataxcuts.pdf)
The expansion of the student loans under President Obama

Whether or not you agree with these programs is one thing, but they do all represent programs that have at least in part put cash into Americans' pockets.

All failures.

[Akula]

Cash 4 clunkers
The extension of unemployment benefits
The tax cuts he's passed for many American families (http://ctj.org/pdf/truthaboutobamataxcuts.pdf)
The expansion of the student loans under President Obama

Whether or not you agree with these programs is one thing, but they do all represent programs that have at least in part put cash into Americans' pockets.

Cash for clunkers has been addressed.

Extended unemployment?
You say that puts money in american pockets? Maybe unionized government employees who administer the program.

First of all, unemployment payments come from SOMEWHERE you know. The government disburses it. There is only one place the government gets money from. Want to guess?
Second, unemployment "benefits" are taxable income. Think about that.

You say student loans "put cash in peoples pockets"? Really?
Go ahead and explain how, if you would?

[KC]

Cash for clunkers has been addressed.

Extended unemployment?
You say that puts money in american pockets? Maybe unionized government employees who administer the program.

First of all, unemployment payments come from SOMEWHERE you know. The government disburses it. There is only one place the government gets money from. Want to guess?
Second, unemployment "benefits" are taxable income. Think about that.

You say student loans "put cash in peoples pockets"? Really?
Go ahead and explain how, if you would?

You have completely mistaken the nature of my post. My point was that not all of the money being spent is going directly into the hands of corporations, as smartie had suggested, but that much of it has gone to people. I'm not commenting on the success of these programs.

I realize that unemployment benefits come from payments by employees/employers. When you extend benefits, however, you are extending them past the normal time they would expire. That requires additional spending, and the money goes to the pockets of the previously employed.

I was refferring to subsidized student loans, which help students out in the short run. Federal grants and FAFSA benefits also certainly put money into people's pockets.

Again, my intention is not to support the president's record, just to point out the inherent flaw in the claim that none of the money spent by the federal government during his time in office has been gone to Americans.

Sheesh.

[Dispondent]

If the plan is for the future how do we pay for the present? Oh, that wasn't addressed... Got it...

[Cigar]

That's what Bush said Nov 30th 2004.

I agree that there would be a huge surge of confidence and energy.

...and we have the Debit to prove it. :)

Thank you George, enjoy your retirement, because you fucked a lot of others.

[Akula]

You have completely mistaken the nature of my post. My point was that not all of the money being spent is going directly into the hands of corporations, as smartie had suggested, but that much of it has gone to people. I'm not commenting on the success of these programs.


I realize that unemployment benefits come from payments by employees/employers. When you extend benefits, however, you are extending them past the normal time they would expire. That requires additional spending, and the money goes to the pockets of the previously employed.

I was refferring to subsidized student loans, which help students out in the short run. Federal grants and FAFSA benefits also certainly put money into people's pockets.

Again, my intention is not to support the president's record, just to point out the inherent flaw in the claim that none of the money spent by the federal government during his time in office has been gone to Americans.

Sheesh.

Those programs do not put "cash in people's pockets", which is what you said it did.
I don't need your explanation of how unemployment money is disbursed. You are saying that government spending is putting unemployment benefits in people's pocket...where does the government get this money they like to give away? It was seized from other people under threat of jail if they didn't comply.

Same thing with student loans and especially federal "grants' You realize a grant doesn't have to be paid back...in essence "free money".....You correctly said "subsidized"..Subsidized by whom? Where does the money come from?
It was seized from other people under threat of jail.
The government doesn't have any money. The only money they have to "redistribute" comes from money taken from other people.
The only way the government can take money away from people legally is by taxes.

Those programs only put money in unionized federal employees pockets who administer the funds through the various government agencies and bureaus...and you know who pays THEIR salaries and where the money comes from, right?

"sheesh", indeed.

[Mainecoons]

A "subsidized" student loan isn't even a handout unless it is forgiven or defaulted as many of them are destined to be. Like the disastrous progressive housing subsidies that put people with no steady jobs and not a clue how to take care of a home into one, these loan programs have resulted in a bunch of retards going to colleges that wouldn't even compete with the high school I went to and taking junk courses of no value in the job market that mainly serve to brainwash them into leftism. Sitting in mom's basement or working jobs that barely enable them to pay rent on dive apartments, the "lucky" recipients of this stupidity aren't going to be repaying anything.

Liberals never learn.

[Akula]

A "subsidized" student loan isn't even a handout unless it is forgiven or defaulted as many of them are destined to be. Like the disastrous progressive housing subsidies that put people with no steady jobs and not a clue how to take care of a home into one, these loan programs have resulted in a bunch of retards going to colleges that wouldn't even compete with the high school I went to and taking junk courses of no value in the job market that mainly serve to brainwash them into leftism. Sitting in mom's basement or working jobs that barely enable them to pay rent on dive apartments, the "lucky" recipients of this stupidity aren't going to be repaying anything.



Exactly right. I didn't even think of that part, but it's very true.
Good catch.

[Goldie Locks]

Cash for clunkers gave people money in the form of a rebate, if I'm not mistaken. My response was to your challenge to name programs that put money in the hands of Americans. By definition this would count.

I'm not supportive of that program, and it may certainly be true that it was only passed in order to satisfy special interests in the auto industry. I don't think there are any federal laws that are passed without satisfying the various moneyed interests.


Where did the government get that money for the rebates to some people??? Hint: The taxpayer. Where do you think the federal government gets its money from???
It was just another redistribution of wealth.
It took from the taxpayer money from one and gave to another. It took from people like me, who did not participate in the program and gave to those who did.

[Deadwood]

Cash 4 clunkers
The extension of unemployment benefits
The tax cuts he's passed for many American families (http://ctj.org/pdf/truthaboutobamataxcuts.pdf)
The expansion of the student loans under President Obama

Whether or not you agree with these programs is one thing, but they do all represent programs that have at least in part put cash into Americans' pockets.

OK, let's accept that those programs DID put some $ in people's pockets...


But what did it do TO the American people in the end...

The cash for clunkers program created jobs in car plants in Germany, Japan and South Korea.

Extending unemployment benefits led to less job creation....

And the list goes on...


Interesting that the only examples you can come up with were disasters of the first order.

[KC]

OK, let's accept that those programs DID put some $ in people's pockets...


But what did it do TO the American people in the end...

The cash for clunkers program created jobs in car plants in Germany, Japan and South Korea.

Extending unemployment benefits led to less job creation....

And the list goes on...


Interesting that the only examples you can come up with were disasters of the first order.

Hey, I didn't make the programs. That was done by elites in the federal government.

I would defend the tax cuts though.