Obama's recovery more impressive than Reagan's

[Rey C.]

Cut spending for one thing. While he uses our tax dollars to fly his fuckin highschool band or whatever from hawaii to the white house. How about hosting famous sports figures at the white house, again on our fuckin dollar? As just a few examples.

Yeah, I bet all that stuff cost the taxpayers thousands of dollars, huh?

As for GM fuck them and fuck all the other companies he bailed out. They had their shot, they made their billions and still managed to fuck it all up. Had their shot and blew it. Goodbye, hope you enjoyed the ride, its over now! Nevermind the fact that most of these bailed out companies admitted to giving multi-million dollar pensions to there CEOs before they were fired. No wonder you dumb fucks went bankrupt!

Yeah, if GM had gone into Chapter 7 liquidation, and drug down the North American supplier base, I'm sure the rest of the economy would have recovered within a few days or weeks from that.

What else did he promise and fail to do? Oh he promised to bring the troops home. Took him long enough to do that!

Well, yeah. How hard could it be to bring them all home at once? :dunno: I don't see the problem either, my man. Just send over a couple of cargo planes, blow a whistle and tell everybody to load up.

Fuck Obama. The only reason, THE ONLY REASON he got elected is because he's black. Not even 100%. But he's half so close enough. Don't you find it odd that there was record turnout for African American voters last election? Coincidence? I think not!

Personally, I think the GOP'ers should have put Sarah P@lin at the top of the ticket in '08 and she'd have won easy. I bet we'd have an unemployment rate of like 1% (if that) by now, we wouldn't owe nobody no money, we could send the nigras, Mexicants and Hebrews back to where they come from... and things would just be good. It's them fucking fuckers always fucking the fucking shit up. Fuckers! I'm with you, man. It ain't all that hard to get it straight... once we get the "right" kind of man back in charge.

 

[Straight Shooter]

Obama's Vineyard Vacation Will Cost Taxpayers Millions
http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/wa...ineyard-vacation-will-cost-taxpayers-millions

At a time when many more cash-strapped Americans are stuck at home instead of vacationing at the beach, President Obama next week will lead an entourage of several dozens to exclusive Martha's Vineyard island at a cost of millions to taxpayers.

While technically he is paying for his estimated $50,000 a week rental of the 28-acre beachfront Blue Heron Farm in woodsy Chilmark, the dozens of U.S. Secret Service agents, communications officials, top aides, drivers, and U.S. Coast Guard personnel with him will be covered by taxpayers as with every other presidential vacation.[Get your Whispers on your iPad--subscribe to U.S. News Weekly.]

His 11-day stay will require the Coast Guard to keep ships floating near Obama's farm, a presidential helicopter and jet at the ready and security agents on 24-hour duty. Armored SUVs dubbed "war wagons" have been flown in to carry the presidential family around the island. It was the same way when former President George H.W. Bush visited Kennebunkport, Maine and Bill Clinton visited Martha's Vineyard during their presidencies. [See political cartoons about President Obama.]

Typically, say former White House officials, the collection of aides is smaller for a summer vacation than for an official trip. And the motorcade is cut in half, to about 20 cars. What's more, the press corps will be smaller, though they largely pay for themselves.

Obama's vacation comes at an awkward time because of the economic turmoil roiling the nation and Wall Street. Surveys show that a growing number of Americans can't afford even small vacations. [Check out editorial cartoons about the economy.]

But former Clinton spokesman Mike McCurry says that every president needs a break from the confines of the White House.

"We do need to let these guys have vacations and do some reading and thinking outside the box," he said.

What's more, keeping a sizeable crew of aides nearby is critical, he said. "Remember Clinton's trip to Martha's Vineyard in August 1998 when we ended up trying to decapitate bin Laden with a cruise missile strike? That's why the 'entourage' has to accommodate all aspects of the presidency, even on vacation. You never know what might happen. August always produces the unexpected." [See photos of the Obamas behind the scenes.]

And he dismissed the criticism of vacationing presidents. "I think all this 'Why is he taking a vacation?' stuff is ginned up by the media," he said. "I don't think any American will fault him for getting away, especially if he comes back with some fresh ideas on how to create jobs."

Obama will certainly have a lot of space to brainstorm. The $20 million farm on Cobbs Hill Road features four dwellings, a swimming pool and a basketball court. Google Earth shows that there is also a single hole golf area with two bunkers. The president, his wife and two daughters can also go to private Squibnocket Beach or Great Pond. There is an apple orchard, and flower and vegetable gardens. [See photos of Michelle Obama.]

The local Vineyard Gazette reports that the Secret Service is already setting up camp and areas for the media are also being set aside. "Suddenly cell phone service in Chilmark, usually spotty to nonexistent, was crystal clear, another sign that the president is coming," reported the paper's Peter Brannen.

Finding enough housing for staff and security isn't easy. Brannen reported that at the recent town meeting, "Selectman Walter Vail announced that he would be taking a vacation from August 16 to 28 to accommodate Secret Service members who were renting his house."

Obama Hawaii Vacation Costs Tax Payers $4 Million
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/20/obama-hawaii-vacation-cos_n_1158825.html

The Obamas will once again vacation in Hawaii over the holidays this year, but this time it will be a bit more expensive than previous trips.

The Hawaii Reporter writes that the President and First Lady's separate trips to Hawaii (Michelle and the girls arrived Friday; check out photos of President Obama arriving last year here) as well as the extended stay of the vacation will cost American tax payers nearly $4 million, roughly $2.5 million more than the President's 2010 trip.

The Hawaii Reporter states that the Obamas are not staying at the "Winter White House" (check out video of it here) this year and instead have rented and paid for their own accommodations in the form of a beach front rental on Kailua. The President's staff and White House Press Corp will be put up at the Moana Surfrider, a Westin resort on Waikiki Beach.

Kailua is a popular community on Oahu and boasts a beach that was rated as the best beach in the country by "Dr. Beach" in 1998.

Obama, for his part, has stated that he will postpone his trip for "as long as it takes" Congress to extend payroll tax cuts and unemployment insurance, according to the Associated Press.

Take a look at photos from previous Obama family vacations in Hawaii and let us know your favorites!

Once again, were you complaining about the cost of presidential vacations when Bush was in office?

 

[Facetious]

Once again, were you complaining about the cost of presidential vacations when Bush was in office?

Bush milked it for sure with all of his trips back down to Crawford, Tx. to cut wood on his ranch. :1orglaugh
.... hell, he even abstained from playing golf for a long stretch there following 9/11/01.

Dollar for dollar, 'w' (the home body potus) was probably the the most thrifty of presidential vacationers in recent memory.

I still didn't like him.

 

[xfire]

http://www.politicususa.com/en/obama-bush-vacation

Bush spent 1,020 days of his presidency on vacation. To put this into context, John F. Kennedy spent fewer days in office, 1000, than George W. Bush spent on vacation. Bush spent 487 days at Camp David, 490 days at his Crawford ranch, and 43 days in Kennebunkport. George W. Bush spent 69 days in Crawford during his first year in office. In contrast, according to FactCheck.org, Obama spent all, or part of, 26 days of his first year in office on vacation. This was less than all three previous Republican presidents, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush, but more than the two previous Democratic presidents, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton.

Not that it matters. Facts mean little to wing-nuts.

 

[Legzman]

I never liked bush either. I think the political parties in the country are a fuckin joke and I've never liked how you get to chose between only 2 pieces of shit every 4 years, when there's how many people living in this country?

Obama's Vineyard Vacation Will Cost Taxpayers Millions
http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/wa...ineyard-vacation-will-cost-taxpayers-millions

At a time when many more cash-strapped Americans are stuck at home instead of vacationing at the beach, President Obama next week will lead an entourage of several dozens to exclusive Martha's Vineyard island at a cost of millions to taxpayers.

While technically he is paying for his estimated $50,000 a week rental of the 28-acre beachfront Blue Heron Farm in woodsy Chilmark, the dozens of U.S. Secret Service agents, communications officials, top aides, drivers, and U.S. Coast Guard personnel with him will be covered by taxpayers as with every other presidential vacation.[Get your Whispers on your iPad--subscribe to U.S. News Weekly.]

His 11-day stay will require the Coast Guard to keep ships floating near Obama's farm, a presidential helicopter and jet at the ready and security agents on 24-hour duty. Armored SUVs dubbed "war wagons" have been flown in to carry the presidential family around the island. It was the same way when former President George H.W. Bush visited Kennebunkport, Maine and Bill Clinton visited Martha's Vineyard during their presidencies. [See political cartoons about President Obama.]

Typically, say former White House officials, the collection of aides is smaller for a summer vacation than for an official trip. And the motorcade is cut in half, to about 20 cars. What's more, the press corps will be smaller, though they largely pay for themselves.

Obama's vacation comes at an awkward time because of the economic turmoil roiling the nation and Wall Street. Surveys show that a growing number of Americans can't afford even small vacations. [Check out editorial cartoons about the economy.]

But former Clinton spokesman Mike McCurry says that every president needs a break from the confines of the White House.

"We do need to let these guys have vacations and do some reading and thinking outside the box," he said.

What's more, keeping a sizeable crew of aides nearby is critical, he said. "Remember Clinton's trip to Martha's Vineyard in August 1998 when we ended up trying to decapitate bin Laden with a cruise missile strike? That's why the 'entourage' has to accommodate all aspects of the presidency, even on vacation. You never know what might happen. August always produces the unexpected." [See photos of the Obamas behind the scenes.]

And he dismissed the criticism of vacationing presidents. "I think all this 'Why is he taking a vacation?' stuff is ginned up by the media," he said. "I don't think any American will fault him for getting away, especially if he comes back with some fresh ideas on how to create jobs."

Obama will certainly have a lot of space to brainstorm. The $20 million farm on Cobbs Hill Road features four dwellings, a swimming pool and a basketball court. Google Earth shows that there is also a single hole golf area with two bunkers. The president, his wife and two daughters can also go to private Squibnocket Beach or Great Pond. There is an apple orchard, and flower and vegetable gardens. [See photos of Michelle Obama.]

The local Vineyard Gazette reports that the Secret Service is already setting up camp and areas for the media are also being set aside. "Suddenly cell phone service in Chilmark, usually spotty to nonexistent, was crystal clear, another sign that the president is coming," reported the paper's Peter Brannen.

Finding enough housing for staff and security isn't easy. Brannen reported that at the recent town meeting, "Selectman Walter Vail announced that he would be taking a vacation from August 16 to 28 to accommodate Secret Service members who were renting his house."

Obama Hawaii Vacation Costs Tax Payers $4 Million
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/20/obama-hawaii-vacation-cos_n_1158825.html

The Obamas will once again vacation in Hawaii over the holidays this year, but this time it will be a bit more expensive than previous trips.

The Hawaii Reporter writes that the President and First Lady's separate trips to Hawaii (Michelle and the girls arrived Friday; check out photos of President Obama arriving last year here) as well as the extended stay of the vacation will cost American tax payers nearly $4 million, roughly $2.5 million more than the President's 2010 trip.

The Hawaii Reporter states that the Obamas are not staying at the "Winter White House" (check out video of it here) this year and instead have rented and paid for their own accommodations in the form of a beach front rental on Kailua. The President's staff and White House Press Corp will be put up at the Moana Surfrider, a Westin resort on Waikiki Beach.

Kailua is a popular community on Oahu and boasts a beach that was rated as the best beach in the country by "Dr. Beach" in 1998.

Obama, for his part, has stated that he will postpone his trip for "as long as it takes" Congress to extend payroll tax cuts and unemployment insurance, according to the Associated Press.

Take a look at photos from previous Obama family vacations in Hawaii and let us know your favorites!

Another example of how he cut spending.

Yeah, I bet all that stuff cost the taxpayers thousands of dollars, huh?



Yeah, if GM had gone into Chapter 7 liquidation, and drug down the North American supplier base, I'm sure the rest of the economy would have recovered within a few days or weeks from that.




Well, yeah. How hard could it be to bring them all home at once? :dunno: I don't see the problem either, my man. Just send over a couple of cargo planes, blow a whistle and tell everybody to load up.



Personally, I think the GOP'ers should have put Sarah P@lin at the top of the ticket in '08 and she'd have won easy. I bet we'd have an unemployment rate of like 1% (if that) by now, we wouldn't owe nobody no money, we could send the nigras, Mexicants and Hebrews back to where they come from... and things would just be good. It's them fucking fuckers always fucking the fucking shit up. Fuckers! I'm with you, man. It ain't all that hard to get it straight... once we get the "right" kind of man back in charge.

It didn't need to take almost 4 years to get them home. We still had ford. And we'll never have the "right" man in office because all presidents are fuckin puppets for the corporations that run this fuckin country!

 

[Sam Fisher]

And we'll never have the "right" man in office because all presidents are fuckin puppets for the corporations that run this fuckin country!

Exactly.. I wish people would read up on the Bilderberg Group.

http://www.infowars.com/articles/nwo/secretive_b.htm

 

[Rey C.]

We still had ford.

You don't understand how automotive is set up in this country. If GM had gone into Chapter 7 liquidation, you wouldn't have had Ford or any other manufacturer making cars in the U.S. for months, if not years. Many of the same suppliers that GM would have drug under also made parts for Ford, Chrysler, Honda, Nissan, BMW, Mercedes, etc. All it takes for a car not to get built is one bolt, one mirror, one window... one anything that uses a proprietary process or design.

As for the troops, they came home per the agreement that was set down by the previous administration. They shouldn't have been in that shithole to begin with. But certain people fell for the lies told by the nation building neo-conservatives. And if the Evangelicals and/or neo-cons get back in power, the sames kids who came home will be going back to the Middle East soon enough.

 

[Sam Fisher]

As for the troops, they came home per the agreement that was set down by the previous administration. They shouldn't have been in that shithole to begin with. But certain people fell for the lies told by the nation building neo-conservatives. And if the Evangelicals and/or neo-cons get back in power, the sames kids who came home will be going back to the Middle East soon enough.

Soon enough? You mean as in RIGHT NOW? My nephew leaves tomorrow for Mississippi, then two days later to Fort Dix, then over to the Sand Box for 14 months. And, the last time I looked, the current president isn't a neocon.

 

[PJpenny]

The people who stopped looking for jobs disagree. A couple of reasons I disagree.

First the conditions inherited. Jimmy carter left the country in bigger shambles than bush did. Reagan rebuilt the economy fast given what he had to work with. Obama recovery has been slow but sure. He is rightfully not celebrating as no one should.
Second the confidence of the general public. People had confidence in Reagan he could do the job. Obama does not inspire the same confidence in people

 

[bobjustbob]

Ask any economist and they will tell you that unemployment numbers are a lagging indicator. More people were put back to work in the last year than given credit for. The growth is reflected in the past 2 months of market activity. Is this just a speculative thing? I don't know. But my 401k jumped and I ain't bucking the market.

I was never an Obama fan. But from the shit he was handed him, not bad for 2-3 years. Congress may have been slow. Some bad stuff may have been pushed out and some good stuff may have been pushed out too. I don't think this is about our president, it is about our congress. If you want to change things then don't depend upon your president. Your representatives create these laws. Put the pressure upon them at the local level.

Do you think that your vote doesn't count? Sure. Good reason. Does your representative think your vote counts? Hell yea. Every time you talk to to them they know that your opinion may affect another's vote. Right down to your locals.

 

[Rey C.]

The people who stopped looking for jobs disagree. A couple of reasons I disagree.

First the conditions inherited. Jimmy carter left the country in bigger shambles than bush did. Reagan rebuilt the economy fast given what he had to work with. Obama recovery has been slow but sure. He is rightfully not celebrating as no one should.

The economic conditions after Carter left office were no where near as bad as when W. Bush left office. That recession wasn't nearly as long or as deep. The "Great Recession" of 2007-2009 began about a year before Bush left office. Unemployment did rise under Carter into Regan's first term, from about 6% to about 7.5%. Then a second recession hit (or a continuation of the first) and it was in 1982 that unemployment soared to over 10.8%.

But before we criticize or give credit to Presidents for these recessions, we can't forget the role that the Fed played in both cases. Volker was trying to choke inflation by dramatically increasing interest rates - and it worked. As for Greenspan, I don't think anyone is yet sure what he was trying to do with his cheap money and blind eye to the money center banks. Lil Al helped make a giant FUBAR, is what he did though.

Second the confidence of the general public. People had confidence in Reagan he could do the job. Obama does not inspire the same confidence in people

There are a number of myths about Reagan. And one is that we all had such great confidence in him during his Presidency. Certainly during his first term, that was not at all true. Reagan actually got down to a 35% approval rating in his first term... lower than Obama has thus far (38%). And his disapproval rating got slightly higher than Obama's (56% vs. 55%). The Year 3 average comparing the two is 44.4% for Obama and 44.9% for Reagan. I want to say that Reagan began improving before Obama has, but I'm not 100% certain. But in any case, I would say that Reagan did possess a fighter's attitude, where I see Obama as a fellow who is too anxious to "compromise". But at the same time, the Democrat controlled Congress was more willing t work with Reagan, rather than put up an obstructionist wall, the way the GOP has these days. And that is why the Congress (Dems and Repubs alike) has a MUCH lower approval rating than Obama. In fact, I think they are now at historical lows.

I was just beginning my study of economics when all of this took place. And I have to say, it's kind of fun (in a weird, geeky sort of way) to go back and re-remember all of this stuff.

 

[georges]

What about the NDAA, ACTA, PIPA, SOPA and FEMA camps??? Those were implemented by your so overhyped daddy o supposedly fixes the economy.:sarcasm::drama: I don't think that we had so much shit going on under daddy o's presidency than under's Bush presidency.I don't think it is right to control every citizen on the internet because you will have a police state and I read also that you can be hold for an undeterminated time without valid reason if the government think you are terrorist. Obama signed a bill that more or less cancels the bill of rights. It is not up to him to change the constitution, it is not his call. Some people wonder why militias are rising in numbers and also these same people wonder why there is no more trust in the so called change that daddy o promised. To make big promises to people is one thing but to take off their freedom of speech and to tighten gun control to the max is going against the first and the second amendment is something that will lead your contry to a civil war.

 

[Master Roshi]

What about the NDAA, ACTA, PIPA, SOPA and FEMA camps??? Those were implemented by your so overhyped daddy o supposedly fixes the economy.:sarcasm::drama: I don't think that we had so much shit going on under daddy o's presidency than under's Bush presidency.I don't think it is right to control every citizen on the internet because you will have a police state and I read also that you can be hold for an undeterminated time without valid reason if the government think you are terrorist. Obama signed a bill that more or less cancels the bill of rights. It is not up to him to change the constitution, it is not his call. Some people wonder why militias are rising in numbers and also these same people wonder why there is no more trust in the so called change that daddy o promised. To make big promises to people is one thing but to take off their freedom of speech and to tighten gun control to the max is going against the first and the second amendment is something that will lead your contry to a civil war.

Obama says he has the right to detain US citizens indefinitely without a trial or lawyer but he "promises" to never use that power SMH

 

[xfire]

What about the NDAA, ACTA, PIPA, SOPA and FEMA camps???

I don't think that we had so much shit going on under daddy o's presidency than under's Bush presidency.

take off their freedom of speech and to tighten gun control to the max is going against the first and the second amendment is something that will lead your contry to a civil war.

PIPA and SOPA haven't been passed, and hopefully won't be.

FEMA camps were set up under the Bush Administration in response to hurricane Katrina.

If you're referring to what Jessie Ventura and Alex Jones rail about, well, I wouldn't put too much stock into what either of them say about anything. They're both entertaining and thought provoking but that's about it.

NDAA is a continuation of a lot of what Bush put into place with The Patriot Act. Ah, yes, The Patriot Act, kind of blows your statement about "not having so much shit going on under Bush" out of the water. I agree with Ron Paul that both NDAA & The Patriot Act should be repealed.

ACTA isn't an American invention. We shouldn't have signed the agreement, but then again, there are a lot of agreements we shouldn't be in, like NAFTA.

Do you know which president signed the most severe gun control legislation in the history of the United States? Ronald Reagan with The Brady Bill. Funny how people forget that Reagan was the most anti-gun president in U.S. history.

I've got no problem with people that are suspicious of the government but what most people that are so anti-government don't seem to get is that republicans are as much a part of the problem, if not more so, than democrats.

 

[Sam Fisher]

NDAA is a continuation of a lot of what Bush put into place with The Patriot Act. Ah, yes, The Patriot Act, kind of blows your statement about "not having so much shit going on under Bush" out of the water. I agree with Ron Paul that both NDAA & The Patriot Act should be repealed.

 

[xfire]

I'm sure we agree about more than we disagree. More guns? Hell yeah!

 

[Will E Worm]

Not really. That's why food and gas prices have risen far too much. Foreclosures are at an all time high and so on.

I'm not defending Reagan. Just stating the facts. :hatsoff:

Under Obama, Price of Gas Has Jumped 83 Percent, Ground Beef 24 Percent, Bacon 22 Percent.

(CNSNews.com) – So far, during the presidency of Barack Obama, the price of a gallon of gasoline has jumped 83 percent, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

During the same period, the price of ground beef has gone up 24 percent and price of bacon has gone up 22 percent.

When Obama entered the White House in January 2009, the city average price for one gallon of regular unleaded gasoline was $1.79, according to the BLS. (The figures are in nominal dollars: not adjusted for inflation.) Five months later in June, unleaded gasoline was $2.26 per gallon, an increase of 26 percent. By December 2011, the price of regular unleaded gas per gallon was $3.28, an 83 percent increase from January 2009.

The price of unleaded gasoline never reached the 10-year high of $4.09 back in July 2008 under George W. Bush’s administration, but it did get close.

By May 2011, gas prices hit a high under the Obama administration at $3.93, about four percentage points away from the July 2008 high.

The U.S. city average retail price for one pound of 100 percent ground beef was $2.36 in January 2009. As of December 2011, that price had risen to $2.92—a 23.7 percent increase and a new peak. (Ground beef prices have risen every month since November 2009 – 26 months of price increases.)

Whole wheat bread prices from January 2009 to December 2011 increased about five percent (5.02 percent) from $1.97 to $2.07. (The inflation rate in December 2011 was 3.0 percent.)

Among the first 36 months of Obama’s presidency, the last four (September, October, November, December) showed the average price of one pound of whole wheat bread hovering slightly above two dollars.

Article

 

[Master Roshi]

yup dollar devaluation sucks

 

[antanotherthing]

How can one political side blame the other? The Republicans and the Democrats are both culpable of the situation the country is in.

 

[Master Roshi]

How can one political side blame the other? The Republicans and the Democrats are both culpable of the situation the country is in.

Coke or Pepsi, Burger King or McDonald's its an illusion of choice, numerous politicians like Rick Perry for example have flip flopped on stances between both parties since their inception