August 16, 2010 in City

Obama to campaign for Murray Tuesday in Seattle

Tags:2010 electionBarack ObamacampaigningeconomyjobsPatty MurrayVoting

SEATTLE — President Barack Obama plans to stop in Seattle on Tuesday to campaign for Sen. Patty Murray.

It will be a short visit on his three-day, five-state tour to support Democrats. Other stops are in Wisconsin, California, Ohio and Florida.

The White House says he’ll be talking about strengthening the economy and creating jobs.

89 comments on this story so far. Add yours!

Albert on August 16 at 7:26 a.m.
It can’t get any better!!!
petersen45 on August 16 at 7:32 a.m.
Thanks for the Bump to Republicans! What a great way to start off the general election.
opiemuyo on August 16 at 7:41 a.m.
Yes, lots of pictures with Patty, that ought to put the nail in the coffin.
SpokaneLiberal on August 16 at 7:42 a.m.
Some people realize that Obama has actually lowered the rate of deficit increases over the end of the Bush years. Could he improve? Absolutely? Is he radioactive - especially in Seattle? Not a chance…
Diana on August 16 at 7:49 a.m.
Maybe Sarah Palin can come to Seattle and campaign for the GOP candidates.
lewis8457 on August 16 at 7:58 a.m.
Creating jobs what a farce that is, how long can O”mama ride that coat tail until everyone stands up and shouts WHAT JOBS!
all the O’mama lovers will be kissing his feet thanking him for their 8 dollar and hour dish washing jobs.
good to know he has fixed all our problems enough to travel around the country campaigning for more crooks like himself
johnclarke on August 16 at 8:03 a.m.
http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/801-economy/99915-cbo-finds-stimulus-bill-boosted-job-growth?page=2#comments
SpokaneLiberal on August 16 at 8:26 a.m.
Bush was the deficit spender. In 2008 Bush went from a deficit of 3% of GDP, by Obama’s inauguration the deficit was 10% of GDP. Obama has only risen it to a little to 10.5% of GDP. All this Obama is spending us into oblivion stuff is not based in reality. In reality Bush spent us into oblivion, Obama is just trying to stabilize us from that boondoggle. We haven’t recovered like we hoped, but we haven’t driven off a cliff either.
Graph showing spending vs GDP for the end of Bush and the Beginning of Obama. http://bit.ly/bLYUMI If you change the parameters you see that right now Obama has already returned us to the end of Bush and is moving in the right direction - not that that matters to people persuaded by ideology not facts.
horse_feathers on August 16 at 9:11 a.m.
When ever sh@* happens it’s Bush’s fault.
Knowing that gives me the answers I need to go on and make it through another day.
Thank you, SpokaneLiberal for reminding me of the hope.
misjustice on August 16 at 9:13 a.m.
Oh good! My tax dollars paying for him to fly around the country promoting Demon-crats! If he wants to do that on his own money, let him… But it’s time to stop wasting our money.
Ron_the_Cop on August 16 at 9:16 a.m.
Jobs, deficits, blame George Bush and whatever et al here’s some real reasons why not to vote for Patty Murray. Besides I’m in an anti-incumbent mood:-)
Read this piece how Patty Murray played a role in the fraudulent $22.6 million dollar HUD loan that was laundered into RPS expansion project:
April Fooled
http://www.camasmagazine.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?aid=147
And while your at it, is was Patty Murray that submitted Michael Ormsby’s name for nomination as the US Attorney for the Eastern District of WA:
The Crime that Leads to the White House (Spokane, WA)
http://tinyurl.com/2g8p2my
bdr on August 16 at 9:26 a.m.
I don’t think Patty Murray needs any help. Shes comfortably the top contender over Rossi (multi office runner multi office loser).
Dino is a GWB kisser which makes him a loser by a wide margin.
SpokaneLiberal on August 16 at 9:34 a.m.
I am not saying that everything is Bush’s fault. I am saying that the assertion that Obama is spending us into oblivion is false. Look at the facts. Obama has been very restrained. Spending has risen .5% of GDP during his first year in office and then gone down .75% of GDP so far in year 2. As a % of GDP Obama is below the deficit levels of Bush when he left office. http://bit.ly/bLYUMI Bush had a 7% increase in debt as a percent of GDP.
The truth is Obama hasn’t lived up to my expectations, but, he also is not the overspending socialist that he is portrayed to be.
Cougardave on August 16 at 9:42 a.m.
Murray must really be getting desperate. What is it about 80 days?
spokanada on August 16 at 9:46 a.m.
Gramma,
How much did you pay in taxes last year? Are you suggesting that if McCain was in power you would be opposed to him campaiging as well?
Gato on August 16 at 9:50 a.m.
Sounds like a conversation in the kitchen:
“You always blame me, you always blame me.”
“That’s because you did it.”
“Well … you’re a socialist. So there.”
cdspokesreader on August 16 at 9:59 a.m.
@Gato - Have you been eavesdropping on Sarah Palin’s kitchen again?
eagleproducer on August 16 at 10:18 a.m.
Patty Murray will win by at least 10% points in the general election.
spokelib: Stop making sense! I watched Hannity squirm and squirm when a guest confronted him with deficit growth during Obama’s term of office compared with Boy George. Fox cut to a commercial quickly and never even mentioned the guest when they returned with a panel of right wing deficit hawks. The trend of increasing deficit as a percentage of GDP has been reversed and can be turned back completely by removing the root cause: The Boy George tax cuts for the wealthy.
MrNatural on August 16 at 10:35 a.m.
It’s fretfully interesting.
Here we have two political leaders (Obama and Murray) who I believe are ethical and idealistic. Yet all the opposition and slander seems to generate from a perspective of fear, greed and some narcissistic notion about how the United States is faltering. I don’t care about Bush anymore or the past except to learn and improve from the experience. I do care that our country is ethical and of high ideals and wonder why it is so tortuous for we as Americans to work together.
A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand. Abraham Lincoln
Diana on August 16 at 11:00 a.m.
Mr. Natural wins the morning.
soccermomsusie on August 16 at 11:15 a.m.
So Barry O’Kenyan is coming to the Emerald CIty. I know many hope he will bring his birth certificate with him. But as I have stated before, I think he is a cyborg created by evil liberal playboy mad scientist Bill Gates. Maybe Obamatron is returning home to the place of his “birth.” Robot? You decide:
PROOF: His almost perfect command of the English language, He writes his own speeches, He has an ability to string trains of thought together, His athleticism, His energy and work “ethic.” And don’t get me started about his unemotional logic-centered decision making. Shudder.
BOTTOM LINE: Our last president (W-the best) showed all the world continually that he was human by embracing the opposite of all the above robot qualities.
WARNING: Don’t be surprised when Obamacare makes us all accept robot parts and we are rendered into cyborgs. My neighbor just received a mechanical hip! When will it end?
Sure Patty Murray has been the champion of our vets, has brought home a lot of Boeing business, etc. but she seems too intellectual to represent us in Eastern Washington. Look at the eyes (dreamy) of Dino Rossi when he talks. What is going on behind those peaceful peepers? I would say he is more representative of what is going on behind the eyes of those of us in Eastern Washington. Sarah Palin too!
I hope John Ahern does some campaigning for Dino. Maybe we can get them together at our next Tea Party! Wouldn’t that be exciting?
HEAR OUR VOICE!!!
Disclaimer: If you have one of those mechanical robot hearing amplifiers in your ear, you probably can’t HEAR OUR VOICE! because it is being filtered out by you know who.
schleufer on August 16 at 11:25 a.m.
speaking of palin and the republicans slamming obama on things like immigration i saw this on the maddow show the other day.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#38685023
it smells to high heaven of the typical republican and big business all cozied up under the same snuggie.
then i got to surfin around utube at the old palin interviews and what an ass she made of her self and we all can thank our buddy republican john for bringing her to us. i like it when keith olberman talks about her and at the end he says ” that woman is an idiot”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpOUctySD68
i voted for patty and mailed the ballot back the same day i got it.
MrNatural on August 16 at 11:29 a.m.
Thanks!…Diana…I do appreciate your POV too
Soccermomsusie…Keep em commin’…LOL!!!
“Humor is a rubber sword—it allows you to make a point without drawing blood.”
Ron_the_Cop on August 16 at 11:42 a.m.
I don’t really much care whether its a Dem/Rep who represents me in the US Senate only that they maintain high ethical standards. As I said above re Murray it’s not ideology that bothers me, it’s her involvement in RPS and her putting Ormsby’s name in nomination for US Atty for the Easter District of WA.
That’s why I’m voting AGAINST MURRAY.
spokanecougar on August 16 at 11:44 a.m.
Wow, whoever flagged my comment that was mature. There was no bad words and nothing rude in there at all….it was telling conservatives to do a little research before posting and not just quote what they hear on Fox News. Real mature….. if you don’t agree with someone flag it even though there is nothing wrong with it, I have a pretty good idea who it is, but really grow up people if you don’t agree with what someone said on here then prove them wrong in another post, don’t flag it.
Dazzeetrader11 on August 16 at 11:44 a.m.
Natural…this Obama is the most divisive presient in history.
Liberal: Obama has created unprecidented deficit all by himself.
So has Gregoire.
So has Verner.
So has Marr.
Seems like the data in unidirectional….and beyond dispute unless you’re insane.
All liberal candidates and there is nothing to show for their profligate spending.
Of course they support each other! They’re all the same and each depends on one another being re-elected.
No small wonder. Parenthetically, Obamacare is being dismantled and unfunded as I type this. He’s trying to hold off the news till after the election. His presidency (such that it is) is pretty much over. November will be the ostensible last nail.
This depression will not be resolved with the liberals in charge. Moeny is sitting around…not being loaned or used. Know why? Nobody trusts Obama anymore. He changes the rules at will. Why accrue a debt on money when he might wipe you out.??? Same with Murray, Gregoire, Marr, Verner…. can’t trust any of them.
Ask yourself one question. Are you better off now than even 2 years ago? You will have your answer as to what needs to be done.
soccermomsusie on August 16 at 11:55 a.m.
Ron the Cop, I am with you. Dino Rossi has never had any shady dealings or been involved in any scandals. My commie nephew makes a big deal out of the stuff in 2008 and who he is taking money from now. Big deal! And, I know when I look in his eyes, Dino is an innocent! I KNOW IT!
I would rather have someone in office who has never been involved in anything which might cast doubt on their character as opposed to someone who can “get the job done.” I mean is this what we have come to as a country - electing people who will do the work and get the job done? Ridiculous!
Maybe we Republicans ought to solicit candidates who have been in a coma most of their lives or the newly-born. I would like to see the demoncrats try to run a smear campaign on a newly born infant who is running for the senate!
HEAR OUR VOICE!!!
Scoutster on August 16 at 11:55 a.m.
As a fan of both Obama and Murray, it saddens me that the president has to spend time fund raising instead of talking to real people about real issues.
But, that’s how the game is played.
soccermomsusie on August 16 at 11:57 a.m.
Daisy, You are right. He reminds me of that crazy liberal FDR!
HEAR OUR VOICE!!!
Scoutster on August 16 at 11:59 a.m.
Daisy..
Still waiting on that “Jobs and Growth 2003” analysis.
Anytime.
soccermomsusie on August 16 at 12:00 p.m.
Daisy - You said it:
Seems like the data in unidirectional! Send me some of that moeny!
HEAR OUR VICOE!
SpokaneLiberal on August 16 at 12:04 p.m.
Daisy - Do the research.
Here is a graph of budget deficit by % of GDP. http://bit.ly/bLYUMI
You say Obama did an “unprecedented” deficit. But that isn’t born out by the facts unless you don’t consider inflation or GDP as a comparison. There have been 3 other extended periods that exceed Obama’s spending.
BUT let us consider that Bush was the one that sent the deficit from 3% of GDP to 10%. Obama only went from 10 to 10.5 and now it is down to 9.9 - below the levels he entered office with. Please gather facts before espousing ideology instead of
Scoutster on August 16 at 12:08 p.m.
Daisy..
As to being better off now than two years ago…
Would you blame a doctor for diagnosing someone with diabetes after s/he had spent the last 10 years eating the wrong thing and not getting exercise?
Only people who ascribe magical powers to Obama could expect him to undo the wreckage W and his band of scoundrels left us all in 20 months.
Dazzeetrader11 on August 16 at 12:12 p.m.
Lock up the taxpayer money. Distribute it to the Unions, Banks, Freddie, Fannie, goofy healthcare plans….then the small businesses are starved. This leads to record unemployment. No trust in any of those libs.
Simple isn’t it?
Obama, Murray, Gregoire, Marr, Verner….all have generated debt with no solutions. Vote them out. They are crippling us from the City to the State to the Fed. No confidence. Bush didn’t do this. Can’t blame him anymore.
Remember in November. It’s not an emotional plea….they’ve ALL done the same thing. If you voters want to continue this trend, keep them. I don’t. The data is beyond dispute.
Dazzeetrader11 on August 16 at 12:29 p.m.
Say al you want Lib and Scout: the country is in the worst shape in 40 years. Somebody named Obama or Gregoire or Marr or Verner…..aggravated a bad situation.
The data is beyond dispute. If you want debt…and not just debt…it’s crippling debt. And then these birds spend more! Never in the history of the US has spending generated anything but defeat. There is no recovery without jobs. And just where are all those “shovel ready” jobs or projects leading to jobs? Never hapened.
Many of these Obamalovers lives on slogans and jargon. Where’s the beef? None left…they spent it all. Debt, unemployment, no liquidity….just nothing. And now Obama will be asking for another stimuls when he still has 60% of the first batch of fraud…..and he wants to shore up Freddie and Fannie….same firms who contributed to this depression.
Insanity…you all know the definition “doing the same thing over and over but expecting a different result”. Looks to me like the Dem leaders are simply insane. Fantasy…insanity…it’s the same when those people go to work. And they have the nerve to ask the people to pay for their goofiness? You bet!
VOTE THEM OUT before it’s too late.
Diana on August 16 at 12:35 p.m.
Hear our vicoe!
misjustice on August 16 at 12:36 p.m.
I love it that the President’s campaigning has all the Teagagger, Palin lovin’, brother kissin’, Becker Head Jethros up in flabby arms! If he’s so ineffective, non relevant, and wrong (as you claim) then what are ya’ll so worried about?
misjustice on August 16 at 12:40 p.m.
Oh, there you are, DAZE…
How about answering Scoutster’s and my questions???? Ya know, the thread that you won’t return to…
And DAZE, what about the ‘evidence’ that trickle down
economics works just dandy as a job creation engine thingy?
Waiting…………….
Trickle Down Theory
An informal term for a macroeconomic theory that a government can best promote growth by providing incentives for persons to produce goods and services. The primary way a government does this is by maintaining low tax rates so that investors and entrepreneurs may invest their money in production. Maintaining low tax rates on the wealthy is one of the most important and controversial aspects of trickle down theory; the theory states that if well off persons have the capital available to produce goods and services, they create jobs and thereby grow the economy. In other words, the growth “trickles down” from the wealthy to the remainder of the economy. Critics contend that this does not happen in reality and that the wealthy are more likely to keep, rather than invest, their money. In the United States, trickle down theory was crucial to the economic policy of the Ronald Reagan administration. See also: Keynesian economics, Monetarism, Thatcherism.
http://financial-dictionary.thefreedi…
SpokaneLiberal on August 16 at 12:46 p.m.
Daisy again, look at the graph. All that debt you are complaining about with no plan, it was Bush who created it. If you extend it into the future you see that Obama gets it back down to 4% of GDP and is already lower than Bush in his last year. When Bush took over there was a 1.5% of GDP surplus. Over the course of his first year he took that to a deficit of 3%. Over the course of his last year it skyrocketed to 10% of GDP.
Again I am not blaming Bush, but merely pointing out that your perception of reality is not backed up by the facts. It is Bush that created the debt problem and according to these figures Obama will fix it to less than the last 40 year average. http://bit.ly/bLYUMI
MrNatural on August 16 at 12:49 p.m.
There’s an opined tea-partier named Daisy
Whose logic to me is quite hazy
With conservative bent that provokes my lament
If the poll’s go her way I’ll go crazy
…respectfully yours The Natch
misjustice on August 16 at 12:56 p.m.
Mr. Natural, YOU ROCK! The Bard of the SR Blogs strikes again! ; )
mikeln on August 16 at 12:57 p.m.
What I can’t beleive is all the people that think the people we elect run anything. Once in a while, their bosses let them give the people a crumb or two, it makes them look good and is good for votes. We need to make D.C. pull back the curtain so we can see the wizzards that are really pulling the strings.
soccermomsusie on August 16 at 1:02 p.m.
Daisy: “Many of these Obamalovers lives on slogans and jargon. Where’s the beef?” Exactly. I am glad yous don’t do that!
Not only that, they are eggheads! You are right. The government has never spent its way out of a problem - getting out of the great depression, winning world war II, going to the moon, etc. were solved by tax cuts and prayers, contrary to what the secular schools want us to believe!
Get rid of all taxes, and regulations and let the corporations (God’s Chosen) do what they will. W knew this. God told him. John Ahern knows this too. God speaks to him, as well, especially since he saved Christmas. I would like to see John Driscoll do that!
HEAR OUR VOICE!!!
spokanada on August 16 at 1:08 p.m.
are there any English teachers in the house? At what level would you estimate Daisy’s writing skills to be at?
eighth grade +/- 1 year???
Ron_the_Cop on August 16 at 1:31 p.m.
Look I’m tired of hearing it’s all about Bush.
I had major issues with Bush. To name a few the unresolved border issue that neither major political party wants to deal with as it would rock the boat with their respective political bases and supporters. Once we toppled Saddam we should have sealed the Iraq borders and let the indigenous Shi’ia and Sunni duke it out until they got tired of fighting instead of getting bogged down in the internecine squabble. Anything entering Iraq bigger than a cockroach esp from Iran especially should have been vaporized. We should have thrown a monkey wrench in the Iranian little Neo-Hitler’s plans to develop nukes e.g., the last functioning Iranian gas refinery should have gone off line with plausible denial. I would have had a come to Jesus meeting with the House Saud and told them to quit funding radical mosques and madrasahs around the world with our oil money. The House of Saud made a deal with the Devil - the Wahabis. The House of Saud did this to remain in power to protect two of the most holy shrines in the World of Islam by agreeing to fund the Wahabis radical agenda with mosques and madrasahs.
Now for President Obama. I’m tired of his 24/7 campaign mode. He won the election. He now needs to lead which he is not doing. He’s an ineffectual leader. He didn’t have much experience. The signs were there as were all of his associates that he’s had to throw under the bus. The MSM was remiss in vetting Obama. Many who wanted “hope and change” were projecting their own hopes, thoughts and wishes on him.Obama was a willing vessel. Obama was very willing to promise the world. It’s apparent now he’s made promises he either can’t, won’t or is unwilling to keep.
As far as economics with the one trillion that was supposed to jump start the economy, it only largely greased the pork of the unions and other supporters. If you’re going to flush that kind of money it would have been better spent by reducing payroll taxes and this would have created more jobs immediately and got the Country back on track. When Palosi said that extending unemployment insurance would be a job creator she got it half right!
Now back to Murray and Obama campaigning for here. Good luck. I voted against Murray not from any ideological position but if you read my previous links her ethical integrity SUCKS! Anyone who would put forth the name of Michael Ormsby for US Attorney is blatantly rewarding illegal behavior that she herself was involved in.
misjustice on August 16 at 1:45 p.m.
Ron, payroll taxes were reduced by President Obama as part of the stimulus bill. See the link for details…
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2010/jan/28/barack-obama/tax-cut-95-percent-stimulus-made-it-so/
lego on August 16 at 2:10 p.m.
Another great graphic showing how our deficit got so large.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/06/09/business/economy/20090610-leonhardt-graphic.html
Ron_the_Cop on August 16 at 2:16 p.m.
Msjustice,
I didn’t mean income taxes but the taxes employers must pay for their employees.
lewis8457 on August 16 at 3:10 p.m.
It makes no difference what the taxes are now and who lowered them. Look at the deficit, Obama is creating.
Who is going to pay that back?
That is the issue, with mass unemployment and a deficit increasing leaps and bounds it stands to reason the future working class will be taxed beyond their ability to pay.
I wonder when the working class are paying 85% tax to just keep even with the deficit they will all be blogging about how it is STILL all bush’s fault.
cdspokesreader on August 16 at 3:26 p.m.
You all are being way too hard on Daisy! Look how great we have it in our county due to our Republican leadership…. we are cutting out all those nasty social & health programs, cutting back on jail costs, not spending money on police and fire protection since that’s just big government getting into our business.
But Hey….. We have a really cool racetrack - or it will be after we sink a few more million dollars into it.
MrNatural on August 16 at 3:31 p.m.
I’ve never quite fully understood the ramifications of “The Deficit” except to say that it will cause taxes to remain high until the deficit is paid. What I do know is that President Obama is deficit spending in order to keep United States citizens safe, healthy and fed. There is to my observation very little illegitimate spending by him deficit or otherwise except to say that the bank bailout was exploited by the same SOB’s who want their tax cuts to remain. I see no intelligible resolve by the right wing only greedy self serving partisan BS.
No I’m not pointing at the child prince who in two terms reamed this nation into the state it is in today. I’m looking at the current president whose intellect and compassion has placed him in the difficult situation of ensuring the people of this nation don’t fall into abject poverty deficits be damned.
mikeln on August 16 at 3:33 p.m.
Our infrastucture is falling apart, education funding is being cut to the bare bone and the deficit is still out of control and people think the elected officials are working for us. Where is the money going? It sure as hell is not being used to fix america, and the last time I checked, none of the stimulus money was anywhere near my bank account. And soccormomsusie,” Mission Acomplished”, nuff said about the use of slogans.
SpokaneLiberal on August 16 at 3:49 p.m.
Lewis, we covered this. As a % of GDP Bush raised the deficit from 3% to 10%. Obama raised it from 10 to 10.5 but now it is under 10 - which was less than he inherited. I don’t blame Bush - but the rhetoric about Obama mortgaging the future doesn’t match up to reality. In reality Bush mortgaged the place and Obama is just dealing with that and an economic collapse, high unemployment, and illogical angry divisive rhetoric. Is he as sucessful as I hoped no, but the facts don’t support the “Obama is spending us into oblivion” mantra.
lewis8457 on August 16 at 4:25 p.m.
spokaneLiberal the deficit is at 1.4 trillion to you agree with that? now explain to me how the hell we are going to pay that down when we have mass unemployment and state and local unions demanding top pay for their members?
how is forcing health reform and education reform fixing any of our problems right now? They aren’t they are only costing us money we don’t have.
throw your numbers in the trash, none of that matters now just wait 5 years out, that is if we have 5 years.
Ron_the_Cop on August 16 at 4:40 p.m.
OK folks we’re picking at nits.
It’s time WE THE PEOPLE become engaged and hold our elected/appointed on both sides of the political aisle accountable for their ethical failures and to abide by their oaths of office. Need I say that Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac were the source of the recent economic meltdown largely due to the Dems - Barney Frank and Chris Dodd.
That’s not to say the highrollers of Wall Street didn’t leverage this bad mortgage debt into investment vehicles that they didn’t fully under the the risk. When the market declined it almost tanked AIG a large reinsurer of these monetized securities. In so doing the American taxpayer underwrote the bail out as Mac/Mae tacitly were backed by the full faith and credit of all of us Americans. Without this backing the mortgage brokers who were churning these loans wouldn’t have written liar loans not only for those who couldn’t afford them but loans over $500K for the rich.
While were picking at the nits where is our boy wonder? The Russians are set to begin inserting the full rods into the Iranian reactor this weekend? What does Putin want to back off? Do we know? Will the Israelis who are backed in the corner call everyones’ bluff and take it out before the weekend? The question is will will allow them to over fly Iraq? The Sauds know the real danger of the Iranians fueling a nuclear plant that then can produce the plutonium. So far I’m sure the Iranian REgime hast gotten some from the NORKS.
Plan B the Sauds allow over flight by the Israeli enroute to Iranian reactor site built by the Russians. Of course the Sauds will vocally lash out at Israel but will thank their lucky stars that the Israelis took out the greatest threat to the Sauds in the region.
OK and where is our boy wonder? Out campaigning for Patty Murray! Inexperienced and out classed in maters of strategic foreign affairs?
SpokaneLiberal on August 16 at 4:43 p.m.
Numbers are meaningless without context. Here is context. http://bit.ly/bLYUMI Use the tool at the bottom to look at prior deficits to GDP and future deficits to GDP. When When Bush took over there was a 1.5% of GDP surplus. Over the course of his first year he took that to a deficit of 3%. Over the course of his last year it skyrocketed to 10% of GDP. He put us onto a 1.4 trillion dollar deficit from a 250 billion surplus. Obama didn’t reduce the problem (he made it rise .1 trillion) but he didn’t cause it. He didn’t solve it immediately, however, the projection has him down to 4% of GDP by the next presidential election.
Health care and education reform combined added 54 billion a year to the deficit, which was less than 10% of what tax cuts to earners of more than 250K cost us. My only assertion is that Obama isn’t spending us into a problem, we were structurally there from Bush policies. He hasn’t done enough to reverse the policies (but that is tough in a high unemployment time) but he is not the source of the problem.
Ron_the_Cop on August 16 at 6:44 p.m.
SpokaneLiberal,
What about the two wars? They’re not chump change. Were these a mistake?
Scoutster on August 16 at 7:33 p.m.
Ron the Cop…
You didn’t ask me, but, yes, they were a mistake, IMHO.
Are we any safer after 7 (or 8) years? Nope. And one was an “Ooops, sorry. Didn’t mean to come here and screw up your country for no good reason” war.
We didn’t understand the enemy on 9/12/01, so we fought like we fought the last ones. Didn’t work. Not an affront the the soldiers that fought there, who gave their all. But to the red and blue leaders who sent them there.
Strategically, they were both screw ups of the highest magnitude.
Scoutster on August 16 at 7:41 p.m.
Ron the Cop…
The Mainstream Conservative Media loves to categorize Dodd and Frank as the true villains for loosening lending requirements and expanding Freddie and Fannie back in the ‘90. It’s one of Faux News’ favorite talking-parrot points from what little I’ve seen.
Then, GOP took over, solidly for 6 yrs from ‘01 - ‘07.
Why wasn’t this travesty undone when they took over?
And, if it’s all on Obama now in August ‘10, aren’t Mitch and John and W and the boys at least AS responsible as Dodd and Frank, simply by following your reasoning, for what they did? Are they being judge by the same scorecard?
Ron_the_Cop on August 16 at 7:52 p.m.
Scoutster,
Time will only tell re these wars. You saw my two bits on the Iraq War. I agree many still don’t understand the enemy we face and the ideology which drives it.
Sorry I still didn’t vote for Murray and I’m not thrilled about Obama either. The Iranian Neo-Hitler is knocking on our door, Hell bent on kicking off the War of Armageddon to hasten the return of the 12th Imam from a well in Iraq. Obama is still campaigning instead of acting like a world leader.
misjustice on August 16 at 8:08 p.m.
@ Ron; Were you as dismayed over George W. Bush’s 2002 mid-term campaigning as you are over Barack Hussein Obama’s?
“President George W. Bush put his political capital on the line in 2002 mid-term election campaigns to an unprecedented degree, raising money and stumping for Republican candidates in close races around the country. Strategist Karl Rove masterminded the aggressive effort.”
http://www.gwu.edu/~action/2004/parties/overview02.html
As I recall, 2002 was a time fraught with danger. The war against Afghanistan was less than a year old. The Pentagon had barely reopened. Workers were still at the Trade Towers. The nation was still reeling from the attacks on September 11th. And where was YOUR boy wonder? W was out on the campaign trail (and on vacations).
Ron_the_Cop on August 16 at 8:42 p.m.
Misjustice,
Fair point. I said I have issues with W too. At least he stopped playing golf. He was largely pillared by the MSM as being a goof. I think his heart was in the right place. I can’t say that for Obama. Obama is all about Obama. I think he’s going through the motions in the midterm elections. I think he’s really looking ahead to position himself for the 2012 election. If one or more houses go under Republican control, he would be in a better position to win in 2012.
Bottom line is I did not voter for Murray for the reasons I stated above. The fact that Obama is coming to campaign for her would not influence me in the least. Further I don’t have a clue why Obama can’t figure out that Micheal Ormsby who was recommended by Murray is a political hot potato like others he had to throw under the bus. Where are his folks that should be vetting these appointments.
misjustice on August 16 at 9:44 p.m.
Yeah, his heart was in the right place…and he quit playing golf. Guess his business dealings can be forgiven, also.
“The world now associates the bin Laden name with Osama bin Laden, the prime suspect be hind the terror atrocities of Sept. 11. As President George W. Bush leads an intense international manhunt for Osama, few Americans realize that Osama’s eldest brother, Salem, was one of Bush’s first business partners.
President Bush and the bin Laden family have been connected through dubious business deals since 1977, when Salem, the head of the bin Laden family business, one of the biggest construction companies in the world, invested in Bush’s start-up oil company, Arbusto Energy, Inc.
James R. Bath, a friend and neighbor, was used to funnel money from Osama bin Laden’s brother, Salem bin Laden, to set up George W. Bush in the oil business, according to The Wall Street Journal and other reputable sources.
Through a tangled web of Saudi multi-millionaires, Texas oilmen, and the infamous Bank of Credit and Commerce International, Bush was financially linked with the bin Laden family until Salem met an untimely end in a freak flying accident near San Antonio in 1988.”
http://www.mafhoum.com/press2/65Safp.htm
Not really sure but some of this might have something to do with why many people thought that his heart wasn’t in the right place. Guess it’s just all a sad, mysterious, coincidence that his old business partner’s brother killed over 3,000 innocent souls? Just sayin’…
Ron_the_Cop on August 16 at 10:13 p.m.
Misjustice,
I have issues with the House of Saud too. BTW the Bin Laden family has many sons from different wives. The House of Saud and the members of the Bin Laden family are the biggest hypocrites in the religion of Islam -Sunni Sect. That’s what Bin Laden was rebelling against.
All very interesting and I’m sure the historians will sort this all out. Oil and politics often make strange bedfellows in our previous world wars. BTW I’m not truther.
But this thread is about Patty Murray and I did not voter for her.
Ron_the_Cop on August 16 at 10:14 p.m.
I should say SOME of the House of Saud and the Bin Laden family.
SpokaneLiberal on August 16 at 10:32 p.m.
The two wars were not chump change, they made the surplus of 1.5% to a deficit of 1%, the tax cuts for the rich made that 3%. The policies of the last 18 months took 3% to 10%. Obama only took it from 10 to 10.5 and now it is under 10.
Scoutster on August 17 at 12:03 a.m.
The bin Laden-Bush connection reminds me of the Cowles deals!
I wonder if anyone is looking into the Cowles?
(sorry..couldn’t resist)
Ron_the_Cop on August 17 at 12:20 a.m.
Scoutster,
Sorry I didn’t see your quip on Frank/Dodd. Frank derailed a tightening sought be the Reps when he was the ranking Dem on the Committee. Yes, there are Reps to fault try Goldman et al that leveraged these investments without understanding the risks. Look who Goldman was supporting this time around. Further how come didn’t Mae/Mac come under the new financial regulations?
misjustice on August 17 at 12:34 a.m.
@ Spokane Liberal; and we BORROWED the money from China for those wars, so don’t forget the interest on the debt. But, but, but, his heart was in the right place…picking/starting a war in order to shift wealth (via No-Bid Contracts) from the US Treasury to his political/corporate cronies.
And Scoutster, you drew the correlation between the Bush/ Bin Laden Crime Families and the Cowles…Lol! You always were a quick one!
It’s rich when Ron the Cop reminds a poster of the story that started the thread and wants to guide the debate back on topic; all things RPS/Cowles Crime Family/Savage Death/ RICO Ron, that is…no disrespect intended, Ron. Just sayin’
Diana on August 17 at 4:59 a.m.
@Ron the Cop “at least he stopped playing golf”
He did not stop playing golf. That was just another Bush lie. Do the research.
Ron_the_Cop on August 17 at 7:07 a.m.
LOL Misjustice. As I said before time will reveal the truth in most things. Did I say I only voted for Bush because of Colin Powell?
misjustice on August 17 at 7:16 a.m.
Here’s some history on the Bush Crime Family; too bad they don’t have a person as dedicated to truth as Ron the Cop pursuing the network of their crimes…
“When George Bush, Sr. was the Vice President, he was involved in secretly selling weapons to our enemy Iran. The money from the weapons sales went to build a secret army that was trying to overthrow the Nicaraguan government. This resulted in years of violence and slaughter for many thousands of Central Americans, and it allowed thousands of tons of drugs to be dumped on the streets of America. When he was president, George Bush, Sr. gave a presidential pardon to the others who were involved in the Iran-Contra scandal.”
” Jeb’s brother Neil Bush. He cost American taxpayers $1 billion after some shady loans he made caused the Silverado Savings and Loan to go under in 1988. Now he’s making millions selling software to Florida schools. Now he’s divorcing his wife and leaving her broke, after he had several affairs and contracted a venereal disease (scroll down). Coincidentally, Neil was scheduled to have dinner with John Hinckley’s brother the day after the Reagan Assassination attempt.”
“For many years, the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (now DEA) wanted to have Manuel Noriega arrested for drug trafficking, but instead George Bush, Sr. kept him on the CIA payroll. For more than a decade, thousands of tons of cocaine poured onto the streets of America through the Panama Canal while the US government looked the other way. This destroyed the stability of millions of American families, and the repercussions to our society are still being felt today.”
“GW’s Uncle, Prescott, Jr. During the embargo on China, his company was the only US firm allowed to do business there, exporting communications satellites.
He recently retired as the Chairman of the USA-China Chamber of Commerce, which might be one reason China isn’t part of the Axis of Evil. (more on China) He also has ties to Manuel Noriega.”
“W’s Grand father, Prescott Bush had a bit of trouble back in the 1940s. While American soldiers were fighting the Nazis in WWII, a few of the companies Prescott managed were seized under the Trading with the Enemy Act because they were fronts for Nazi Industrialist Fritz Thyssen, a financier of Hitler’s Third Reich.”
http://www.hereinreality.com/familyvalues.html
A fine family, with their hearts in the right place or Criminals that make the Cowles family look like angels???????
Scoutster on August 17 at 7:38 a.m.
Ron…
The point about Dodd and Frank is that the GOP could have reversed all their evil doings, but they chose not to. If you believe this was a primary cause, that makes them culpable.
Also, to suggest the WS banks didn’t know what they were doing is to suggest that they blundered into their huge profits. I doubt that. I think they understood they were driving us to the brink but knew no administration would allow us to fall over.
They were right.
Ron_the_Cop on August 17 at 7:42 a.m.
OK Uncle Misjustice or I’ll run this thread off the tracks with the Cowles escapades:-)
BTW here’s a new article on Mae/Mac:
Fannie and Freddie: What’s Obama’s Exit Strategy?
http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Issues/Budget-Impact/2010/08/17/Fannie-and-Freddie-An-Exit-Strategy.aspx
If WE THE PEOPLE allow our elected to govern without accountability we get what we deserve.
BOTTOM LINE - become an informed voter and make informed votes. In my opinion NO ON Murray, Siddoway, Tucker, Baker and French - bipartisan don’t you think for a Republican:-)
Interesting case in point re the citizens of Bell, CA taking back their government:
Chaos at Bell council meeting delays action
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/los_angeles&id=7612013
While Obama is off campaigning, the $64 question is, will the Israelis strike Iran before the 21st?
misjustice on August 17 at 7:52 a.m.
So, Ron, you are an “informed” voter but you voted for the Bush Crime Family anyway? A dogged crime fighter like you? ; )
Stating that you voted for the criminal because of who his Secretary of State was (first term Powell, second term Rice) is a “cop” out. (sorry, I couldn’t help myself) The cabinet appointment wasn’t announced during the campaign, so unless you were in the loop with ole KKKarl Rove, you, respectfully, could not have voted for W because of Colin Powell. Just sayin’…
Ron_the_Cop on August 17 at 7:56 a.m.
Scoutster,
Look re the financial meltdown, I’m not thrilled with either side of the political aisle as we the taxpayer were played by those who were gaming the system at our expense - underwriting the risk of Mac/Mae. The underlying problem was those in the derivative markets didn’t know the position/holdings of the other players. When the music stopped some were caught short. We bailed some out because we couldn’t afford the market to collapse.
I’m not for regulating this area of the market but I am for transparency of these transactions like the stock market. The market players then can keep the each other honest in their trades/moves.
The insiders in the market knew for a long time that Bernie Maddof was running a Ponzi Scheme as there wasn’t enough trades in a given day to justify the returns he was reporting. The SEC was asleep at the switch even though others were ratting Maddof off. I suppose you can blame Bush too on this:-)
misjustice on August 17 at 8:03 a.m.
Funny, Ron, that you should mention that, the SEC that is. Yes, that was Shrub’s fault too. He appointed Cox to do the bidding of their cronies…
“WASHINGTON, June 2 - In Republican and business circles, William H. Donaldson has been viewed as the David Souter of the Securities and Exchange Commission, a disappointingly independent choice who sided too frequently with the Democrats.
Representative Christopher Cox, a conservative Republican from California, spoke on Thursday after being nominated by President Bush.
Christopher Cox (May, 1999) President Bush, hearing complaints about Mr. Donaldson’s record from across the business spectrum, responded on Thursday by nominating Representative Christopher Cox, a conservative Republican from California, as a successor whose loyalties seem clear. And unlike the Supreme Court, where Justice Souter has a lifetime appointment, the S.E.C. provides the White House with an immediate opportunity to tip the balance of the five-person commission in a more favorable direction.
Mr. Cox - a devoted student of Ayn Rand, the high priestess of unfettered capitalism - has a long record in the House of promoting the agenda of business interests that are a cornerstone of the Republican Party’s political and financial support.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/03/business/03cox.html
You’re right, Ron, they were asleep at the wheel. But not for the reasons that you imply.
Ron_the_Cop on August 17 at 9:30 a.m.
Misjustice,
At last something we can agree on, yes Cox was a very poor choice to be the sheepdog of the SEC. He was too busy allowing the wolves to decimate the flock.
I’m for a free market but there needs to be a level playing field. When the sheepdogs that should be guarding the flock have been co-opted/corrupted we’re all in trouble. Where is the FBI we you need it. If the regulations we put in place are not enforced God help us. That’s why I believe in smart regulation where the self-interest of the players regulate excesses in the market.
There’s plenty of blame to go around on both sides of the aisle. I sense the tide is turning and the American people are beginning to wake up re their elected. BTW Frank just put his foot in his mouth again:
Barney Franks [Sic] Declares Americans Are Stupid
http://networkedblogs.com/6WA0L
Progressive Dems like PATTY MURRAY are in for a sea change. OK now back on thread I DID NOT VOTE for Murray. LOL
misjustice on August 17 at 10:55 a.m.
Ron, at first I couldn’t understand your constant harping on Barney Frank (because I don’t watch Faux Noose). So, I did a little fancy pageant research via the Interwebs…NOW I get it.
“Here’s what actually happened. In October 2005 the House, by a vote of 331-90, passed a bill to establish a new federal regulator created for Fannie, Freddie and the Federal Home Loan Banks. The new regulator was authorized to set capital standards and, if it deemed necessary, require reductions in mortgage portfolios. The White House opposed the proposed legislation and instead supported the pending Senate bill. But the Senate bill never came up for a vote, and the legislation died.
In other words, the Republicans failed to negotiate a deal when they were in charge, and now place the blame on others. And once again, Fox News treats their distortions of history as reportable fact.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-fiderer/fox-news-barney-frank-esc_b_132347.html
Also from the above link:
“…on Bill O’Reilly, Barney Frank recounted the chronology that absolves the Democrats of any blame.
“Now from 1995 to 2006, when the Republicans controlled Congress, and we were in the minority, we couldn’t get that done [i.e. legislate improved regulation of Fannie Mae]. Although in 2005, Mike Oxley, of Sarbanes-Oxley fame, a pretty tough guy on regulation, did try to put a bill through to regulate Fannie Mae. I worked with him on it. As he told The Financial Times, he thought ideological rigidity in the Bush administration stopped that. But the basic point is that the first time I had any real authority over this was January of 2007. And within two months, we had passed the bill that regulated.”
This is only a story on Faux Noose because of O’Reilly and Hume…alleged “reporters”…. they count on viewers not remembering how things went down and also on people not digging around to see if their claims are valid. Seems as if you do also…Just sayin’…
Ron_the_Cop on August 17 at 11:48 a.m.
Misjustice,
I said there was plenty of blame to go around on both sides of the aisle. Bottom line WE THE TAXPAYERS were left covering the debt when the bubble burst lest our financial system go into complete cardiac arrest. Those complicit in this huge leveraging of this questionable mortgage debt left the table with a bag full of loot.
I don’t care if they’re Dems and/or Reps there are folks that should go to jail behind this. They were in charge and anyone with any intelligence could see this meltdown coming when the real estate bubble burst. They failed WE THE PEOPLE because they were co-opted/corrupted by the players who gamed the system with OUR money at risk. What’s the difference between our elected allowing a bank robbery to occur and this high stakes roll with OUR money. Do I dare say we have a local example on a run on the local treasury:-)
misjustice on August 17 at 12:06 p.m.
Ron, I agree that you said there was plenty of blame to go around; and then when assigning blame you want to heap it all on Barney Frank…or any other member of the Democratic Party.
Haven’t read any of your posts assigning blame to Frist, McConnell, DeLay, Lott, Boner, Bush, Cheney, Rove, West, or others that share the blame…I must have missed that thread! Just sayin’…
Ron_the_Cop on August 17 at 12:28 p.m.
Misjustice,
We can debate this all day. Bottom line the voters must hold our elected accountable or these messes will continue to occur.
It’s just Frank was so blatant and hypocritical. He and Dodd are just the face of this whole mess whether Rep/Dem. A Mack truck was driven thru the Community Reinvestment Act that created and drove these liar loans that eventually soured the barrel of these securitized/monetized mortgage investment vehicles when the real estate bubble burst. Real estate was over valued because of this easy credit propped up by the full faith and credit of the US taxpayer. The debt was purchased by the Chinese. Both sides of the aisle for a number of reasons did nothing to stop this gravy train before it derailed.
Neither party was willing to take a leadership role. Does our border policies sound familiar? No political consensus to deal with a real problem looming on the horizon.
misjustice on August 17 at 12:43 p.m.
Does Amnesty for 3 million, in 1986,(done by the saint of the R party, Ronnie Raygun) sound familiar? Besides, the glorious Rs had total control of the reigns of power for over 6 years and did NOTHING about immigration…must not have been that important.
By the way, your friend Daisy just checked in on another thread about this very story, she’s just as worried as you are about Iran and Israel…you guys sure have your priorities in line; talking points taken straight from Faux Noose!
misjustice on August 17 at 12:56 p.m.
Straight from Faux;
“Israel has until the weekend to launch a military strike on Iran’s first nuclear plant before the humanitarian risk of an attack becomes too great, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton said Tuesday.”
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/08/17/israel-weeks-end-strike-iran-nuclear-facility-bolton-says/
Date line August 17, 2010; Bolton (mustasche man), former UN Ambassador under W, itching for a war with Iran…with Israel fighting as our proxy…What folly is this?
So, I guess, film at 11…waiting for Israel to bomb Iran.
Does anyone else think that this is crazy talk?????
Ron_the_Cop on August 17 at 12:56 p.m.
Misjustice,
Yes Ronald Reagan granted amnesty. Yes, Bush had the reigns during this time. Yes I’m very dissatisfied with him re the border issue. Further allowing the runaway US Attorney that charged the border patrol agents. Yes there were mistakes made but this case was way over charged.
Re the border there is no political consensus to deal with the open border mess. The Reps are beholding to big Agra and the Dems want new voters that are dependent on public entitlements.
Bottom line - deal with the border first and then lets have a sensible debate about what to do with those who came to this Country for economic reasons and remain. I’m not opposed to having a guest worker program but first keep track of who is coming in and going. Also I have issues with anchor babies.
The real problem is that we have a failed/captured state south of our border run by a ruling oligarchy that lives of its oil to the detriment of its people. We need to do everything possible to improve the economy south of the border to stem the flow of economic migration that is taxing the core of our social safety net systems.
Again Patty Murray on these issues got a NO VOTE from me.
Bee509 on August 18 at 11:37 p.m.
Ah, well since we’re fueling the fire with off topic caballing…
http://tiny.cc/obama_bush_both_cia
Good night, thank you, be sure to tip your waitresses.
misjustice on August 19 at 7:38 p.m.
@ Bee; interesting link…
spokelooneh on August 22 at 5:09 p.m.
Wayne Madsen and Alex Jones are complete and utter crackpots, who’ve been proven wrong over and over again.
misjustice on August 22 at 10:17 p.m.
That’s one thing that makes the link interesting, spokelooneh! ; )