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What Has Obama Done to Help the Economy?


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Obama supporters persist in claiming Obama "brought us back from the brink." As far as I can see, after 3 1/2 years we're no better off and we'd be better off had he done absolutely nothing. Can anyone point to what he's done to help the economy?

 

The interventions in his early presidency most likely prevented massive bankruptcies but I think any president in that position in his right mind would have made those decisions.

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He added regulations that took pre-wage/salary costs for employers up to ~$12K per year.

 

He got passage of the ACA, which means that employers with over 10 employees graciously get to pick up the tab for health insurance. I hear that this policy makes businessowners want to stop looking at their spreadsheets and get out there and hire, hire, hire so they can have the privilege of paying for more healthcare.

 

Rather than approve the Keystone pipeline that would reduce fuel and energy costs, Pres. Obama courageously said 'No' because... why would anyone in business want less expensive fuel sources? We can get by for another 50-100 years until alternative energy / fuels are widely available and perform as efficiently as traditional sources... right?

 

And if we get four more years, just imagine how much more he could do for small businesses!!!

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The interventions in his early presidency most likely prevented massive bankruptcies but I think any president in that position in his right mind would have made those decisions.

 

Yeah, but those crossed both the Bush and Obama administrations. I have a hard time giving either of them full credit for that.

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Obama supporters persist in claiming Obama "brought us back from the brink." As far as I can see, after 3 1/2 years we're no better off and we'd be better off had he done absolutely nothing. Can anyone point to what he's done to help the economy?

 

 

The economcy still lingers for a few reasons, IMHO, what the question is what does a President and Government do about it:

 

1. Middle Class Americans as an aggregate lost 40% of their wealth in 2007-2008. Americans feel poorer and most desperate, and for the ones heading to retirement in the next 10-15 years, they are paying off debt, their house, and socking money away instead of spending- that is a big issue.

 

What can Government do about it? Lower Taxes, sure that helps, but that doesn't flip spending behavior for people who really got hit.

 

2. Housing Still Drags- alot of people I know are still and will be underwater for another 10 years if not more.

 

What can Government do? HARP? HAMP? Mortgages dipped to 3.85 earlier this year, but when I owe more than it is worth, forget about it.

 

3. Stimulus in Relation to Debt- Stimulus, in the form of tax cuts, credits, or simple money for projects was too small to get a 16T economy going again. If the US had zero LTD, then perhaps a 4-5 Trillion dollar stimulus that you intend to pay back in good times makes alot of sense, and is substanial to get the economcy going. But a multi-trillion daollar stimulus when you already have 16 trillion in debt and run 1t+ deficts every year.. no way!

 

Back from the Brink? Not sure what the means, some of the capital market actions taken probably helps keep the economy at least going. At this point the President should be talking about Medicare, SS and Defense and how to reform these outlays and programs to begin bring down the long-term debt, and create budgets that don't run red ink. THIS would give people confidence that Government, both the R's and D's are not imcompetent.

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Nothing at all!

 

His bailout of Detroit was a disaster! I'm sure you all will tell me how and why it was

 

 

U.S. taxpayers to ultimately lose more than $20 billion on the Detroit auto bailout

 

What a success ! ! !

 

Personally, I coukld have done it for 15 Billion.............................lol

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A more appropriate question is what has the government done to improve the economy. It never comes down to just one person. There has been a lot of demogouging from both the White House and Congress, instead of taking action- which isn't always a bad thing.

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A more appropriate question is what has the government done to improve the economy. It never comes down to just one person. There has been a lot of demogouging from both the White House and Congress, instead of taking action- which isn't always a bad thing.

 

So Bush recked it but the government fixes it. Ok, I get it.

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So Bush recked it but the government fixes it. Ok, I get it.

No- President Bush did not wreck it. He could have done some things better, but circumstance (ie: 9/11) didn't exactly give him plenty of time to think things through.

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Nothing at all!

 

His bailout of Detroit was a disaster! I'm sure you all will tell me how and why it was

So far this (a move of questionable ethics and legality at best) is the only move by Obama anyone has thrown out to defend Obama's work on the economy. That's just sad. No wonder all I keep hearing about are tax returns. Obama's got nothing.

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The interventions in his early presidency most likely prevented massive bankruptcies but I think any president in that position in his right mind would have made those decisions.

 

This is true. Tossing around money like candy off a Mardi Gras float definitely calmed things down. But Bush was doing it first--Bush just hadn't yet figured out where it would do the most good when he did QE1. Obama saved the banks balance sheets, which probably helped settle things down more than anything. The Detroit bailout was more or less window dressing so he could say "I saved cars in America."

 

I neither credit him, not particularly blame him, for the economy. McCain would be stuck in a sh%^swamp too.

 

 

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This is true. Tossing around money like candy off a Mardi Gras float definitely calmed things down. But Bush was doing it first--Bush just hadn't yet figured out where it would do the most good when he did QE1. Obama saved the banks balance sheets, which probably helped settle things down more than anything. The Detroit bailout was more or less window dressing so he could say "I saved cars in America."

 

I neither credit him, not particularly blame him, for the economy. McCain would be stuck in a sh%^swamp too.

 

 

 

The president doesn't control monetary policy, big ben does.

 

That being said, today's congress session where Bernaeke was answering the same questions over and over was disgraceful.

 

And to Ron Paul, yes we get it, you want to audit the fed and give Congress full power over its decisions which has to be one of the most !@#$ing retarded premises anyone could make.

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