It wasn't 2 years, no, but they had plenty of time to get some legislation related to the economy passed.  Instead they went through with an unpopular healthcare bill.

Aside from that they had PLENTY of votes and PLENTY of time to get legislation passed before the Republicans got control of the house.  They had the momentum behind them, and wasted by focusing on a healthcare law most people didn't want, while the economy was in ruins.

Aside from which, there have been a lot of bills passed by republicans that have either failed in the senate or Reid hasn't even scheduled a vote on yet.  So it's not like they don't have their own plans as well that don't really get budged on.

Obama criticizes Chavez. That's really gutsy for him.
Wonder why he hasn't said anything about Kim's death.

so you would prefer politicians who do not listen to their constituensts at all and just pass what they feel? Whats the point of voting than? Don't be upset that the rest of america does not want to foot the bill for their neighbors bad choices. Maybe the fact that most constituents want less government spending/stimulus/ wreckless spending is just a wake up call to politicains to get their act together. Or we could just not listen to the "people" that would make things a lot easier.

why is everybody so ignorant when it comes to something called facts. you have all these right wing hacks crying about PO not doing anything about the economy in the first 2 years. WTH do these ignoramus turds think the stimulus was for. he tried.

his biggest problem was thinking the republicans wanted to do right by america when in actuality they would rather destroy the country than to help him succeed. No way in hell would they allow a black man save the economy that would open up the door for others.

The stimulus work as reported by non fox economist accounts. The problem is that 1) the economy was worst than reported 2) the stimulus wasnt big enough 3) republicans are stupid pieces of crap that cry where are the jobs but have been getting rid of police, firemen, teachers and more.

republicans governors hoarded the stimulus funds. all the stimulus bashing turds then show up at ribbon cuttings funds in hands courtesy of the stimulus.

4) healthcare...? douchebags healthcare is one of the biggest holes in the economy we have. everybody get sick the more you spend on your health the less you have to spend on uh food, clothing, your mortgage, car insurance you use on the car to go to work.

rush day one "i want obama to fail" the turds have been doing their best to make it happen ever since then. as far as 60 votes i would never count joe lieberman beyotch arse a democrat. first he is an independent. lieberman is judas sitting at the table that they knew would betray them.

that bs in the senate where they are voting to debate is the most undemocratic thing ive ever seen in my life. the republicans number one goal was to make obama a one term president.

its sad that destroying the economy is better to the terrorist right aka al queda supreme than just letting obama govern.


republicans are incapable of governing for the people. democrats are to timid to govern for the people.
republicans are pure evil at heart. democrats are so scared of the devils that they help them out.

when its all said and done. the right will have a place in hell. jesus will say to them "i never knew you"

User has been moderated for this post - Kantor

No, it wasn't two years, so the point you started making at the begining of this discussion is based on a false representation of reality. You're not the only one though, the political debate in the US constantly produce this kind of percived truths. The democrats had a majority of the senate turns into they democrats had a super majority in the senate, they could have done anything and blah, blah, blah. It's all a deliberate confusion of facts and everyone is getting away with it. The post above it has another example of the same thing.

The democrats had plenty of time to pass legislation to help the economy you say. And they did have time, they even had some (albeit minimal) republican support. And what happened? They passed a string of legislation aimed to improve the economy. In 2009 and early 2010 before the health care bill was passed congress passed 10 major bills desgned to aid the economy, stabalize the housing market and encourage hiring. Since then they have passed three, not a single one in 2011.

If you want to see an example of how Republicans are obstructing government look at what is happening with the payroll tax cuts. It's an issue you'd expect everyone could agree on, a plan to extend them passed with almost 90 votes in the Senate, yet it is blocked from a vote in the House by Republicans who fear it might pass. It's the same retarded game that's been basically shutting down congress since March 2010. What happened in March 2010? The House was filled up with right wing novices who would rather have nothing done than compromise on anything. The cause and effect relationship here is pretty obvious, but I have no faith that the American public will see it.

No they passed bills they said would help the economy, but in reality were nothing but the stuff they support clothed as helping the economy.  It's  alot like republicans and their tax cut plans. (Now the removal of deductions plan, that WOULD help, even if revenue nuetral because the big companies would lose out, while the small job creating companies would pay less taxes.)  None of the legislation worked, or would help the economy.

As for the Payroll tax cuts... they should expire.

They don't create jobs.

Companies aren't going to hire people on the basis that they will have to pay less taxes on those workers for a year.  Let alone for 2 months!

While people getting a bit more money back are mostly smart enough to not spend it, when the economy is stanganting and europe might send us into an economic collapse.

The problem that many people have with the stimulus is not that it wasn't big enough, it's that it existed at all. The country is beyond broke, and yet spending in the last few years has drastically increased. That money has to come from somewhere. And no, I don't like Bush. He was bad with spending too. Say why you think the stimulus would help, and maybe you can change some minds. It's hard for many people to see why spending more money will help the country when we're so much in debt as it is.

The problem that many people have with healthcare is that in places like Europe/Canada (?) where you do have it, you end up having to wait forever to get care, whereas now in the US, you'll get in much sooner. Pay is an issue, but there are charities and people are willing to help those in need.

I really dislike your attitude and the way you presented your argument. Whether or not I personally agree with you is irrelevant. If you insult people like this, no one will listen and they will only get mad as well. I can understand that politics gets people riled up; I get pretty fed up with it myself sometimes. But you can't insult people and generalize like this and expect people to be interested in what you actually have to say. For example, saying that Republicans are racist because they do not like what Obama is doing (No way in hell would they allow a black man save the economy that would open up the door for others.) is absurd, unfair, and downright insulting to them.

As far as I'm concerned, both political parties have failed the country and both need to seriously change in order to set things right.

I just assumed he wasn't being serious.

I mean, what I don't get is... if 800 billion isn't enough for stimulus... how much is?

800 billion was completely unnoticable.

So what... 4-5 Trllion maybe?

I mean, the Atlantic has a good piece on it... and the Atlantic is about as close to a leftwing magazine as you can find!

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2010/08/how-big-a-stimulus-did-we-need/62228/

What's funny by the way, about the CBO's analysis on the stimulus, is that they created a "Stimulus growth formula" that existed before this stimulus.  Then after the stimulus happened.... they just subtracted the percentage of GDP and jobs the stimulus was "supposed to create" and say it was a succeess.

In otherwords, we could find out that in reality all the stimulus funds ended up being sent to an island and burned, and their model would still say it was as successful as it is now.

IF Keynsianism did works, would be much like the current cures for cancer.  They have plenty of drugs that kill cancerous cells.  The only issue is, it kills regular living cells as well.  In otherewords, it would require way more money then anyone could afford!

Obama has probably been the poorest President in my lifetime (I am 23). That said, the reasons aren't really related to most of the OPs points, many of which unreasonably blame Obama for things over which he has little control.

@insomniac was i totally off basis really? i want you to look at how rabid the right became when obama took office. hell he pisses me off with the constant appeasing to the right. ive often criticize him for being a manchurian republican. but no matter how right he go he will always get spat in the face. why?

when the right talk about taking our country back from who and to what comes to mind. with the way the republican governors and legislatures have been amping up Jim Crow laws this year that answer is clear.

Im not some bleeding heart liberal and frankly Buddy Roemher should be getting more airwaves than any of the wack jobs and flip flopping piece of fill in the word.

Estimates says the stimulus shouldve been 1.5 trillion. But instead they cut it down so half. On top of that it included tax cuts that economist said were ineffective. However like I said before it wouldnt have matter since republican governors were posturing.

America would be alot better off if those assholes in washington did what was right for the people instead of them politically or for the oligarchs in true power.