CNN

Jaye not all Republicans are rich and powerful look at those who are blue collar workers and those who are poor who seem to just vote against their own interests

The conservatives love making money and preserving their inherited wealth but, they want everybody else to pay taxes.

Trickle down economics have been proven wrong and trying to rewrite history won't change those facts.

The wealthiest got richer under the conservative banner and now, they want government out of the way so they can keep their gains under Bush.

Well, a new "deal" is coming and it's time to pay the bills that the "Grand Old Party" spent.

This is like a game of Monopoly gone too far. Now we're making up the rules as we go along and its not working. Time for a reset. Here is my idea.
Change to a 20% flat tax rate for everyone and every business. Feds need to learn to live on a budget like the rest of us. No tax deductions for any business except to cover healthcare for their workers. Complete reworking of the healthcare system so all the states have the same minimum level coverage requirements. Finally to jumpstart the rest of the economy, Each tax paying household should receive a $100,000 stimulus check so that mainstreet people can pay off their debts to the Credit card monsters and everyother debt that is holding us down. We dont need more loans that's what got us into this problem in the first place. people need to learn to live on what they make. Finally (and this is really gonna piss off some people) we need to turn to GOD and ask for forgiveness and to heal our land. Amen

@Intelligent thought please.
I agree. These blogs show the lack of intelligence of the majority of the bloggers. But they are good for a laugh!!!!!!

Let every homeowner that wants to take the value of his home now subtract that from what it was at it's peak then multiply the difference by a cap factor – not to exceed some limit (so it's not TOO large a bailout)... Divide by 2. Give half to the HOMEOWNER, half to the lender w/a tax credit for the other half. Then they are forced to renegotiate their home at the current value. For example, say a house lost $100,000 of it's value and let's say the cap is $100K – so the home owner would get $50K cash, the bank/lender would get $50K cash and $50K tax credit... What's this do? It puts cash in people's pocket – to save, spend or use on their mortgage payments or college or whatever. If they thought $300 was stimulus – imagine $30K! It keeps banks liquid. It stops the foreclosures and a further decline in housing values. It avoids the need for a huge Gov't org to buy, manage and resell foreclosed properties – of which I've read over $3,000,000 are in distress....

Look at Obama's hair. He will be solid white in 4 years and then he will be too old for the WH. Right, young people?

Don't call all of us uneducated, we voted for the right Man, and he will deliver. People like you who haven't had to miss a meal or a pay check before in life is the ones who or SHEEP AND AFRAID.

Get over it we will all have to work hard to help Presd. Obama bring back a life of wealth to this country. stop the hateing help someone with less than you have and see what God will do for you for a CHANGE, THAT'S WHAT CALL CHANGE.

THE WAY HE CAN LIE AND DRAW MONEYS FOR HIS AGENDA. MAYBE THOSE CEO'S SHOULD START LIKE WISE. AND NOT EVEN A CITIZEN OF THE USA. . BEST HE START ALONG SIDE MONICA, , SHE KNOW A FEW TRICKS ALSO . WRIGHT MR. AYERS.

I would like to see a fresh new approach from Barak Obama in how to get this economy going. Instead of keep bailing companies out, which looks like it is never ending, I would like to see the following happen.
We need to take our country back. There was a time when we had pride in our work, when customers were first rather than big bonuses for CEO's. Nowdays we import most everything from China, including American Flags, which never ceases to amaze me.

We need to make bold moves to get this country back on its feet. Here are some ideas.

1. Set up an agency that hires people to make products that we use here. The employer would be the US Government and these employees would receive a decent wage, health insurance and pensions. There are vacant factories all overe the country or the government could even build them. That would put construction workers, electricians, plumbers etc to work.

2.Set up contracts with American companies in 5 or 10 year increments that if they agree to stay here and hire American workers, no illegal aliens, pay a descent wage, provide health insurance and pensions to their employees, they pay NO taxes.

3. Double tax companies like Hershey who outsource their products and make the companies public on a special website so we all can boycott them.

4. All companies who receive bailout money must furnish the taxpayers a detailed report where every nickel went and must present a plan to the government on what changes their companies are going to make to become financially solvent.

Also the infastructure of this country is in a delapitated state thanks to spending everything to rebuild Iraq. The government must find ways to fix our infastructure....have programs for rebuilding and cleaning up areas and give people who do this special tax breaks.

There is so much we could do to get our country back, now that Barak is going to end the war. That has to be the first thing he does because our own country is going to hell and I think Obama is just the man who will try to straighten things out.

I have posted twice here today and neither comment has appeared- what gives CNN????

Houses in the U.S have no longer value yet in other developing countries investors are winning big.The problem with the U.S is simple there are more houses than people can live in.

It's going to take a lot of money to get us out this mess. We need to step up and make sure we solve this problem. Bush has handled the rich what about the rest of us? President Obama we need you're promised taxes cuts.

What the hell! Taxes will go up for everyone, and the National debt will too. Thanking you in advance President-elect Obama!

Kelly,
People did not bite off more than they could chew. Most of them were doing just fine until this economy tanked. The Republicans want us to think it is all the people who ran up credit who is at fault but most of us were able to pay our bills and help the spending in this country until we lost our jobs due to outsourcing. It's hard to pay bills with no job.

Where is George W. Bush? This is still his baby. Oh, yeah........ Picking out the drapes for his new upscale house in Dallas.

Guess what folks? Bush did not create this! Thank your democrats for this mess! (Even your beloved Bill Clinton admitted its the democrats fault)

To: FreeNLovit

Sometimes it is better to have people wonder whether you are stupid or not, than openly opine and confirm their suspicions.

Why does does this picture make Obama look like a pimp handing out money?

WOW-

I love to read these comments-

people who voted for change are so blind they can't even see that the proposed Obamonomics are the same things that Bush and the FED are doing now. the only change we will get is spare change after we are forced to give our money to businesses who have failed and should go bankrupt-

it will take 1 trillion to fix it? what money? this country has been broke for years and borrowing and printing money!

"Land of the Sheep, Home of the Afraid!"

Regarding A Real Conservative Realist:

I am a Liberal leaning Indy, and I for to say that you make some very valid points. See folks, what he/she is saying has nothing to do with what side you are on, it's about what this country was founded on. Now I cannot agree that we need to let eveyone fail due to we would become a Third World country, without economic power, every other aspect will become powerless and then we more than likely will lose our soverignty and be an annexation of some other country. So we need to do something like build from the bottom up, instead of giving these corps billions of dollors. I'd rather see the govenment give the money to the people who will buy products, that will creat jobs, stimulate the economy and get us moving again if giving money away is the answer. And I like your point, when did we get away from The American Dream "Freedom" (although that was falicy until recent times because the only true free people in America were white men).

Well imagine that! You mean Bush's $700 BILLION Wall-Street bailout isn't helping Main Street?!? Now, WHO could have *imagined* that?!?! And now we need even more money to help people? Wow... I, for one, am stunned! (I HOPE y'all sense the sarcasm, here)

Well, I'm pretty sure that as long as people are only making $8.00 an hour, paying $1000.00 just to rent a place to live, and getting an education in school that basically is set up to prepare you for college, which is too expensive for 75% of people to go, that we'll be going round in expensive "stimulus" circles for quite a while. Add to that the fact that it seems people in this country would rather eat the $1.3 million doller cost of someone who's uninsured and can't pay that $1.3 million rather than let every American have the chance for healthcare, and... well... okay, okay, I could go on and on, but it does me no good!

Second graders, please stop playing on your parent's pc!
***************************************************************
President-Elect Obama, you didn't create the mess, it will take time to clean it up! All true supporters will continue to have faith in you!

As the song goes: 'We' (You) didn't start the fire! Change is never easy. It takes time. But we will get there with you!

The price we pay for having a president that was bought and owned by the oil companies, the military/industrial complex, and the multi-national corporations who have made the policies of this failed administration.
If we ever elect another republican president then it shows we are more stupid than the republican we elect.

Obama will just be throwing our good money after bad. Remember Obama has a grandiose streak and some brain child in his cabinet better be able to see the Obama ego and put a check on it.

Sara from Arizona

Why aren't more people outraged? These are your tax dollars.
__________________________________________

Maybe because many people believe we have to do something to get this economy back in shape. I certainly don't have all the answers and neither do you. But I guess sometimes you have to spend money to make money. I guess we will just have to hope and pray they do the right thing with this money.

To the A Really Conservative Realist,

I would say that our country was based on freedom from the ROYALTY in Europe and the current economic reality in America was brought about by the same Torrie minded conservative republicans like you.

If you want that kind of society, move to Saudi Arabia.

This is how it works people. We spent the past 3 decades since Reagan moving all manufacturing over seas and completely stopped investing in our own infrastructure.

China has a 6% budget per year from their GDP to invest in their own infrastructure. We have neglected ours!

Its time we start taking care of ourselves and our people. Invest in America and watch the jobs come, the improvement projects prevail and the tax revenues come flowing once we start doing the right thing and invest in our own DAMM country!!!

If the government is going to hand out money they should hand it out to us, the people who it can help the most. Give me enough to cover my student loan and mortgage and I will be a happy camper ($100,000 total!) I'll get rid of my debt, and then free up my income to start spending and saving again.
My family lives within its means (no credit cards, card loans, or other excessive debt). I am happy to see that America's attitude is changing and starting to embrace this idea as well.

To: A really Conservative Realist:

You think that letting the econmy collapse is the right thing? A second depression? That's harsh pal, real harsh. You also forget that the government was trying to get the econmy out of depression during the 30's. Ever heard of the WPA? They built things that are still with us today. Rooselvelt just didn't go far enough with the recovery effort. It was WWII and our manufacturing capacity that got us out of the depression. We don't need another world war!

To your question when we became a financial econmy: When Ronald Reagan said he wanted to offload manufacturing and become a services based economy. Major bonehead move there when we depend on the rest of the world to add value and all we do is move money. The finance sector is 20% of GDP (mfg 13%), that's why we have to bail those bozos out. If this program can create jobs that make "things" we'll have an econmy to build on. You don't build a house from the roof down. but from the basement up. Let's put people to work.

What ever he must do. Let him do it. If they need to start cranking up the money printing machines, then crank them up. There will be no time to waste. President Obama get sworn in on January 20, 2009 at 12:00 noon. On January 22, 2009 checks should be rolling out.

Although it would be much appreciative if Pres. Bush would do this now and maybe by January 20, 2009 we will be receiving help.

But this is all wishful thinking I know.

Decembers unemployment numbers will be historic because now everybody wants a piece of that upcoming $3000 per head tax cut Obama pledged to businesses. Cut deep, cut before the 1st.., its the new business plan for success in our changing economic enviornment. Welcome to socalistic stagnation..

If people had any concept of personal responsibility we wouldn't be in this mess. Why should those that were responsible be forcibly made to bail out those that were not? If I want to help someone less fortunate, it should be my choice, not madated by the government.

Sorry,but as I've said before, are GNP/GDP is very close to $14.5 Trillion Dollars for "2008",and this my friends is what the final "total bill" will come out to,once all is said, and done! It will take an entire generation to pay back this debt,so buckle up,it's gonna be a wild ride,...

@ Intelligent Thought Please

They're not mad about $1T spent in some other country because they a) live in glazed-eyed xenophobic fear and b) believe the US has the right to force everyone to live and believe the way we do (evidence of this, of course, is in their attempts to use our own gov't to force everyone here to live and believe they way they do).

Hey Paul. people have to try to lift themselves out of the dumps. People are owed nothing for free. Considering the bottom don't pay taxes , why should they be the ones to get all benefits.

To A Really Conservative Realist what you are talking about in this day and age makes no sense. If the government keeps all of its money and let's these companies fail we are talking unemployement at close to 20%. Combine that with these unfair trade agreements that don't protect the American worker, and the fact that our goods aren't allowed into foreign markets but we allow foreign products in easily (foreign cars, textiles, etc....), that's a loss of jobs, and homes. That means there are less tax payers and more people dependent on the government for help. And how are these people supposed to live? None of the banks are giving loans, The majority of our companies are sending jobs to India, and there is no job creation here in the US. Houses, gas, and food aren't going back to the prices they were during the Depression

Way to go Obama! A typical tax and spend liberal. Who do think is going to pay this? Everyone in America that works. The Obama supporters who sit around and get that monthly check live nice while everyone else will pay for Barrack's stupidity.

Hey People,

Calm down and give Obama a chance to, 1st get in office, and then try to fix the problem. It is going to cost a lot of money to fix it, and so, please stop with all of the political rhetoric. Lets all work together on this.

As for all of you people carrying on about the decorating of The Whitehouse. Give Bush a break on this one. The Whitehouse has always been decorated to celebrate Christmas and so why shouldn't it be done this year ? The Whitehouse belongs to the American people and it is always decorated for them. It is our house and so, we decorate it. Please, get in the real world.

My dad told me in 1982 when Ronald Reagan put policy in place that was in place in the 1920's that we were in trouble. Ya see my dad was born in 1915 and lived through the great depression. This has been coming for a long time, George Bush made it a lot worse. Trickle down economics has never worked, ever, how many times does history have to repeat itself before people get it? History show's the economy does better under Democratic administrations. You can look it all up. So please pray for President Elect Obama and what he wants to do works.
My family is not going to do Christmas this year we cant afford to, I would rather be able to feed my kids than buy them presents.

The last 8 years? The current president by the way inherited a recession left by Clinton, only to get us successfully out of it. Then, when we were just about to get out of the woods, 9/11 happened and we took 3 steps back as a nation. Again, we recovered, only to be slammed by Katrina, which again shut this nation down economically. In 2006, Democrats inherited Congress, and since that time, things have drastically gone down hill – yet they continually blame Bush. If trickle down economics dont work – how come Obama then is delaying his quest of change in not touching the Bush tax cuts?? How come his stance hasnt changed on Iraq? So now, instead of $10 million a day in Iraq, we shift our focus to Afghanistan and spend just as much?

Face it people, politicians are all in bed together. Our economic mess can be dated back centuries – from the FHA to welfare, we all continue to make our own mess and then look for a scapegoat – Bush just happened to be in office at the time.

God Bless America – although at this time, I find it difficult to wonder why He would.

I keep hearing the question about how much union members make. How is it that no one asked how much the employees of AIG make?

Dakota's got a point. Government spending. Government funded jobs.

One point would be to fund the repairing of our infrastructure. We're still vulnerable to another huge blackout, so spend more to fix that. While at it, spend some for alternative energies that people won't mind in their backyard, like solar roof panels. And these things, they'll need people to get them done, to fix electric lines, to build alternative energy producing technologies.
Bridges, roads, these things are falling apart. Who can repair them? People.

The Hoover Dam itself provided jobs. But after that, it boosted the economy for Vegas, which also provides jobs. They got electricity, and were able to build those casinos there.

Even here in SC, there's talk of an interstate to Michigan. Somebody's got to design it, build it, etc. Fund it, and provide jobs for that.

"Sara from Arizona"

Yes i am outraged. I'm outraged that the trilions of dollars of our tax money so far has been spent on wars that kill people. Literally MY MONEY WAS USED TO KILL PEOPLE. Guns. Bombs. Bullets. Yes these things are bought with the 30% taken out of my checks.

If obama wishes to use my tax money on my country instead of one thousands of miles away THEN LET HIM DO IT. Please.

Dakota,
FDR didn't save the economy with all his spending....WW2 did. Pull out a couple history books not written by a liberal

This is what happens when people are put in charge of things they know nothing about,the only thing they can come up with is throwing money at a problem.The answer is not that easy,we are not going to buy or borrow our way out of debt,this is going to drag out for ever now.The Great Depression lasted 15 years and would have lasted longer if we hadn't entered World War ll.,we need to bite the bullet,and get this over with.

Thank god, that Obama is our leader during this crisis. Things are going to worse before they get better and there is no ideal solution. He inspires my confidence to make the hard decisions based on sound reasoning, solid research and his desire to do what is best for all Americans.

Oh well, to a man rich enough to give someone a $30000 ring this season, the taxpayers can afford it!!

Does anyone relly think these are Obama's thoughts. Reid and Pelosi! Obama is a puppet. Dance puppet, dance.

Hey Paul, don't you think when the rich buy those cars, boats, planes etc. someone has to build them? That's the very concept of 'trickle down'. People with money buy products and services that in turn drive employment for others. The stimulus packages are the same thing under a different name. The basic concept is to get money out and cirulating. Each dollar gets spent many times. Regarding job qualifications, if someone isn't qualified for any job, how is that anyone's fault but their own? Did they drop out of school? Did they go to college? Did they join the military to learn a trade? The person responsible is the one they see in the mirror.

What I'd like to know is why our current President isn't trying to do something to stop the bleeding? Why do we have to wait for President Elect Obama? Is the answer what I have surmised all along, Bush just doesn't give a darn? Apparently so.

This would be just a drop in the bucket compaired to what the federal deficit is thanks to Bush and his phoney war.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS ECONOMIC GRAVITY:

WHAT GOES UP, DOES NOT COME DOWN.

Bush should go home NOW.

I love how all you rethuglicans complain about money being used to salvage our own wreck we've led ourselves into yet where is your disdain for the trillion dollars unnecessarily spent in a country halfway across the globe. I'd love for this to sponser a debate on this blog rather than hearing all the ridiculous rhetoric from both sides. I'm waiting...

Why aren't more people outraged? These are your tax dollars.

Sounds like trickle down economics has never worked. The rich just hoard it away for cars, boats, jets, jet life travel, living high on the hog, but never let it trickle down. What we need is a $1200 stimulus package every other month to the bottom of the heap and let it trickle UP from the bottom. I know if we get it, we spend it, just to eat, buy our prescriptions, travel to our jobs, and get our basic needs. Right now people are hurting, seniors on fixed income, layoffs, street people that never see a dime and live in squaller, etc. Yes people, it is hard to live on minimum wages, or no wages at all, or have no job, not quallified for any job. Its time to lift people out of the dumps.

It took Bush and eight years of failed economic policy after failed economic policy, but we've finally proven "Trickle Down Economics" to be another Republican failure. Too bad the GOP crooks and cronies had to run up a Trillion dollar tab to prove it. These guys are like going out to dinner with someone and getting stuck with the tab while they crawl out the bathroom window.

I see that all the lib's want to do is bad mouth GW and spend money.
Well Obama will be like the rest of the dem, spend and blame everyone else when it all goes in the trash.
What does he (obama) know about anything? Just runs his mouth like the rest and wants the little mana to pay for everything. If he and the Congress want to show they can lead them why don't they work for a $

Both parties are guilty of deficit spending. But, we are all guilty of electing politicians based on what they can give us. This incentive for pork is the problem and only "We the People" will ultimately solve it. Its the same regarding jobs going overseas – if we all bought American-made products, the bleeding stops. Look what falling demand in the US for oil has done to gas prices. We have the power. REAL Republican principles for the last decade would have helped avoid the mess we are in now.

A really conservative realist, you are a really ingorant fool.

You have NEVER been free. Stop deluding yourself.

Unregulated capitalism will destroy the country that practices it.

Economies based on unfettered, unregulated consumption, will collapse. That's the reality of five thousand years of human history.

Before you spout off a really ignorant Republican sound bite, do some really thorough research.

Can anyone remember that eight years ago, there was still peace and propserity in the United States......

Republicans have always screamed that government was the problem.

then they took all branches of government (legislative, executive and judicial)..... and PROVED it.

If they can give bailout Wallstreet, then why NOT throw a little in our direction. Whatever Obama needs to put jobs back into this economy and keep the us from resorting to eating cat food. UNREAL. Congress didn't ask one single question from Wallstreet but they are putting the automakers through the ringer. I agree, questions need to be asked and oversite has to be put in place. But if Congress don't bailout the automakers so people can keep their jobs, then those who are up for re-election in Congress 2 years from now will feel our anger.

We sure showed those republicans. Sent them running, we did. Just watch them scurry away like rats with their obscene wealth in their greedy little paws. They think they can hunker-down until we break. Well, the joke is on them. We don't need their demeaning jobs anymore because (this is the part where it gets a little confusing – why don't we need their demeaning jobs anymore?)

Wow,@A REALLY CONSERVATIVE REALIST,If your really so smart,maybe you can find that 700 billion your hero,Paulson just stole.It would be nice to know what job you have and how you got it too.Spare me your hollier than us all economics.I would guess you know how Tapeworm Economics works too. Nice to see someone that has the whole scene covered,as in the song.

All the obvious issues aside...did anyone else notice how gray his hair is in the picture? When did that happen? I've heard the job really ages a person, but he hasn't even been sworn in yet!

Now, back to business...I know the answer...BLAME BUSH, BLAME BUSH, BLAME BUSH!!! IT'S ALL BUSH'S FAULT!

I can't wait till we can say BLAME OBAMA! Somehow I bet that never happens!

BTW, Democrats, Harry Reid thinks you stink when you come to visit the capital!

RealityKing

Speaking of defense, please defend the conservative ideology that has the greatest country on earth on her knees.

please.... defend THAT.

Well said Fred Heartly. Americans have stood stupidly by while the economy was ransacked, bled white, by these greedhead criminals, who now want us to 'bail' them out so more.

I say tax the rich, tax the outsourcers, tax the merchandise built with no regards to worker safety, health, environmental concern, or consumer safety. Level the playing field. If we do not re-instate manufacturing here, in this country, we ARE doomed to become a has-been nation.

Our bridges will collapse, our roads will crumble, our skys fill with filth, this will be America's future if we don't stop this greedy madness.

Correction...3/4 Billion

During the elections all u can hear fr Obama is Bush run up the deficit and it is out of control and it is all Bush's fault. Everyone was angry about it.

Now all we hear is spend more Obama, like Bush did, we don't care. Obama changed his mind on Hillary, windfall profit tax on oil co. on taxing the top 5%, and will continue in Iraq until 2011 as Bush wanted. Whatelse will he "change" his mind on. It is starting to look like more of the same 8yrs to me.

So much for change.

nice question "Is it Jan 20th yet" .......

I still think that it would have been for the best of the government would let the nature of economic darwinsim take its course. Then, the companies best able to addapt would thrive, and those that could would go under or be forced to change their policies. CEO's may not care if the company is dipping, but they sure would when they don't get their obscene bonus package. The fact that the government would have an extra 700 billion dollars is a bonus for us.

Someone stop Mayor Bloomberg and the MTA from increasing fares on subways and buses.

Yep tax and spend the change Obama is planning to bring.

To A Really Conservative Realist,

You said:
"The American dream is freedom. Freedom from our own government. "

What your post, in essence, is saying that anarchy and "every man for himself" is the way a civilized society should be run.

Thankfully most of us think that a civilized society should make it mandatory to take care of the sick and elderly.
Thankfully most of us would not want pharmaceuticals to use us as the beta-testers for new drugs, hence the FDA.
Thankfully most of us would not want Wall Street to manipulate the markets with inside information, hence the SEC.
Thankfully most of us would not want individuals to own nuclear weapons hence sensible arms laws.
Thankfully most of us want government help in case of floods, hurricanes, wildfires and other natural disasters.

Where's my multimillion dollar bail out.

I promist that if I get that money I will do better.

BTW the price of gas has nothing to do with consumption or supply and demand.

Can somebody please explain to me why conservatives find it so offensive that the government might spend up to $1T to strenghthen our own country, but when we borrow $1T just to drop bombs on some other countries its no big deal?

Frankly, there isn't much the new administration or congress can do except try to ease the pain by throwing money at problem. Job creations or deletions are made by executives that are concerned first and only with the size of their paychecks, bonuses and deferred payment plans. If anybody out there thinks these people gives a hoot about how many people are unemployed and starving or sick or loose everything they have, could I interest you in the purchase of a certain New York bridge? Our politicians and business (lol,lol) leadership are for to cozy and in bed with each other.

I wouldn`t be surprised to learn 4-5 years from now a (hopefully) mild Depression began in 2008 !!!!!

@ Dave...... well said!!

THANKS TO BUSH our nation is bankrupt!

THANKS TO BUSH we invaded Iraq, spend $10 BILLION a month, and continue to grow the national debt....... over $10 TRILLION!

Any IDIOT who supports or defends Bush is living in DENIAL!

BARRACK OBAMA HAS BEEN GIVEN AN ENORMOUS DISASTER TO DEAL WITH AND FIX..... WE NEED TO SUPPORT AND PRAY FOR HIS SUCCESS!

Since they're going to be printing money and handing it out, how about giving every household a million dollars to spend how they choose? Bet that'd get the economy going again.

Virginia @ 11:23am
"Yeah, right! It is ridiculous!! Give us a break–we aren't stupid!"

Reality King @ 11:30
"Obviously Obama is going to also generate a budget deficit of hisotircal porportions. One that only a liberal could defend.."

George W. Bush's pet project, The Department of Homeland Security – ever heard of it? Oh, you have? Then I suppose you know that they spent $5 Billion in their first year alone to secure private contracts. Oh, you don't? Oh, well then. Explains the comment a bit then, eh?

(By the way, Mr. Reality King – the words you were looking for were "historical" and "proportions")

Now it's "generating or saving" 2.5 million jobs. How do you prove "saved" jobs? This is a far cry from the campaign promise of 5 million new jobs. And a lot more expensive for a lot less.

And don't give me the line that it's just reversing what Bush did. bush was only a small part of the problem. Dodd, Frank, Waxman, Schumer, Reid, Pelosi, the Fed, etc,. are all still there. The big issue with all this spending is that will Obama, Dodd, Frank, Schumer, Waxman, Pelosi, Reid and the Fed be able to turn off the spigot and actually reduce the money supply (and government spending) when deflation is no longer a threat and inflation threatens instead. That will happen in a couple of years.

Do what you have to do to put things in order. Give the car companies what they need to save 3 million jobs. It's a bargan. You want 6 million unemployed? Don't listen to the Republicans. They got us into this mess. We're at the stage where you should ask the Republicans what to do and then do the opposite. Why are Dems having to clean up after them and then take the blame for having to do it. Shove it down their throat and put it on their legacy.

Just think how our economy would turn around if just a small portion of this obscene amount of money had been given to the WORKING people to spend rather than banks and corporations and then HOPING it would somehow makes its way down to the bottom. Our elected officials need to realize "trickle down" Has not and will not ever work! There's too much greed at the top.

Larry C from Houston, I agree let the BIG 3 figure it out, not to mention the UAW, those idiots better help the companies they work for, union workers are lazy high paid, great benefits to put in approx 6 hrs a day of work and if they get laid off they get 90% of their salary where we non union americans under unemployment compensations get 25 % or so. The UAW better reconsider because without the automakers who are they working for. They have over a billion $ in their strike fund. I say to the UAW don't bite the hand that feeds you. Oh and the CEOs drive to DC and will work for $1.00, please they are already rich bastar.......
I wonder if they ever clipped a coupon to save a buck or shopped at a discount store like Walmart,Kmart,TJMAX,Marshalls.

Incidentally, there's no such thing as "supply-side economics." It's just a fake name Republicans made up to hide the fact that they've been selling us the same snake oil as Herbert Hoover. This is the result of believing in markets without actually understanding what markets are and how they work or fail.

Markets are fundamentally mechanisms of trade, a tool of commerce. Markets are not repositories of wisdom, they do not provide leadership, they do not keep themselves honest, and they do not maintain their own stability. If you allow markets to run completely unsupervised, you will always end up where we are now: with markets full of irrelevant products that used to make money, rampant fraud, the aimless lack of leadership by which you failed to manage the market in the first place, and self-magnifying instability.

Supply-side economics was always a hoax.

Great another rich deadbeat getting the silver spoon treatment. I wonder what legacy she will leave behind. We have the following Kennedy Schools:

Kennedy School of Swimming
Kennedy School of Flying
Kennedy School of Skiing

Just do go on the cheap, look at Iraq. everytime we try and go cheap we pay more later.

You conservatives should be real happy with your let it all go. Why not tell us how you barrow and spend your way out of debt? No Taxes, who in the end is going to pay for this mess? Your greed for the free market has done us all under. Regan had the same policies and failed only on a smaller scale. Yet you paint him as your hero. You people are dumb enough to look at GWB in the same way. What a bunch of sore loosers you are.

You think 500,000 jobs lost in a month is bad? That'll be the average if we let the domestic auto companies go under. The only ones left employed will be workers at dollar stores, deep discount grocers, and pawn shops.

RealityKing: You're a total MORON! And I don't mind saying so!

If anyone still thinks Trickle Down Economics works you can keep doing what your doing. If we do not come up with a way to create out own wealth and stop outsourcing (for the good of shareholder value)... We will be a 3rd world country and its time for us to cut bait and leave.

Hey People,

Calm down and give Obama a chance to, 1st get in office, and then try to fix the problem. It is going to cost a lot of money to fix it, and so, please stop with all of the political rhetoric. Lets all work together on this.

As for all of you people carrying on about the decorating of The Whitehouse. Give Bush a break on this one. The Whitehouse has always been decorated to celebrate Christmas and so why shouldn't it be done this year ? The Whitehouse belongs to the American people and it is always decorated for them. It is our house and so, we decorate it. Please, get in the real world.

Million, billion, trillion.....

do you know what comes after trillion?

(no, it's not "gazillion...."

It is a good idea to create some jobs by infrastructure projects and energy initatives. The job problem will not be solved untill the disasterous Bush Trade Agreements are renegotiated to introduce a requirement that imports to the US meet US Health & Safety Standards, that importers pay inspection costs, and that countries with inadequate environmental comtrols be peanlized. Also the taxes ned to be changed to reward companies with a high percentage of US workers. The stiulus & stop-gap approach is necessary but won't correct major underlying problems.

It took Bush 8 years to create this mess and it would be totally stupid of anyone to believe Obama can fix it overnight. We elected a president, not a miracle worker.

I'm with him. He has earned my trust. If he wants to spend 1 trillion– so be it, expecially since he has to repair the idiocy of 8 years of having a moron in charge.

We are with you Barack, lead the country out of the mess.

JL.....
I'll bet your kids are spoiled.

I feel confident that he will do what is best for our country....and that includes a huge stimulus package that will create jobs.
The ONLY problem will be the republicans...the rich powerful republicans that could care less about normal ordinary people.

Dakota, the Depression lasted for FDR's first two terms. His actions were a bandaid. True, they generated hope, but not much real progress. It was WWII that ended the depression.

A trillion here, a trillion there...

Well for starters, cut taxes. Just for the short term and see how that goes but creating jobs should also be talked about. 2 million jobs are gonna be lost by the time my boy takes office. But right now, it is the holiday season and people will waste so retailers should do good for the part but long term, that remains to see...

To katiec December 5th, 2008 11:25 am ET

DITTO.
Give President elect Obama time to be sworn in. He is not a miracle worker. He is a man, who has to clean up after the worse president this country has EVER HAD.

A Really Conservative Realist:

OK, I'm probably not as smart as you (I am a liberal after all), so let me see if I have this straight. The government shouldn't intervene in business because freedom and capitalism are a happy combination. I remember reading in school about letting financial institutions do their own thing, and I remember the monopolies and stranglehold they put on the public caused severe economic hardship on the nation. Political leaders are power hungry people that want to interfere in all facets of life, but business leaders aren't? Please... GWB successfully lobbied for the lowest taxes in a long time under the ridiculous premise that business would take the savings and create jobs. So why are jobs being lost now? Business has one goal, and that is profit, usually at the expense of all else. It is absurd to say that government interference is leading to job layoffs. I would welcome one historical example of this. I have dozens of examples of business power grabs that led to it, though. Just because you call yourself a realist doesn't mean that what you see is real...

To A Really Conservative

I think at some points in time, you do need common sense government intervention. Government is like a grenade. You need to know when to use it. It can help or hurt you. At this point in time, I think we can afford to outspend to grow the economy. We're not in the 30's anymore. Science and technology are so advanced that we can create next generation jobs in the blink of an eye. We can invest and see growth instantenously with the right ideas. We dont have to sit and die from starvation and watch everybody eat hays with cows.

AS OF 1/21/09 YOU GET THE FAME OR THE BLAME. TIME TO GET TO WORK AND PUT YOUR ACTION WHERE YOUR BIG MOUTH IS........

2012 ??????

Spend, Spend, Spend......Go get them liberals we need more debt and handouts. I will say I do prefer Obama to the likes of Dodd & Bonnie Fwank. Obama is coming to the middle and though I didnt vote for him I am starting to like him

Public works projects financed by the federal government may be the only way out of this economic mess. Giving citizens money, especially if they don't need it to survive (the wealthy, particularly) produces what Keynes called the "paradox of "thrift". They will just put the money in the bank where it doesn't help anybody.

Putting unemployed people to work gives them an income so they can keep their houses, pay taxes, buy goods and services, and stop receiving unemployment insurance. The rest of us also benefit from improvements to our crumbling infrastructure.

Yes, it is expensive, but not so expensive as doing nothing. Bravo, Mr. Obama, for realizing this!

I totally support President Obama, but he needs to rethink his numbers. Creating 2.5 million jobs in the next two years will not even regain the number that will be lost in this recession.

YOO Barack, you had better get on the stick enough with the curtains on the windows you better deliver more than speeches. Perhaps since you raised 750 million, for a campain you might give some of the leftovers to the regional food banks they are hurting. I doubt if you will though I personally percieve you tobe a self serving politician like all the rest " change you can't believe in " I think.

Obama sure does have his hands full. I truly believe he has the best interest of the american people at heart....to bad the outgoing president didn't have the same feelings while in the white house the past 8 years. The economy will get worse. I am confident that Obama and his "team" will do their best to get things started as swiftly as possible. He is preparing us all for the worse that is yet to come.

I wish I could be so cold as to say that it is all the fault of the people for over-extending themselves just to make myself seem better than them for keeping my job and home, but being both good-hearted and educated, I can not be so dismissive and mean. When did we become such a selfish society that we think it is wrong to feel bad for people or refuse to help others because "they did it to themselves"? Is that what the holiday season is about now?

No doubt some people got in over their heads. But the vast majority of people who have lost their homes lost their jobs first. This is a complex problem and it is impossible to blame one certain group of people because we are all guilty. Obama seems to know this, so instead of pointing fingers, he is trying to come up with solutions. Perhaps all of us should pull together and try and come up with solutions, too, rather than playing the blame-game.

To A Real Conservative

You're probably right. When you and I bankrupt, nobody comes to our rescue. Yes, the banks and Wall Street should have been allowed to EXTINCT. The government should have just take over and do what is NEEDED to preserve the aspects of money and credit. I dont know it's just really crazy.

Man, when will it ever end? Bailouts, rescues = robbery and fleecing of America. To the gutter we go. Will there even be an election in the future?

To AJ

I know, bailing out GREED ST without fining their CEOS or asking for 'accountability'. In W's world, 'accountability' is not a word in the dictionary.

President-elect Obama foresaw this problen during the campaign. I have confidence in him to get the job done and get people back to work.

Well said Katiec, we MUST work together on this situation.

If this much money is going to be spent anyway then am I being unrealistic in suggesting that the government should give all federal income taxes withheld during the last 3-5 years back to every single person filing household that made less than $200,000.00 and every married filing separate or jointly household that made less than $250,000.00. This is just a thought. It seems to me that we are going to print money to give to the big 3, wall street and all the banks then why not print a little more, or better yet just return that which was deducted and let us begin to buy the cars that will revive the big 3 and that will give us the funds to curtail some of the impending foreclosures that would allow people to get back the jobs that have been lost. When the demand for products goes up the demand for workers goes up (there’s a term for that – right). This would also put the needed funds back into the hands of the banks in a more sensible way as opposed to just handing it over to them. The 2 million jobs lost by the vendors that supply the big 3 will get those jobs back and that will start a snowball effect of spending that I believe will revive this economy. I even believe that the general public will be a little more responsible with their spending this time around. I know I will as I have been forced to do in the last 16 months.

IF YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF A LIBERAL, PLEASE READ!!!!

Don't be foolish folks. The government has no business in the financial affairs of it's people. The very best thing that could happen would be for our government to completely pull away and allow all the poor decisions of itself and all Americans to unwind. No bailout, no loans, nothing. Lower taxes..., less policy....,allow interest rates to be set by the market and increase so folks would avoid debt. It would be a terrible time financialy, but the ethical reward would be great. The reward would be the same as the reward for the Great Depression...50 years of prosperity and frugal attitudes. Those who saved money and lived within their means would benefit, while those who borrowed and spent more than they could afford would suffer.

Question: When did the American dream become financial. The American dream is freedom. Freedom from our own government. Read your grade school history books one more time. If that same goverment would provide the freedom to fail as readily as it provides the freedom to "prosper" we would be a far healthier people. Sadly, Obama, GWB, and Clinton prefer power and spending over freedom and frugality.

It is not far-fetched! Any significant stimulus would have to be many times more in value than the simple stimulus of George W. Bush. That only had a very minimal effect upon the economy, something like a1/10 of a percent influence. And economists are aware of the added-value extent of spent money wherein a multiplier effect should be very discernible. So, a vastly larger amount would be in order to have this multiplier effect which apparently did not occur with Bush's stimulus plan. It is the multiplier effect which economists are looking for not merely the stimulus itself. Given the extent of the problem, and the puny effect of George W. Bush's plan, a much larger stimulus effect would have to be entertained to have any performance effect at all!

To Nick

You've got the RICH insane people, holding oil hostage, by buying stocks at high prices, the result is high gas prices. Once they had to pull out the money because of the housing crisis, prices came down. We face so many problems today because W was never there for all of us. During 9/11, it was the voice of Giuliani that CALMED our fears. During this economic crisis, it was the voice and sight of Obama and his economic elites, that soothes the future for all of us. It's a shame a great country is as messed up as this. But there is hope. We do not live in the 1930's. We live in era where science and technology offers so many possibilities for inventions without being held back. Bottomline, the tools are there. Now, the GUTS and will needs to be there. All I can say is be BRAVE and be GUTSY. Obama, dont hold back. We can unleash and grow the economy and unleash a new era of jobs, to outgrow our debt.

Can we put to rest the supply side economic theory?
This is where the cut taxes on the rich and deregulate business retoric gets us.
With the most recent economic activity having all been generated thru debt and not re-investment as they had so fervently preached all these years.
Can we all see that now?

Obama wont step in now because as he said "Theres Only one President at a time" Too Bad the One we currently have is busy decorating the White House with Holiday Themes and theres No way Obama will Bail Out Bush so that he can leave with a positive exit,,

If Bush bleeded this country for 10Trillion ,, 1 Trillion to get it back in shape is a great accomplishment !

we have to wait till Jan 21

This is a very simple plan. YOU HAVE TO SPEND TO GET . INVESTMENTS BRINGS REWARD. Obams knows what he's doing.George Bush had NO CLUE of what was going on or hitting him. These are two words Americans will hear a lot of in the coming weeks---PATIENCE AND INVESTMENTS

Typical Washinton DC – Bail out big business at all cost. The executives make obscene amounts of money, make bad decisions and then get bailed out by the government. This really needs to stop. Things might be tought for a while but some business needs to fail and the strong will survive. This is pathetic.

To Katie

The ELEPHANTS should just SHUT up and let Obama fix the economy the way he wants to do it with his elite economic team. We gave W 8 years of blank check. Let Obama have his to fix this economy from HELL. If you voted for W twice, you have no rights to complain for the next 8 years.

Watch sometime around April of next year the Republican party will be saying that it was President Obama's recovery package that caused the financial meltdown and his lack of experience that cause the auto industry collapes. Then see how "low information" republicans carry the torch. Then around September employment and investment will rise slowly but begin a come back and by 2010 and it will be because of some man from outter space. The fiction will be so thick that history will wonder about our education system if a fair percentage of the population is that simple. It will be an amusing and expensive first term both in money and reputation.

Thanks a lot Bush voters. You voted that nut in office for two terms and it will probably take almost two terms to get us out of this mess.

I must commend our President-elect for even wanting to tackle this horrid mess.....I am praying for him.

Well first of all this crisis was not created in the last 8 years, this crisis has been growing since the first oil crisis back in 1973, our Government just keeps putting a bandaid over it, our Government kept interfereing with the true market economy by printing more money, tweeking interest rates, and creating government banking industries, that amount to nothing short of socialism. this country has done a very good job of masking the recession that has been with us for decades, even last year they refused to admit we were in recession, because it was an election year.
So we are going to have bailout after bailout, a very well known Russian economist has predicted that we are following the same path that caused the USSR to fail.
Believe me we are on the path of this country going bankrupt sometime in 2011 or 2012, if the Government both at the local,state and federal levels do not radically reduce spending.

To Dave

It's not inefficient and unnecessary spending. Spending had to be there because of failed policies of REGULATING insane and mad GREEDY Wall Street men, that have the eyes and ears of W. There are so many intelligent people in America. It's so sad to see a country go down in flames because of satisfying the lust of the top 1%.

Too many people bit off more than they could chew and now can't pay for them and buy more. Signed for mortgages way outside their income and maxed out charge cards buying stuff they didn't need.
The "I want" mentality instead of saving. Finally caught up to them.
Thank heavens my family learned to "Pay" yourself first, and live within their income.
Gov. didn't make this crises. Stupid people brought it on themselves.

FDR spent billions to get the economy back on track. If any of you took Economics, you would know that the best way to fix an economy is lots of government spending towards creating jobs and investments. It won't surprise me if right after Obama is sworn in he announces a $1 trillion dollar package.

This election and economic crisis is nearly identical to the 1930s when FDR took office. He was a president of large popularity. He was admired by foreign nations. Many on the right called him a socialist. He tried to appease everyone. Sounds familiar, right?

FDR then went on to bail out the banks, rescue the housing markets, invest in education and other areas, start up thousands of public works projects to create jobs. The price totaled hundreds of billions of dollars (if you adjust the currency to modern day, that's far more than anything that's been proposed–yet), but the American economy recovered and the government got all that money back and then some.

Have faith in Obama. He knows what he's doing.

Blank check and rubber stamp.

The economy is in such bad shape that desperate measures are needed. If the auto manufacturers go out of business it is going to affect many more people than just those who work for GM, Ford and Chrysler. We're on the edge of a depression and whatever it takes to stop it is going to have to be done. We can either spend a trillion now or lose many trillions later. I think we have to bite the bullet now to avoid a catastrophe that could last a decade or more. I have faith in the economic team Obama has put together.

I think that's what the world (let alone this country) needs now...positivity and hope. I think the last 8 years have taught us that we can no longer be patient with incompetents. Mr. Obama, I believe, has the hope and drive to correct it, but as mentioned earlier, its going to take a lot of patience and some hope to get it done. Its an American problem, in which we all need to approach and solve this rationally and collectively as Americans.

It doesn't matter how bad the economy is, let the chips fall where they may....We will all be hurt...... rich / poor / middle / doesn't matter....
The automakers are all disgusting.... when they say : "we woke up one morning, and figured out that we are all in the same boat"
Where have they been ??? What kind of excuse is that ??
They deserve to go down, like the rest of us that have been either laid off, or trying to cope with this economy....Maybe they can feel our pain, once....
A lot of people has been buying autos OTHER than from the Big 3, for a long time, now....Why don't they go to the BANK, like the rest of have to do, to borrow what they need... ( the idiots ) and Chapter 11 is NOT the end of the world.....

Larry Coury
Houston Texas

generate or save??

Obviously Obama is going to also generate a budget deficit of hisotircal porportions. One that only a liberal could defend..

I love his "saving" jobs hedge. If we loose another 2 million jobs next year, Obama can claim victory and say at least we didn't lose 4.5 million jobs.

Way to go, fearless leader.

Republicans are going to suddenly discover that, after running up huge deficits every time they control the White House and/or Congress (Reagan, Bush I, Bush II), that deficit spending is a bad bad thing and Obama is a bad bad man for proposing new spending that actually puts money into the hands of someone who is not a CEO.

At this point, I hate to say it, looking at dollar amounts is just going to make you ill. You can blame Obama all you want, you can revile him later on, but unless this dirty work is done, we are all pretty much sunk. Darned if he does, darned if he doesn't. Don't blame him though, he's trying to clean up a mess not of his making y'all.

It seems as if God gives each man, a job, according to his wits. Obama's may have the best management team, but his challenges are equal to his talents.

No price is too large when you're trying to maintain an image! Substance is no longer important.

Wheres the Trillion dollars Paulson and Bernacki stole already?And your crying over the auto makers.Dont let the smoke screens they put up fool you,or we will never see that money again.

Yes, the clean up crew is coming to Washington to pick up after the failed policies of the W crews. W is one lucky man. He had a clean plate to work off of. Bom will have to scoop up every dead fish that has been rotting for the past 8 years. May God be with you Boma.

Ah, the wonders of a sound economy....(sarcastically speaking)
So we go from $400B to $700B, and now by the end of January, $1T?!

This is what happens when inefficient and unneccessary spending goes too far. And let's not forget that the strings that might have to come attached to this bailout...that's if proper oversight is allowed.

It's a comment like all the others that he's said, for good or bad. It provides hope.

He's saying he has a plan to boost the economy and provide jobs. That's hope. That's a good thing. Better economy, more jobs, how can that not be good?

It's how it's implemented, it's how much it's going to cost, that's the bad part. Right now though, when Wall Street is fluctuating based on what people say, what's wrong with not saying anything?

It's like when gas was reaching $5. People on the news, even on CNN, were saying gas was going to reach $4, reach $5. And what happened? Gas reached that much. Once they started saying gas could go down in price, I'm now paying $1.59 a gallon. Three months ago I paid close to $4. What happened? Influential people shut their pie-holes with the negative, and started saying something positive, and it worked.

Barack Obama is stepping into humongus diasters created these last eight years. He will need the support and patience of us all as it is going to take time to get our country back to sanity. What he is expected to accomplish has not been faced for many, many years.
The republicans must realize they have to cooperate and work with all politicians for our survival.

Yeah, right! It is ridiculous!! Give us a break–we aren't stupid!