Is Barack Obama the right leader for America?

[Giant Communist Robot]

I saw Obama's press conference after his speech. Very nice. He did a good job. So far, though, he hasn't done anything. For example, he has stumbled getting his bailout package through Congress. He should have used Vince Offer to push it through.

[jamiebk]

I saw Obama's press conference after his speech. Very nice. He did a good job. So far, though, he hasn't done anything. For example, he has stumbled getting his bailout package through Congress. He should have used Vince Offer to push it through.

Proud owner of not one but 3 ShamWow's

[Shapley]

I caught periodic glimpses of President Obama's sales pitch for the Stimulus plan. He seemed to be intent on telling us that we need to pass a stimulus, but I never saw anything that explained why we need this stimulus. What seemed to be missing was any explanation of what, specifically, this bill would do to stimulate the economy. I know he told Democrats at a recent rally that Republicans were missing the point by attacking the spending, because spending was what the bill was all about. I take if from that his whole goal is to spend us out of the doldrums. Well, spending is one thing the government seems to be good at. I would just feel a little better if he actually told us how, exactly, all those billions were going to save us.

Maybe he did that during the time he was talking and I was working...

[Haggis@wk]

Tutu urges Obama apology on Iraq

I guess that’s one way to win back the world’s love.

[Shapley]

IRS Seeks To Force Swiss Bank To Reveal Information On American Clients

Now, the government wants to go after tax cheats. That seems to ring hollow, somehow. How many 'highly placed government officials' do you reckon will have their names in that list, if they get it?

[Shapley]

Stimulus Bill Leaves Out Money For Katrina Repairs

Well. Will we now be told that President Obama doesn't care about black people?

[Haggis@wk]

Stimulus Bill Leaves Out Money For Katrina Repairs

Well. Will we now be told that President Obama doesn't care about black people?

I PREDICT we will see another stimulus bill more or less of the same size within a year. Enjoy

[Shapley]

Government Weighs Idea Of Taxing Motorists Per Miles Driven

Theoretically, the current system of taxing fuel per gallon does the same thing. One of the drawbacks to improving fuel efficiency is that we drive more miles per gallon and, thus, more miles per tax dollar. For this reason, the fuel tax is falling behind the cost of maintaining roadways (although many of our fuel-tax dollars are also syphoned off to pay for non-transportation- or marginally transportation-related projects). The simple solution: increase fuel taxes in proportion to the average increase in fuel economy.

The problem with the LaHood's proposal, as I see it, is that it requires us to allow the government to monitor our travels and movements, in order to tax our mileage. The libertarian in me says this is wrong...

[Haggis@wk]

Government Weighs Idea Of Taxing Motorists Per Miles Driven

I see the start of two new industries, one underground. One dedicated to the defeat of devices and another one that squeals on "mileage cheats" for reward money.

While this is being proposed in lieu of the gas tax does anyone actually believe that the gas tax would go away? If approved this would be an additional tax on top of the current gas tax.

And if you think that someone won't use this system for political gain then you probably already own that bridge.

[Haggis@wk]

Obama’s recent comments along with AG Holder’s description of Americans as “cowards” leads me to a conclusion that we are retuning to the Carteresque style of blaming the American people. That would be a mistake.

Obama has characterized us as "dictating" in the Middle East, in contrast to the Saudi authoritarian's "courage." Our secretary of state has said America too often has been impulsive and ideological. Gorism and 'you did it to yourselves' thinking is already rampant among some science and environmental appointees.

Does anyone remember the “flip-the-channel” collective response to Jimmy Carter every time he put on the cardigan sweater and begin to lecture America about what was wrong with it rather than trying to uplift Americans' spirits to meet new challenges? I do and I suspect some others here do as well.

The new president appears to be trending into that same role as scolder in chief.

I'm not proposing "Pollyannaism" but Carter's pessimism had a deleterious effect on America; Obama’s will as well. He needs to lighten up, soon.

Exit question: is there anyone in this Administration who loves the U.S?

[Shapley]

Transporation Department Expresses Opposition To Transportation Chief Over Taxation Based On Miles Driven.

The left hand seems not to know what the right had doeth. Perhaps Mr. LaHood Should have cleared that suggestion with his own people before expressing it to the public. Or, perhaps, as chief of the transportation department, he should make sure the department is behind him on ideas. In any case, it once agains suggests that there is a lack of cohesion in the Obama administration, and it leaves the nation trying to figure out the direction the country will be heading in, assuming it ever gets under way.

[dai bread]

Our Govt. taxes diesel vehicles by kilometres driven. The reason is that so much diesel is used off-road. Farm machinery and boats are just 2 examples.

Such users had to apply for tax rebates once upon a time, and this caused headaches and heartaches all round, as well as fuelling (!) a thriving business of claiming petrol or diesel used in the car was actually bought for the tractor. We had coloured petrol, among other things.

Then the system was changed. About the only thing other than a car that uses petrol is a lawnmower, so petrol was taxed at the pump, and there's no rebate for off-road use. Diesel was given a system of pre-purchased kilometres known as Road User Charges. If you want diesel for your tractor, you pay the same price as the diesel for your car or truck. You just don't pay RUCs. If you're caught without the proper display label on your road vehicle windscreen, you're fined heavily. Yes, people do uncouple their odometers, especially any truckies who have a long spell of off-road work, or are on private (e.g. forest) roads. You just have to hope you don't crash, and nobody inspects your vehicle when you're on a public road.

[Shapley]

Fact-Checking President Obama's Address To The Nation

[Shapley]

President Obama: "We Will Rebuild".

Rebuild, Hell. I thought a big part of the problem was that we had overbuilt...

[Haggis@wk]

President Obama: "We Will Rebuild".

Rebuild, Hell. I thought a big part of the problem was that we had overbuilt...

I'm curious, did anyone watch the whole speech. I switched channel about halfway through.

[jamiebk]

I watched it and thought that it was very good. Everyone kept complaining that he wasn't positive enough...now that he sends a positive, forward looking message, everyone is still complaining. Can't win.

[Shapley]

I'm not complaining, I'm just questioning some of his terminology. "We will rebuild" was a fine line for Mayor Nagin after Katrina, but it somehow doesn't fit. Nero burned Rome so that he could rebuild it, or so the story goes. In America, we need to build, but not to rebuild, since what we have is still usable. IMHO.

Oh, and I'm sick of hearing him talk about the situation he 'inherited'. He didn't inherit it, he helped create it. He was a part of the Senate that created this situation. He actively opposed efforts to stabilize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. He bears responsibiltiy for it. He talks now about taking responsibility for our past actions. He could begin by accepting a little of his own, and dropping the word 'inherited' from his economic lexicon.

[jamiebk]

I'm not complaining, I'm just questioning some of his terminology. "We will rebuild" was a fine line for Mayor Nagin after Katrina, but it somehow doesn't fit. Nero burned Rome so that he could rebuild it, or so the story goes. In America, we need to build, but not to rebuild, since what we have is still usable. IMHO.

Oh, and I'm sick of hearing him talk about the situation he 'inherited'. He didn't inherit it, he helped create it. He was a part of the Senate that created this situation. He actively opposed efforts to stabilize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. He bears responsibiltiy for it. He talks now about taking responsibility for our past actions. He could begin by accepting a little of his own, and dropping the word 'inherited' from his economic lexicon.

Well personally speaking I will need to "rebuild" about 40% of my stock portfolio.

[Haggis@wk]

Well personally speaking I will need to "rebuild" about 40% of my stock portfolio.

More like 55% for me.

[Shapley]

President Obama Proposes Budget: $1.75 Trillion Deficit

This is not an 'inherited' budget, this is of his own design. This would put the total debt at over $12 trillion, or very clost to total GDP. Not a good thing...

According to the Treasury Departments "Debt to the Penny' feature, the total debt on the day President Bush assumed office, with a Republican Congress, the total debt was $5.73 trillion, on the day the Democrats took control of the purse strings in 2007 it stood at $8.67 trillion. As of Tuesday it stood at $10.84 trillion. Thus, President Bush and the Republicans increased the debt by $2.95 trillion over the course of six years whereas, with Democrats in charge of the purse strings, the debt has increased by $2.17 trillion in just two years.