Live Blog from the Anchor Desk 2/25/09
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Are you guys real, national health care, we cant afford national health care any more than we could afford 2 wars, wake up people. Perhaps public health could be massively expanded but that's about the best we can hope for.
We have way too much wastefull spending out there, and the healthcare spending is ridiculous.. I can't wait to see what the amount of debt will be in 20 years, when my (most likely) child will be 10 years old.
"Transferred"? And doesn't profit sharing imply one actually made a contribution? I worked 80-100 hrs/week to get ahead. Nobody gave me a free ride.
Obviously, our President, who congress will jump as high and as far as he asks, was saying one thing and clearly giving the wink to add/keep their Pork in the budget i.e. business as usual........He is looking more and more like the typical DC politician (squared).
i anxoius to hear the Pres.Obama 's plan i hope it wil end all the economy mess.
President Obama should, at least, get all earmarks to be made public so they can be scrutinized and the good ones weeded out.
We all know he is not old,..right?
Nattada in TX,
Right! he is not old yet!
I feel very serious that Pres. Obama is seriously serious when he says that he is serious about pork and wasteful spending. I am serious! Just watch and see how seriously serious he will be about how serious he is when he signs that bill. Seriously.
Hi everybody & fellow bloggers. Long night last night, but was really fun to be able to blog for 2 hrs on this site.
Earmarks...i don't think there will be much public support for that.
Politicians are supposed to gring money to THEIR own state. They always have so why do we think they are going to start doing anything different. They are all wealthy, at our expense, mostly lawyers so why wo we expect the truth from them. I am ytrying to pay for my medicine to stay alive and pay for my wheelchair so I can have some mobility. All I get is calls from banks wanting money that I don't and when I tell the that they tell that I will have to find it. Our president just gave banks billions of dollars so why can't they leave me alone?
Hey Jolene, I didn't have a voice when Bush spent my tax dollars waging war in Iraq. Taxpayers don't get to choose what their taxes are spent on.
We get to vote.
I was brought up to believe you were responsible for your own life and your own actions! NOT everyone else's!
We give bankers and insurance companies money to give millions in bonuses and one guy spent what six hundred thousand for one toilet. I would have rather seen them give a 150000 fifty dollars for a fifty dollar toilet. The auto industry takes the money then you hear how they are building a plant in Brazil. But the money was set aside before they got the stimulous. then give back that much money. it is meant to build America not someplace else not some rich dudes pockets.
healthcare would also encapsulate medicare – so it would help a burden off of the government. every other country has healthcare and also we would get more jobs and companies to come here instead of go to canada. also, take healthcare away from the senate and congress and let them buy private market insurance. see how long that last. the repubs are old with pre existing conditions. and take away healthcare from people who are not re elected. i bet we are still paying for delay and hastert.
We can rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan, but we can't invest the money right here in the United States?
Isn't Healthcare technically part of the economy? The drug companies make billions and billions in sales.
our deficit is going to be as big as it is because of the tax cuts and all the deregulation that led to easy money and creative lending tools tanked the economy when it turned out we werent on a permanent increase. So if Bush's fiscal policy had worked the surpluses would be flowing and wed be cutting taxes. But it didnt the economy shrank and the deficit grew thats why you cant run deficits in good times take that to the bank, if its still open
The banks are greeedy wanting more bailouts aand screwing us the loyal customers for every openny that we have earned
I really do hope that President Obama does stand up to those earmarks that aren't a priority and that are really questionable!
The amounts of money we're talking about is staggering.... if Americans aren't spending out of their own pockets.... The Americans are spending vis a vis their government...
Mr. President ignore the republican faux outcry about spending and just pledge on at reforming healthcare. Every administration fights against reform but healthcare is killing us in this country. I hope this scrutiny of the President will end after 100 days and the media will let some of these plans have a chance to take affect before they pass judgment. Since when is it looked on as a bad thing to have an ambitious President?
Anderson,
I have always found it curious that many cities and state governments have to maintain balanced budgets but the federal government has issues with that. It provides a curious double standard.
Perhaps it will help a bit when we leave Iraq. it is sad to see that we went from a small surplus to a major deficit in less than 10 years. There is something wrong with this picture.
Why don't they take those 7.7billion dollars in earmarks in the stimulus bill and put it towards health care if it is so important to this administration.
The market is taking an extremely skeptical with regard to recovery of the economy and also with the return circulation of credit. Furthermore, it was announced today a new drop in sales of used homes in the US. That knocked the stock exchanges.
Pelosi, Obama maybe they would like to foot the bill for all the spending they seem to be so bent on doing!
Why do they always say “individuals” making $170K or $250K? The truth is – it is for couples – and in a state like New Jersey with the highest taxes in the Nation – $170K as a couple with a family does not go far!
It goes much farther than couples in the same area making 50k – 100k/year.
Right?
I have to say I love the idea of seeing fewer tax shelters for people making over $250K. I also think that we have to sit back and look at these "earmarks". If a building costs $1.9M, but creates 50 jobs for people who will now pay taxes on that income, isn't it somewhat worth it to get America working?
I agree with Stacy.
All this money we're worried about right now? Is nothing compared to the cost of Bush's wars.
Obama took us to the mountain top and is now pushing us off the precipice.
Hi Anderson and Erica,
Let's "Keep it Honest" as the media's trying to do. President Obama inherited this financial mess. He is TRYING to please the American people, but it seems so many "sore losers" are throwing salt on every financial prospect the President unveils. If the majority of the Republicans (and others) would just GIVE President Obama a CHANCE, they may see that his Columbia and Harvard degrees have thoroughly prepared him to lead our country out of this mess. Everyone MUST be patient (easier said than done) to give President Obama's stimulus/recovery plan(s) a chance. I don't hear or see the Republicans providing any plan of their own! They haven't brought anything NEW to the table...just the same complaints that they should have been expressing the past 8 years. Sorry so long!
Gergen and Walker on one show....the best ever! These guys rock.
The scary part is not the spending and objective. It is the fact that we have entrusted our elected ones and government structure to implement and over see the process. All this money spent with no operational, oversight, cost control, or efficiency structure in place. This all might smell.
Obama is doing an outstanding job! Those people who are claiming that their paying for the greedy CEOs bills, you guys are playing the role of greed that got us into this recession.
Have you ever thought about how Obama often operates like a rock star? Last night he reminded me of such.
The critics, media and republicans had their moments to nit pick. Last night Obama spoke like the elected leader of yore. He truelly ruled the floor like a Rock Star. The democrats in attendance loved it. The supporting fans at home felt renew and for a short while his critics were briefly deafened by his speech. At some point I expected him to double thump his chest with the peace sign saying “I’m President Barak Obama. Peace Out!” That would have been sweet. Maybe next time. Rock on Barak.
Patience panal. Nothing happens over night. Would you rather we do nothing?
Healthcare reform is critical! We need to take care of it now, if we don't we will continue to push it off to the side and come up with something else that we think is more important.
Yes congress is putting every wall barrier to try and get the most wealth for thier own cronies no more for Wall street they did enough damage
I don't understand why more people don't get that all the new jobs that Obama is talking about we are all paying for. I never have paid for a job in my life.
Anderson, if you taxed the top 5% their entire income could you even eliminate the deficit? The Dems are out of control.
Candidate Obama used a very poor choice of words when he said "wealth redistribution." A more accurate choice of words would be "profit sharing."
Through GOP tax policies, $600 billion per year was transferred from the middle-class to the wealthy for past 7 years – $4.2 trillion. Now it is time for the wealthy robber barons to share their profits like Teddy Roosevelt would have demanded.
I'm constantly surprised by how people characterize that the poor aren't deserving of any help. Just sitting on their butts, etc. I don't think any of these people have ever been poor, relying on food stamps, have no health care coverage. That's not the reality.
Many of these people work at low-paying jobs that provide no benefits. C'mon folks, we need to help the least of us. I have no problem paying taxes for that.
Props to Gergen for always giving credit to other journalists for their own hard work. This is why you rock, Sir.
Good evening Anderson, Erica, AC360 crews, panel members, and all bloggers.
I miss the live Presidential address last night. Thank you so much for palying the whole thing again at midnight. I think he did a really good job at his speech. It was very clear that he is really trying so hard to make things better and people can feel that. Eventhough nothing is really shows whether it will work or not, it really gives out the sense of hope that we need right now.
@EJ Monday night..I didn't see your comment until the blog was closed. I just want to say that I didn't say that Anderson is old, really. I am a little younger than him, and for me, my 8 years old was a long time ago!! We all know he is not old,..right? 🙂
Anderson,
Hi!
It's difficult to keep up with it all, but fascinating to see how Pres. Obama is working quickly through the various economic plans–from the past few weeks to today. It will be interesting to hear more of what the budget plan consists of.
Mr. Gergen I don't believe the president said that they're not going to care about the economy for the next six months. Let's reform healthcare now! The president has to move on this while he still has so much support from the american people and huge democratic numbers in Congress.
Buisness as usual. Usually they table all the important subject after the first three months. I do think that the president is trying his best. He will make mistakes but at least he is doing something. Not like the last administration. Pork for the wealthy let the laborers sink
Hi. I think every politician in Washington D.C. should practice what they are preaching to the Automakers and all the businesses across our country. Buckle up and cut the fat. DO NOT WASTE ANOTHER DIME OF THE TAXPAYERS' MONEY. Obama should definitely veto any bill from congress that is loaded with fat. Not one earmark should be passed during this difficult time for our economy. It's just NOT fair.
Anderson,
Since members of the House and the Senate represent the people.
I think they should be required to get our apporval to spend our money.
I am now convenced that our politicians are all out of touch with the rest of us.
I feel sad for the family that has one wage earner making $170K while the other spouse stayed at home. Divide $170K by 2 people (one that stays at home) and it really is not a large income for 2 people – especially in a state like New Jersey with the largest property taxes in the Nation! And Obama considers $170K wealthy???
The biggest problem with a nation wide health care system is getting government regulations in place with private insurers to cover everyone in the nation. With the current lack of governement regulations, that's going to be more than a tall order.
I can't believe that congress is really going to give themselves a pay raise along with all their pet projects. It seems they are in the same place as the CEO's of all this banks and business' getting my money. Greed Greed Greed seems to prevail.