[mikemike]

So Obama saved us...

If you are an educated and employed investor who is in the market for a house, yes. Otherwise, not so much

If you are on one of the millions of americans on the Obama Loser List the democratic policies have created lots of bureaucratic hoops that you can occupy your time jumping through in the hopes of getting help only to be slapped down even further for wasting your time.

[jeffkrol]

H- NO! I'm not doing better.

Obama getting elected hasn't done anything for me in terms of how I live. My finances have only gotten steadily worse over the past two years. The economy here is awful and only getting worse. I've been laid off twice in 3 years and even with major computer skills I can't even get any temp work lately.

In capitalistic speek that's creative destruction.. jobs probably moved overseas or you became too expensive.. I believe this was occurring long before 2 years ago...

1/3 of the homes in my neighborhood are up for sale, many due to foreclosure.The local stores and eateries are also closing left and right. No one is hiring. The places that remain operate with a skeleton staff. You can't even get a job here at Walmart or McDonald's. The competition is so fierce that even the few minimum wage jobs available are filled immediately.

You have tons of people on CL/Ebay selling everything but their flesh and blood relatives just trying to make ends meet. If it wasn't for new local laws preventing there would be people on nearly every block here begging for a handout, help, whatever they can get. It's been THAT bad.

What new local laws??? Seems someones gov helping...

When the day comes that I can actually make something besides my rent, my utilities and the basic necessities in terms of food again? Then I might have a different opinion on whomever might be in the Oval Office, but right now I'm just disgusted with both parties and I'm really, really tired of living under the poverty line and having to "do without" most of the time to be able to afford to do anything other than simply exist.

For the record I'm not a person who thinks that "existing" includes a lot of luxuries. I share a lot of my bills with someone else or I wouldn't even have internet. I don't go to the movies but twice a year maybe. I share a car. I always use coupons, buy most things I need only when on sale and store them to save money. I buy clothes second hand or try to get them for free of CL and Freecycle. I most do without things like makeup, perfume and other fancy personal care products just so I can feed my cats and buy what I need to eventually be the professional photographer I want to be.

I'm not what I consider "dirt poor" there are plenty of people in my town who are worse off than I am, but I'm not in any way living a Middle Class lifestyle anymore. Upper Lower Class, maybe, but I left being Lower Middle Class quite a long time ago and I don't know if I will ever be able to afford to live like that again.

I hope so. Working to exist mostly isn't much fun. It would be nice to be able to afford to do something besides that once in a while, but I'm realistic and just grateful that I have a roof over my head and something to eat 3X a day. A lot of people here cannot say the same.

Well you have joined a majority who's creation was many, many years ago... fun having stagnating wages.....

[mikemike]

And everyday I'm sent flyers by the Union on how choosing Republicans is worse than choosing the Democrats that are there now....

That has been the democratic MO for decades, taking advantage of minorities and special interests for funding while taking their vote for granted. Look at DADT, it is a democratic policy, (Log Cabin) Republicans were the ones who ultimately brought the law suit that defeated it, and the democratic administration is still fighting to have a legislative remedy that they can claim as their own accomplishment.

[Nesster]

Here are the attempts to aid these groups that I have seen, am I missing something? Most democratic efforts to influence the market place have fallen flat on their face.

WHO'S BETTER OFF
Investors
Corporations
-Financial Reform was supposed to curb their power
Opposed by Republicans, who apparently wanted no reform
Home buyers
-Home Buyer Tax Credit
OK this one was a mixed bag, opposed by Republicans
Consumers
-Pentax released the K-r, K-5, and 2 new lenses
Opposed by Republicans... oh no, wait, Supported by Republicans

WHO'S WORSE OFF
The undereducated
Homeowners
-Making Home Affordable
Low-income Americans
-Stimulus tax cuts
Opposed by Republicans: the party just doesn't seem to like to cut taxes for the less wealthy
Job seekers
-Extra tiers of unemployment benefits
Opposed by Republicans: this just encouraged more drunkeness
-SNAP
-Stimulus infrastructure spending
Opposed by Republicans, though this results in contracts that result in corporate earnings and jobs



The average retail price for a gallon of regular unleaded the week of October 27, 2008 was $2.589.

And you don't mention Job Subsides
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/29/business/economy/29workers.html

Price of gas? Look here:

[Ira]

I'm worse off today than 2 years ago because I'm in the United Steelworkers Local 14693 & we've been working without a contract for 2 months now (first time in my 24 years & 5 contracts of being there!!!) The Company OR the Union don't have any idea how OBAMACARE is going to effect us just 1 year down the road. MOST of the Union & nearly all of the company personnel are hoping it gets repealed, but nobody knows. Also one of the largest parts of the business is Titanium medical implants that have now taken a beating (think OBAMACARE again) just after we're finally getting past the tremendous slowdown in the forged Ti aerospace business caused by 9/11 (and it had nothing to do with Bush, so don't give me that stuff).
And everyday I'm sent flyers by the Union on how choosing Republicans is worse than choosing the Democrats that are there now....
Yes, I'm worse off. no doubt about it.
The biggest shame is that the Union spends MY money on the Libs & never asked our local for a vote on who WE would like them to support. It's the same old Liberal thinking that they know what's better for us than we do.
Sure we have some liberals where we work, but it's NOT the majority!

You're in a union and you're complaining about Liberal Democrats?

Huh???

With this kind of logic, the country is doomed:

If it weren't for Liberal Democrats, ALL unions would fail to exist.

---------- Post added 10-27-10 at 03:15 PM ----------

I'm not better off financially, but I'm better off psychologically:

Since the blight of Bush stupidity left the nightly news for good, I've been able to sleep a whole lot easier.

I mean, come on:

We endured 8 years of the biggest retard to ever hold public office, let alone the PRESIDENCY. Which is why I say tonight:

GO GIANTS!!!

[reeftool]

So Obama saved us...

Considering the state of free fall the economy was in I would say that it's an accurate statement. There was a lot of hope and positive energy after he was elected. The Republicans looked lost for the most part and the ones that weren't standing around doing nothing were pretty much behind the same or similar policies the Obama crew was proposing.

The big question should be "Where do we go from here?" The Tea Party crowd is mad as hell and rightly so, but their anger is misdirected. The snake pit they need to attack is the Republican Party. Reverting back to the old policies of the Bush years is going to start the cycle all over again. Washington needs new blood but not some of the stupid idiots currently running.

The government needs to be business friendly but regulated. Most of the products that are consumed here should be made here, not halfway around the world. Company's that close plants and have their products built elsewhere should be taxed accordingly. The Wall St. crowd needs to be more tightly regulated. Considering where we were, Obama hasn't done all that badly. BTW, I'm not Democrat nor do I consider myself Liberal either, just saying it the way I see it.

[tmj41765]

You're in a union and you're complaining about Liberal Democrats?

Huh???

With this kind of logic, the country is doomed:

If it weren't for Liberal Democrats, ALL unions would fail to exist.

---------- Post added 10-27-10 at 03:15 PM ----------

I'm not better off financially, but I'm better off psychologically:

Since the blight of Bush stupidity left the nightly news for good, I've been able to sleep a whole lot easier.

I mean, come on:

We endured 8 years of the biggest retard to ever hold public office, let alone the PRESIDENCY. Which is why I say tonight:

GO GIANTS!!!

You do know that most states are NOT RIGHT TO WORK don't you, Mr. Logic Sir.
Yes, Joining a Union is a requirement in most Union shops. Please tell me you've been drinking.

I would not have any problem if our union ceased to exist tomorrow morning.

And by the way, my faith helps me to sleep at night. (that will probably keep you up tonight hehehe)

[jeffkrol]

You do know that most states are NOT RIGHT TO WORK don't you, Mr. Logic Sir.
Yes, Joining a Union is a requirement in most Union shops. Please tell me you've been drinking.

I would not have any problem if our union ceased to exist tomorrow morning.

And by the way, my faith helps me to sleep at night. (that will probably keep you up tonight hehehe)

That's too bad...... your faith in what, corporations......
Maybe we need to put a human face on this:
One of my relatives obituary.... to be honest one of his philosophies was that unions were ephemeral. Once the objectives were achieved they were no longer necessary.. I believe he was short sighted... that the "objectives" would never stick w/ out the 2 forces in opposition......

anyways don't use faith as a crutch......

[mikemike]

Price of gas? Look here:

U.S. Retail Gasoline Historical Prices
Like I said, 2 years ago, not 27 months ago.

I'm not better off financially, but I'm better off psychologically:

I would agree, I voted for Kerry in 2004 and Obama in 2008 because I opposed the war in Iraq. I do feel a lot better that we are unwinding that mess and we are wrapping things up in Gitmo. Hopefully we can close up shop in Afghanistan soon but it doesn't look like it. I do have a much better feeling with calm and collected Obama holding the codes to the nukes as opposed to Tex or Cheney.

Considering where we were, Obama hasn't done all that badly.

I wouldn't say that he has done that well either. David Frum had a very good commentary on Marketplace this evening that addressed the successes and failures of the Obama presidency paired with a democratic congress and made the case for voting republican:

I know, I know, I know! There's Christine O'Donnell, Rand Paul and Sharron Angle. Never mind Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin and Fox News. There's the crazy guy in Texas who says that revolution is "on the table." And anyway, what kind of fiscally conservative party campaigns on a pledge to protect Medicare exactly as it is?

Yet I will, nevertheless, be voting the straight Republican ticket on Nov. 2, and here's why: The Obama Administration has launched more big bold initiatives than any administration since Lyndon Johnson's, from health care reform through Afghanistan.

Now ask yourself this: Which of these measures has produced the results promised? Of them all, in fact, there's only one that has done the job -- and that was a continuation of a Bush-era policy, the Troubled Asset Relief Program. TARP averted a second Great Depression. But the Obama stimulus did not ignite job creation. Health care reform will increase the number of insured Americans somewhat, at enormous cost, but it will not slow cost inflation. It will mean higher subsidies and more taxes. The auto bailout is just plain bad economic policy. More disappointments.

The financial regulation fix ignored as "too hard" -- the status of the government mortgage lenders, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. "Green jobs" is an excuse for government boondoggles. Meanwhile, the crucial goal of energy security is no closer today than two years ago.

We need a change of course. And ironically, the biggest winner from such a change might be the president himself. Again and again, this president has excessively deferred to Democrats in Congress. He let them write his stimulus and his health care bill.

Obama won't defer to Republicans, which means a big Republican win will not only redirect the country, it will also remind this president that it's his job to lead, not just preside.

Frum: This election, vote GOP | Marketplace From American Public Media

I voted for Charlie Melancon (D) for senate because I think David Vitter will win by a landslide anyway, but I would like the race to be close so that he stays on a short leash and Joeseph Cao (R) for house because I think he has done a good job, he is the only vietnamese american in congress, and the democrat has a history of corruption but because of the leanings of the district doesn't need a bit of help to get elected.

[jeffkrol]

Re: Frum.. explain to me how Healthcare fails his criteria....... most of it doesn't even kick in for years........
I do agree on his loony toon list.. and would probably add a few.....
One lone voice of Republican sanity does not make an argument.......

[tmj41765]

That's too bad...... your faith in what, corporations......
Maybe we need to put a human face on this:
One of my relatives obituary.... to be honest one of his philosophies was that unions were ephemeral. Once the objectives were achieved they were no longer necessary.. I believe he was short sighted... that the "objectives" would never stick w/ out the 2 forces in opposition......

anyways don't use faith as a crutch......

The victims on the news every night are always the most undeserving wonderful people also... hmmm
.... the complete opposite of what the Bible teaches.

Trust me, it's much more permanent and weight bearing than a crutch.

[JavaJoe]

Obama would pretty much have to have been able to do anything we voted for for that question to be very meaningful. With the GOP blocking and filibustering *everything* including routine appointments, in the name of 'saving money,' ...they create a lot of problems that are in fact vastly more expensive: if BP had been in a world with enough regulatory appointments, would we have that huge expensive catastrophe on our hands? Quite likely not.

With a super majority the GOP couldn't block anything. That's his own party doing the blocking.

As for BP they're paying for it. 20 billion in a government slush fund after all.

---------- Post added 10-28-10 at 09:11 AM ----------

You're in a union and you're complaining about Liberal Democrats?

Huh???

With this kind of logic, the country is doomed:

If it weren't for Liberal Democrats, ALL unions would fail to exist.

---------- Post added 10-27-10 at 03:15 PM ----------

I'm not better off financially, but I'm better off psychologically:

Since the blight of Bush stupidity left the nightly news for good, I've been able to sleep a whole lot easier.

I mean, come on:

We endured 8 years of the biggest retard to ever hold public office, let alone the PRESIDENCY. Which is why I say tonight:

GO GIANTS!!!

And that would be a beautiful thing.

[jeffkrol]

With a super majority the GOP couldn't block anything. That's his own party doing the blocking.

shows what happens when you have a group of individual thinkers instead of a lock-stepping bunch......

[mikemike]

shows what happens when you have a group of individual thinkers instead of a lock-stepping bunch......

So when a democratic congressperson is looking out for number 1 they are an individual thinker, but when a businessperson does so they are a greedy capitalist pig?

I have seen the legislation passed by this congress start off as good ideas but get watered down, bastardized, and boondoggled into oblivion or actually make things worse.

I am guessing that the reason TMJ's union doesn't know what the healthcare bill will do to them and haven't signed a new contract is because of the tax on 'Gold-Plated Cadillac Plans.' They are probably working to get this repealed and if they can get that taken out, they will be able to keep their health plan demands as is, otherwise they will need to demand more cash on the barrel head to compensate for the benefits cut.

Obamacare has potential to be a good thing if it doesn't get screwed around with, but I think what Frum was talking about is that no one in Washington has the guts to let it get fully implemented as designed. If republicans win or the court challenges are successful the individual mandate will go out the window and inability to deny for pre-existing conditions without the individual mandate leads to Adverse selection. If the democrats win, their will be special interest groups like unions trying to get there carve outs made permanent so the tax on high cost plans that was supposed to be a key cost control and revenue raising measure will be gone. Then there are other problems associated with having congress make decisions about what is and isn't covered, we have finally found a more inept system than HMOs. Few things make a bigger impact on future health than breast feeding, but congress decided that it wasn't very important and made it more expensive to get a breast pump so working mothers can continue to provide the best nutrition for their children when they return to work. The list could go on and on, but these are just a few examples of ways the flawed final implementation of health care reform can crumple and make the system worse without the same fanfare and attention as passage.

What really infuriates me is seeing them pass something like this then pat themselves on the back, say that they solved some big problem when what they passed is watered down to the point where its virtually meaningles and when they know they have no intention in following through with the tougher provisions that remain in it.

[Ira]

And that would be a beautiful thing.

You have kids?

If so, do you want teachers that are paid $15K a year teaching them?

Because without a Union, that's about what they would be earning.

---------- Post added 10-28-10 at 07:36 AM ----------

I would not have any problem if our union ceased to exist tomorrow morning.

And by the way, my faith helps me to sleep at night. (that will probably keep you up tonight hehehe)

You do understand that if your union ceased to exist 25 years ago, you would be earning 50% of what you're earning now, correct? I mean, you have to understand how that statement doesn't really say much against the benefits of unions.

As far as faith goes, I know that the planet Earth is around 5 billion years old, as opposed to those in church who have faith that it's only a few thousand.

With faith like that, no wonder the world is so screwed up.