CNN

The big recession of 1981, during the Reagan administration, took several years to recover from. Reagan tried to ignore it until he finally had to admit it in October of 1981. Reagan vastly increased government spending. To combat this recession, Reagan raised taxes on corporations in 1982. These are facts that the G-No-P don't want to Americans to remember.

Obama inherited an economy in recession, a recession that the Bush administration had been trying to slow down, once by sending Americans stimulus checks and a second time by bailing out Wall Street. The actions by Bush and Obama have kept us from dropping us into a depression, but recovery will not be quick. Republicans would have us think that the government doing nothing would have been the best way to go because their constituency is wealthier and thus better able to withstand hard financial times.

Finally, by doing their best to blame this economy on Obama, Republicans are hoping that American voters are dumb enough to forget what the economy was like during the last years of the Bush administration.

Who came up with using the adjective 'slamming" anyways ?

Rather childish reporting if I say so myself ...

I can't believe the Republicans are even saying anything about what this administration is trying to do and for the folks on this board complaining about the spending question ...what would you have the President do? Not try to stop the economy from tanking? Not try to show China (the country that has most of our debt) that we still have a viable economy? You folks don't get it. I don't care how much they spend as long as they get things going back on track. The folks you should blame are the coporation that are constantly sending your jobs overseas and still making fat profits for the CEO's who all believe in the Republican economic theory of the strong will survive and small business is the way to economic growth...PLEASE!!! Oh yeah...I do blame BUSH because if he hadn't started that bogus war in Iraq we would have had those Billions of dollars to do something!!! You idiots need to get a life!!!

Well I know we have asked this before but its been a couple weeks (for me at least)

Republicans, conservatives, all who bash Obama's attempts to fix the economy, aside from tax cuts, which has proven inefficient, what is your plan B? Personally, i think that if spending needs to be cut back, it should be cut back in different areas over different times. cut spending on defense for a month, then cut spending on health care for a month, then cut spending on the department of transportation for a month. Shut down the FDA for a week every month. Suspend designs of high tech new prototypes for a few weeks, I bet if the money we spent on prototypes that didn't work went to paying more people to join the millitary, we could actually stay safe while saving money.

@ Phat Elvis, wh oasked "And the GOP's brilliant idea for economic recovery is….??????"

Their plan is simple. Do nothing. The economy is a magical fairyland that regulates and fixes itself because the people in it are super trustworthy and not out to horde as much money and assets as possible at the expense of those who either need their products and services or can be manipulated by deceitful and fraudulent actions into accepting credit to buy things they don't really need.

I am waiting for a clear alternate plan from the Republicans...still waiting...

Tom L

they havent CONTROLLED congress!! the republicans LOST control of congress. repubs have been in control of congress for more than a DECADE ! it became even in 2006 and NOW the dems have control!

America's current woes can be traced back to exactly Nov 2006. Congradulations again to the progressive liberal..

What really gets us all sick is the constant complaining by the GOP "not so faithful"

1. These people never said a sneevling word when spending was going totally out of control. Remember the first 2 stimulus bills were authored by the Bush Administration (i.e. tax cuts in 07, bank bailouts in 08). None of these now conscientious, yet pathetically hypocritical GOP pee ers said a word.

2. When the prior administration spent billions to save banks ($700 bn) in 2008, what kind of sense would it make to let them fail early in 2009.

3. How do tax cuts work for people without taxable incomes and/or out of work?.....as if, according to the GOP buttheads, that was our only option.

Pathetic! Well now the course of action is to blame Obama. Hopefully every voter will think this is all his doing when elections come around.

Republicans are nothing but crybabies and liars. They take no responsibility for what they have done to this Country. They only want to denegrate any attempt to right the ship of State that they have caused to list so severely.
No ideas. No morals. No ethics. No common sense. No leaders. No No No.
The party of STUPID lives on in a very vocal 25% minority.
Thank God the solid majority is intelligent.

It doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out it didn't work. Gotta love the Liberal responses here that just can't admit Obama is clueless when it comes to the economy..........or anything else for that matter. Their only words are Bush's Fault, Bush's Fault. The Bush's Fault grace period has expired and Obama owns the economy and he is destroying it faster than you can blink.

PS The economy was booming for most of the Bush presidency and anyone who wanted a job had one. The housing mess started under Clinton policy. Do a little research and get away from your college brainwashing where facts aren't relevant.

Dennis July 8th, 2009 2:39 pm ET

Bush left a problem no doubt, but Obama has magnified the problem exponentially. Doing nothing would have been abetter option
========================================================
Please explain how doing nohing was a better option?

GOP complains. Bears poop in the woods. The pope wears a funny hat. Blah blah yackity shmackity.

"The White House Office of Management and Budget"

Now thats what you call the ultimate oxymoron..

We are still awaiting the GOP Alternative Plan...you know something we can get our teeth into. Seems that their(GOP) PLAN in the last Administration help to create this monster of debt and a PHONY Economy. Frankly, the issues of today may have gone back as far as Clinton's Administration. Where have these good GOP legislaters been over the past 6 to 7 years ???? I guess they were not pulling together solutions...................just taking "pass the buck" pills ??? They ought to be ashamed of themselves. If any of these GOP idiots are representing my district .....they need not count on this Moderate Republican's vote. How dare they blame an eight month old administartion for this..They are nothing but a bunch of do nothing HYPOCRITES... counting on the uninformed lazy voters ballots.

Tom L July 8th, 2009 2:44 pm ET

@Will-South Dakota
I believe it is you who is suffrering from memory loss. The democrats have controlled congress for the last 2 years of Bush's presidency. Let's get the factsstraight. "

No, Tom, you need your facts straight. The Democrats had a slim majority from 2007, but Bush vetoed every bill they sent to him that wasn't already rubber-stamped by him (or he added a signing statement negating the bill.) That is hardly CONTROL by Democrats. Had we been in control, Bush and company would be under indictment now.

@ Dennis

Doing nothing would have been catastrophic. If you think we're in bad shape now, I can only imagine how much worst off we will be if we did nothing and watch the economy collapse. Now's not the time for the blame game. The stimulus bill didn't take effect until 4/1/09. It's only July. Things don't happen overnight.

I sincerely question whether the apparent Obama supporters here are US citizens. It sure appears that they are, like Obama, trying to destroy everything this country has been built on. Change – you can keep it.

For those that want to blame Bush... Do some research folks, the problem came from the democrates with housing and finance.

Now, we are TRILLIONS more in debt and YOU are going to be paying for it. Obama give the money to big government and it will come out of your paycheck and the cost of things YOU purchase.

@Jim, Michigan "Not quite. The GOP has been a minority in both houses of Congress since 2006. I'd say it's quite difficult for a minority party to "ram" anything through without substantial support from the other side."
-------------–
The GOP didn't become a minority until Jan. 2007. The election giving the dems control was held in Nov. 2006.

I'd say it's quite difficult for a minority, dems in this case, to ram the economy to hell without support from the other side as well.

Michigan Jim,

No, I said it was the Republicans..... Paulsen and his "have to have the money now" and most everyone in the Congress bought it without knowing all the facts. It has snowballed since, before Obama took office....he just is trying to keep money flowing, but we need to know where the money is actually going. Certainly not to me...I am now an unemployed teacher in Arizona, along with hundreds of other teachers because our legislature cut state funding, and just recently compromised with the Governor, but it is too late for most teachers to recoup their positions.

say what you want.............but un-employment keeps going up...and the market keeps going down..............as many of you know.....I am no genius............but it would seem to me that this thing didn't work

The teleprompter president, Chris Dodd, Barney Frank, every Democrat needs to be investigated, first for tax evasion, then for driving this nation into bankruptcy. The “Porkulus” Spending bill, their budget, this is gross negligence.

Let’s review,
higher unemployment
higher taxes
higher home foreclosure rate
auto industry in the tank
stock market in the tank
tax evading Democratic Party
tax evading Obama administration
the “Porkulus” Spending bill
out of control budget

Depressing being an American under the Obama administration.

more sensationalizing by the republicans who caused the mess to start with.

so quick to point fingers away from themselves, and yet, not offer any solutions or even to help coming up with a solution.

pathetic.

Casy

you say obama and dems are stupid and are giving power back to the GOP. let me tell you something MOST intelligent people see the GOP for what they are now. BABIES only out for political power. the silly ones are people like you. you voted for bush twice and mccain and palin last yr. you and your family sit around hating obama and think because the 20 friends you have are republicans that everyone thinks like you and the country sees obama for what you ALWAYS KNEW he was now. but youre wrong. we might question obama sometimes because dems actiually hold their leaders more accountable than repubs but one thing we will never do is go back to youre moronic idols!

I need answers.
Please tell me how Cap'n Trade really helps ME at all.

Please tell me how government health care makes MY health care better, not worse.

Please tell me where all the stimulus money is actually going, (other than out of my pocket.)

Does anyone else suspect that all of this is less about helping America than about taking controll out of the hands of Americans?

Please tell me that we have not come this far just to sink into the same tyranny that the rest of the world has come to admire us for and to depend on us to avoid.

Recessions can't be fixed in 6 months! I've seen stimulus jobs in DC, but people have to be patient. The stream will soon overflow!

...and the GOP had such helpful ideas about how to get out of the recession/depression.

"Let's cut taxes on the rich! Maybe they'll be generous and trickle some money to the little guy." Like their Guatemalan maid/nanny.....right!

Republicans would not be happy if there were a billion jobs created, nor will they be happy if a hundred are created. Bottom line is, they all agree with Limbaugh and want this to fail, and fast. If the stimulus is a success, they will lose more ground in their plan to take over America. Can't have those awful Dems actually helping the country now, can we? I mean, it would be unthinkable if a black man saved America from the rich Republicans who scream about deficits only when they aren't spending for them themselves.

Oh there's a surprise. The GOP is slamming Obama. You're going to have to do a lot better CNN. We already know that the "Party of No" slams the president every chance they get. They are a bunch of sore losers who will be out of power for a very long time. Why?

Because when they're in power wasteful spending is okay, when they're out of power they're crossing every T and dotting every I. I'm not buying it. The GOP hates the government and wants to see it stay underground, since their leader George Worst President Bush ran the government in the ground.

The GOPers will never get my vote. President Obama is doing a fine job and he can take all the time he needs to put this country back together, after the hatchet job GW did–I can wait.

Obama/Biden 2012

Also, any party who thinks Sarah-Never-Read-A-Book-But-Wants-You-To-Buy-Hers-Palin should be the leader of the free world is wacko.

Ideas, sure, they should have cut corporate taxes to encourage businesses to hire new employees and keep their workers. This was McCain's position in the election. It worked for Reagan in the 80's, there is no proof that government spending gets you out of a recesssion historically. Unfortunately we just burned into the defecit another trillion and anything done now would only further burden us. Obama and the Democrats had one bullet and they wasted it. It wasn't a stimulus plan, it was spending 800 billion of the things the Democrats wanted to do for the past 8 years, what a sham.

read the story right above this how the money is supporting cash-strapped states. If you lived in one of these state, as I do, I am 100% confident you would appreciate it.

Uh... The GOP have no room to talk! Do i need to remind them of the $3 Trillion dollar war they authorized for Bush to conduct, and the economic downturn that started in '06 on their watch!

The uniformed will blame George Bush and the Repubs for all of this. The facts paint a different picture.

When the dems took over congress in 2006 Bush was in office for 6 years and the unemployment rate was 4.6 and gas was $2.10 a gallon. Now with the dems in control for 2 1/2 years unemplyment is at 9.5% and gas is back at $3.00 and climbing.

Barney Frank and Chris Dodd were major players in the Housing market colapse.

As far as the bail outs it was the dems who voted with George Bush to pass the first bail out. Intially the Republicans had blocked it the first time.

Please. If the GOP had their way, Republicans would create Hooverville all over again with another DEPRESSION.

The GOP seems to have less concern for average Americans suffering during challenging times, only ridiculous "tax cuts" for their wealthy interests. History has shown their failed ideology does NOT "trickle down." Give me a break.

In addition, recent projections indicate our economy should be out of the recession by the second half of this year, which means the stimulus is attributing to some cautiously optimistic signs going forward.

Godspeed, Mr. President.

What a shocking story, the GOP whining and complaining about President Obama and what America voted for. The new GOP should learn to get on board or get out of the way.

what is going to happen is the repubs will continously blame the dems and obama until people just start believing it. this country is super gullible. if you say something over and over and over again these people start actually agreeing!! its an amazing thing. in 10 yrs everybody will forget. well thats if we are still as priviledged as we are today!

@Will-South Dakota
I believe it is you who is suffrering from memory loss. The democrats have controlled congress for the last 2 years of Bush's presidency. Let's get the facts straight.

mike

if unemployed began after obama took over i can understand you blaming this on obama. however an economy does not crash overnight. it takes yrs of deregulation and bad practice. repubs have been pushing deregulation since the clinton admin. but you ADD republicans think dems came in 2006 and destroyed everything. if we didnt start 2 wars and were smart after 9/11 we would have plenty of money to handle this situation. but we dont. and we are still paying these wars WHILE the economy is still crashing. its time to come to terms with the fact that you voted for a moron TWICE!! just admit it already.

Republicans would rather plot and scheme to win, than cooperate with the administration to heal our country. The 'good old boys' got together and planned their reign of obstruction even before President Obama took office.....They spin and lie 24/7 and use any token they can to counter the good, and highlight their non-agenda.......If they ever win a majority again, Democrats will be losers in more ways than one.....I hope that day never comes.

"We are slowing the economic freefall (and) the recovery act is an important part of that effort. … It's a work in progress, but it's steady progress."

Nobody like progress, but want things to happen over night. That why people sell drug, it bring them quick money, but look at what cost. Just last month, if I recall, when the Republicans thought things was looking better they were screaming that a Stimulus wasn't necessary.

Now today it a different story since the progress is not fast enough. Give it time becasue it took time for us to get her.

As dysfunctional as the MSM want us to think the GOP are, Obama will be the reason why the GOP regain power. The GOP don't have to do much because Obama and the Dems are doing it for them and Obama and the Dems are too arrogant or stupid to realize this!

Bush left a problem no doubt, but Obama has magnified the problem exponentially. Doing nothing would have been abetter option.

Don't worry! We have another useless "stimulus" package being discussed by the White House today. Third time is a charm! Or fourth...maybe fifth???

This is what happens when a far-left liberal community organizer, who has absolutely zero economic knowledge or experience, get ahold of a failing economy. What, did you thinks things would get better?

To Michael M. - your quote: …."it was the Republicans who rammed the bailout money through to begin with."

Not quite. The GOP has been a minority in both houses of Congress since 2006. I'd say it's quite difficult for a minority party to "ram" anything through without substantial support from the other side.

Jimmy the Greek - right on.

And the GOP's brilliant idea for economic recovery is....??????

yeah that's what i thought. it would have been a $787B tax cut for the rich. as someone once said, "Thanks, but no thanks"

Oh, my goodness. I'm SHOCKED that Republicans would think the stimulus package isn't working.

Let me ask The Party of NO where a large portion of this mess originated? What's that? That's right: The administration os 'W'!

Uhhh...You know what?

The GOP is ineffective and wasteful.

I must give the GOP a little credibility here. They are by far the experts on "WASTEFUL"

Republicans, Democrats, what's the difference? The GOP is incidentally right about the stimulus bill but they're still the party of no. Both parties are in the pockets of special interests and corporations anyway. Ron Paul 2012

From 2001 to 2009,. Republicans stole from the Treasury, mismanaged the economy and let Wall Street bankers rob their customers blind, leading the entire country to the edge of a second Great Depression. Republicans, therefore, have useful or positive NOTHING to offer.

Doug, New Jersey

Keynesian-–i dont think anybody thinks you are talking about obamas father. and keynesian is better than friedmans idea of economics which have been proven an utter failure by everybody besides the rich and their GULLIBLE following.

Well the first one worked out so great, why not?!

As a drooling li.b.eral, I feel that whatever Obama does, is the best thing for me. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to go back to not paying taxes and living off the dole.

You Gve Bush 8 years, Give Obama a chance. It's only been 5 months

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR, Associated Press Writer Ricardo Alonso-zaldivar, Associated Press Writer – 53 mins ago

WASHINGTON – The nation's hospitals will give up $155 billion in future Medicare and Medicaid payments to help defray the cost of President Barack Obama's health care plan, a concession the White House hopes will boost an overhaul effort that's hit a roadblock in Congress.

Anyone that actually thinks these politicians actually read any of these bills all the way through is an idiot.

@Sharon and Laverne
You really need to catch up on current news. The democrats have controlled congress for 2+ years now. You can stop blaming the republicans for everything. The hard, cold truth that you don't want to face is that this stimulus package was an absolute joke. A bad joke. We were told that the stimulus bill had to pass immediately otherwise our economy would never recover and now we find out that over 90% hasn't even been implemented. Bottom line, as much as you want and need the government to take care of you, they can't. They are inefficient by nature. The best way to stimulate the economy is to let the people do it.

Doom and gloom, doom and gloom... with no ideas to offer of course.

I guess it is our turn (democrats) to continue screwing up the country. My only regret: I wished I had voted for John McCain.

Just more white noise whining from the Republicans who can't learn to keep their mouths shut and lose credibility every time they open it to scream about nothing.

Despite a tough year for Republicans, GOP strategists say the economy is part of the party's road to recovery.

"Nothing has really galvanized the Republican Party more than the stimulus vote," Republican strategist Doug Heye said. "One thing that we've seen is that the president's popularity, while he's still popular throughout the nation, really is taking hits in key states."

Look American this is what the Repubicans play was hoping and praying President Obama Stimulus plan fail so they can win back the White House at the expense of American people. Repbulicans only care about power and would rather see the President fail, which me we all fail, just to prove a point. Fear is not of GOD? It may not have been the best plan, but it was more than what the Repubicans would have done which is tax cuts. It have only been six months, the Repubicans are pointing their figures when took 8 years to get here.

Fear is all the Repubicans party have. Anybody that believe that any President can get us back on track after six months, live a dream world.

who listens to these people still?

How can someone with a competent brain sit there and say, "this is STILL bushes fault"?!?! Obama has INCREASED the federal deficit By more than 40%!!! Bush didn't do that...your precious god and his wacked out economic staff did. And now they want MORE????? Are you serious? There is no more! There wasn't any to begin with!! the democrats and libs on this site are disgusting!

Mercy. Everyone seems to be forgetting the FIRST stimulus package that former president Bush's administration passed that went straight to finance and insurance companies, with NO accounting for expenditures, and AFTER the decision to let Lehman Brothers fail, which accelerated the entire financial crisis. Thank you for remembering the facts, everyone!

This bill is only 5 months old and funds are still in the earliest stages of being doled out. Projects take time to be approved. From day one, analysts projected that jobs were to be created over a two year period, with the highest concentration coming in 2010 – and that it's biggest immediate boon to the economy would be in saving some existing jobs. My only concern with this bill is the same as Paul Krugman's – that it wasn't big enough and that it was too deeply weakened by the concessions to the Republicans & conservative Democrats. Lighten up Republicans, you can't keep hoping the Unites States economy will fail just so your guys can get elected in 2010 – we're all supposed to be in this together.

Michael M, Phoenix:

Methinks you have TARP mixed up with the porkulus package. A lot of the financial institutions that were helped by TARP are trying to pay back the money.

Porkulus, on the other hand, is much more like your leaky pipe.

GOP ideas and suggestions = 0

GOP procedures so far = complain; vote no; complain; vote no; complain.....

Right...GOP had 8 years to fix things under their control 8 YEARS!!!
They GOP is sufffering from memory loss.........8 YEARS!

michael-the bank bailout was unfortunate, but necessary. If you ever read an economics book, look up what happens to countries where their banking system freezes. Also, blaming Bush for this is hilarious, the unemployment rate has DOUBLED since the dems took congress. Bush's tax cuts were too heavy toward higher income, but tax cuts work in a consumer economy. We're heading toward 10% unemployment, take some responsibility.

Again, waiting for some ideas from the GOP......

Anyone? Anyone? *crickets chirping*

It's amazing that the very people who created this situation now have nothing to say except to criticize those who are trying to fix it. What is your plan, GOP? Oh, wait, you don't have a plan. You only know how to shoot down anything and everything our President and the Democratic party are trying to do.

The current state of economy is worse than a recission it is a depression. Also no one knew the magnitude of the problem and the fact is that the country is bankrupt. In a depression some has to spend the money to create jobs. If the private sector does not do that then the public sector has to come into picture. The best solution is to invest in infrastructure which will create the maximum jobs. Money given by Bush to Walstreet just vanished in a poof no one knows where. Now Obama the most intellegent President after a long time has taken the charge and wants to invest in infrastructure which is most logical. Results do not come overnight and it will take time. Still money has not been invested or released. Wait and see as the mess is more than what was thought of. Also americans will have to pay more taxes to increase the liquidity of the government otherwise the dooms day won't be far for the US$ which will go crashing down the floor to some of it's lowest value compared to other currency. China is demanding that it's currency should also be used as an international reserve currency. If that happens God can only save the US$. So it is time for Americans to wake up to the reality and mfg. jobs need to be brought back to US to have a strong & healthy middleclass.

you know the Reubs just can't wait to say "It's OBAMA'S fault!" even though so far the only answers they can come up with are more tax cuts for folks like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity. I just can't understand ANYBODY who thought this problem was going to go away once Obama took office. I even remember him saying it was not going to be easy, it would possibly get worse before it got better, that unemployment would go up once again before the end of the year, and I also recall him saying he didn't have all the answers and he might even make mistakes. Of course we know the far right and neo-cons NEVER make mistakes.

What gets me, is did everyone really think this economic crisis was going to be fixed in a matter of months? It's way too early to tell if the stimulus package is actually helping or hurting. Has anyone thought about what the consequences would have been had they not passed it? What if they wouldn't have helped the auto industry? More dealerships lost.. more jobs lost.. and not just at dealerships or at the auto plants.. plants that make components.. auto parts stores.. trucking companies that supply the plants and stores... which in turn would lead to more foreclosures as that many more people lost jobs..more people to sign up for government programs costing us even more.. people need to take a broader look at the implications.. there is no quick fix, it will take years.

We totally should've gone with the GOP plan.

Oh wait, the GOP has no plans.

Whatever.... ELEPHANTS must pay back 5 trillion dollars they gave to the last administration before they can slam Obama to pay it all back. We're in these situations because of THEM. They ate all the peanuts and buried the remainder of them.

The GOP, still stuck on stupid after 6 months, has yet to explain how "slamming" Obama is offering any concrete solutions.

In all actuality, I blame CONGRESS, all of them, for the mess we are in, and the inability to stem the flow.

Pointing fingers is utterly childish, and the GOP continues to prove time after time just how out of control they are.

"Among other things, they criticized the White House for constantly referring to the number of "jobs created or saved" by the $787 billion package — a metric, they claimed, that is impossible to verify."

Right right....but please by all means you go right ahead and tell us how ineffective it's been even though the effects are "impossible to verify."

so basically it boils down to this:

president obama wants to spend $787 billion on getting this country back on its feet, and republicans are squaking that he's spending too much, too fast, too willy nilly.

may i remind these republicans of the boondoggle that is iraq, and how a certain republican president was so eager to throw money down that rathole. may i also remind republicans that there are BILLIONS of dollars spent on iraq that cannot be accounted for.

so it's okay to fritter away billions of unaccounted for money on iraq, but it's not ok to spend billions of accountable money to help jump start this country's economny? i will never understand republicans...

the free market system is not a good model for medicine.

Medicine is about preventing and curing diseases - the profit motive is of no benefit -- how many sick people have been cured by the thousands of health care executives with 7 figure salaries -- NOT ONE - every dime earned by blue cross exectives is wasted

free markets are great for selling shoes or cars - i do not want to lose lung doctors who change into plastic surgeons to make more money

do you want several police departments competing in your town. do you want three different fire companies bidding for fire protection on your street

The GOP doesn't deserve the White House for 20 Years, or even more.

The package is only a small slither of what the deficit Bush gave us.

Hey Folks! It was the BUSH Administration that started all this.
REMEMBER??????
So to all you Republicans and "Tea Party Whiners" out there I simply say.....Quit your complaining and start helping!
Your constant rhetoric of disatisfaction is getting old.

How could anyone believe the stimulus anything but a failure, just wait for the long term effect! Liberals, the government must keep at least 50% of the population under their thumb, dependent on their handouts. This allows them to push their agenda, be it either right or left. It doesn't help you, it hurts you, if you take their "bribe" for your vote then you are not FREE! Who of the employed that gets their paycheck from other than a tax payer funded source did not see what an economic train wreck we were headed to? How can an elected official in Washington DC getting an uninterrupted $ 200K plus paycheck even have a clue as to what is going on in the private sector? Once elected, they get their salaries and healthcare benefits for LIFE, where is that in the private sector?! Until they share in the pain such as a cut to THEIR paycheck and/or benefits, Washington elitists just wont get it! CLEAN HOUSE 2010, 2012! BRING COMMON, PRACTICAL SENSE TO A NEW FORM OF POLITICS! TERM LIMITS, CAMPAIGN FUND REFORM, VOTER REFORM!

This is the GOPs best weapon against Obama. If they can brush aside gay marriage and the abortion issue by leaving those choices up to the states, they can win every debate in the 2012 campaign.

Ironic that the economy issue killed McCains campaign, and now it is poised to kill Obama's presidency.

It should be remembered that the DEMS created this economic mess. Schumer, Frank, and Obama pressured Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to make high risk loans to people with no chance to pay them back. The housing bubble and lack of oversight is on the DEMS. They created this mess and they are only making it worse.

"The GOP always call themselves slamming the Dems, with no real input or real alternatives. The Dems are not always right, but the repubs are obstructionist and I have such a lack of respect for them as a whole. They screwed up the past 8 years and now want to pretend they have all the answers. I am confident they won't prevail in the end, there is something bigger going on here than what they can see!"

Oh thank God for the Dems they are so much better than the GOP right. The only difference is that when they want you to bend over and take it you don't mind as much and when thier ideas don't work they can blame the other party.

Both parties will rear end the American people only the ignorant still think one party is better at it than the other.
Oh you are a Dem not a GOPer. Ill get the lube.

The GOP is really good as slamming people and ideas but no so good with coming up with them.

All I can say to you poor, poor Republicants.....Whaaaaa, Whaaaaaa, Whaaaaaaa. Don't you ever get tired of whining? Even my 3 year old eventually quits crying and moves on. Maybe you should all follow Palin's lead and just quit. Your worthless for the most part anyway.

People stop bellyaching!
Its not like a few billion in spending was going to plug this hole that has been around for over 15 years.

The GOP cry when he spends, and would cry if he didint. They would cry if he cut taxes, and would cry if he didint.

Hey, Im pissed too. Im one of those people who has been without a job for near a year, and I want the president to get off of TV and start laying down some hard policies that can get pushed through without being watered down like all that that has passed thus far.

I want to see the bailout that started under Bush, and that Obama continued stopped, and the regulations that they need to be into place because there is no such thing as 'free market'.

I want a serious look at new industry in this country, because what they fail to tell us in school is not everyone can/ or wants to be a lawyer or a ceo, and genuine blue collar jobs are just as valuable. This new industry should be green, but it need to happen now.

Everyone on both sides is blaming everyone else and Im just sick of it as an American. Just get some stuff done! They dont have to worry about it, they have jobs, but there are many of us out here who are sick of both sides. I dont care what party you are affiliated with, be pro active and WORK!

Why are the GOP crying now, are they upset about what they created.

What, you're shocked and surprised that pouring more gasoline on the fire is NOT putting it out?

Please, someone, ANYONE, tell me how my life is going to be better with the government stealing EVEN MORE MONEY from me?

John F. Kennedy proved this nearly 45 years ago... lower tax rates spur investments, grow businesses, create jobs, grow an economy and spread prosperity. Bush and Barry's $200 "stimulus" checks are merely a sugar buzz. Where's the Beef?

I am sick of CNN being the mouth piece for the Repubicans Party.

Where were they when their leader Bush was squandering money and reputation. The word "republican" is now an insulting description for anyone!

what ideas do the " grand ole party" have! none!!!!!!! they have not given one idea whatsoever! why can't they fix the economy? because they dont know how either!!!!!! if they did they would have stuck their old stodgy noses in and done so! i am so disappointed in the gop! i think this party is becoming obsolete! prepare for extinction gop!!!!!

I have said it all along, you can not spend money you do not have. You do not need to go into dept by borrowing money that you can not pay back. Americans will be trying to pay this debt back 10 years from now that is if we still have an America that is not under Muslim control.

Michael M and Ms. Kitchen,

The only part of the government spending that is working has been the TARP, which is showing signs of opening up the credit markets once again.

The Porkulus package that Obama, Pelosi and Reid rammed through was a disaster. Republicans correctly said that it would do no good. It hasn't. Now, dems want to spend more.

Say what you want about Bush, but Obama's plans have resulted in 2 million ADDITIONAL unemployed.

Don't blame Bush because you were duped in the election.

All this rabble rabble from the right and only 10% of the money has been spent. talk about jumping the gun.

GOP = Part of 'NO'

Case closed!

what has a republican done for you today?

Things were better when bush was in office, I'm sorry to say but I have that feeling things are not getting done.

Hard to know if it is ineffective because very little of the stimulus money has been put into action – only 14% last I heard. And the states used they have received so far to reduce their budget deficits since many states fiscal years end on June 30. So the money hasn't really gotten into the economy yet. But I am sure that is Bush's fault too.

Stimulus to be spent in 2010, 2011, and 2012 will do nothing in 2009. That is the stimulus they gave us and now they want more. More spending do get us deeper in dept to get the country closer to failure. Is that what this administrations wants? NO MORE SPENDING OF MONEY YOU DO NOT HAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yup, that about sums it up, ineffective just like the entire Obama presidency to date. The blame Bush grace period has expired. This is Obamas economy and he owns it and everything he is doing to destroy it. Biden saying they under "estimated" the economy ..............ya think! Economic lesson, throwing money around does NOT stimulate the economy!

Please show me what this stimulus did...............

Where are the jobs......................

Think about it, the average Democrat wants the Obama government to monitor all actions and phone calls of Americans who went to a tea party, but were foaming at the mouth for Bush monitoring terrorists.

They complained about Bush's spending but when Obama has out spent every president who has come before him COMBINED they defend it.

Do you think that ultra blue states that elect Frankens would not elect Osama Bin Laden if he had a little d next to his name?

Keep on spending us to oblivion, liberals...... that makes your demise in 2010 more and more likely by the day. For those who say republicans/conservatives have no ideas.... 1)you won't listen anyway, and 2) our entire philosophy is to put money in the hands of THE PEOPLE (Rich AND Poor) where it will increase GNP....not in the hands of government where it has little or no impact on GNP.

GOP definition of stimulus = Tax cuts for the rich

It's been PROVEN that when you give the wealthy tax breaks, the money doesn't reach the bottom to the people who need it the most. So the GOP can do all the slamming, blasting or whatever idiotic verb you guys want to call it when it comes to the stimulus bill.

Listen to them, Obama!

The GOP are the experts on wasteful spending.

Remmber how all this stimulus business started. It started with George Jr. giving three trillion dollars in escrow that Bill left back to the masses then declared war on Iraq. He was one smart fellow wasn't he. Another thing. Why do we have to refer to etnic groups as African Americans the other as other and so on. The african americans are no more african than I am an englishman although my ancestors came from there. Why not one classfication for all. AMERICANS (check the blank) ILLEGALS (Check the Blank. You're either an american or you're not. If not then get the hades out of this country.)

New flash GOP * years of Bush crippling.

MICHAEL – You are completely incorrect. WHile it is true that Bush was at the helm when the first stimulus bill was passed, every single Republican Senator voted against it and every Republican Rep in the House, with the exception of just 2 of them, also voted against it. Good try though.

Those who voted for this didn't even read what was in it. Just like sheep libs they went along with it without knowing any details.

It is just crazy that a Democrat will attack someone for pointing out this major fact. Why? Do you really think it is better that we just give Obama a rubber stamp for anything he wants without understanding the details? Does lib now consider reading to be a hate crime? Lib Democrats just slobber their hate, lies and division, that's obvious when the lib calls you a racist for using the term "Keynesian" to describe Obama's economics, they are so programmed to ignore facts and call people racists that they don't care about what the term really means, it just has to be about Obama's father being from Kenya-LOL! How can any thinking person who has an ounce of good in their heart support these libs?

I find it very strange that the GOP,that created this mess is so Fast to judge..............................I know they "think" they sit up with the angles and can dp no wrong......but in fact they have done this country and it's people a WORLD OF HARM.

They need to re-group.
After they find themselves.....
and then what they stand for......
then speak.

The GOP always call themselves slamming the Dems, with no real input or real alternatives. The Dems are not always right, but the repubs are obstructionist and I have such a lack of respect for them as a whole. They screwed up the past 8 years and now want to pretend they have all the answers. I am confident they won't prevail in the end, there is something bigger going on here than what they can see!

Why do the Democrats feel they are on a free-roll here? How much longer can they play with house money? That's been Obama's contention the entire term thus far - that at the very least, he can simply blame the prior situation for the mess.

Maybe that was the case, but you've dug your own massive hole now, Mr. President. I believe the country is starting to realize that making things worse isn't a viable answer, and your legacy is not sacred enough to pretend the GOP got us this far. They handed you the keys, but you drove the car over the deep end.

Well of course they are slamming Obama....it was the Republicans who rammed the bailout money through to begin with and the only stimulus that came out of that was AIG and Goldman, Sachs with the auto companies getting hurt real bad. Now, that was real trickle down economics ala Reagan, except that it was the job losses that flooded not trickled. Trickle down economics worked like a leaky pipe, it dripped slowly until the pipe finally broke, but no water came out!

Obama:

"Unemployment won't exceed 8%"

....

"Uhh... it won't go higher than 9%"

...

"Look – things are going to get worse before it gets better..."

....

"We underestimated the ... umm... IT'S ALL BUSH'S FAULT..."

I'm beginning to believe being a community organizer was above his paygrade – much less being president!!

It was horrible from the beginning, the congress didn't read it, even though they realized those that wrote it were complete fools. It will be discussed at the TEA parties which unfortunately those who rely on the MSM for their information will know nothing about because the libs tell them to pay no attention to the ever growing dissent and unhappiness the Obama administration has caused.