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Obama Misreads His Mandate - Reagan didn't assume his landslide was a license for whatever he wanted. »
Posted By pc25 8 months, 4 weeks ago in Political NewsPresident Barack Obama's honeymoon period seems to have ended quickly. That's because Mr. Obama doesn't grasp the essentials of presidential leadership. Rather than making a compelling case for his economic policies, he has resorted to curt rebuffs, such as telling House Republican whip Eric Cantor, "I won." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the same thing the same day: "We won the election; we wrote the [stimulus] bill." This is the trope of a party that has lost its ability to make an argument.
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pc258 months, 4 weeks ago
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Barack Obama's heavy handed approach on the stimulus is beginning to take it's toll on the approval ratings of the Democrats.
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http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/pol...
Are Republicans winning the public relations battle over spending in the $800-billion-plus economic stimulus package? Democrats and Republicans are nearly even in this week's edition of the Generic Congressional Ballot.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone surveys found that the Democrats’ lead is down to just one percentage point. Forty percent (40%) of voters said they would vote for their district’s Democratic candidate while 39% said they would choose the Republican.
Keep it up Barry O and you will be the one hit wonder that we all know you are.-
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pc258 months, 4 weeks ago
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hey Psycho.....
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the poll speaks for itself unless you have you own numbers to refute it's results.......
2010 is starting to roll around quickly for the Republicans and after only 3 DISASTEROUS WEEKS IN OFFICE........imagine what happens 6 month down the line -
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jeffieny8 months, 4 weeks ago
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Didn't previous administration passed a bill twice as big as Obama few months ago?
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Republican politicians didn't have any problem with that.
What a disgusting, partisan attitude. They once again prove that they are there with selfish interest rather than saving US. On the other hand you see Senator Kennedy, a Democrat SELFLESSLY returned to the Senate in the midst of his battle with brain cancer Monday to vote for our new President's economic stimulus package.
http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/swf/mvp.swf?8%3A143158=...
http://www.facebook.com/v/542420128715 -
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pc258 months, 4 weeks ago
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http://hotair.com/archives/2009/02/09/good-news-fo...
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Good news for Republicans?
Michael Barone sees some good news for Republicans in a few places where they rarely find it. In New York, New Jersey, and even in Barack Obama’s Illinois, Barone finds Republicans taking surprising early leads in important races. And Virginia may have drifted back into the red column as well:-
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nostalgia8 months, 4 weeks ago
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Looks like the Commerce Dept is going to be a difficult job to fill
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OBAMA BURNED: GREGG WITHDRAWS AFTER POLICIES TOO MUCH TO STOMACH
However, it has become apparent during this process that this will not work for me as I have found that on issues such as the stimulus package and the Census there are irresolvable conflicts for me. Prior to accepting this post, we had discussed these and other potential differences, but unfortunately we did not adequately focus on these concerns. We are functioning from a different set of views on many critical items of policy.
http://www.drudgereport.com/flashgg.htm
"there are irresolvable conflicts for me"
Is that like irreconcilable differences - a marriage made in h*ll? -
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UnusualSuspect8 months, 4 weeks ago
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Klarissa8 months, 4 weeks ago
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I heard somewhere that, "Obama is still the candiate, he hasn't taken on the presidency".
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I think the first mistake was missing the chance to sit down with Dems and Repubs and come up with Obama's own plan. It appears that he still does not have any thoughts of his own.-
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JamesMarcus8 months, 3 weeks ago
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Michael Barone is a smart man. But that doesn't mean he's always right when he gazes into his crystal ball. Boys and girls, let's turn back the clock to October 29, 2008, when he saw Obama's lead crumbling away:
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"Hypothesis: The McCain 'Joe the Plumber' high-taxes issue is having some impact. So are doubts, kindled by a typically verbose Joe Biden comment, about how Obama would handle an international crisis. Is this the beginning of a McCain surge? Possibly. It's beginning to look like something more than statistical noise."
It was statistical noise.
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pc258 months, 4 weeks ago
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he assigned Pelosi the task of writing the stimulus package. Of course she included kickbacks to all the unions that helped Obama get elected. Social engineering plain and simple. The stock markets tanked even further after Geitner's speech the other day. Why that guy is not in jail is beyond me. There is no investor confidence in this package at all.That town hall meeting the other day was absolutely ridiculous, it was like he is still campaigning. Apparently he needs the adoration of all the Obamainoids...........Julio, sit down and shut up you looked liked an idiot but Obama sure ate it up........I heard a commentator on the radio the other day state that the government is now being run by children........he is not to far off the mark
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nostalgia8 months, 4 weeks ago
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Some people are going to get a rude awakening
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Sometimes people send things into our offices at Western Capital that words can not even begin to explain, and this is absolutely one of those moments. Watch this video of an auto repression in action. Watch as this lady is thrown from her car by the repo man. Listen to the voice mail that she sent to the loan company. And finally listen to the words ring out, We Not Rich Like y'all, but one day this year WE WILL BECAUSE WE HAVE BARACK OBAMA!
http://current.com/items/89782656/go_ahead_and_rep...
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Klarissa8 months, 4 weeks ago
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Going around the country talking with people in Indians and Florida is a strange use of his precious time. He is not the salesman for Pelosi and Reid, he is the President. He is still acting like the local get-out-the-vote person.
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One thing about the stimulus that really worries me is, "What is ACORN going to do with all of that money?" Are they going to set up state enforcement agencies??
These are difficult times, and I expected better of Obama.-
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pc258 months, 4 weeks ago
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2 weeks in office and he had to take days off as he put it "some times you have to get away."
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Seems we elected a talking instead of doing President.
I wonder if the libs will complain about the extravagant use of Air Force One when he flies his whole family to Hawaii during the Easter Holidays..... -
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nostalgia8 months, 4 weeks ago
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Remember what Obama wrote in his own book
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"I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views. My treatment of the issues is often partial and incomplete."
He really doesn't have a clue that why he described himself as a "blank screen"
Then all of those "present" votes - no stand on any difficult issues
He's a front man for the powerful people behind him. He is doing what he is good at - campaigning
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BB648 months, 4 weeks ago
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pc258 months, 4 weeks ago
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G
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here is an interesting take on that going back to the middle of Dec.
http://hotair.com/archives/2008/12/16/pelosi-smell...
Pelosi smells blood
In talks with Emanuel and others, sources say, Pelosi has “set parameters” for what she wants from Barack Obama and his White House staff — no surprises, and no backdoor efforts to go around her and other Democratic leaders by cutting deals with moderate New Democrats or conservative Blue Dogs.
Specifically, Pelosi has told Emanuel that she wants to know when representatives of the incoming administration have any contact with her rank-and-file Democrats — and why, sources say.
During the Bush years, the White House set policy, and Republicans on Capitol Hill were expected to follow it.
Obama hasn’t yet been sworn into office, and we already have the makings of a power play. Somehow, I doubt Team Obama will sit still for this, although they probably won’t get terribly confrontational about it, either.
be prepared.......it will eventually be be a rockem sockem STEEL CAGE DEATH MATCH
between Obama and Pelosi......in the end it will further the split between the DEMS. -
libsRfunnyComment removed: Hard Banned1 Reply
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BB648 months, 4 weeks ago
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Bacon Obama misread the election. His team feels they have a mandate when they really didn't. They do control the House, Senate and White House but most people I know feel the huge left swing we're taking is a terrible move.
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For those like me, I have this page set as my new background.
http://obamaclock.org/ -
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StevieGee8 months, 4 weeks ago
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Far from being heavy handed, Obama tried to include Republican participation and ideas into the stimulus package. They, however, felt obligated to continue their obstructionist tactics. As you know the bill was passed with very few Republican votes. While I think the bill is far from perfect, it's clear that something needed to be done. As far as Reagan is concerned, his deregulation and trickle down economics coupled with huge deficit spending is what started us down the road to the problems we have now.
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icono1Comment removed: Spam
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Wolfie20078 months, 4 weeks ago
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Stevie
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Take you silly spin somewhere else, you're not addressing liberal progressive democrats. Remember we are the guys who didn't drink the kool or kook ade. Yeah, Obama was really bi-partisan he called the republicans up to the WH and said here's what I want and I'll get it because I won and too bad for you. You have a really poor grasp of 20th century history, too, by the way. -
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icono18 months, 4 weeks ago
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Obstructionist: deliberate interference with the progress or business especially of a legislative body.
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It is part of the business of the opposition, the Republicans in this case, to question and find fault with any type of political deal that will affect the lives of the people they represent.
Bipartisanship( marked by or involving cooperation, agreement, and compromise between two major political parties)
implies that both sides of the political divide work together on issues and come to a compromise position on issues that is satisfactory not only to the politicians but the consituency they represent.
Now with 0Bamas' and the Democratic congress's view of bipartisanship, if a politician especially a Republican, finds legitimate fault with his pet project, the Stimulus Bill, then they are viewed as obstructionist.
So by negation of the definition of bipartisanship by refusing to a compromise on major elements of the Bill, the word 'bipartisan' is being used as a propaganda ploy to sway the public into thinking that those who do not support the bill are being obstructionist and therefore ant- American. When in essence it is the Democrats that are being obstructionists.
This is a classic use of people's ignorance against them to gain a political advantage.
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StevieGee8 months, 4 weeks ago
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The good news is that we can pass bills without the Republicans. For the last 2 years nearly nothing got done because of these obstructionists. The only thing that could pass was what Bush wanted. The shoe is on the other foot now.
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donald518 months, 4 weeks ago
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so what part of 8 years of Bush failures supported almost completely by the repugs in Congress don't you understand? Want more Contract With America lies? You repugs are so bereft of human values and compassion! Good at greed and bigotry though!
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decipher8 months, 4 weeks ago
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pc258 months, 4 weeks ago
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the strike was against the law
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http://eightiesclub.tripod.com/id296.htm
On August 3, 1981 nearly 13,000 of the 17,500 members of the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) walked off the job, hoping to disrupt the nation's transportation system to the extent that the federal government would accede to its demands for higher wages, a shorter work week, and better retirement benefits. At a press conference in the White House Rose Garden that same day, President Reagan responded with a stern ultimatum: The strikers were to return to work within 48 hours or face termination. As federal employees the controllers were violating the no-strike clause of their employment contracts. In 1955 Congress had made such strikes a crime punishable by a fine or one year of incarceration -- a law upheld by the Supreme Court in 1971. Nevertheless, 22 unauthorized strikes had occurred in recent years -- by postal workers, Government Printing Office and Library of Congress employees, and by air traffic controllers who staged "sick-outs" in 1969 and 1970. -
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Wolfie20078 months, 4 weeks ago
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dec
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President Reagan fixed that problem without losing a plane. You and your union shouldn't have ****** the President off and you deserved what you got.
Oh yeah, remember who was President before Reagan don't you? It were Carter(D) and it was so great under Carter, double digit interest and inflation rates and unemployment up to 10%. Then there was the fake oil crisis and then the take over of our embassy in Iran. Gee, to return to the good ol' pre Reagan daze. LSHIPMP -
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JimBland8 months, 4 weeks ago
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Personally, I'm getting sick of all this "bipartisan" garbage. I don't want to be "bipartisan" with the people who spent 12 years looting the treasury and getting the country,(and world) into the present crisis. Do what has to be done and ignore the sore loser whining from the right. Bill Clinton made the mistake of trying to be pals with everybody - it won't work.
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frctm58 months, 4 weeks ago
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Obama just has to learn that placating the Republicans just isn't that important. They have nothing to offer but complaints, whining , and criticism. Rush Limbaugh is their new lord and master and he is a full blown jack ass. Some times the measure of success is the idiots you **** off. Go Obama!
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Wolfie20078 months, 3 weeks ago
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frctm
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Since Obama has no hope of succeeding anything but a catastrophe with his Pork Spending Bill what will be your measure of success then? You and Obama both couldn't make a full blown jackass all you could possibly make would be just the north end of the jack going south.
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frctm5Comment removed: Spam
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frctm58 months, 3 weeks ago
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When your country is facing the worst economic crisis since the first great depression, you don't have time to play nice. It's like abandoning a burning house. If some one gets in your way, you knock him down because there's no time to debate the merits of not burning to death. We need this bill, and while it isn't perfect, there is plenty of time to tailor it later. The society of civil engineers estimated that we need to invest about 2.2 trillion in our infrastructure just to bring it to a level that is decent. Republicans would rather let the country rot than raise taxes. The drove the economy over a cliff and have no credibility left.
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tschrnywolf8 months, 3 weeks ago
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I THINK WE ARE WITNESSING THE REPUBLICAN REVENGE , OR GETTING EVEN FOR HAVING BEEN DEFEATED ELECTORALLY.
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BUT IRONICALLY, THEIR NEGATIVE ATTITUDE IS BOUND TO HURT THE MIDDLE CLASS AND WORKING AMERICANS.
LET THE CYNICS LAUGH, NOW THEY GOT THEIR DISGUISED TAX CUT: THE 700 BILLIOH BAILOUT. BUT IF AMERICA'S ECONOMY FALLS, SO WILL WALL STREET. EVEN FOREIGN COUNTRIES WOULD BE HIT. THE REPS GOT HO PLACE TO RUN AND NO PLACE TO HIDE IN THE LONG RUN. -
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tschrnywolf8 months, 3 weeks ago
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I THINK WE ARE WITNESSING THE REPUBLICAN REVENGE , OR GETTING EVEN FOR HAVING BEEN DEFEATED ELECTORALLY.
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BUT IRONICALLY, THEIR NEGATIVE ATTITUDE IS BOUND TO HURT THE MIDDLE CLASS AND WORKING AMERICANS.
LET THE CYNICS LAUGH, NOW THEY GOT THEIR DISGUISED TAX CUT: THE 700 BILLIOH BAILOUT. BUT IF AMERICA'S ECONOMY FALLS, SO WILL WALL STREET. EVEN FOREIGN COUNTRIES WOULD BE HIT. THE REPS GOT HO PLACE TO RUN AND NO PLACE TO HIDE IN THE LONG RUN. -
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tschrnywolf8 months, 3 weeks ago
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PRESIDENT OBAMA WARNED US. BEFORE THINGS GET BETTER, THEY WILL GET WORSE. TOUCH BOTTOM. STRONG SYSTEMS BEGIN AT THE BOTTOM. SO WHAT IS HAPPENING IS NORMAL.
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AMRICA HAS CONFRONTED SERIOUS DEPRESSIONS BEFORE. WE CAN RECOVER IF WE UNITE.
WILL MCCAIN ENDORSE UNITY? EVEN PREZ LINCOLN TOLD US TO REMAIN UNITED.
WILL THE REPUBLICANS FOLLOW HIS ADVICE? -
Republicrat1844Comment removed: Retracted by user
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crespi8 months, 3 weeks ago
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Yes Reagan did.
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I was there and the ultra-conservatives openly crowed how they now "could do whatever they like."
pc25, your Neocon think tank is FAILING at revising history, and the lies are becoming transparent.
Why don't you try to HELP America instead of paterning yourselves after the Taliban as that conservative congressman recently revealed you are trying to do?
Why must you be ACTUAL traitors to Democracy? What do you gain by the destruction of our American economy and freedoms?
What is wrong with you? Do you know?
We really are curious... -
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coolslow8 months, 3 weeks ago
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It was a great week. We had a perfect storm: Obama on the campaign trail, the Senate passing the stimulus bill, and Giethner announcing his plan. That should have been terrific for spreading a little sunshine. Instead, while Obama and Geithner, (According to some, the only two men in the world who are smart enough to save us), were talking the markets were dropping. Literally, straight down, like a stone in a well. Please tell me, without resorting to Bush/Republican and greedy rich bashing or giving Obama a chance arguments, exactly how anyone thinks the spending in this bill, (You've all heard about the mouse, STDs, Milwaukee schools, weather proofing, $8-13 tax beak, etc.) is going to solve the housing crisis, loosen credit and create jobs.
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coolslow8 months, 3 weeks ago
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It was a great week. We had a perfect storm: Obama on the campaign trail, the Senate passing the stimulus bill, and Giethner announcing his plan. That should have been terrific for spreading a little sunshine. Instead, while Obama and Geithner, (According to some, the only two men in the world who are smart enough to save us), were talking the markets were dropping. Literally, straight down, like a stone in a well. Please tell me, without resorting to Bush/Republican and greedy rich bashing or giving Obama a chance arguments, exactly how anyone thinks the spending in this bill, (You've all heard about the mouse, STDs, Milwaukee schools, weather proofing, $8-13 tax beak, etc.) is going to solve the housing crisis, loosen credit and create jobs.
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