THE BLAME and TRIUMPH TOUR

"Anything good is Obama, anything bad is Bush."

and

"For me, I have never believed the government, and that includes the President, can control the economy. But for arguments sake, let's say he can. Wouldn't it seem proper that Obama claiming triumph speaks to his ability to look for sparkly, glittery data? Any President can do that and park in front of a podium for a political photo-op. Hell, I could. He is no business man and no economist, so really what's all the fuss about? He only listened to a bunch of sweaty nerds who had opinions about how the government MAY step in and push things along. No guarantees. Try this and that and hope for the best. It's spooky really. Obama is a ghost. He appears and disappears, depending on the reports and polling data. Or was he not a Senator? He never did jack crap for Illinois. (I was in Chicago when he was there and there was no "change" -- Robert) He can't have it both ways. Either you were a governing force and accomplished many great and important things or you were not. And if you were not, then you are a liar. So I think the President and his 'folks' should SHUT THE HELL UP. You caused this mess Mr. President, and to act otherwise is a damn lie. My mama always told me, when you point your finger at someone there are always 4 pointing back at yourself"

Nikki, you're all right.

China Shows Who the Real Boss Is at USA Inc.

"With its huge ownership stake in the American economy, China is beginning to extract concessions from a humbled U.S."

Best Comment of the Day

"I posted this yesterday. It's worth posting again. The stock market is toast and Obama is engineering a freight train towards national bankruptcy and the demise of the dollar. The outcome was never more certain.

"A warning to the credulous who think this economy has bottomed or is near it.

"1. No nation ever advanced its real economy by creating more units of paper money. Real wealth can only be created by savings and production.

"2. No nation ever advanced its real economy by holding interest rates below their natural market rate. In every case, it launches a credit expansion that continues until the level of debt becomes unsustainable. Then it crashes. In essence, it's one massive Ponzi Scheme.

"3. No nation ever advanced its real economy by deficit spending. Eventually, the debts become unmanageable. That's the path Obama is careening towards.

"4. The GDP is at $14 Trillion and and bonded debt, $11 Trillion. A 1:1 ratio brings the US in line with third world nations.

"5. From the time the Federal Reserve was created in 1913, the cost of gold went from $20 to $900, a 98% depreciation. 2% to go before the dollar is worthless.

"Sorry Obamamaniacs. Jesus hasn't returned in the form of Obama to save you. You're on your own."

No Hope for This Change

"You can hardly pick up a paper or listen to a newscast without hearing how inflationary Uncle Sam’s bailout efforts are. 'Money out of thin air' is a phrase never so popular as it is these days. And, indeed, every bit of the money going to bail out the administration’s political cronies on Wall Street and fatten Obama's constituency everywhere else is being created out of thin air.
 
"The Federal Reserve recently proposed what may be the most inflationary policy in it’s history, directly buying government securities to the tune of a trillion or so. Thin air again is the well from which all the Fed’s funds are dredged up."

A tip of the cap to AIG

"The highly publicized executive bonuses and retreats are galling, but they account for such a small percentage of the total handout, it's really a non-issue. Don't get me wrong; ragging on AIG employees and their families is just as much fun as listening to people as they attempt to mask their massive disappointment and buyer's remorse in President Barack Obama, but it solves nothing.

"Before you get on me for disparaging the omnipotent Obama, let me defend Obama because he wasn't in power while AIG was making backroom deals and its stock split more times than Nina Hartley's legs. However, Obama is responsible for continuing the failed policies of the most recent Bush administration.

"George W. Bush, a very gullible and impressionable person, was duped and swindled by AIG, and the company is taking Obama on the same ride. To be fair, the economy isn't Obama's strongest area.

"Cutting check after check without question to the insurance giant makes as much sense as appointing someone who cheated on his taxes to be Secretary of the Treasury."

Why Risk Threatens Obama

"If President Obama inherited the greatest recession since the Great Depression, his policies, lack of action, and wrong headed decisions have now surged the nation passed it."

San Francisco Examiner Editorial: Banana republic budgeting should shame Obama, Congress

"[...] It was surely an act of hubris for President Obama to ask Congress to approve a $3.6 trillion federal budget for 2010 that runs a trillion-dollars worth of red ink its first year and then projects half-trillion deficits every year thereafter for a decade. Congress has never before been asked to consider spending of such magnitude, not even during wartime. Obama's budget proposal also included provisions committing the nation to far-reaching policy changes that are certain to drive federal taxes higher, send gasoline and electricity costs soaring, socialize doctors and patients by putting Washington bureaucrats in charge of health care, and make Uncle Sam the Daddy Warbucks of college tuition for everybody. The ultimate result will be a doubling of the national debt, a burden that will fall on our children and grandchildren. In short, this was a budget proposal of historic significance to every living American and for millions yet to be born.

"So how did Congress deal with this landmark legislation? The House of Representatives gave opponents exactly 20 minutes to present an alternative, then gaveled the Obama measure to approval. The Senate approved it after considering a handful of amendments. But note that even before the 2010 budget was approved, this Congress had approved spending more than $1.2 trillion, or $24 billion per day. That's $1 billion every hour since the 111th Congress convened in January."

NYTimes: Obama's Economic Ideas Great... Just Like Hitler's Were?

"For The New York Times economic scene section for March 31, David Leonhardt came across with one of the most amazing admissions about Obama that I've ever seen in the Times. Namely that Barack Obama is just like Hitler. Now, many of you may be solemnly shaking your head in agreement, but in so doing you would be missing why the Times was comparing Obama to Hitler. You see, Leonhardt didn't mean it as an insult. He was saying that it was a good thing that Barack was being like Hitler at least in an economic sense.

"Here Leonhardt is taking the trains-on-time track with his Hitler angle by saying that, despite that whole Holocaust and World War II business, Hitler's policies were good for Germany. So good, in fact, that he celebrates the ways he sees that Obama is emulating the mustachioed mad-man's economic prescriptions with the massive takeover of the economy and bloated government spending on "stimulus."

"You know the left has lost it when they are invoking the 'success' of Hitler to prop up The One!"

The Ship is Sinking: Quick, Add Water

"President Obama has reminded us countless times that he inherited a $1.3 trillion deficit. Even if he were about to propose the most responsible, prudent, visionary budget imaginable, that complaint would still be petulant and unseemly. But considering what Obama’s own spending will do to the deficit, it’s jaw-droppingly galling. He now proposes to increase that deficit to $7 trillion in ten years. And that $7 trillion is probably a low estimate (the Congressional Budget Office estimates that it will be $2.3 trillion higher). When the new spending for programs like Pell grants, education for handicapped children, and so forth comes up for renewal in a few years, Congress is not going to let it lapse. So, to review, it was terrible for President Bush and the Democratic Congress (the president neglects to mention the latter) to saddle him with all this debt. His answer is to triple it. That’s showing ‘em!"

'Stimulus' tab: $12.8 trillion and climbing

"The tally works out to $42,105 for every man, woman and child in the U.S. and 14 times the $899.8 billion of currency in circulation. The nation's gross domestic product was $14.2 trillion in 2008.

"The combined commitment has increased by 73 percent since November, when Bloomberg first estimated the funding, loans and guarantees at $7.4 trillion.

"Federal Reserve officials project the economy will keep shrinking until at least mid-year, which would mark the longest U.S. recession since the Great Depression."

Democrats vs. Democrats

"House Minority Leader John A. Boehner snarled at moderate Democrats Wednesday, but the real bite came from liberal groups frustrated by centrist opposition to Barack Obama’s budget priorities.

"As Boehner accused Blue Dog Democrats of being 'lap dogs' for Obama, MoveOn.org and Americans United for Change, the labor-backed organization that serves as the White House’s chief third-party operation, began airing ads Wednesday urging moderate Democrats in both the House and the Senate to get on board with the president’s budget.

"Among the targets of Americans United for Change is Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), who declared the ads 'not very helpful.'”

Speaking of doom, what if Obama only makes it worse?

"U.S. financial analyst Martin Weiss, in a white paper he released last week, believes that a second Great Depression is already under way. If his and similar analyses are correct, then the Obama administration is doing everything wrong. Throwing billions at trying to remove and resell the toxic assets that banks accumulated is a waste of time, because those assets are worthless and should be written off.

"Worse, according to some, Mr. Obama's $3.6-trillion budget, with its emphasis on health care, education and energy reform, wastes money that is needed to combat the coming depression. It robs the economy of future growth by piling on debt. And it depletes the President's political capital."

Obama's stimulus package

"Obama , Obama, say it isn't so. You signed this 'imperfect' stimulus bill loaded with 8-9 thousand earmarks because you didn't have the guts to veto it? Yea, yea,yea, you didn't want to pick a fight with Congress because you might need their good will later on? Please give me a break. This Congress? The one who got us where we are today? And who clearly doesn't want anything to do with your change. Most of them are only interested in staying in power. Truth be told, we would be better off without most of them anyway. But once in, they'll do what it takes to hang on, like padding this bill with all their pork to buy themselves back into office in the next election. We all know that this is how it has worked for them for years. And so do you. So why not keep your promise? Let them earn their re-election by really serving their constituents. Now it looks like the same old same old to me. So congratulations, you're part of the club now. Thanks for nothing."

Obama Signs 'Imperfect' Spending Bill Away From Cameras

"'I've pledged to slash earmarks by more than half when I am president of the United States,' he said in Green Bay, Wis., last September."

Just words.

She has seen the light....

"I am ashamed that I voted for Obama, at the time it seemed as though he was the better choice. But now that he has taken office it seems that there is no Change comming (sic) our way. Well except that we are taking on more and more debt. I think that even though I was not a Palin fan I should have voted for McCain. It would have made me feel better even if he didn't win. Now I just feel like I voted for a good public speaker without a plan."

and

"Why is that the media is not pointing out many of the failed promises Obama has made? Why is the media not appalled at the excessive spending policies? Why are they not questioning his leadership in regard to this?

"I voted for Obama because I really thought he would change things. I gave him to much credit for being new. Now I'm kicking myself in the rear for not going for the tried and true fighter that McCain is. Maybe I didn't agree with all of his policies but for the most part he did what he said he'd do and has fought very hard for what he believed to be in the best interest of those he served."

and

"ME TOO!"

BREAKING: Obama has blown it!

"Their assessment stands in stark contrast with Mr. Obama's popularity with the public, with a recent Wall Street Journal/NBC poll giving him a 60% approval rating. But a majority of the 49 economists polled is dissatisfied with the administration's economic policies.

"On average, they gave the president a mark of 59 out of 100, and although there was a broad range of marks, 42% of respondents graded Mr. Obama below 60. Mr. Geithner fared even worse, with an average grade of 51. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke scored better, with an average 71."

Bailout Schmailout: Welcome to the New Socialist Republic

"For all the talk of US government bailouts, the 1300 page economic stimulus bills that are so heavily laiden (sic) with pork that the actual bailout portion is but a small percentage of the document, and getting America working again, has there been any mention of repealing the ridiculous, congressional mandates that require lending institutions to knowingly make bad loans? As I recall, that's how we got in this mess in the first place.

"Sure, the federal government is on the hook to solve all this, because the federal government put in place the inane legislation that caused it. But can't we go about righting a wrong by ensuring that it does not happen again? Where is the CHANGE, Mr. Obama? What happened to, 'No more pork barrel spending,'- Senator McCain?

"The truth is, there is no change. If you were to read every exhaustive page of the bailout and stimulus documents floating around the federal city, this morning, it would be so very clear that there is no change: the basic goal is to start the same pyramid scheme economy back up again. Same as it ever was."

The Assistant Messiah says....

"'There's been no good news,' said Vice President Joe Biden on CBS' 'Face the Nation,' 'and there's no good news on the immediate horizon.'