D. Owings….. are you losing your mind, Person… or have you been living under a ROCK for the last 8 years? Clinton left us a good healthy economy. He cleaned up Reagan's mess first! Now Obama is going to have to clean up Bush's MEGA mess! Trickle down economics does NOT work! Your man and your party got us INTO this mess! Now…. you lost, so sit back and let Obama and Company fix it. Republicans are NOT qualified to fix the mess THEY got us into!

You lost…. suck it up…. and admit your guys screwed the economy up in the name of MONEY! They surely ALL got Rich in the process!! Seriously….. wait a minute…..

Hold on…..
CINDY… GIRL, is that YOU AGAIN? Sheesh…. give it a break! Your hubby lost…. you can stop fighting! It's over, girl… it's over! Seriously!

People really need to STOP talking to/leaking information to the Press/Media. CNN, why don't you and the rest of the MSM focus on what's happening with the people of this country? Why not illuminate for all what is actually happening to individuals, families and businesses across the country; who is struggling, who is having to do without AND those who are doing just fine (and especially those who are complaining about losing their unneeded tax breaks, such as yourselves); instead of focusing on your "scoops" from unnamed sources on who is going to be in Pres-Elect Obama's Cabinet & administration? What's going on with the "fat cat" CEOs & executives that have driven corporations into the ground, gambled away jobs, savings and pensions, ruined our economy, left the bill and clean-up to the tax payer, but are still receiving multi-million dollar pay and bonuses? How are our troops doing in Afghanistan? What's happening to our veterans once they return home? How are they doing? What kind of withdrawal agreement did Pres Bush make w/Iraq? How in the world did you (the MSM) allow the current administration to screw things up so bad without forewarning/informing the American public? What happened to effective investigative reporting? What responsibilities do you hold in the mess we find ourselves as a country these days? Where are the analyses and discussions on these important issues? Leave Pres-Elect Obama in peace to build his Cabinet & Administration and develop his plans for our country and simply REPORT his appointments AS HE ANNOUNCES THEM, then conduct your discussions and analyses! For heaven's sake, make yourselves relevant and return to some level of professionalism, especially after your exceptionally poor performance throughout the campaign.

I voted for Dems because I was looking for someone to bail me out of 6 years of unemployment and not being qualified for benefits.
because my company had the right in my state to fire without motive, and to say what they want about you to other employers. so they said to many of us: if you resign we give you a good recommendation for any other company, organized 2 job fairs with other companies to "help us find a job" and thus got rid of us without any obligation to unemployment.

they took the jobs to india and philipines. This has been going on in Jacksonville FL for at least 5 years.

What is a stimulus package based on 2007 tax going to do for me if I don't have a w2 for this period?

There are many people like me who have worked and paid taxes, but have now fallen out of the system, millions of us. We need a bail out, NOT THE CEOs.

I second a comment above.
Just WHERE is any stimulus coming from.
Is it running the printing presses (which destroys my non inflation geared wage and my hard earned savings), or is it more borrowing from the Chinese (which undermines this countries independence). Oh wait, I forgot….bankrupt companies/countries have to grab any opportunity that presents itself.

President elect Obama has a good plan and a strong team that I believe can get the job done. But we shouldn't have to babysit the Big 3 and Citigroup. The markets go up and overnight are back where they started. The Obama administration should find the internal problem on why this keeps happening. If we are able to afford a stimulus we should put the plan in affect but with internal investigation on high scale C.E.O.s and thier businesses.

To the moderators,

I'm not sure what you want me to say on my posts. Surely, I'm not attacking other posters, maybe some of the information threads.

Tell me, do I have to say something totally out of line, or are you telling me to stay away from your blog? It seems every time I comment on a post it is under moderation. Besides, I really like Countdown with Keith Olbermann & Rachel Maddow show. For CNN, I like Nancy Grace and D.L. Hughley.

Does it really matter how much it costs?? We are in dire straits right now and to do nothing would be a bigger disaster. Let the man and his people try to work this out before we start crucifying him. I'm sure the republicans will have a lot to say about the cost, but nothing to say about their spending etc that got us in this mess. I for one and behind our new President all the way.

Its interesting that some say the republicans left the mess when the Democrats controlled the house and the senate. Even more interesting is how the country rallied after our country was attacked on our own soil and how only a few years later, when it hits them in the pocketbook, they start complaining.

it is also interesting that most of the foreclosure mess was made by unscrupulous bankers and fools who took out mortgages they knew they couldn't afford. They were hoping housing costs would continue rising – which runs contrary to the rules of supply and demand.

It is always easy to point fingers at others but it is much more difficult to look at what you could have or shouldn't have done.

I couldn't help but laugh when I looked at the comment from "Cynthia – Arkansas". Seems to me she has no clue what got us in this mess. It was the Democratic votes that gave you affordable houses 10 years ago. It was the republicans that 2 times tried to roll that back, saying it would kill the market. It never did add up, as much as we all want a person working at the 7/11 to own his own house from a finacial standpoint it was never going to work. People are not listening, we have not even STARTED to see the financial mess this caused. Obama isn't going to fix this, he can't … You can print all the money you want, but when the world no longer takes your money then you can do no good anywhere. There was only one way to fix this mess, and both the republicans NOR the democrats want to take that step.

I believe anyone who makes over $150,000 a year should be excluded from the stimulus money. Those are the ones who would only sock the money away and not spend it, while everyone else would spend the money and help the economy. If there was a cap on who received the stimulus money, that would leave more for the ones who desperately need it and would spend it.

I fear our country will go under before Bush leaves office. He simply dosen't care anymore.
Once Obama is sworn in we need to back him fully – he has the country at heart and will do whatever is necessary to pull us out of this horrible mess that the republicans made.

Wait for what? we need help…….Bush does not care if we are going to have jobs after He leaves office in January. I appreciate Obama at least is moving forward to look for alternatives. I'm one of the persons affected by this mess……and I don't see any hope righ now.

there's a huge money tree that is growing in the back of the white house! They can get all the money they need from that! No worries!!

Is it just me, or does it truly seem impossible for a politician to actually talk without using BS jargon and buzzwords.

Here's some buzzwords for the Washington Elite…. you are All Hat and No Cattle

If it ends that Clinton isn't sec. of state I would think that somebody like kissenger or powell would be a good choice.

I'd love to see Obama's balance sheet for how he cuts taxes, provides a stimulus package, and universal health care all while cutting the deficit.

You gotta thank the Chinese for funding our stimulus package.

Until a tax structure like the one FDR put in place to pull this country out of economic collapse and possible marxist insurrection, we will be borrowing from China, Japan, Russia, -beginning to see a pattern here?

We will collapse from within unless we start breaking the trusts and taxing the plutocracies of America, and start issuing levies against goods manufactured in foreign lands by "American" (in name only) companies.

Has everyone forgotten that Obama is not yet the President?? I know we all can hardly wait until he is, but there is nothing he can do at this point but make plans at this point. His teams of excellent appointees are working hard on plans and especially on the economic stimulus package as his first priority.
Obama will deliver when he is President.

You saw how Bush threw a little fit today when Obama announced his economic plan and broad outlines of what his team was working on. The stock market responded with record-breaking gains after Obama's speech. Bush went running to the White House lawn whining how he was still the President. Maybe if he had cared so much about being the President, he would have actually done something other than start an illegal war in Iraq and then hide in the White House for the rest of his term while the nation fell apart.

I can't wait to send the moron back to Texas. He has been the worst and most disgraceful President in our history. Good riddance!

Why are we still paying Bush and Paulson to continue to mess up. CNN please talk positive the more positive you are American will respond if you keep going at the rate that you are with reporting negative things about our government you will be in the soup line with everyone else. This is no bias,no bull.

He isn't surrounding himself with the best and the brightest. He is surrounding himself with the same old. I suggest everyone get Economics in One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt.

It sounds like a good plan but what I've been seeing with these bailouts is wall street closes on a good note but I'll wake up and see the market down again. Does the government seriously have to babysit these large scale C.E.O.s through every step they take to save this economy? Hopefully the Obama administration can put this plan into action only with spending probation for the big 3 and other companies in need of bailouts.

i feel the stimulas pkg has to be big enough to make a differance the last was meaningless had no impact at all what about giving ea family 10,000.00 to pay their mortgages and other debt that would mean something to the people and help stimulate the economy much more dont you think thank you.

as much as i need money to save my house from foreclosure; i strongly disagree with a plan to print more money out of thin air, and devalue the dollar even further.

the federal reserve is out of control…who regulates the feds?

This "mess" took longer than 8 years to make. President Bush gets far more blame than he deserves. It's easy for Democrats to throw rocks, but remember how little power the president has and how much the democrats have wielded during the past 8 years. Also, please note that this is a global crisis, not just a US one. Every continent and every nation is feeling it and national leaders around the world are meeting and taking action. Yes, a US President should have done more to intervene early, but George W. Bush doesn't deserve the blame he is getting. Lay off please.

Your tax dollars at work. People should be outraged.

1 IT would seem to me that the US needs a stimulus package without raising the deficit.

2 We need a stimulus to help buisness and low income Americans deal with the holiday seasons.

3 Send out the earn income credits early Based on 2007 tax return.

4 You can easily do this because all the information is already in the tax information.

5 There are several different ways to do this mathematically
A. You could retrieve all money back from 2008 tax return
B. Or you could charge percentage of that back in a 5 or 10 years period at 10 or 20 percent. This would keep the stimulus on going. In the tax payers can retreat all there money back.

Thanks
Tonya

More meat on the stimulus plan…Must be the Thanksgiving holiday coming. Don't forget the cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie, among others.

A lot of people hungry on the Hill, I fancy.

It's all over the news as to where the money will come from. It could be as musc as $700 million more to fund Obama's stimulous plan. I thought he campaigned on "Change". Nothing he has said or tried to do even though he's not formally been sworn in is in tume with what he campaigned on.

Gisele, you are naive. Let's all panick and bring in the Messiah. We have seen how the stock market has reacted to the Messiah's election.

And Cynthia, the huge mess is left by the democrats who headed fannie and freddie for the past two years and refused to increase regulation and who refused to stop lending money to people who couldn't afford to repay it. Why don't you read up on Barnie Frank and Chris Dodd, and see how well they handled their responsibilities the past two years. Also, notice how those in charge of the large banks are now on Obama's team.

Are people really this retarted?

Money? What money? Hopefully we can create lots and lots of jobs and we can ALL volunteer to pay LOTS of taxes to help America. We need to stop being GREEDY and think about FREEDOM and pay taxes!!! Have it my way, have anyone that voted for W TWICE, pay all the taxes…

How about this for a plan? Instead of flooding banks with cash from the top, why don't we by up mortgages in trouble. Place a five year moritorium on those home owners refinancing or selling, this will flood the banks with cash from paid mortgages, allow time for the housing market to recover, and give relief to those strapped mortgage holders. A pay back to the government by those same home owners could be arranged. Bailing out banks or car makers is plain stupid.

Obama, light on specifics, no way!

To Gisele

Yes, this is 9/11 flavored with Katrina weather and the weather is STICKING around for a long time. Yes, we cant afford to WAIT!!! Obama really needs to declare a state of emergency and JUST take over the economy. It's really really serious. Think of a drunk patient and that patient crashed into a tree. There's no time to sit around.

Do whatever it takes…. we're behind you all the way.

How can we get rid of all the Democrats in Congress? The whole economic mess is their fault.

I would have to imagine they are planning on having the federal reserve conjure up more money out of thin air and cause more inflation. People will be like, they were the last stim pack – yay! money! but what they do not realize is that this will cause more inflation. People need to call their house rep and tell them to support house bill 2755 to abolish the Federal Reserve and get on a silver backed standard and keep the control with congress and the economy will recover quickly.

Bail outs means more misery for the rest of us.

WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING TO COME FROM?! WE DON'T HAVE ANY TO GIVE OUT LIKE THIS – NEVER DID!

As Armando said, where exactly are they getting this money? The taxpayers of course. Its not like we don't have enough problems and now they're trying to force even MORE money out of this? Great. Guess we have a fun time ahead of us.

The economic crisis is not the republicans fault. It's not the democrats fault. It is the voter's fault for allowing politicians to act the way that thet have for decades. To think that Obama is going to be any better than Bush is ridiculus.

Okay. So here's where we come in, folks. Starting January 21st. Having Election withdrawal? Here's where you write, call, e-mail your representatives and senators. Here's where WE step in and tell them THEY are not running this show. And if the Obama administration wants something done, and we think it's a good idea, then it by God better get done, or they'll be unemployed next time they run. And we can't give up, or stop calling. The end of the Bush administration has to mean the end of the silence of the citizenry. Seriously. THEY work for US. The nerve!

Armando – it is a moot point now – we could bury our heads in the sand and hope the problem goes away…..guess what it won't —- & it won't be pretty – but someone has to have the guts to say – well the very best we can do is this – along with some of the brightess people we have in this country – and even that won't be pretty) — Armando – are you an economist? are you a historian?? Do you know how it gots this way??? if so why don't you present your plan to Congress maybe YOU can bail us out of this mess – I'd like to hear what you would propose…..gosh darn I'm sure you have all the answers!!

Geithner is not change,just another crook from The Federal Reserve Bank.A bank that has no Competition and is run by underworld criminals and money changers that run the world.

Oh yeah I can't wait for the transition. The country will most likely fall harder into a recession. Let's keep spending money that we don't have… oh wait that's how it got started in the first place!

Although borrowing more money and increasing the national debt is always undesirable, there is not a lot of choices to jump start the economy the way it is. When money and resources are tied up in the hands of the few, there is not enough liquidity and thus no elasticity for the economy to operate. A major reason how any economy can operate is when resources are put in the hands of the majority where they can save and spend to make it elastic. In the hands of the few, resources cannot be spent fast enough, to make it liquid, once the economy is stalled.

It is a fine balance between enough and too much resource polarization in the hands of the few and the many. You have to be smart to figure out that oscillating balance. Of course, you can never accused the current administration of being smart.

I am glad that village in Texas is reclaiming its idiot!

If one looks back on their history books and looks at what was tried to solve the great depression of the 30's, one finds that all these were tried then. All of them failed. Economic stimulus – Failure. Governmental work programs – Failure. Big loans to banks and large business – Failure. I fear these will fail again this time…

What finally got the economy back on track was the war. Then the world started consuming again. Lets not go to war to solve this economic crisis, but lets get all nations to invest in a common cause, like worldwide food shortages, worldwide energy, something positive!

Obama does not have to be specific at this time; there can only be one President at a time. I think he is being absolutely smart in the content and amount of information provided to the press and the public. I personally don't mind knowing exactly what the plan is at this time. I can wait…I have confidence that whatever plan is put forth by the Obama administration will be beneficial to America as a whole.

This is George Bush's mess…he made his bed of thorns, now its time he lay on it. And yes, we as American's elected him twice (I didn't vote for the clown, but I am an American) so we must lay in our bed of thorns as well.

This mess is the George Bush Legacy. Let him and his cronies wallow in their misery until the very last day.

Until then, we as Americans need to think about how we can serve our country; how can we change our practices, our lifestyles, our way of thinking of others and work together to get out of this mess and bring our country back to a respectable postion in the world.

that's exactly what we need is a stimulus package for the working people of the U.S.

Have these consumer driven companies forgot, without consumers you have no profits.

What I would like to know is why are We, the People, bailing out mega banks so that they can buy more banks until they have a monopoly on banking?

This sounds like more of Reagan/Bush trickle down economics.

WE are the ones paying for these bail outs! It's our Tax Dollars! Are we bailing out Banks to make bankers rich… or are we bailing out banks to help the rest of us cope as well?

NO ONE is BAILING the REST of US OUT! … call me Confused in TX

OBAMA'S TEAM IS WORKING WITH THE VERY BEST AND BRIGHTEST WITH A PROVEN RECORD OF SUCCESS THAT STARTED OFF WITH A GOOD EDUCATION. NO MORE DUMMIES IN THE WHITE HOUSE, PLEASE.

I heard someone say,"Are we going to keep on going with bail-outs until we're broke?" I thought that's what deficit means? In my opinion we've been broke since the deficit started. If the world is going to let us get in their pocket for a trillion, why not trillions?

Go Obama!

Republicans don't want to stimulate the economy. They just want to cut taxes on the wealthy, which is self-stimulation.

Comments were closed on Jack Cafferty's commentary about whether or not we should raise the taxes of the wealthy.

I implore every American to research the Bush tax cuts personally instead of relying on the (Liberal) media to do it for them. Bush's tax cuts helped EVERYONE and here's the proof. (By the way, the proof can be found by comparing past 1040 booklets from irs.gov.) Here's what I discovered:

My husband and I (filed on 1040EZ) had a whopping taxable income of $14K in 1996. Our tax was $2K. The tax on the same taxable income on the 2002 tax table was $1380. If my math serves me, that's 1/3 LESS than the Clinton era taxes. Soooo, if the Dems let the Bush tax cuts expire (and they will), look for your taxes even at the poverty level, to go up 30%. That will certainly help our economy. Quit blaming the rich for all of your problems – it's EVERYONE who will suffer.

who can afford meat?

where was congress in asking questions when wall street was seeking a bailout? Why did congress provide citigroup with a $20 billion dollar bailoutout without asking them questions? sounds hyporcritical to me.

You mean pork.

Just curious where they will get the money from? More inflation or borrowing?

Would everyone just calm down! Obama is not even in office yet, and he is already expected to fix this HUGE mess left by the Republicans. I feel certain that he will have a very good plan. He is surrounding himself with the best and brightest, but Rome wasn't built in a day. This mess took 8 years to make, so I think it will take a little time to fix it.

Thank God we get to pick a new Prez every four years.

This transition is very difficult since there can be only one president at at time. I see that Bush has worked in cooperation with Obama, which is nice. But every day leads to more foreclosures, more job losses, etc. I think the 12th amendment, which is behind the "transition" and the Jan 20 inauguration, should be changed because right now the country needs leadership and has none.

Be big and bold, get down and dirty, get hairy cairy if you need to, but by all means get some money out to Middle America!

Take some of that balance from the 700B Bailout, because those people are not going to use all of that money wisely – I know it – or I think it!

Main Street nees to be stimulated in a big way…… come on New year as I am still hopeful that an Obama Administration will do some good work!

why not bail out us poor working folks making less than 20 thousand a year…we need homes and food too

Huh? This guy was elected by avoiding any meat whatsoever. The first Vegan in the White House! He specializes in vague, non-substantive eloquence. Nothing in his background or experience suggests he could find meat even if he were riding a bull.

Let the handouts begin!

Exactly where is this money going to come from? The 1st Bush stimulus was from the Clinton surplus. The one from this year was advertised as an advance on next year's refunds. I guess this is the "just because" stimulus.

A house democratic aide ????

Barack Obama is the Presidnt of the United States.

How dare … a democratic aide … come in and bark at him like some little junkyard dog". Obama will teach Congress how it is done…

…. sorry I couldn't resist.

Memo to Bush and Cheney.

Please resign and let Nancy Pelosi take control until Jan 20.

Thank you in advance,

Signed Most Americans

i want cash money in hand

Jan. 20th can't come soon enough!! Thank God Bush is being kicked to the curb!!

Do you Republicans think Bush could have done any more to destroy our country? The man has destroyed our country from the inside out in only EIGHT years!!

Let's vote another Republican President in 4 years so they can finish the job of destroying our country completely!!! Idiots…