He did it with a wartime economy that needn't have been. What is happening as a result is our present leadership is trying to climb back out and in the process discovers the old adage "you need to spend money to make money" has some merit.

Just what in the hell did anyone think Obama was going to promise when he ran for office? A bust? Disaster? Financial ruin? More wars?

He would never have been elected if he promised more of the same; the same fiscal irresponsibility as Bush saddled us with.

Yesterday I noted a brand new billboard along a much used mountain highway (the same two-lane built many years ago when traffic was nothing compared with today). The sign read, "your stimulus money at work," and, hopefully, there will be an improvement on this stretch of road that's long overdue and at the same time put people to work. In just a quick glimpse I saw at least two dozen men (and, BTW, a couple of ladies) grubbing away at the hillsides or directding traffic. I have to assume the plan is finally taking root, the surveying is over, and contruction is about to begin and that is what, I thought, the stimulus was all about. This was one mountain road in a nation of roads, many of which need improvements or repairs to bring them on board of the 21st century. Wasn't rebooting our infastructure part of the plan and did anyone believe that could begin to happen until a considerable amount of preparation occurred?

No one can really say for sure that Hoover was largely responsible for the bust of '29 but his lack of leadership when the bottom fell out was a contributor. His things are looking better, it'll soon be over philosophy just made matters worse and it wasn't until FDR finally plugged the break in the dam that things did very gradually improve. Yes, very gradually, just like today. Our dreams of luxury, along with poor leadership, got us into this mess and you can believe that the corporate geniouses who helped spawn this crisis will not be in the working man's corner -- you know them, the guys who give mister ordinary hell when he can't pay his bills but who, in turn, did a poor job themselves and helped to trigger this much needed bailout. I have to wonder that, should the Reps have stayed in the white house, if another Hoover philosphy might've sent us all the way to the bottom of the barrel as it did in the early days of the last big depression.

A good man, when he's knocked down, gets back onto his feet and makes the necessary adjustments to right his course and give life another shot. That is what Obama is trying to do, and that is the black and white of it, his skin color not a factor to ponder.

I consider myself to be a good citizen of this great nation. I have been a contributor to its well-being and success time and again and I shall continue on that course come hell or high water. And when that old timer, Uncle Sam (who represent us all), falls down I intend to help him regain his feet and to stand tall and to represent the determination that did build this nation. It is my hope that Uncle Sam's longevity belittles those from biblical tales of extended life periods such as Methusela (however his name was spelled, perhaps back then he didn't even know).

Have a pleasant day.

Gramps

Sure, but let's propose an analogy...

Let's say that you have a HUGE hole in your back yard.

Along comes a contractor who wants, nay BEGS, you to let him fill it in.

You agree to do so.

And then after he gets started he tells you "This is a much bigger job than I thought, it will take longer and cost more than I ever imagined."

Do you then accept that and give him what he wants, or do you expect him to make good on what was promised up front?

Plus you learn that contractor is filling the hole with dirt he steals from your well to do neighbor. It may make you and the contractor happy but you risk pissing of the entire neighborhood.

Spread the dirt around?¿?

he was going to do.Since he's been on agenda on everything else,I'm willing to give him a while to see where this Afghanistan plan is going.

The hypocrisy of the neo cons shouting deficits now...when they voted for the largest deficit in history,and a deficit that kills people,not a deficit that builds roads and creates jobs...knows no bounds.

Keep saying it like it really is,Gramps.

If I had a hole in my back yard my neighbor would probably be furious because my home abuts the fence line separating out properties. As for estimates, well, let's see. The last time an estimate was wrong my car was in the shop, with a fuel tank removed, and they discovered an additional need along with the fuel pump. I guess I could've told them to put the tank back on and forget it and then called a tow truck to deliver it to my driveway. Was I happy when that happened? Hardly. But life goes on.

There is room in my side yard for a hole, even a bigger hole if need be and, who knows, they might strike pay dirt and make me a wealthy man. I'm a tad too far east for a gold strike but as the old saying goes, gold is where you find it, and in Colorado that's been a proven fact time and again. Years ago the old timers claimed you needed to find quartz to find gold and then some asshole in southern Colorado found gold in granite and screwed-up the theory. There's always someone to mess with other people's minds. Heck, we do it all the time on the Fray.

Gramps

MasterJay:

he was going to do.Since he's been on agenda on everything else,I'm willing to give him a while to see where this Afghanistan plan is going.

The hypocrisy of the neo cons shouting deficits now...when they voted for the largest deficit in history,and a deficit that kills people,not a deficit that builds roads and creates jobs...knows no bounds.

Keep saying it like it really is,Gramps.

Reeeeeeeeaaallly?

What is it, exactly, that you see him as having done? What is this 'everything' that you mention?

Because from my corner he hasn't accomplished anything yet. He may in the future but let's not pretend it's already happened.

Granted, the deficits under Bush were bad.

And Obama has managed to increase them more in 6 months than Bush did in 8 years...

And you don't see that as a concern? Hmmm...

Lets see...we're leaving Iraq,and it looks like ahead of schedule(wonder how this economy will look without the sink hole of Iraq),he proposed and got passed an economic stimulus package that is of historic proportions but due to the incompetency of the bush/cheney fiasco was/is needed...he promised to deliver Health Care reform,and he's certainly brought that closer to fruition than any President in 61 years...

Ask the car dealers what they think of the "cash for clunkers" program for example...buildings that looked like ghost towns suddenly are busy,even Ford showing an actual profit.

The sign Gramps mentioned, I am seeing all over and it is giving jobs that are badly needed.By the time the money runs out we may be out of the hole,or at least see Daylight.

My little town is repaving the main road,all the way to 70 with stimulus money.It was in The News paper this morning and more to come. You take my little town and see how many other little towns all across the Country are getting the same thing.That is an impressive amount of jobs.

I do not have the slightest complaint about myTax Dollars improving the Infrastructure,and it seems we will be getting high speed rail.That will be wonderful. I can go all over the state and not have to sit behind the wheel.I will leave the driving to them.

How did the RR museum go Gramps?

Gramps, please go to the top of KFS and read my new post.. which is a partial c-n-p from Wikipedia on the subject of the Family (see Jeff Sharlett's new book).

I honestly believe that this article exposed the most profound threat to America since PNAC and the rise of the NeoCOns.. and the threat this time may in fact be larger.

Please, my friend, indulge me a take a look at the article.. you can click into it from amnywhere in the 'Contents' section of my post.

With regards and gratitude,

Shep

MJ, please read my top post here on KFS. It is the introductory section of the WIkipedia article on the Family (see Jeff Sharlett's new book), an expose' of what I believe to be the most profound threat to America since PNAC.. and perhaps since WW2.

I woupld be grateful if you would read the WIki article.. you can get the first section in my post.. then you can click to the article rom any of the links in the Contents section.. which I have posted here on KFS.

Thank you for your attention,

Shep

I would be grateul if you would go to my top post here on KFS today concerning the Family (re Jeff Sharlett's new book, the current Doonesbury strips, and many articles in BYT and the news mags over decades).

It is a cut and paste of the top two sections of the new Wikipedia article on the Family (AKA National Prayer Breakfast Association, The C-Street Family, etc). It represents an expose' of what I believe to be a profoundly important threat to America. You can click on any o the links in the Contents section to go directly to the Wiki article.

I would encourage you to do so promptly. The Wiki article is currently under cyber attack and may be disabled or edited out of existance momentarily.

I would value your comments.

"If Fascism comes to America, it will come draped in the flag and carrying a Bible"

Shep

MasterJay:

he was going to do.Since he's been on agenda on everything else,I'm willing to give him a while to see where this Afghanistan plan is going.

The hypocrisy of the neo cons shouting deficits now...when they voted for the largest deficit in history,and a deficit that kills people,not a deficit that builds roads and creates jobs...knows no bounds.

Keep saying it like it really is,Gramps.

What are your congressmen´s and Senator´s names? What state? I want to see how they voted in 1998 on the Iraqi Liberation Act and then on the authorization to use force to unseat Saddam.

Now, let´s see who is lying!

shep:

"If Fascism comes to America, it will come draped in the flag and carrying a Bible"

Shep

And shouting ¨God damn America¨! Oh, that´s Obama´s minister, right?¿?