Live Blog: President Obama's Speech 3/24
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/01/02/liveblogfinal.copy.jpg] Here's your chance to weigh in President Obama's speech. What would you ask our panel?? We want to know. Please tell us in the comment section below. Keep in mind, you have a better chance of having your comment posted if you follow the rules: 1) Please keep it short 2) Don't write in ALL CAPS (no need to yell) 3) Use your real name 4) No links 5) Watch your language (keep it G-rated, PG at worst - and that includes $#&*)
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Todays reality-the budget is very complicated and has been made more so by the spending without the concomitant income to pay for the increase by the past admin and the congress. This man has been in office for only 2 mos. but he seems to have a firm grasp of the problems we face
Too bad the President hand- picked the correspondents and their questions. So much for spontaneous, tough questions !
"out years" is washingtonspeak for the second five years of the government's projections of how much the economy will grow and how much tax revenues the government will take in and so on ....
the projections for the near term are generally, as you might expect, considered more reliable than the longer term of "out years."
an interesting footnote, though: most of the president's economic team now will tell you privately that the economy will not come back quite as strongly in the short term as they had believed just a month or two ago.
they cant talk publicy about that, though, because if they did they would have to adjust the math in the President's budget and concede he either needs to a) cut some spending plans b) raise more taxes or c) allow higher deficits. that debate will come a month or two down the road.
Thanks Tom Foreman! Have a curiosity as an aspiring journalist. 😉
If I were there I would ask Mr. President how we could grow when the USA does not produce any product to export to other country. All he cares are the Green Tech and Health Care.
I think most of us Americans underestimate ourselves by saying that we can only do one thing at a time. Most of the anchormen and women talk and listen to the producer and read a teleprompter at the same time everyday and you all do a good job. To say the president can't do more than one thing at a time seems to be a little........ ummm arrogant don't you think??
@ Ali – How do you think the loss of jobs will affect Social Security? You mentioned the job losses, loss of taxes being paid, etc. Obviously this will adversely affect SSI benefits as well – and with the Baby Boomers about to hit retirement age. That just dawned on me.
Would be interested in your thoughts. Thanks!
Anyone else feel like the word "trillion" is thrown around wayyyy too much these days?
Obama seems a bit more forceful than usual - it's more convincing and commanding.
I would like to know what he plans on doing about the rise in crime, ie: robbery, home invasions, etc as a result of the economy and people losing jobs. Crime has risen, what does Obama plan to do about that?
In my eyes, its really out of control.
@Jack – extremely noticeable to me as well. Especially in the beginning.
Good question by Chip Reid!
POTUS is being tough and straight to the point tonight. I'm liking the strength and confidence coming from him tonight.
Jack I think you hit the nail on the head Leno
is not the Washington press.
Ali, it is common knowledge that printing more money will lead to hyper inflation...that's basic economics 101...so why has the treasury department chosen to go down this route...do they believe that hyper inflation may in a very indirect way stimulate the economy?
Obama needs to start with the welfare system. Please reform it, because I am tired of hearing people taking advantage of much needed money. 🙁
@Jack..I though I was the only one to notice..lol
I'm tired of Obama always throwing up that he inherited a huge deficit. Yes he did but the man has already went way past what Bush did to our deficit! He needs to get real!
Cindy..Ga.
on the note taking comment: some reporters take a lot of notes, some take few...i have found it has almost no relationship to their accuracy. the ones who spend all their time writing are sometimes not listening.
i usually write down only numbers, names, or direct quotes. the rest i try to listen to and understand
Is Obama's budget "all in" or are we still eliminating the cost of the Iraq & Afghan wars?
Does anyone actually believe that any alternative budget proposal would get even a courtesy nod from the Dems in Congress... More hot air...
I'm joining this conversation from Montreal, Canada. I hear alot of talk and sceptisism about govournment taking control of health care and banks, just take a look at canada as a model and you might see that its not too foreign of an Idea. Just a thought:)
@Jack Gray...nice to see you here...thanks for the laughs on twitter.
President Obama is right on the money tonight. He does know whereof he speaks. Very refreshing to hear someone speak clearly and in a concise manner
All the talk about the defict and budget, how about we stop spending billions on a war! I'm I the only one that still think about the war.
Please, enough of the blame game. Everything sounds nice and all but how much is this going to cost our future generations and for how long?
What happens if all these growth rate "assumptions" don't happen? The CBO projections are pretty grim.
it strikes me that the president was prepped to show a stark contrast to the side he showed with Jay Leno. Which makes sense, of course. it's just very noticeable to me.
I'm confused about the budget, do we as a country have some sort of giant invoice that tells us what exactly is being spent and for what reasons? Because if we don't we should really start one up to lessen the confusion.
@ Ali, great point re: staffing and financial experts. Makes me curious to see how the Treasury Dept is built out.
Jack Gray- I think it's sluggish too. He's not saying anything new and trying to sell something that isn't popular
Every President has a different style and energy ....Not all presidents are created equally ...We have a president who is energtic, enthusiastic ....and is thinking 10 yrs ahead ....We all need to think 10 yrs ahead so our children have a better life ...that is better education system and health care system ....
@ Ali - not sure the administration has named banks public enemy number one, but congress and the media certainly have. I think the problem is the vetting process has gotten more difficult because of the "tax issues" some of his early appointees faced and the nit picking in congress. And, yes, I'm sure the pay is a huge issue.
I love Chip Reid! Straight to the point. Obama cannot continue to blame the Bush Administration by saying he inherited a huge debt. Was he not in the Senate? Is he not increasing the debt?
adrienne ford Phoenix,az
I would like to know the president's thoughts about taxing AIG bonuses. That sounds like discrimination and perhaps unconstitutional. Although I do think those bonuses were immoral.
President Obama is right the media is given the
GOP a free ride and seems to be forgetting that
his administration inherited this mess.
I'm surprised each reporter is able to chip in a follow up comment after each of the answers.
There you go blame the previous administration. I wondered when his weak policies would come to "It's not my fault!"
Mr. President is pushing his own agenda, but using a difference way to present and persuade to us American Citizens.
@ Jack..these news conferences are always boring!
I think Obama needs to stay his tail in DC and get busy. Enough gallivanting around on TV! He should care more about the work and less about his ratings. If he cared like he says then he'd already have the treasury dept filled.
Cindy..Ga.
The liveblog should always be with you all CNN team here ...
Mr. President is pulling his own agenda, but using a difference way to present and persuade to us American Citizens.
If i could single out the one thing that would derail this government's financial plan it is larger than expected job losses. Recessions end, but to survive one, you have to have enough money to get to the other side. If businesses dont think it'll end, and they don't know if they'll have enough money to make it (and banks don't lend enough) businesses will cut costs. In most businesses, the easiest way to cut costs is to lay people off. Every person laid-off is one who isn't working, and paying taxes, and buying as much as they otherwise would be.
Watching the reporters writing down notes, and some of them aren't. Will that compromise the effectiveness of Obama's answer, because of the question?
Yeah, the American people that were already making sacrifices, as a way of life, by the way, are making even more sacrifices and barely making ends meet. While the Wealthiest of people are not really sacrificing anything at all. I don't really think the wealthy understands what it means to sacrifice, what real sacrifice is.
@ Ali – thank you for the explanation on the Treasury staffing. Makes perfect sense. Not cool, but it is logical. So basically he made enemies of the very people he needs to help fix this mess. Yikes.
"Why haven't you asked for sacrifice from the public?"...ummm the public has been sacrificing plenty! I really liked his answer to that one!
@Jack, he doesn't really seem that sluggish...maybe a little, I think he seems a bit down.
If everyone is going to get a tax cut, what about senior citizens? We paid taxes on social security once when we worked and now we are paying taxes again when we get social security... this is double-dipping on the oldest of our citizens and those need money the most. This new tax relief says President Obama,will reach 95% within a month or so what about us? When will we get a relief?
@ Jack
I am watching by Live Video, computer, and is acceptable ... Broadband
Of all the things that can be cut from the budget; the middle class tax cut is not one of them. The vast majority need that.
It is so refreshing to have a level headed president who respects the American people enough to believe that we can actually think critically through complex issues without running in the streets with pitchforks every minute of the news cycle