Obama Remains Open Minded

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Barack Obama and his transition team have apparently been getting an earful the last few days about his economic rescue package being insufficiently ambitious. CBS News' Chip Read reminded the president-elect at a press conference this morning that Paul Krugman, among others, believes the talked-about package simply isn't big enough to respond effectively to the crisis.

"Look, there's some people who have said that it's not big enough, there are others who say it's too big," Obama said. "As I said before, Democrats or Republicans, we welcome good ideas. And so the challenge for all of us, I think, is to identify good ideas, good spending plans, that deliver on my commitment to create or save 3 million jobs. I want this to work. This is not an intellectual exercise, and there is no pride of authorship. If members of Congress have good ideas, if they can identify a project for me that will create jobs in an efficient way, that does not hamper our ability to over the long term get control of our deficit, that is good for the economy, then I'm going to accept it. "If Paul Krugman has a good idea, in terms of how to spend money efficiently and effectively to jump-start the economy, then we're going to do it. If somebody has an idea for a tax cut that is better than a tax cut we've proposed, we will embrace it. So, you know, one of the things that I think I'm trying to communicate in this process is for everybody to get past the habit that sometimes occurs in Washington of whose idea is it, what ideological corner does it come from. Just show me. If you can show me that something is going to work, I will welcome it. If it works better than something I've proposed, I'll welcome it.

"What is not an option is for us to sit and engage in posturing or, you know, the standard partisan fights, when the Americans people are out there struggling. And I don't expect Congress is going to do that, because I think that they understand the urgency of the situation and they're hearing from their constituents."

Ezra raised a good point in response, noting that Obama's approach, while open minded, is still incomplete: "Obama responded to this by saying that some people say that the bill is too large, and some say the bill is too small. Okay. Who's right? Why? $800 billion is a specific number. Why are we using that number rather than $1.2 trillion, or $500 billion? Larry Summers certainly has some arguments. But they've not been publicly articulated."

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/

[alienlovechild 75]

Obama Remains Open Minded

In other words, he doesn't have a clear plan on what to do and he can't be held to his campaign promises. That's not new for a president but Obama was billed as new and different.

Expect to see a lot of photos of him with the kids, playing bastketball or at the beach anything but what's going on.

[Jasman0717 9]

I hope he can my condo equity back up to what it was before

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Obama Remains Open Minded

In other words, he doesn't have a clear plan on what to do and he can't be held to his campaign promises.

...sigh...alc, his stimulus plan has already been released which is why some Dems as well as Republicans are critical of it. How can they be critical of a plan he hasn't laid out?

[Jasman0717 9]

If he would give me a few mil I would certainly do my part to stimulate the US and world economy

[mawilson 2,133]

I wish they would just friggin' STOP the bailouts and stimuli and the out-of-control borrowing and spending that got us into this mess in the first place.

Edited January 9, 2009 by mawilson

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I wish they would just friggin' STOP the bailouts and stimuli and the out-of-control borrowing and spending that got us into this mess in the first place.

Doesn't any of what most of the economists have been saying (that we need a stimulus) jive with you?

[mawilson 2,133]

I wish they would just friggin' STOP the bailouts and stimuli and the out-of-control borrowing and spending that got us into this mess in the first place.

Doesn't any of what most of the economists have been saying (that we need a stimulus) jive with you?

The same economists who predicted $200 oil by the end of 2008?

Oh yeah, Krugman. Recession was always his main theme - he's been predicting a recession

since the last recession. And now, lo and behold, finally - a recession!

"Right now it looks as if the economy is stalling..." — Paul Krugman, September 2002

"We have a sluggish economy, which is, for all practical purposes, in recession..." — Paul Krugman, May 2003

"An oil-driven recession does not look at all far-fetched." — Paul Krugman, May 2004

"A mild form of stagflation - rising inflation in an economy still well short of full employment - has already arrived." — Paul Krugman, April 2005

"In fact, a growing number of economists are using the "R" word [i.e., "recession"] for 2006." - Paul Krugman, August 2005

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I wish they would just friggin' STOP the bailouts and stimuli and the out-of-control borrowing and spending that got us into this mess in the first place.

Doesn't any of what most of the economists have been saying (that we need a stimulus) jive with you?

The same economists who predicted $200 oil by the end of 2008?

Oh yeah, Krugman. Recession was always his main theme - he's been predicting a recession

since the last recession. And now, lo and behold, finally - a recession!

"Right now it looks as if the economy is stalling..." — Paul Krugman, September 2002

"We have a sluggish economy, which is, for all practical purposes, in recession..." — Paul Krugman, May 2003

"An oil-driven recession does not look at all far-fetched." — Paul Krugman, May 2004

"A mild form of stagflation - rising inflation in an economy still well short of full employment - has already arrived." — Paul Krugman, April 2005

"In fact, a growing number of economists are using the "R" word [i.e., "recession"] for 2006." - Paul Krugman, August 2005

Yeah, that Krugman. What does he know that you don't know betta. When are you going to get the Nobel, Mark?

[mawilson 2,133]

Yeah, that Krugman. What does he know that you don't know betta. When are you going to get the Nobel, Mark?

There is no Nobel prize in mathematics, Steven.

The top honor a mathematician can receive is the Fields Medal.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Yeah, that Krugman. What does he know that you don't know betta. When are you going to get the Nobel, Mark?

There is no Nobel prize in mathematics, Steven.

The top honor a mathematician can receive is the Fields Medal.

BTW, I was going to be a Math teacher at one time, believe it or not. Scored in the 99 percentile nationally when I was in High School...then I found marijuana more fun.

[Ban Hammer 13,355]

And so the challenge for all of us, I think, is to identify good ideas, good spending plans, that deliver on my commitment to create or save 3 million jobs.

oh joy back to using that phrase again

[DEDixon 39]

I want to be the first to coin the phrase.... "it Obama's fought....."

[DEDixon 39]

I wish they would just friggin' STOP the bailouts and stimuli and the out-of-control borrowing and spending that got us into this mess in the first place.

Doesn't any of what most of the economists have been saying (that we need a stimulus) jive with you?

The same economists who predicted $200 oil by the end of 2008?

Oh yeah, Krugman. Recession was always his main theme - he's been predicting a recession

since the last recession. And now, lo and behold, finally - a recession!

"Right now it looks as if the economy is stalling..." — Paul Krugman, September 2002

"We have a sluggish economy, which is, for all practical purposes, in recession..." — Paul Krugman, May 2003

"An oil-driven recession does not look at all far-fetched." — Paul Krugman, May 2004

"A mild form of stagflation - rising inflation in an economy still well short of full employment - has already arrived." — Paul Krugman, April 2005

"In fact, a growing number of economists are using the "R" word [i.e., "recession"] for 2006." - Paul Krugman, August 2005

Yeah, that Krugman. What does he know that you don't know betta. When are you going to get the Nobel, Mark?

Fancy.... Mark's quotes are more of a "WOW!!!!" moment. Give credit where credit is due. Nice research Mark.

[Danno 1,228]

My G_d can you just imagine the anyone being luckier?

I mean, how many other liberals on down through recent history could only DREAM of coming into office with the explicit mandate to spend as much money as one wants starting new Govt programs and "give-aways" (is that being redundant?)