Live Blog from the Anchor Desk 1/27/09
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I think David Gergen has a good idea – a czar to oversee the stimulus/bailout money. The last pile of money we threw at the problem either didn't work or was frittered away. No one wants to see that happen again.
HOw wonderful was it to see Obama sit down and talk directly with the Muslium world. I found it interesting that he argued, I think, from a point of strength and and yet exhibited great diplomacy.
goodnite all, i have an early morning tomorrow and long day.
happy blogging. 🙂
David Gergen & Anderson - totally agree that we need oversight of the stimulus package, but do we need a completely new person? Isn't it Peter Orszag's job to be the "no" man, so to speak?
ron the plane was to be bought from the french not boeing... and they canceled the order thank god for small miracles
Biba, I was going to say the same thing!
Most of us get all discombobbled when Cooper joins in for the first time. We've heard from him three times tonight. Maybe he's trying to fill in Hill's gaps.
@Rikki, Glen, EJ…I can beat the previous message. Dinner is now on the table and I refuse to leave the broadcast (and the blog) until the program is over!
Well that's what microwaves are for.
paul's right. and the 'earned income tax credit' is a joke and a misnomer, no matter whether a republican or a Democrat invented it
I'm still in shock with the sheer awesomeness of Obama reaching out the the Arab and Muslim world.
Hello again - thanks for your many comments tonight - this has become a terrific conversation site. One of you said that somewhere in this stimulus bill, it says that the administration's chief performance officer should oversee the spending. I do not know the person the President has appointed - I believe she was a high-ranking person at McKinsey - but I think she is going to have her hands so full with overseeing the performance of the entire govt, that it still makes great sense to have a Jack Welch-type figure - someone the country knows and respects and will focus in like a tiger on how this money is spent.
Eight babies? Wow, they're going to be quite busy for the next 18 years.
I think they ought to put the 825 billion aside and wait for the economy to make the decision so we can all food,shelter,clothing after this is all over
It is hard to understand people that educate their children to hate the western world and their values...One example were the comunists before the fall of the Berlin wall...And still I know from my parents and grandparents that lived those times how long they waited for the americans to bring them freedom...
@ Dee, I agree their salaries should be frozen. AC I love you and this is my first time EVER blogging but I love you so much...I decided to step out and join in!!!
If the government is going to stomp out "welfare fraud" they need to start with Corporate welfare whiere the costs far outweighs any fraud a person receiving public assistance could ever commit.
@Ron, Citibank was buying a French plane, not a US built one. No US jobs came out of it.
CaseyJ, I have to admit that makes me smile...but I've done it before too...I even go so far as to turn off my phone! I always tell people that if they call me between 9 and 10 rest assured that I will not answer the phone! 🙂
I believe that the questions for the experts on President Obama's interview for the Muslim world should also focus on how or if this interview is actually reaching its intended audience.
Oh, Bergen 🙂 ...right on point...how smart is OUR president to take away their strongest tool for recruitment and propaganda? and all it took was a little understanding, a few patronizing statements, almost as if you were trying to placate an unruly child...knowledge is power and Obama is a great example of that
EJ, you couldn't be more correct. What arrogant pathologically dishonest politician would be complete without a book or television show? 😀
Eric in omaha January 27th, 2009 10:36 pm ET
Hi-Watch AC every night but first time on blog.
Hope you all are well.
Hellooo Eric....
Welcome to Live blog tonight!!!!!!! enjoy join blog tonight!!! 🙂
Good Interview of Presendit with Muslim World. Great Program Anderson.
People seem to blame the last administration for the fact that the Arab world hates us. They've ALWAYS hated us. We've tried to solve the issues there since Truman without success. Even Clinton, who was very engaged rolled craps.
I hope we can all celebrate the fact that Obama has Muslim family/experience. Anderson, you are probably the only reporter/anchor on television that has not made a negative leaning comment regarding that! Maybe you could talk to your colleague, Campbell Brown about working on that. Thanks for your professionalism.
Isn't congress just 535 elected lobbyists?
Obama has demonstrated real change in doing buisness. It seems the "old guard" Rupublican leadership is wanting to carry out the previous polarization behavior each time they get up in front of a microphone.
You have to give financial incentives to companies who'll provide the jobs. Not give free money to people who will waste the money like the Katrina evacuees did
Thankks Anderson for being so interactive with us today.
@ousse, i agree, who cares about the politicians political parties or personal agenda, we are running out of time and this nonsense is making things worse.
I love how Obama is trying to reason with the Muslim world. Bush never really tried that, but just acted as though the people of Islam should fear the US and embrace democracy. Not every country needs to be democratic to be a cooperative partner with the US or to have the best idealist dreams and goals for their citizens. I think Obama is being very pragmatic and a realist to accomplish idealist goals.
Joel, you don't mind your tax dollars going towards the private jet? I'd prefer they spend our money more wisely!
"p.s. I made a mistake tonight"
David Gergen! How can we ever forgive you!?
Good evening Anderson! President Obama truly amazes me. He is definitely on the right track with this interview. Things can only get better. Wait and see.
Hello everyone! Lots to comment on, but , for me, the one thing standing out is that Citi thought they could get away with, yet, another hideous expenditure with our money. After the fiasco with the auto exec jets and the million dollar office renovation, haven't they learned? I pray that this administration (huge Obama supporter) will make these idiots accountable from this minute on
BTW, David Gergen rocks!!
Say – Citibank buys a plane , the money goes to Boeing. Say – Boeing was in deficit, they are getting business they support more employees.
Also, you have to remember that suporting these failing companies is important in many ways. Similarly tuning their expenses too.Supporting, unemployed after a layoff is also a burden the health costs for a year plus social security from the gov. If a big company fails more money from the unemployment funds(social security).
I'm confused. How can you give a tax cut to 95% of the people when the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) data shows the bottom 40% of income earners actually paid a negative 3.8% of federal income taxes. That means they got money back on net from the federal income tax system, rather than paying money. If 40% pay no taxes, how can you give a tax cut to 95% of the people?
@Kevin –
You are missing my point. Yes, the Democrats supported it and now they are supporting Obama's stimulus plan.
How do you explain the Republicans who DID support the 700 billion and who are now suddenly becoming economic conservatives.
Also, for the last eight years, in case you missed it, the Republicans controlled both the White House AND Congress and passed huge tax cuts that benefited the wealthiest 2% of the country, thereby running up huge deficits. They went along with the deficit spending of their president and now that we have a Democrat in the White House trying to undo their mess, they want to back off and not support it.
why are people asking for Blago’s autograph? Isnt that wierd
probably because he's soon to have his own reality show
Anderson,
Your guests just called for a czar for the stimulus. I've been everywhere trying to suggest Bill Clinton and Gingrich as a team to help Obama speed a text book perfect bill....because of their past experience framing successful and well prepared plans.. Anyone that your guest, David Grogens recommended would focus this plan to one that was something history could praise. It is our obligation.
Anne, Boca Raton, Fl.
They might not be generous but I do believe that in these times..we should know the salaries of our elected officials. I, too, have been effected by lay-offs and would fine it interested to see what our officials are earning
The government cannot create jobs, this stimulus bill is going to make things worse. To create jobs the government must take money from the private sector where jobs and wealth are actually created. So by "creating" jobs the government is actually destroying jobs.
Glad to see Reza Aslan is back! And good follow up, AC360. I cannot get enough of this interview.
Anderson: A part of me thinks we do need a "Czar" to oversee this stimulus package because Americans need to gain confidence again. Until confidence is gained, the economy will never come back. With that being said, I wouldn't want to be the one who gets tapped on the shoulder to oversee it. Sounds like all they will be doing is "babysitting" people to make sure they are doing the right things with the money.
@Rikki, Glen, EJ...I can beat the previous message. Dinner is now on the table and I refuse to leave the broadcast (and the blog) until the program is over!
Anderson said: Adeline, sorry for using the term without explaining it.. czar is often used to describe someone appointed to oversee several agencies or a governmental inititative. For instance the person who runs the office of national drug control policy is often called the “drug czar”
wow, Anderson, that's really cool of you to have replied to my personal question. now I know what a czar is and I can brag to everyone about it when I get back to college. thank you !!!!
David Gergen's right. It is critical to appoint someone like Jack Welch to oversee the execution of the new economic stimulus package. Our economy is in shambles, much like Europe economy was in shambles when we implemented the Marshall Plan after World War II. This is the Marshall Plan of our time. We must get it right.
David Gergen, If the White House doesn't want to appoint someone who will be accoutable for what happens with the stimulus money it makes me think that they don't want this money tracked because they want to be able to hide what they are doing with it. It sounds suspicious to me.
For once the Republicans are correct, the way to get and keep jobs is to help the businesses large and small who employee most of us. Instead of creating 4 million new jobs, what can be done to reinstate the jobs that have been lost? I'm not talking about paying for the messes that the big three are in, but say, for example, what would it take for Microsoft to rehire the people who have been laid-off?
I thought David was against the czar idea because he didn't believe the person would have any power?
Why didn't federal investigators wait for Gov. Blagojevich to actually attempt to sell the senate seat? Who did he actually make an offer to? So far everyone who was being considered say they weren't made any offers. His actions may have been unethical but I am not hearing anything criminal. This smells fishy.