How would you fix the economy and budget issues?

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by 12thMan

And I gotta say the idea that there's some magic unemployment number that will sink President Obama's chances of getting re-elected is nonsense. It's going to be hard no matter what. But it's going to much more difficult, in my opinion, for the GOP nominee to convince the American people that things would have been appreciably better under his/her stewardship. Obama sucks. Obama failed, Obama's a socialist ain't gonna fly in a general election.

So I wouldn't hang my hat on every little economic indicator, poll, statistic, or whatever in an attempt to gauge the president's re-election prospects. INo doubt the economy will be the main issue, but t's going to be a tough slog either way.

I agree with this.

The real interesting thing coming out of this debt ceiling debate is that spending cuts are coming as a result. A lot of spending cuts, reportedly $1.0 trillion being discussed so far, with the Republicans pushing for more.

When the specifics come out as to what programs are being axed, the Republicans are going to be challenged to defend their stance that the wealthy should not keep certain tax breaks and deductions. Americans don't have a good feel for what $1.0 trillion in cuts really means. When they hear the specifics and realize that programs they rely on are taking a hit, it will then be on the republicans to explain why the rich should keep their hedge fund tax deductions while education funding, for example, has to take a hit.

Obama will have plenty of ammo to fire back with.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by 12thMan

The numbers indeed came from the White House, but the Weekly Standard did the number crunching. Google Bill Kristol if you want to know how much the Weekly Standard loves Obama.

Here's the White House's rebuttal: $278K per Stimulus Job? White House Says No. - Political Punch

Ok, we will use the numbers they want so it only cost us 180,000 for each job created. Sorry, I forgot we are not using the term jobs save or created anymore.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

I agree with this.

The real interesting thing coming out of this debt ceiling debate is that spending cuts are coming as a result. A lot of spending cuts, reportedly $1.0 trillion being discussed so far, with the Republicans pushing for more.

When the specifics come out as to what programs are being axed, the Republicans are going to be challenged to defend their stance that the wealthy should not keep certain tax breaks and deductions. Americans don't have a good feel for what $1.0 trillion in cuts really means. When they hear the specifics and realize that programs they rely on are taking a hit, it will then be on the republicans to explain why the rich should keep their hedge fund tax deductions while education funding, for example, has to take a hit.

Obama will have plenty of ammo to fire back with.

I agree thye Rep. have to agree to raise the taxes on the rich even if they believe it will hurt the economy.

[itvnetop]

Pro 14th

No 14th

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by 12thMan

And I gotta say the idea that there's some magic unemployment number that will sink President Obama's chances of getting re-elected is nonsense. It's going to be hard no matter what. But it's going to much more difficult, in my opinion, for the GOP nominee to convince the American people that things would have been appreciably better under his/her stewardship. Obama sucks. Obama failed, Obama's a socialist ain't gonna fly gonna fly in a general election.

So I wouldn't hang my hat on every little economic indicator, poll, statistic, or whatever in an attempt to gauge the president's re-election prospects. No doubt the economy will be the main issue, but it's going to be a tough slog either way.

Well I'd say if the numbers keep going the wrong way all the rep. have to do is play Obama's words about how unemployment will not go over 8%. Then play him talking about creating jobs then show how he was totaly wrong. His 4 yrs has been all about the economy and creating jobs and so far what he has done has not worked. Two years back he could blame Bush but that has grown old on the American people and will be even older a year from now when he is still blaming Bush.

[12thMan]

First, you could run a campaign my friend because that's all the Republicans having been hammering Obama with, and rightfully so. You're also right that the WH oversold the stimulus in that they tried to attach a specific metric to gauge the success or failure of a fiscal policy. Dumb, dumb, dumb!

That said, the election will come down to a choice between candidates not ONLY what the rate of unemployment is. Remember the jokers running for president have their own records to defend, among other things, on the economy. If Obama can come out of the debt negotiations with some sort of compromise/solution, I believe that will help him.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by 12thMan

First, you could run a campaign my friend because that's all the Republicans having been hammering Obama with, and rightfully so. You're also right that the WH oversold the stimulus in that they tried to attach a specific metric to gauge the success or failure of a fiscal policy. Dumb, dumb, dumb!

That said, the election will come down to a choice between candidates not ONLY what the rate of unemployment is. Remember the jokers running for president have their own records to defend, among other things, on the economy. If Obama can come out of the debt negotiations with some sort of compromise/solution, I believe that will help him.

I could never run for office or a campaign. The back ground check would be an issue and I'm not politically correct ( I'd have a George Allen event) and I'd say someting that would get me in trouble.

Solution
That's the problem. There is no real solution on the table and they are only looking for a quick patch job that has been done over and over again by both sides. You also say the WH over sold the stimulas and your totaly wrong. They sold what they believed would happen by throwing around a bunch of money and it did not work as many said from the start. Its called flawd thinking that was the problem. A stimulas tax break would have actually put money into the people pocket and not into the pocket of unions and others Obama wanted to pay back for their support.

To add to his problem is the fact that in the next 6 months that stimulas money will run out for a bunch of states and cities that have avoided laying off employees. Just in Chesapeake Va the school system received around 50 million in stimulas money which runs out soon and they have no way to replace those funds. Thats just one city and no telling the thousands and thousands of cities that have the same problem.

See Obama told them the money had to be spent in two years thinking that the ecomony would be beter in two years an its not. It going to get worse before it gets better.

[firstdown]

I'd not pay my bills and rack up fines like Obama. It just gets better with each new day.

http://politisite.com/2011/07/19/oba...-from-the-law/

[GMScud]

Anyone watch the speech by Big O tonight? Talk about "poll tested words," scare tactics, and bumper sticker rhetoric. Ugh. All he cares about is 2012. Does anyone really have faith in his leadership at this point? Where's the freaking accountability? Can he take responsibility for anything? Still dragging Bush through the mud? For real? Boehner didn't exactly hit a home run either. We're in real trouble.

As far as 2012 goes, Captain Change is losing independents in droves and every time he opens his mouth his poll numbers go down. Makes me chuckle.

Put a damn balanced budget amendment in the Constitution. Continuing to borrow more than we bring in is such a damn embarrassing fail.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by GMScud

Anyone watch the speech by Big O tonight? Talk about "poll tested words," scare tactics, and bumper sticker rhetoric. Ugh. All he cares about is 2012. Does anyone really have faith in his leadership at this point? Where's the freaking accountability? Can he take responsibility for anything? Still dragging Bush through the mud? For real? Boehner didn't exactly hit a home run either. We're in real trouble.

As far as 2012 goes, Captain Change is losing independents in droves and every time he opens his mouth his poll numbers go down. Makes me chuckle.

Put a damn balanced budget amendment in the Constitution. Continuing to borrow more than we bring in is such a damn embarrassing fail.

To be fair spending has been a fail on both sides. What Obama does not understand is that the national dept is the new topic that everyone is concerned about so he needs to address the issue. He does not want to deal with the issue becasue he feels it was a problem that was not of his making so he wants to push it aside. Well its not going away like imigration was the hot issue a few years back. He has no experience and it shows.

[Beemnseven]

It still seems to be me that not enough blame has been pinned on the endless, unwinnable wars and military spending in general. It's the sacred cow of Republicans, so I don't expect any help from them. But I'm not hearing Democrats offering much more than lip service to the idea.

The Iraq war alone has figures that reach the 1 trillion dollar mark. If we don't fundamentally change our approach to foreign policy, stop attacking countries that never did anything to us, and give up this worldwide military empire, the debt and the deficit problems aren't going anywhere.

[Daseal]

Originally Posted by Beemnseven

It still seems to be me that not enough blame has been pinned on the endless, unwinnable wars and military spending in general. It's the sacred cow of Republicans, so I don't expect any help from them. But I'm not hearing Democrats offering much more than lip service to the idea.

The Iraq war alone has figures that reach the 1 trillion dollar mark. If we don't fundamentally change our approach to foreign policy, stop attacking countries that never did anything to us, and give up this worldwide military empire, the debt and the deficit problems aren't going anywhere.

Exactly. You want to win a war now days? Use economic force to play hardball. That's what China has started doing and it has been quite effective. It's time to a) stop jumping into conflicts. Bombs, planes, guns, soldiers, contractors, etc are very expensive. We seem to act as the world police. That needs to stop. We need to invest less in weapons and manpower. The average military grunt may get a low paycheck -- but he costs the taxpayers a bundle and quite honestly, is starting to become less and less necessary.

The above paragraph aren't my own thoughts, that is nearly exactly what my professor, a retired Air Force General, said last semester. I just happen to share them.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by Beemnseven

It still seems to be me that not enough blame has been pinned on the endless, unwinnable wars and military spending in general. It's the sacred cow of Republicans, so I don't expect any help from them. But I'm not hearing Democrats offering much more than lip service to the idea.

The Iraq war alone has figures that reach the 1 trillion dollar mark. If we don't fundamentally change our approach to foreign policy, stop attacking countries that never did anything to us, and give up this worldwide military empire, the debt and the deficit problems aren't going anywhere.

I would back 100% us pulling our troops out of 90% of the places we have them all over the world. I'm for a strong military but what we have is way more then what we need.

[saden1]

Originally Posted by GMScud

Anyone watch the speech by Big O tonight? Talk about "poll tested words," scare tactics, and bumper sticker rhetoric. Ugh. All he cares about is 2012. Does anyone really have faith in his leadership at this point? Where's the freaking accountability? Can he take responsibility for anything? Still dragging Bush through the mud? For real? Boehner didn't exactly hit a home run either. We're in real trouble.

As far as 2012 goes, Captain Change is losing independents in droves and every time he opens his mouth his poll numbers go down. Makes me chuckle.

Put a damn balanced budget amendment in the Constitution. Continuing to borrow more than we bring in is such a damn embarrassing fail.

I'm not sure it's just Obama that's looking bad in the eyes of most.

As for the putting "a damn balanced budget amendment in the Constitution" one has to wonder two things...1) Why didn't the GOP make the proposal while in full command of the country? 2) What is the likelihood of such an amendment passing both houses with just a straight up and down vote (remember, it requires 2/3 vote to pass), the president's desk (veto anyone?), and then being ratified by the 2/3 of the states?

What a fantastic magic show the GOP has put on with their fanciful gimmicks and slight of hands. They must be doing something right if you lot have this much faith in them.

Bravo!

[12thMan]

Obama's polls numbers are solid. The only voters he's losing in droves is the Tea Party.

I was coming out of pub a few days ago and walked right past Eric Cantor. I almost hurled my Jameson back up. Pathetic.