Obama took action despite balky GOP
Over the last few weeks, I have heard many people talk about what President Obama has not been able to do.
Given, there are a lot of things the president has not done very well. Most recently, the victory of a Republican in the Massachusetts Senate race and, a few weeks prior, the two Republican victories have provided roadblocks. Certainly, the president has not fared very well in his message campaign on health care reform. Also, the economy has not recovered as fast as he would’ve liked.
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But there is a very large list of successes President Obama did have last year. One of the first things the president did when he walked into office was sign an executive order lifting the ban on stem cell research. Due to this, scientists may be able to find new ways to treat some debilitating conditions such as Lou Gehrig’s disease and cancer.
One of the main criticisms of the president regards the many bailouts, handed out as a result of the economy collapsing. We should remember, President Obama inherited a large budget deficit and an economy on the verge of spinning out of control. So the steps the president decided to take were to stabilize the economy, through pumping federal cash into a number of banks.
The president was forced to give companies like GM federal dollars to stay alive, and as a result GM is still around, and in January they were profitable. Tuesday the Detroit News reported GM saw a 14 percent increase in its sales from the same time last year. Late last month Ford Motor Company reported a net income of 1.3 billion dollars in 2009. So the president did succeed in helping the auto industry, even though many Republicans were saying let it fail.
Another controversial move the president made last year was the stimulus package he designed to keep the economy from collapsing. The stimulus package did not do everything the president hoped it would do, admittedly. For one, the administration was hoping unemployment would stop at 8 percent, when it actually stopped at 10 percent.
However, the stimulus package did provide funding for many road projects in Michigan that helped to create jobs. It increased Pell Grants to help needy students have the money to continue their education. It provided money to many school districts around the country to help modernize their education facilities.
Many of theses reforms, the president promised to do on the campaign trail. But these are not all. The president signed legislation to make sure women are paid equally to men. He also signed legislation last year that made it harder for credit card companies to hide what they’re charging. This legislation helped ban unfair rate hikes and excessive fees. Obama also signed into law legislation protecting our kids from advertisements of tobacco and cigarettes.
Also last year, the president signed into law much-needed reforms in the way we hand out military contracts. This is going to help possibly save billions of dollars in taxpayer money. So while some people don’t talk about it, the president has had a very productive year. Many of these pieces of legislation passed were ones blocked by the Bush administration.
We are starting to see the economy turn around because of the president’s work. The Commerce Department recently reported the fastest economic growth since 2003. This is one of many clear signs of economic turnaround. So the GOP has tried to accuse the president of not listening to its ideas and not focusing on the economy. I think the GOP is full of hot air.
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by doris ward
Thank you for this article. Too often the media are interestedin negative reporting about our president. Years from now,when he is history, the USA will realize we were literally saved form the abyss created by Bush,et al by this good and honest man. I am 85 years old and feel blessed to have lived long enough to vote for Pres. Obama
Flag for moderationby Toadsan
There is way too much fluff and adoration for President Obama and not enough honest reporting. His supporters put a spin on his many failings, much like the Republicans do for their guys. Will the masses ever see that Obama is doing just as bad a job as Bush in a much shorter time?
Not allowing businesses to fail is unamerican and it will destroys the economy and our ability to be free.
Giving Keynesian central bankers more power to do as they wish after they caused an economic collapse is unamerican.
Continuing to run up absolutely massive debt, and printing money to pay these debts strips us of our right to be free.
Open your eyes and and stop voting for Republicans and Democrats. Both parties are united as the party of big business, nothing more.
Flag for moderationby Kenneth Barna
Dear Toadsan,
Flag for moderationIn a perfect world, maybe letting big businesses fail would work, but you don’t point out what would happen to the workers, the creditors of those businesses, the retail outlets that may sell those products, etc.
As far as central bankers go, we got into this mess by taking away all the restrictions and rules that were supposed to help control and regulate those people. Like eliminating the Glass-Steagall Act under President Clinton.
Hope is out there that the debt will eventually get under control. I don’t believe that anyone truly wants to run up debts, but drastic times call for drastic measures. Most economists and government leaders agree that if everything was allowed to collapse, we would have been in another depression. Is that what you really would be in favor of?
You are also wrong with your last point. Democrats are not the party of big business. That belongs squarely on the shoulders of the republicans.
by Toadsan
Both parties are the party of big business. Your denial tells me that you are probably a liberal. Are you Chris Matthews? Keith Olberman?
They do want to run up debt or else they would stop spending!!!!
Continuing to use the treasury as piggy bank for the large corporations is unconstitutional.
Also if the Dems aren’t part of the big business party then explain to me why they get so many campaign contributions from big business?
Flag for moderationby Kenneth Barna
Dear Toadsan,
Flag for moderationI am not in denial, and yes am a liberal. I find it interesting that you did not address any of the issues that I brought to the table, but only want to rant on about big business.
The reason the republican party is the party of big business is that they have not supported the working class people in this country. By that, I mean that any benefits working class people have in this country, the democrats gave it to them. Such things as social security, medicare, the G.I. bill of rights, federal aid to education, and more.
Yes, democrats receive campaign contributions from businesses in this country, but the majority go to the republicans.
What do you want the federal government to stop spending money for? Give me a list. Defense? Aid to education? Veterans? Terror?
You need to make your arguments more definitive.
by Toadsan
End the war on terror, End the Federal Reserve, cut military spending, no more bailouts for anyone. That would be a good start but it will never happen.
Also it’s funny to me how you keep saying the republicans are the big business party when both, repeat BOTH!! parties supported the bailout and federal intervention in the economy.
Don’t give me this drastic measure bullcrap. All the bailout was, was a handout and a powergrab for the bankers. And it was a bipartisan effort, do not kid yourself.
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