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Our country is in BAD shape – we can thank the republicans and their horrible ideas for the mess we're in.
They need to either provide good ideas or shut up – and, just so you know, the tax cuts they propose are not the answer.
Our states are going broke – also our country.

BO knows as much about economy as my democrat donkeys, didn't realize they were so smart, what a knuckle dragger.

Obama and his scare tactics.

And now he says that we have to listen to him and do what he says to do because "he won"? Does this mean that he is taking away our own thinking and our freedom to decide what WE THE PEOPLE think is best for our country? That's pure communism.

People should wake up from their sweet dreams and wise up before this guy Obama destroys America, or what is left of it.

MR,,,,,,,,,OBAMA,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,DO,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,YOU,,,,,,,,,,,,,THINK,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,YOUR,,,,

IDEA,,,,,,,,,,,,,,OF,,,,,,,,,,,,ALWAYS,,,,,,,,,,,SAYING,,,,,,,,,,,IT'S,,,,,,,,,,,,,GOING,,,,,,,,,,

TO,,,,,,,,,,,,GET,,,,,,,,,,,,WORSE,,,,,,,,,,,,,WILL,,,,,,,,,,,MAKE,,,,,,,,,,,IT,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

BETTER ? ? ?

Bleak? I don't know if you have been paying attention to current events pal, but things are already bleak. Obama's weekend address actually seemed pretty optimistic to me.

First bold action should be to kill the dogma-Republican and Democratic. Economy is ready to be remade and it can be remade in the image of a new bi-partisan president. A new wall street should rise from the ashes of the present one-build a green economy that will lead the world-renew our infrastructue, education system and health system. Remake USA a new and the the smartest , hardworking and enterprising people in the world will respond. There is a reason USA is a world power and it is because of its people.

Is it just me and my suspicions or is there a fly in the grits regarding the internet and wiring problems at the white house? Would not such a problem make a good cover for someone who wishes to hide or destroy e-mails and other data which the Bush administation does not want to get into the public domain? Did not the US Supreme Court recetly rule that all White house e-mails were public property and must be preserved: Again, may be its just my suspicious mind working overtime.

Yep and it will get worse. Microsoft for the first time has layed off thousands. The small and big business's are worried about Obama's tax credit to those 95% of Americans which they will be paying for. Obama should keep the Bush taxcuts in play at least till the economy picks up.

Bleak? The majority of us have been living it for a while now, so I call it reality. It's just refreshing to see a leader that realizes the full reality of the situation. Lord help us if another republican would have been elected.

It may take a while, but better days are ahead.

Newsflash: Gov't stimulus packages have NEVER worked. Just ask Japan, or anyone that studied the New Deal. We got out of Depression when WWII kicked in not because of the artifically created jobs made by FDR. Gov't is inefficient and there will enormour waste and mismanagement of our funds. We are mortgaging our future.

Instead of Government going to the Buffet of Liberal Dreams, we should be putting Government on a DIET!!!

Actually, the economy is in a far worst state than anybody in "WISE" leadership is willing to acknowledge, and any pea-brain Legislature can truly comprehend. WISE Leadership won't tell the American people how bad it is because the nation will sink into a hopeless abyss; while the PEA-BRAIN Legislatures are too stupid to truly understand the depths of the "Bush-Cheney-Rove-Rumsfeld" disastrous debacle.

Although I didn't vote for Obama, I am all for supporting him. He has made so many Executive Orders this week. Gitmo, Torture etc, Those are admirable and grand, but if you have lost your job, are losing your house, suffering from the Economy as we all are this isn't very important. My God, Man do something! There must be something you can do to help! This is catastrophic ! Quit sitting on your hands making speeches!

every day we become worse off so congress both dems and repubs had better get with obama's program before it is to late to ever get the US back on track to where we once were. it has been a week now and all we hear is bickering from both sides. we are fed up with this and we deserve better!
send we american tax payers $50,000. each and we will fix the country within weeks. we are the ones that will spend the money on cars, our homes, clothing, groceries and dr. visits for our children.
afterall isn't that what has happened?? we have stopped spending and put a halt to the economy. i can't think of an easier way for us americans to fix our own problem! the top got us into this and now the bottom can fix it for ourselves if we got the government bailout.

Republicans in Congress:

So your grand counter offer is to do exactly what you've been doing the past 8 years? Giving tax credits to individuals and *cough* small businesses?

That's worked out so well, so far.

I'm 100% for President Obama and think he will do great things towards moving America forward. And being a Canadian I know my opinion isn't warranted but just wondering if I'm misinterpreting his message? As quite frankly I find his Econmic Package confusing.

He states America faces an unprecedented crisis calling for immediate, urgent, swift action to ensure the situation doesn't worsen dramatically. Yet the solutions he proposes, although great and well thought out plans for economic savings, seem to be economic ventures one would think, might take a considerable amount of time before savings would be realized and hence would delay immediate and urgent economic relief?

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Some Republicans in Congress are pushing back against the plan, questioning whether it will stimulate the economy. They also say the overall price tag is too expensive and want to see more in tax cuts for individuals and businesses and less in government spending.Nothing positive came out of throwing the first $350 billion at the economy,now the government is going to blow the rest of the $ 700 billion that Bush got past,let us "SEE" what that does,and who gets it,before we approve of an additional $825 billion for Obama to blow ,we do not have any of this money to begin with,we are going to borrow it from who ? China ?

He's right, quick action is required. But, it also needs to be the correct action. The crap that Congress loading into the lard barrel called the stimulus package is criminal and clearly shows they are putting politics above the needs of the nation. They should be put in Gitmo and then put on trial for treason. I am angry at their ineptitude and corruption.

yes I can see why he might be conserned about Economi as it would be cheaper for gov to give every citizen a million dollars to pay bills then to try to figi=ure out what the banks and wall street did

It's #44 fault!

The only way for America to get out of this funk – is to get back to work. The only way for Americans to get back to work, is for Americans to start buying American made products.

BUT – We don't make anything anymore. We have become a country of consumers and not producers. A countries wealth is measured by what it produces and I'm sorry to say, we greatly lack in this department.

THUS – For us to get going again, we need to buy American (it may cost a little more, but thats the price we have to pay for now) and get back on the road of recovery.

it's all about jobs ,baby. if folks aint workin', they cant spend. time for the corporations and bigshot ceos to start taking their losses in their own pockets, if they want to survive. the regular folks have had enough! if republicans and some democrats want to become obstructionists, they wont survive the next election cycle. good riddance,too. we need folks who will support our president. he seems to be the only person with a plan.

I would like to see monies spent for creating jobs to improve and rehabilate the infrastructure of this country. What better gift for our grandchildren than to have safer roads, better railways, fearless travel over bridges, and above all, energy supplies which are not oil-based!
Tax relief is NOT the answer. Stimulus gifts are used to pay off debt and are ineffectual in my opinion. Thanks for listening and thanks for giving me the opportunity to vent....EPurdum

Barack, we're already at double digits in some Florida counties. Is this when Biden comes out again to emphasize the economy is worse than you thought,ie, nothing you said during the elections is valid?

Thank God we now have a president that not only understands the problems of our economy, he is trying to fix this terrible mess. Republicans got us into this mess and now they are attempting to block Obama, I don't think so.

Like a flock of geese, let's now UNIFY and move together with one VOICE!!!

So.......we spend 850 billion of our tax money in hopes of saving 2 billion? Why does this not seem too fair?

I do support some form of gov't stimulus, and I do believe SOME investments in infrastructure are necessary and inevitable. If O's plan becomes a catch-all for any spending that can't get rammed through congress on its own (e.g., $1B for census, other $ for many green projects, etc.), we are quite right to question it. That is, if questioning one's leaders is still allowed in this country.

Obama, I thought your bailouts would work.......uh oh, guess you were wrong. Need more money to give to bad companies?

stop talking about it and DO something!

Things are bleak, and will be for several years.
Yes it's great that everyone wants to work together – republicans and democrats – but, Obama won by a huge majority and we want his ideas to prevail.
The republicans got us into this mess and now they want to continue with their bad ideas.
It's time to stop this nonsense and let Obama make the decisions.

Our government must realize that this crisis is wearing on the American people therefore headlines such as anyone disagreeing with the President's plans instead of working with him are not appreciated. All America is dying economically not by party, race or anything.

Reading this article and watching C-Span during the committee hearings for this stimulus plan make me wonder exactly what Republicans want, other than having control of Congress and George W. Bush back in the White House. The amendments they are offering are mostly a load of BS and a waste of time, for the most part. The Republicans aren't offering anything of value, but are instead throwing up junk to have it fail, thereby justifying their claim that they have no input in the plan.
The House Republicans should become part of the solution rather than remaining part of the problem. If they want to feel included in the process they should contribute, instead of hindering the hearings.

Thank goodness the plan is moving forward and it is good to see Republicans and Democrats negotiating a bipartisan deal. This is the right way to do government. The democrats could shove whatever they wanted through congress, it is good to see democrats listening to the republicans.

Socialism versus Capitalism? President Obama realizes that the business culture in America has used socialism as a back-channel to enhance their bottom-line of profits for the past thirty-years.The corporate mind-set in America has methodically enhanced it's propaganda, implimenting the export of "US Capitalism", while importing "Foreign Socialism",with past ,and future administration feeding at the "K-Street" trough,disregarding the American workers future!

this from a man who spent 170+ million on his coronation. shame on obama. the 170+ million could have been used for the hungry in the nation, the jobless, the hopeless. instead, obama blew it on a party. where is the change?

That's it Obama, keep preaching DOOM and GLOOM.

Oh, come now..... are these the same Republicans who have placed our country in economic colapse... the same Republicans who voted in lock step with Bush/Cheney? The same Repubs who have sold our country to china in the name of padding the pockets of their fat cat buddies while completely ignoring the rest of us? I THOUGHT SO!

These Repubs are the very ones who got us into this mess... do they have the qualifications to get us out ? I DON'T THINK SO!

Get out of the way, Repubs.... YOU made the problem... let President Obama and the Democratic majority try to correct your mess and save the country!

Doesn't history show WWII end the depression and jobs then created? There are those in Congress seems to think putting money back into economy isn't the answer.
It is unknown what will work in this crisis, so is it a stimulus package without the pork, do nothing and go into a depression or an all out war III, what is your choice Congress?
I trust President Obama and not so much congress.
Congress must get creative returning jobs back into our country, like MasterCard C.1. employing people in India and the Philippines as their customer service rep’s. I never ever spoken to someone in the USA, it’s very sad. Why should we give these banks money from the stimulus if they are employing people from in countries!!!!! I do not want my tax money going to those companies who do not have 100% American employment and it shouldn’t it American tax payer money!!!!

So, use taxpayer money, which taxpayers have to payback. Give it to banks, which loan it to taxpayers who have to pay the loan back with interest?

That's insane thinking. Just get rid of the income tax for a year or two, that would do more to help than anything.

Obama had the answer for all of this a few months ago. Now he is seeing things the way they are and making excuses why he may not be able to deliver. He is all blow and no go. He is more worried about paying for the world's abortions and setting some terrorist free than the American economy.

This sounds like a step in the right direction. Most folks I talk to are struggling to keep there home. We have only seen the beginning of the mortgage crisis. People that have homes valued around 100,000 up to 150,000 will be the next wave of foreclosures. There really is no help for people who would like to stay in there home. All this news about help is all a smoke screen for mortgage companies. The only way you can get help is to go into default and take a hit on your credit report. What a sad time when only the dis-honest are rewarding with a loan modification. I hope President Obama don't forget the little people who gave 25.00 contributions to get him elected.

As an O supporter, it is striking to see him change the change. People are being laid off on his watch and we need help. He is still in campaign mode and this needs to end. Too much demo bully for me so far, he is our only hope and we need more government and less politics.

Well I see it is just politics as usual!! PRESIDENT OBAMA told us what he wanted to do and we elected him! He has explained, AFTER, he became OUR PRESIDENT, that things are even worse than he thought! This is probably, for me, due to the fact that he was not given, or briefed on the exact conditions because he was not president at the time! and now you have these "other politicians", mostly republicans saying the presidents plan will not work!!!
Where the heck were these people before Obama became president?
Enjoying the benefits of their office!! Backing Bush until the last breath? Give me a break!!! Watch as the Obama team presents their solutions to our problems, and the Republicans start raising cain!

Now I see what the CHANGE IS! In running for the president he says the economy can be fixed, but now he is changing his mind like he is changing his mind about a lot of things.

Can't wait for 2012 to vote for somebody new!!

I dont understand why they dont just give the money to us the people. Write a big fat check to all americans. Then they can pay off their houses, pay there bills and spend money to get back up. Then the other half can go to infostructure building. I guess this mom just sees it as easier than fighting...

So let's throw hundreds of billions of dollars...perhaps even trillions at the problem. I'm sure that will fix the problem! What does Obama, Pelosi, and Reid care anyway? It's someone else's money.

People need to wake up! IT"S OUR MONEY THEY ARE MISMANAGING AND WASTING! I can manage my own finances thany very much. I don't need the government to do it for me!

Enough with these bailouts, they are not working and this is only throwing more money down a black hole. Freddie mae and Fannie mack are now back asking for more billions, just where does it stop?

I AGREE WITH 80% OF AMERICANS MR PRESIDENT.I SAY TO YOU DOUBTING DEMS AND BEWILDERED REPUBLICANS "FOLLOW THE LEADER" BECAUSE THE PEOPLE ARE WITH HIM.AMERICA DESERVES ONLY THE BEST.

"Some Republicans in Congress are pushing back against the plan..."

It's the Republicans whose ridiculous economic theories have put us in this mess to begin with! How stupid are these guys? Are they determined to marginalize themselves right out of existence?

Talk about wooden headed. Today's Republicans are the epitome of the term.

"Some Republicans in Congress are pushing back against the plan, questioning whether it will stimulate the economy........." and would rather give more money to their wealthy cronies in private industry, banking and relatives. Considering that they're the ones who got us into this economic crisis, I really don't give them any credibility.

Of course he's painting a bleak picture. Time to set the bar low since he can't come through on the campaign promises. Is there anyone out there who did NOT see this coming? Obviously, I did not vote for Obama, nor did I vote for McCain...couldn't tell much difference between the two. Either way, Obama is the President and will either succeed or fail. the buck SHOULD stop with him but I don't think the media will allow that to happen. They will continue to prop him up.

I'm so glad he is on op of this. Can you imagine if Bush was still in office....how out-of-touch and in-denial he was ?--we would have seen bread lines and shanty towns before that boob did anything. Thank goodness for President Obama.
Janie, Springfield MA

Now, after bringing our country to it's knees the republicans are concerned about spending? Where have their concerns been these last eight years??
They have got to stop their politics as usual, favoring self interests, party and their ego trips over what is best for our country.
It is finally time for them to put our survival first.
We voted for CHANGE and we demand it.

STOP THE BAIL OUTS. INSTEAD GIVE EVERY LEGAL TAXPAYER $5000.REBATE

I agree with President Obama, I actually do not think we are in a sever recession, I think we are in a mild depression. How many people are out of work, how many people lost their homes,life savings?

Look at the the first Wall Street bailout, how much money did anyone get to help them out? Did they use it for that or themselves. Remember this was done on Bush's watch. Non restrictions was placed on them, nor are they paying that back unlike the the Auto bailout, they have to pay it back.

I think we need more tax cuts, putting people back to work, whether you are a street cleaner, a teacher, a retail worker etc, Some people have a college degree and cannot find work!

Remember one thing, we need to look to our workers first instead of importing goods from other countries, Buy American and look in our own back yard!

Looks like Obama will spend the next 4 years trying to lower expectations. This is because he doesn't have a clue as to what to do, and he knows that his policies will result in hyper-inflation.

You cannot spend $1 trillion per year and have no adverse effects on the livelihood of people. If Americans think their savings have shrunk now, wait till the "stimulus" package and un-necessary energy programs start to inflate prices. We'll look back at W with nostalgia for the "good old days".

You know it has to be bleak, he is following another GOP (Greedy Old Pigs) president, lets see, just like Clinton had to clean up after pigs, Caret had to clean up after the pigs, Kennedy had to clean up after the pigs and FDR had to clean up after the Pigs, anytime the Greedy Old Pigs have been in office there is ALWAYS a financial mess because they have robbed the US Treasury blind because after all all they are are Greedy Old Pigs!

AND FOR YOU DOUBTING DEMOCRATS I SAY TO YOU "PULL UP YOUR SOCKS " AMERICA DESERVES ONLY THE BEST.

Let's talk about Geithner. Certainly a smart man and, but for his tax problems, a good choice to head the Treasury Department. But, fails to pay the tax for 4 years, despite acknowledging being advised to pay it, initially pays 2 years because the other 2 were outside the statute of limitation, and only pays that when told he was being vetted for the Treasury job. And, attempts to deduct his chil'd summer camp as a busniess expense. What a SLEEZEBAG. Change you can believe in. Right...

Keep painting the bleak economic future, continue to lower the bar for yourself, blame George Bush for everything, keep spending the American People's money for what you want and wait until the summer of 2010 (right before the midterm elections) to fix the economy. Wow! There's leadership you can believe in!

Dear Mr. President,
Please do not let Republicans convince you that tax cuts will do a better job of stimulating the economy than infastructure. They've been running the show the past 8 years with devistating results, infastructure will surely bring job creation, innovation and to a new age for this country and the world. I understand the bipartisanship that must take place but let them come to the middle and see that a stronger foundation makes for a more sound economy.

The GOP they are the ones in the way, they dont care if People lose their Jobs,All they care about are the Wealthy ceos and making sure they get their Fat Bonuses. President Obama I respect that you want to help this country and create Jobs and that you actually care about America and the People but as long as the GOP Remain and still have power they will fight you every step of the way! SO SICK AND FED UP WITH THE GREEDY DO NOTHING I DONT CARE REPUBLICANS!

You call it bleak – I call it realistic. Finally a president thats speaks to us as adults. No more blowing sunshine up our skirts. He gets what the majority of us have been living the last several years. I applaud Obama and his efforts to resolve these issues by looking at the big picture and taking action.

End the War in Iraq. Spend the $10 Billion a month HERE.

I AGREE WITH THE PRESIDENT ALL THE WAY. IF YOU FAIL TO PREPARE THEN PREPARE TO FAIL. IT'S NOW OR NEVER. AMERICA DESERVES ACTIONS INSTEAD OF BACKBITING,SO REPUBLICANS I SAY TO YOU "VOTE YES".

First, update the banking rules then call for America to save every dime then make loans from the capital in our savings accounts. That will start healing the nation but the rules must be rolled back to pre-Bush deregulation days first!!!

One day Obama is going to make George Bush look good. It's just a matter of time.

He sounds as if they do not have a plan.

29 LEADING ECONOMIST SUPPORT OBAMA ECONOMIC PLAN AND WE HAVE THE EXPERIENCE OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION TO SHOW US HOW TO GET OUT OF THIS BUSH DISASTER. GROWTH IN GDP INCRESES FASTER WITH SPENDING PLANS THEN TAX CUTS.

REPUBLICANS NEED TO STOP OBTRUCTING THE PLAN AND SUPPORT THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY PLAN IF THIS COUNTRY IS TO MOVE FORWARD!

GET REAL!

The republicans got us into this and now they want to advise how to get out of it? GET REAL !!

The stimulus plan should create JOBS, JOBS, JOBS. It is my hope that more money is spent on shovel-ready projects to get people working and less on tax breaks, especially is it benefits the wealthy. Infrastructure projects like public transit, including a national Amtrak plan to get a national bullet rail system in place. Energy projects would also create jobs.

Obama lied to get your vote. You drank his kool-aid. You fell for it. You are fools.

Of course his economic team is Karl Marx, Joseph Stalin, Che Gueverra and Fidel Castro.

The line for bread forms here...