Live Blog from the Anchor Desk 2/5/09
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It is past time for all (Republicans & Democrats) to stop the games and get to real work! Now! They have all been party to the mess we are currently in. Hold Wall Street and big company CEO's accountable. Move on to meet our needs now and for the future. I am glad our new President is speaking with some firmness. We the people–are hurting! And, must have change to survive. It is humiliating and disgusting to be in this economic disaster. If the politicians don't get it then come live in our home? and shoes!
Incredible. I enjoyed reading all the comments from the youngsters who are full of hope for their new president. This is the change they voted for-what a let down. They have no idea about how this spending spree will bankrupt the country. Who is going to pay for all of this let alone what this is going to do to the value of the USD!
Dear Anderson,
I am so proud of the President standing up to the Republicans. I believe the Republicans want our President to fail because we the people decided we wanted "change". The President has embraced the people who didn't vote for him and even the Republicans, and they all just think they can push him around and take advantage of him. I know that people think the speech will drive the Republicans away but it doesn't matter because they never planned on working with him in the first place. Sorry to be so negative but this is how I feel.
Bonnie
Mr. Gergen what is President Obama to do,
when pundits and Repubs are attacking him.
Obama won the election. Repubs are trying to
co-op his presidency.
The MSM makes no since to me. When our President extended his hand to the Rethuglicans and didn't get a single vote from House Rethugilcans, MSM said that "Obama lost". When Obama calls out the Rethuglicans for playing games "Obama is running a risk". You people (MSM) have done the American people no service. Shame on you. Just report the FACTS.
We need to spend money not have more tax cuts that do not work. I’m all for the stimulus to get the economy moving because by spending in our own country will help our working class people .
Raleigh NC
Hi Anderson...I have a wonderful idea. Why don't we raid our Monopoly Games around the country, take all the monies that are in the box and send it to Reed, Pelosi, and Pres. Obama. This stimulus pkg will result in our U.S.Dollar having about the same value.
David Gergen please make this make sense to everyone. I promise I only watch this show because of your infinite wisdom
The fact that this stimulus bill is not passed as it is gives us just another example of how far away congress and most especially the Republican party are from the American people!!! We know that they could care less since they have made their money and their friends have made money over the last eight years but can't they put their own personal agendas aside just ONCE to do what's best for all instead of just a few!?
How interesting that the President and Congress were apalled that companies were taking trips to resorts and spas, even though taxpayers were bailing them out. Well, how about the Dems and Obama taking their show on the road to Williamsburg! How much did this boondoggle cost the U.S, taxpayers?
What is up with Obama? Is he a President or perpetual candidate? This angry tone of his is not attractive nor very Presidential. If I was a Republican lawmaker, this over the top rhetoric by Obama would turn me off. His ticking off of left wing bills that just passed is nothing to be proud of.
it was time for president obama to let congress know it is time to work main street doesnt have the luxury of gamesmanship
HI Anderson,
Clint Eastwood said it best, " A man's gotta know his limitations" thats good advice for the Republicans. You had your turn for 8 years.. " Are you feelin Lucky" punk!
Dems have 4 years to pass pork. This bill should be about the economy and fixing it. Dems and Repubs need to work together. We will all back a clean bill. I pray that it will work for those in need.
We are all in it together! We are in trouble!!!!
We all (Rep & Dems) must get together for the good of the country and pass the bill.
Ana from TN
To play the counterpart; I fear spending money we don't have is the real reason we are in this mess. The government doesn't play with Monopoly money. Everything in the bill would be great if money grew on trees. The bottom line is America has been living outside it's means, and we are paying the price.
Mr Gergen just criticized Pres. Obama for talking tough against Republicans. Well, has he criticized Republicans the same way for the last two weeks? The republicans have been playing politics with this stimilus bill while Pres. Obama has been extending an olive branch and he has tried to work with them. The American people are suffering and the only thing Mr Gergen sees it's the "high risk" the Obama team is taking in trying to get a bill passed as soon as possible. Pres. Obama tried to be bipartisan but the republicans did not.
I agree; the games need to stop. I am willing to give his bill a chance.
The President's speech was NOT partisan. The Republicians are playing games with the American people lives. They all have homes and jobs, so it's ok for them to sit around and play games. They are hoping for this bill to fail so that they can campaign in 2012. The American people are now educated on the policis of yesterday to fall for this stunt by the Republicians.
David Gergen, love you, but c'mon. If the republicans get mad just because Obama said something I could care less. Did you hear Sen. L. Graham today and his partisan comments? That shows you that Republicans are saying do what we want or nothing. If that's the position, Obama needs to call their bluff and keep calling it.
I think that Congress is moving too slow. Unfortunately the republicans are trying to show America that they still are powerful.. Now is not the time for that. The republicans do not care about the American people. We should vote them out of office in 2010
I agree with David Gergen. We are Americans. Republicans are not some evil group of humans. Until we stop seeing each other as an enemy, we will never unite.
Where's the pork? Many of the so called pork will create jobs or keep states from firing people. Example: hybrids for gov't workers - someone has to make those cars, someone provides the goods for the making of them, it will lead us to less dependence on foreign oil, reduce greenhouse gas - where's the pork????
Fast action is need alright and that is to cut the pork these idiots always try to ram down our throats. They will spend us into oblivion. Cut the pay raises for Congress and we will save millions.
DAVID....
How can impeachment be done to some of these people
who are holding up this bill that will help us poor people?
Thanks for all your service,,,,,,steve
My suggestion is to remove the 3% of pork which the republicans have identied and pass the bill with their blessing. If that is all it takes why not compromise to get a stimulus bill or would that be admitting defeat on the part of Pelosi and Reid?
President Obama inherited this problem and will have to deal with it in the best way possible. The news will scrutinize "bipartisan" with this president till the day he is out of office. I am sick of every other news story being about him being bipartisan.
I voted split ticket in Nov. Next time I will vote straight D.
We have the best chance in my adult lifetime to act like America again, and the R's are blowing it. Disgusting.
Wow, I can't believe the ending of this speech seemed so rehearsed - just like in the campaign. Who are the people in the audience who are clapping?
Nick where is the pork?
I like Obama, he is our leadership in the White House.... I think Pork need let go now.
to Anderson's comment "...he sounded like Candidate Obama..." I say, "yes, glad he's back" - that's the person we believed could bring the change we need.
With all the doom and gloom and negativity in the news each day - we need someone to resotre our confidence in our ability to overcome this mess.
As much as I like David Gergen and respect his opinion, I think the Republican's have already "dug in there heels" -
True it will take more than two weeks to solve the problem. This is exactly what it is. A Massive Spending Bill !!!! The democratic party is all about big spending and making folks dependant on government.
It's about time for the government to remember Main Street. Main Street has to pay while the big corporate leaders get to play. If they want lower corporate taxes give it to those companies that haven't shipped jobs abroad!
BobbyG, the "fittest" have proven themselves to be irresponsible (notice the first bailouts and how they were used). Safeguards that were in place to avoid economic hardships were lifted (i.e. the whole mortgage situation), and the hardships occured. "Responsible ones" are nowhere to be seen: on Wall Street, it seems to be everyone for himself.
Anderson, handing money out for programs that will not work and pork we don't need to fund is crazy. There is a way to fix things and it doesn't have a 800 billion dollar pricetag.
Mr. Gergen-how is the president taking a partisan divided road?? I respectfully disagree. Please enlighten. Love your discussion and thoughts, however. John King as well
Its amazing that Republicans are so out of touch with this country.
Obama puts a cap on execs bonus' and salaries...and Republicans criticize him. All the republican talking heads and Faux News wants are tax cuts for business and fat cats.
Don't they get it....we voted them out. NO MORE TAX CUTS for business and the rich. They have raped and plundered this country.
The American people voted for change.
Let the Republicans keep beating their tax cuts guns. It will be their demise.
I was thrilled to see Obama give some tough talk. Republicans have gone on crusade against this stimulus with very little support anyway. It is obvious that he has reached out his hand to them, they have not extended and it was time to fight back. I think they should sleep until this thing is passed.
Please people!!!!! The president has bent over backwards and what did he get NOTHING!!! So its time he go back to whet the american people voted CHANGE! We need this bill passed and every needs to get with it. For any one that say the president was not partisian they havn't been paying to anything or just listen to what the news want use to believe. So what if the republicans do waht to help pass this bill and if the stand in the way we the american are prepared to go to our capitals and make our voices heard JUST WATCH US...we did it on Nov 4th.
Why don't we take the 300 billion that our own oil companies gouged from us in the past three years and use that as part of the stimulus package. why don't we use the 2 billion dollars that the united auto workers have in a trust fund to use for the unemployed auto workers.
Max
leesburg, va
what compromise? the republicans don't want to compromise, they just want want to cause trouble!
I fear that a passage of the bill will have a short term mediocre positive effect on the economy yet have significant long term negative consequences that will forever change our standard of living. The waste in this bill is so obvious, its embarassing to think that the sponsors don't see the flaws themselves.
I want this stimulus bill to pass and have it get done tomorrow. I support Pres Obama's efforts to push this through. The Republicans have been very public in their criticisms and the President has not responded in kind. Tonight he did. The Republicans have no one to blame but themselves.
I love what President Obama said today--He needs to be forceful at this time. The situation is too dire to do otherwise. He is so truthful-exposing the "gamesmanship" of politics and the damage such game-playing can do.
It is critical that everyone embrace change right now- no matter what side of the fence you are on. Support our new President and have faith in the fact that we can only 'move up' from here!
I am furious with David Gergan, how is it he thinks that President Obama should be "bipartisan" but the Republicans don't have to be?
All the ney saying I've seen has been on the Republican side, they have done everything they can to obstruct Mr. Obama and, even more unbecoming, they have gloated about it. Bad behavior, bad manners and sore loosers...
Its about time there is a President who tells it like it is. What a breath of fresh air.
Repulicans only want what's best for thier cronnies and to hell with everyone who tries to get in their way or challenge them .
hey I don't take sides with either party so lets not go there! This is indeed a mess and a big one that needs to be fixed or at least on it's way!
So why not just stop the blame and start the progress toward tomorrow!