President Barack Obama - his performance thus far

[Trien Chieu]

Yay! Stem cell research funding is back!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090309/...ama_stem_cells

And of course, this is the Republican party's response (quoted from article):

House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, criticized Obama, saying in a statement that the president had "rolled back important protections for innocent life, further dividing our nation at a time when we need greater unity to tackle the challenges before us."

LOL.

What do you expect from the pro-life republicans who believe life is precious?

[levendis d'orange]

What do you expect from the pro-life republicans who believe life is precious?

Oh I don't know, something along the lines of what Nancy Reagan actually said:

“I’m very grateful that President Obama has lifted the restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research,” she wrote in a statement released shortly after Obama reversed the Bush administration limits. “These new rules will now make it possible for scientists to move forward. I urge researchers to make use of the opportunities that are available to them and to do all they can to fulfill the promise that stem cell research offers."

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/19787.html

[jiang bao]

What do you expect from the pro-life republicans who believe life is precious?

Life that is white and rich, that is.

Poor people, foreign people, animals, plants, etc., many Republicans don't care about.

If there is a medical breakthrough, I hope the "life is precious" folks boycott it.

[Trien Chieu]

Life that is white and rich, that is.

Again, using race card as usual. Not all republicans in US are white. I think you know Governor Jindal of Louisiana is a republican and he is not white. Congressman Anh Cao of Louisiana is also a republican and also not white. Speaking of racism, Congressman Cao is facing recall just because he voted against Obama stimulus bills, I guess to you that is not racism.

Poor people, foreign people, animals, plants, etc., many Republicans don't care about.

If there is a medical breakthrough, I hope the "life is precious" folks boycott it.

Rich or poor is due to personal responsibility and life style, it has nothing to do with race. There are plenty of poor whites and rich non-whites living in US. Most of the poor living in western countries deserve to be poor. It's the lifestyle that they choose to live lead them to where they are. I myself is far from rich, but never blame anyone or society for my conditon.

[levendis d'orange]

Joseph Cao is facing recall because the Republican leadership sold him out. Cao's district desperately needed the stimulus money to reboost the economy; Cao made public statements that he will vote for the stimulus package for the greater good of his constituents; Cao said he will not be playing political games and will do the right thing for the people he represented.

Fast forward to voting day, and Cao was pressured by the leaders of the GOP to vote no on the stimulus to the point that they were standing right next to him as he cast his vote to make sure he voted against it. Cao's constituents were rightly pissed because it shown that he's whipped by the GOP and is more interested in kowtowing to GOP ideologies than to represent them in any pragmatic manner in times of great need.

Cao should have realized that Republicans in Congress don't care much for minority candidates and the people they represent.

[Trien Chieu]

Joseph Cao is facing recall because the Republican leadership sold him out. Cao's district desperately needed the stimulus money to reboost the economy; Cao made public statements that he will vote for the stimulus package for the greater good of his constituents; Cao said he will not be playing political games and will do the right thing for the people he represented.

Fast forward to voting day, and Cao was pressured by the leaders of the GOP to vote no on the stimulus to the point that they were standing right next to him as he cast his vote to make sure he voted against it. Cao's constituents were rightly pissed because it shown that he's whipped by the GOP and is more interested in kowtowing to GOP ideologies than to represent them in any pragmatic manner in times of great need.

Cao should have realized that Republicans in Congress don't care much for minority candidates and the people they represent.

Cao is a congressman, he can vote whatever he thinks is the best for the district. If the voters don't agree with him, they can vote him out in the next election. There is no law that required any politician to vote for the president stimulus package. Did you know that the two ministers who partition the recall are strong supporters of former congressman William J. Jefferson who is a suspect of bribery? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_J._Jefferson
Despite that, they continue to support Jefferson. On the other hand, they are trying to recall Cao just because of his vote which is allowed by law whether you agree with his vote or not. Don't you smell racism here?

[levendis d'orange]

Cao is a congressman, he can vote whatever he thinks is the best for the district. If the voters don't agree with him, they can vote him out in the next election. There is no law that required any politician to vote for the president stimulus package. Did you know that the two ministers who partition the recall are strong supporters of former congressman William J. Jefferson who is a suspect of bribery? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_J._Jefferson
Despite that, they continue to support Jefferson. On the other hand, they are trying to recall Cao just because of his vote which is allowed by law whether you agree with his vote or not. Don't you smell racism here?

He could vote like he did, and his constituents are within their right to petition to recall him, which is allowed by law. You might see everything through your race-tinted lenses, but what they're doing make perfect sense in the real world where he's a Republican representing a heavily Democratic district. They gave Cao a chance to do the right thing in the best interest of the people from the district, and Cao screwed up by kowtowing to GOP pressure to make a united front against Obama's stimulus bill. And I don't really care about the past association of the people who's driving the petition because as far as I'm concern, William Jefferson is still being indicted and isn't eligible to run again. It's quire ironic here that you're sounding more and more like Al Sharpton who see racism everywhere.

[jiang bao]

Yep, typical tc. Nothing to see here, kids. Move on.

[Trinie]

I think we should give Obama a break. He has A LOT of pressure on him and a lot of things to deal with. He just became president too so of course he can't just solve everything like magic. Just give him more time and be more realistic about things. I don't even want to imagine myself being in his position... Way too much work and pressure.

[JamesG]

I just heard a new term used by a financial reporter for the folks in Washington….’lying crap-weasels’. It was in regards to the false outrage over the AIG bonuses which were just about impossible not to know about. It’s cover thy butt time.

[Happy Kadaw]

I'll just be happy if Obama isn't like his buddy, Deval Patrick. This guy needs to leave Massachusetts...totally another empty suit.

[jiang bao]

In my job, I have to talk to a lot of old guys, mostly disgruntled Republicans. One guy, while calling to complain about something, actually said Obama should be thrown in jail. And he said this mess was entirely the Democrats' fault.

I have to be politically neutral on my job, so I just pretended I didn't hear it and got off the phone with that dude as soon as I could.

[Ken Cheng]

In my job, I have to talk to a lot of old guys, mostly disgruntled Republicans. One guy, while calling to complain about something, actually said Obama should be thrown in jail. And he said this mess was entirely the Democrats' fault.

I have to be politically neutral on my job, so I just pretended I didn't hear it and got off the phone with that dude as soon as I could.

Some time during the past eight years, the Republicans have separated themselves from reality and live in some sort of alternate universe.

[JamesG]

Some time during the past eight years, the Republicans have separated themselves from reality and live in some sort of alternate universe.

The Democrats have their own alternate universe where money is in endless supply and should be spent even if you have to borrow it or merely print more of it. Both parties stink and anyone who votes for an encumbent is a fool. It’s well past time to clean house.
You should send a little mirror to every senator and member of congress with a little sign saying ‘You’re looking at the problem’

[jiang bao]

So what is the Republican solution to this?

Do nothing? Let the market "take care of itself"? Tax cuts? Sit back and complain about how the Democrats can't fix the mess?

I don't necessarily agree with the solution Geithner revealed this week, but it's obvious the federal government needs to do something. There is no way the market can possibly unfreeze the credit market without the government stepping in and shouldering most or all of the risk.

[JamesG]

The Clinton government set the stage for todays mess when it repealed the Glass Seagal Act which had kept banks and financial institutions separate. Then came the ‘everyone has the right to own a home’ and mortgage backed derivitives which made some people very rich. Meanwhile the SEC kept its head up its butt while the other federal agencies were having a nap.

If you think the dunderheads in Washington have the answers, don’t hold your breath waiting for them to solve the problem created by other Washington dunderheads.
http://livinglies.wordpress.com/2008...-glass-seagal/

[levendis d'orange]

We should get something straight regarding the repeal of the Glass-Steagal Act, namely that the proposal was introduced in the Senate by Phil Gramm (Republican of Texas) and in the House of Representatives by Jim Leach (R-Iowa) and was passed by the Republican majority in Congress. Phil Gramm, of course, became the economic advisor to McCain during the presidential campaign and infamously intoned during the economic meltdown that America is a country of whiners.

Yeah, that's how morally bankrupt the Republicans are. And unsurprisingly, their proposal is to cut taxes for the rich in hope that it will trickle down to the rest, oppose any financial regulation reform and do whatever Limbaugh tell them to do.

[JamesG]

‘Tiny’ Tim G. wants more power to ‘regulate’ other types of businesses. Beware…..monster ego at work!

I wonder if the Dems would pass a bill banning Federally regulated businesses and their management from making campaign donations to avoid the ‘appearance’ of conflict of interests by both parties?

[jiang bao]

JamesG... you are doing a good job of representing Republicans right now.

In fact in real life, it is what they are doing. Complain, point fingers, then when it turns out the problem was with Republicans, move on to a new complaint.

[Grifis]

It must be cool to worship Obama and defend Dems. It must make people feel like intellectual elites or something. I keep seeing the bashing Bush fad and the worshiping Obama fad. I'm not an intellectual elite nor am I politically articulate. All I can see is a bunch of politicians drowning the country in debts.

But really the country is on Obama's watch now. He should be man enough to take blame (but he's not.)

At any rate, it's too early to judge but I can say that I don't have confidence in him. After 4 years if things still aren't better, be fair and remember to blame Obama.