Obama scrambles to revive economic optimism

[The Northerner]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama is seeking to reassure voters he's determined to create jobs while his administration is trying to protect an architect of the increasingly unpopular banking bailout that may have helped prevent a financial collapse.

Obama's efforts on the economy come after a Massachusetts Senate election this past week that suggested voter unrest when Republican Scott Brown claimed a Senate seat in Democratic hands for more than a half-century. Brown gives the GOP a 41st vote in the Senate, taking away the Democrats' supermajority and threatening Obama's agenda.

And the administration has been working to shore up eroding support for Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, who is seeking another four-year term.

In the face of daunting political conditions, Obama was sounding feisty as he told a town hall crowd he was more determined than ever to help the economy and pursue his agenda.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100123/ap_on_bi_ge/us_obama_economy

[thunder rising]

1. Obama doesn't "scramble" to do anything

[havocmom]

3. and the only part of the population that has any "economic optimism" get bonuses

for creating economic disaster for everyone else. They don't need any reviving; they're fine.

[OhioChick]

8. Glad that I'm not the only one that's noticed. n/t

[Kingofalldems]

2. Nothing but bad news the last few weeks, eh?

But thanx for being right there to post it all, Rod.

[PSPS]

4. Enough meaningless "optimistic" cheerleading already, Didn't we get enough of that with bush?

Nobody's buying the silly "hope" canard. "Hope" doesn't make things happen. Action does. And I don't mean action as in propping up your crook Brrnanke. Christ, this will make 12 years of bush in office!

[Triana]

5. When I see him "scrambling" to get rid of NAFTA, CAFTA, etc. then I'll believe it

and when I see him "scrambling" to do something about the trade problem, I'll believe it. Those things are the ONLY things that will bring (decent) JOBS (back) to the U.S. and THAT is the only thing that will "revive economic optimism" someplace besides just Wall Street.

Nice try. Fail.

EDIT to add (decent) and (back)

[amandabeech]

19. I'm with you. Globalim is not working for the U.S.

We have to have enough jobs for all kinds of people with all kinds of abilities or we will simply fail as a country.

No one seems to give a shit about that in Washington now, whether it's the White House or Congress.

About all they can think about is Health Care, which is nice but secondary in my mind, and the next election.

[taught_me_patience]

6. Scrambles to get Bernanke reappointed

but doesn't do shit for the rest of us.

[Robbien]

7. The only thing he is doing so far is adjusting the message

and he's hired back his campaign manager to help.

We don't need a new stronger message. We need a new focus. Stop sending our money into the pockets of the rich guys. Tax them and stop hurting the rest of us.

[DeSwiss]

9. ....

The entire series of efforts to rescue the banking system were so flawed, partly because those who were somewhat responsible for the mess -- as advocates of deregulation, as failed regulators, or as investment bankers -- were put in charge of the repair. ~ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/19/freefall-excerpt-its-not_n_427509.html">Joseph Stiglitz

- Of course Professor Stiglitz is being way too kind. Larry Summers was a principle architect from the 1990s, and Timmy Geithner his on-the-ground engineer of this economic meltdown. I lost faith in our ability to rebound from this economic fiasco, the minute I learned that Obama was nominating these jerks to oversee their own handiwork.....

[msongs]

10. why hire competent democrats will all those repubs n bush retreads are available lol nt

[Dr.Phool]

11. Who needs jobs and health care, when we can have Happy Talk?

[midnight]

12. Scrabble to bailout the homeowners who have been waiting since April

for Timmy to put in place the program to help the victims of the housing meltdown...

[twitomy]

13. Best thing O could do to restore some credibility

is to sack Bernacke and Geithner.

[midnight]

16. President Barack Obama phoned Senate allies Saturday as two key senators predicted

that embattled Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will be confirmed for a second term.http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jan/24/key-senators-predict-bernakes-confirmation/

[xchrom]

14. Lol -- scramble -- that's funny. Nt

[DallasNE]

15. Why Obama Stuck With Bi-Partisanship So Long

Boggles the mind. His stimulus bill was not well constructed in the end because Obama wanted Repubilcan support for his measure. Buckling to Snowe and Collins has created damage on the deficit while underperforming on the jobs creation aspect because too much trickle down business measures were included. Now Obama has an uphill fight to get a second stimulus passed that is more narrowly focused on job creation -- exactly what the first stimulus bill should have had as its primary focus. This time I hope he is only looking for 50 votes in the Senate rather than 60. Obama has not spent his political capital well in his first year. That has to change and change now.

[No Elephants]

17. Much as Brown sickens me, the voice of Massachusetts voters has spurred more

in a few days than a million emails and phone calls could have.

Hope that does not make anyone else vote Republican, though.

[dkf]

18. If Obama can't get on track november will be MA all over the place.

[Johnny Harpo]

20. I Think Obama May Be The Only One Who Is Optimistic....

the rest of us are just trying to make it to tomorrow without any more crap hitting the fan.

As far as sounding 'feisty'...he needs to stop talking like a candidate and start talking like the President.

Obama has the biggest stick and bully-pulpit in the world and he needs to start using them.

[calico1]

21. Enough with the nice speeches,

I want to see something actually get done!