Holy. Fucking. Shit.

[WilliamPitt]

Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States...

President Obama seized on Friday’s economic news — the Labor Department’s report that the unemployment rate shot up in January — to step up the pressure on the lawmakers. “Last month, another 600,000 Americans lost their jobs,” Mr. Obama said. “That is the single worst month of job loss in 35 years. The Department of Labor also adjusted their job loss numbers for 2008 upwards, and now report that we have lost 3.6 million jobs since this recession began.

“I am sure that at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, members of the Senate are reading these same numbers this morning. I hope they share my sense of urgency and draw the same, unmistakable conclusion: The situation could not be more serious. These numbers demand action. It is inexcusable and irresponsible to get bogged down in distraction and delay while millions of Americans are being put out of work. It is time for Congress to act.”

(snip)

“Don’t come to the table with the same tired arguments and worn ideas that helped to create this crisis,” Mr. Obama told a gathering of House Democrats in Williamsburg, Va., referring to Republican demands for more tax cuts.

“We are not going to get relief by turning back to the very same policies that for the last eight years doubled the national debt and threw our economy into a tailspin,” Mr. Obama said. “We can’t embrace the losing formula that says only tax cuts will work for every problem we face, that ignores critical challenges like our addiction to foreign oil, or the soaring cost of health care, or falling schools and crumbling bridges and roads and levees.”

Stepping up his pressure on both parties on Capitol Hill to act swiftly to finish work on the bill in the next 10 days, the president said that the American people had not voted for “the false theories of the past” when they elected him in November, and that it was time to set aside “phony arguments and petty politics.”

Mr. Obama said the legislation was not perfect, but rejected criticism that it was full of pet projects. Responding to the Republican criticism that it was a big spending bill, the president said: “What do you think a stimulus is? That’s the whole point.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/07/us/politics/07stimulus.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp

Go. Fucking. Bama.

:toast:

[ShortnFiery]

1. But the Stock Market is Bullish Today! The GOP and Wall Street loves high unemployment rates ...

= more competition for jobs with LOWER pay. :(

[CrispyQ]

6. It also means less money for consumers to spend on their goods & services.

They are so short sighted. They can't see beyond one quarter.

[FiveGoodMen]

36. "They are so short sighted"

Not really.

The people who make these decisions know how to grab the money and run when things go south.

They are ruthless, traitorous bastards, but they know what they're doing.

[aquart]

87. Not really.

The value of all that money they grabbed is crashing, too.

[Parker CA]

9. I'd bet the rally was bc they thought the bill would pass. If it doesn't they ride the up through

the weekend with the hope of it passing Sunday or Monday. If it doesn't, I'd imagine things will dive sharply either Monday or Tuesday.

[Mz Pip]

19. Actually the stock market went up

because with these job numbers it will be sooner rather than later that there will be a stimulus package. The stock market went up because it is more likely that money will be dumped into the economy.

[Lucky Luciano]

31. Bingo! "U.S. Stocks Rally on Speculation Jobs Data to Spur Stimulus " (Bloomberg)

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=anDuRfPVtQL8&refer=home

Feb. 6 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. stocks gained, sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average to its best two-day rally in a month, on speculation the highest unemployment rate since 1992 will force Congress to pass an economic stimulus package.

Bank of America Corp. jumped 27 percent to lead gains in 29 of 30 Dow stocks after saying it doesn’t need more government aid. Citigroup Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. added at least 10.7 percent on speculation a bank rescue to be detailed next week won’t wipe out shareholders. All 10 industry groups in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose as Labor Department data showing the nation lost 598,000 jobs last month bolstered expectations lawmakers will agree on a plan to combat the recession.

The S&P 500 rose 2.7 percent to 868.6. The Dow added 217.52 points, or 2.7 percent, to 8,280.59, capping a 4.1 percent two- day gain. The Nasdaq Composite Index climbed 2.9 percent, erasing its 2009 loss.

“They see this as putting additional pressure on Congress and the president to put forth a stimulus package,” said Peter Jankovskis, the Lisle, Illinois-based co-chief investment officer at Oakbrook Investments LLC, which manages $1.1 billion. “People are looking at this as something that will force a resolution of the current deadlock.”

--SNIP--

[LSparkle]

2. At last we have someone FIGHTING for us ... Harry Reid, take note

Our Congressional reps could all learn a thing or two
about GETTING A SPINE from our President!

[phantom power]

3. I could learn to like that man.

:woohoo:

[Raven]

4. The news today is that the stock market is up in spite of the huge

unemployment numbers because the Market is hopeful that this will spur Congress to enact the Stimulus Bill. What does that tell you? What are these Republicans thinking? Have they made some sort of a suicide pact??? My Republican builders are thrilled with the $15,000 home purchase tax credit. They are on the edge of their seats waiting for this to pass. Most of them are dead in the water, work wise. Who are the Republicans listening too???

[WilliamPitt]

7. The market ALWAYS goes up whenever job losses are reported.

Less payroll = higher profits. 'Twas ever thus. :(

[Raven]

8. But there's not higher profits this time around. Many of these

companies are just trying to stay alive.

[mnhtnbb]

16. The market anticipates the future--by about 6 months.

[lelgt60]

29. Well it didn't go up in the last 3 months when 1.8 million jobs were reported lost n/t

[Lucky Luciano]

33. I respect ya Will, but your statement is totally wrong.

The market has been going down lately because of job cuts because market participants know that job losses imply less consumer spending and more foreclosures. The market was up today because the huge job losses will add more pressure for the senate to quit fucking around and pass the stimulus bill. Wall St wants the stimulus bill to pass despite what pundits are saying.

[guruoo]

51. One example: record profits, cutting hours, and using proceeds to buy back own stock at bargain

basement prices. I'm talking hundreds of millions in just one recent purchase.

Do you know if this practice is widespread?

[Sarah Ibarruri]

5. I'm so glad he's getting over the bipartisanship love - it was obviously not working nt

[JimboBillyBubbaBob]

82. Yes indeed.

He can note that he tried and was rejected. My conscience would be clear on the matter. Further, it may not be solid policy to rule out future attempts at working across the aisle, yet it does offer a foundation to work from. This is going to be interesting as the months ahead play out.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

86. Exactly! Obama had a nice gesture in his bipartisanship effort, but it doesn't work with Repukes

It might work with others, but not with Repukes. I think what happened with Obama is that in Harvard he was able to "bring together" Repukes and Democrats to work together. Then he was able to work with both Repukes and Democrats in the Senate. I think he automatically assumed he'd be able to play the same magic as president in somehow uniting Repukes with Democrats.

[tom_paine]

10. Yes, indeed. Can he make himself heard above the cacophony of the M$M calliope carnival?

That remains to be seen. But one thing is certain. We couldn't ask for a better guy up to bat and trying to do it.

Once again, it is clear that M$M cable TV News is a very sophisticated form of opinion control based on the time-honored advertising and propaganda rules, which are Bushie Practices, such as "make sure to get in the last word" and "the best attacks are on people who have left the room and cannot defend themselves" and "repetition works".

But it only became so because we let the Bushies dismantle the FCC Rules preventing the formation of Nazi and Soviet-style sub-medias, which the Bushies immediately did once they were able.

Now, America is stuck in this creepy Nazi-Bushie matrix where the range of opinions is pretty much as narrow as ever, though MSNBC now at least fills a long under-served and unheard market, which happens to comprise two-thirds of Americans, and shows Olbermann and Maddow now.

And the old templates the Bushies pull out and they effortlessly work as well as all advertising seems to work, over and over and over again.

2-1 Bushie repetitions gives the illusion of vast majority. Bushie Astroturf Ops provide further verisimilitude and building of the gestalt. Yawn. So mundane after having watched it a hundred times. And at the same time as fascinating as neurosurgery, which in a very metaphorical sense it is.

We couldn't ask for a better guy up to bat and trying to reverse the Soviet-style insanity than Obama. I know, if it can be done, it will take time.

But man, it's so big, and we let it cement for so long before even making the most mild challenges to it. Bushiganda, insanely enough, is now Conventional Wisdom and thus the place where all conversations start.

That's a tough nut to crack, buddy, and this past week shows me that the power of the Mighty Wurlitzer has not diminished in the least, though MSNBC is starting to show some balance, though far from a FOX analog of crazy 100% propaganda.

[northernlights]

28. They heard him on my local CBS station

All they were talking about was how many jobs the HOUSE bill would potentially create for Mainuhs. :woohoo:

This is the *same* station that used to run a weekly rightwing editorial with absolutely no counterpoint or other side. :puke:

I HOPE Susan Collins was listening. Her plan was to CUT education spending -- put teachers out of work and cut pell grants to help re-train the unemployed for needed jobs -- and INCREASE PENTAGON spending. Obvious OLD POLITICS aimed deadon at her base -- BIW.

I tried to call Snowe this afternoon, but her lines were busy every time.

[Doctor_J]

63. Well, Collins got her education, HeadStart and food stamp cuts while

boosting Defense $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Obama's eloquence and passion can't overcome Reid cowardice, appeasement and enabling

[ThomCat]

11. That speech, unscripted and without a teleprompter, ROCKED!

:headbang:

[bigtree]

12. the statements were appropriate for the Democrats who can't help themselves from mucking it up

. . . but, considering that we can likely guarantee a unanimous vote from the Senate Democrats, his rebuke was, effectively, a refreshingly welcome partisan check on the republican obstructionists.

[libodem]

13. The Republic Party is the Neo-Fascist Party

they know it's true and that is why dorks are trying to write books linking (liberal) with Fascism. They only care about marketing propaganda advertising tax-cuts to the rich and corporations. I'm going to yell so hold your ears:THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE COUNTRY. They care about how their party is perceived and making sure the corporations and the rich do not get bothered with the middle-class. If we all died tomorrow they wouldn't shed a genuine tear.

[HillbillyBob]

70. Nope same Old fascist party just in the USA instead of Germany

They may have changed a few tactic but the strategy to take over the world pinky , same shit different century..same families even

[ro1942]

92. the American people

Gore Vidal said, never in history has a people been less suited for world domination than the Americans. now Obama is leading the corp. empire with the American people in tow. David Bowie song I'm afraid of Americans comes to mind.

[WI_DEM]

14. Brilliant.

[Glorfindel]

15. That's MY President! Give 'em hell, Obama!

Yay!!!

[WilliamPitt]

17. .

[20score]

18. “Don’t come to the table with the same tired arguments and worn ideas that helped to create this

crisis" Needed to be said! K&R

[surrealAmerican]

35. That line is beautiful.

I hope by next week, everyone will be repeating it.

[Raksha]

46. I love it when Obama tells it like it is!

Re “Don’t come to the table with the same tired arguments and worn ideas that helped to create this crisis."

I haven't that kind of frankness emanating from the White House in at least eight years...probably more.

[elizfeelinggreat]

20. edited

I didn't realize you were quoting him from the article. Duh.

[tavalon]

21. Altermative Minimum tax

Doesn't that kick in at a pretty high rate anyway? Is this for former highly paid folks now unemployed, I wonder?

[jazzjunkysue]

40. I'm a schoolteacher, and the damned AMT nabbed me for several years, already

And I'm no Michael Bloomberg.

[cascadiance]

49. The problem is that it hasn't been indexed for inflation for MANY years now...

And therefore is hitting a lot of people that it wasn't set up initially to tax. And Republicans conveniently criticize it for when it does rope up people it shouldn't to get sympathy to get rid of it altogether. It should be kept in place and reindexed for inflation so that it only affects the higher wage earners like it was supposed to do to begin with. I remember getting taxed for both AMT and receiving unemployment insurance during the same tax year during the dotcom boom/bomb years...

[HillbillyBob]

67. It kicks in at 50-or 60,000 if you have more that about 4 deductions if I remember.

nt

[EFerrari]

22. I voted for that guy.

:woohoo:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

23. I voted for that guy. Twice.

:thumbsup:

[WilliamPitt]

24. Ditto

;)

[many a good man]

26. That's an awesome quote from old Abe

Are you implying Obama has been sharpening his axe thus far?

[WilliamPitt]

32. That's my hope.

Thanks. This whole mess inspired the sig change. :)

[rhett o rick]

34. Bravo

[morillon]

37. Me, too! Damn proud of it. n/t

[AntiFascist]

25. Rush Limbaugh speaks for the Republican Party...

they simply don't want "liberalism" to succeed, so they will likely continue killing the economy, laying off American workers, and outsourcing to foreign countries. Hopefully all of the corrupt Republicans running this corporate socialist mess will get kicked out of their positions and replaced by responsible people. This is long past due.

[Coexist]

27. knr

[morillon]

30. Having a president with BRAINS is such a refreshing change.

"What do you think a stimulus is? That’s the whole point."

Balls, too. I love it.

[rhett o rick]

38. i am having a hard time adjusting it. When the news says that the president said, I automatically

cringe. Then when i hear it's Obama, it's like "i don't believe it".
The republicans as they are today, the party of hypocrisy, the party of obstructionism, the party of just plain crap, need to be horse whipped and run out of the country.

[morillon]

39. Seriously.

Eight years of Bush is a lot to take. I'm still getting used to having a non-fuckup in the White House, myself.

[rhett o rick]

50. Yes, someone that can actually say something. nm

[jazzjunkysue]

41. “What do you think a stimulus is? That’s the whole point.”

:rofl:

It's beautiful. Someone tell me when they post that on youtube.

[Catamount]

42. YEAH! Another K&R

:bounce:

[Taverner]

43. RAWK ON OBAMA!

Seriously, I trust him almost more than anyone in Congress

[Mike 03]

44. Nice post. This one really is worthy of K and R.... NT

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

45. There's a reason I helped elect this dude. Why I voted for him, and why I gave a shitload of $.

It's not because he's a good-looking sexy mofo of a president, which he most assuredly is.

It's because he's smart, has his heart in the right place, and has a unique quality of leadership.

[Mike 03]

47. Damn right.

I love your post!!!!!!!!

I couldn't agree more.

Now, what the fuck are we going to do???/

[libodem]

98. Why do I love that?

[antimatter98]

48. Obama is all theatrics and zero substance. Note: Main Street still in trouble. n/t

[jberryhill]

58. By Jove, you're right

Having taken office a few days ago, and not having signed any economic legislation that has made it through Congress, the economy is continuing in the direction it's been headed for months.

Why, it may even take minutes for anything to work!

And it may even be like turning around a supertanker, which can take a bit more than spinning a steering wheel.

[rhiannon55]

60. Please.

:eyes:

Then you can't tell quality, depth, and authenticity when you see it.

[Name removed]

65. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Fly by night]

52. God, I'm tired of internet punk-asses typing like convicts talk.

Believe me, I know.

Grow up, won't ya'.

Why blur a great post with a title right out of your ass?

[MattSh]

83. Thank you...

The ONLY reason I opened this topic is to figure out how a topic with such a juvenile subject line could have gotten more than 80 recommendations.

If you have something important to say, how about making the subject line fit the message?

Just a thought...

[upi402]

53. The media will be the demise of Obama

He has little time left in the honeymoon phase to kick the shit out of the media to some effect.

[Sugar Smack]

54. OK. I'm going to have to faint, now.

Prepare the smelling salts!!!!:wow:

[UpInArms]

55. I wish the lamestream media would just play this quote:

“We are not going to get relief by turning back to the very same policies that for the last eight years doubled the national debt and threw our economy into a tailspin,” Mr. Obama said. “We can’t embrace the losing formula that says only tax cuts will work for every problem we face, that ignores critical challenges like our addiction to foreign oil, or the soaring cost of health care, or falling schools and crumbling bridges and roads and levees.”

[demokatgurrl]

56. But why does he talk this to Dems-

and sweet talk the REpukes? He should take it to THEM, with cameras rolling.

[lavndrblue]

57. President Obama can say anything he wants...............

but it only makes the "Obstructionist Party" more determined to gut the bill and eventually kill the bill.

[snot]

59. Can anyone confirm whether this is getting any air in the corporate media???

[defendandprotect]

61. Right . . . and meanwhile, Rove "caved" . ..

[deaniac21]

62. He is a legislative genius!

[Soylent Brice]

64. he sure did hand some folks their ass right there, didn't he?

not the mother fucker to mess with.

[Laelth]

66. My President ROCKS! n/t

:dem:

-Laelth

[Odin2005]

68. “What do you think a stimulus is? That’s the whole point.” Ha! Pukes Pwned!

[GeorgeGist]

69. One glaring omission ...

Transfusing the victim of vampire is a sensible thing. But leaving the vampire sucking on their neck is nonsense.

60% of all earned income was sucked out of the economy by the profit sector in 2008.

[ogneopasno]

71. It's easy to talk like that to your side -- we do it here all the time. I'll stand up and cheer when

he talks like that to Republicans -- and makes them deliver. He's not there yet.

[bjobotts]

75. He was talking to republicans via the media.A conversation with Lindsay Graham??

[bjobotts]

76. You can't talk to republicans...they're too ignorant.."It's a spending bill not a stimulus"

[bjobotts]

77. More tax cuts for the millionaires who don't have jobs to lose eh McCain.

[bjobotts]

78. Change the senate rules...they're not in the constitution. Make 55 to break filibuster

[bjobotts]

79. Make filibusters last 1wk only but then vote must be taken.Reid has the majority

[bjobotts]

80. The nation held hostage by a minority of senators in its time of crisis

[totodeinhere]

91. Then what happens when the Dems are in the minority again?

Make it easier to break a filibuster now and then it's easier for the other side too if and when they are in the majority again.

[tom_paine]

94. It's a start but he's gotta say it to their FACES!

[Vic Meyers]

72. So why don't we.....

.... use this information as a weapon? I would do it myself but I don't have the skills. Maybe somebody reading this does. Do you remember the debt clock in New York? Somebody needs to take the job loss figures and create a clock that shows how many jobs are being lost every minute in this country. Another one could be done for how many people lose their homes, health care, etc. Then start emailing it. If a silly script that allows you to guide a spider on the screen (haven't we all received that email) can spread like it does then I bet a job loss clock would really take off. Maybe it will become a news story. Maybe President Obama's staff could work it into the debate. Having all weekend before the vote and allowing republicans to formulate strategy is only a bad thing if Democrats refuse to take advantage of the opportunity as well. (please forgive me for posting this in more than one discussion. I've been reading for years but this is my first post and I'm a novice on this forum.)

You can stand for what you believe or you can lie down and be walked upon by those who do.

[Historic NY]

73. To sum it up don't give me the same shit as the last 8 yrs...A President with balls.

[fortyfeetunder]

74. We have the right man to lead us in this dark hour.

I support Pres. Obama all the way.
I cr at the thought had McCain won....

[lonestarnot]

81. Wooodamnwhoooo! Mr. President!

:applause: :patriot:

[The Backlash Cometh]

84. Someone should scare the Republicans. They should point out the

number of jobs creations that they're interferring with and just say that Republicans are more interested in seeing Democrats fail, than they are in seeing America succeed.

[tomp]

85. my, you are easily impressed. nt

[lildreamer316]

88. After the last eight years, sometimes it doesn't take much.

Like,complete functioning sentences and common sense.

[tomp]

95. really, that impresses you? nt

[proud patriot]

89. I'm luvin me some Obama

:woohoo:

[Deep13]

90. Ass, meet Obama's foot.

1932-1980: the age of FDR

1981-2008: the age of Reagan

2009-?: The age of Obama

[Cha]

93. I like his

style, too:fistbump:~

[BlooInBloo]

96. I got my pony, so I'm happy.

[wiley]

97. Amazing, isn't he?