Nothing to Fear—Except Those Anti-Stimulus Republicans

President Obama excoriated those politicians employing the "politics of fear" during the 2008 campaign and, from the inaugural platform, asked Americans to choose "hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord" when confronting the current financial crisis. But now that Republican lawmakers have objected to the stimulus package and recommended deeper tax cuts, Obama is telling that such intransigence will lead to economic "catastrophe." The AP, via Huffington Post:

"Let's not make the perfect the enemy of the essential," Obama said as Senate Republicans stepped up their criticism of the bill's spending and pressed for additional tax cuts and relief for homeowners. He warned that failure to act quickly "will turn crisis into a catastrophe and guarantee a longer recession."

Comments

[ed]

"Let's not make the perfect the enemy of the essential," Obama said

Does that even make sense? Discuss.

[Ken Shultz]

Fearmongering is not a desirable quality in a president.

[Ken Shultz]

Oh, and if time is of the essence, then why did the president announce earlier this week that he was putting the good bank/bad bank deal on the back burner while he concentrated on curtailing executive pay?

[JW]

Don't fear spreadin' the wealth.

[ClubMedSux]

I really don't give a shit what the Huffington Post has to say... unless it's written by their up-and-coming columnist Ashton Kutcher.

[Pro Libertate]

Obama's been beating the fear drum since he got elected. Catastrophe? On this one issue, he's already as bad as Bush.

[JW]

I really don't give a shit what the Huffington Post has to say... unless it's written by their up-and-coming columnist Ashton Kutcher.

Can anyone explain to me why anyone gives a rat's ass what Kutchner says other than the fact that he's fucking Demi Moore? We should care even less just on account of that.

And how the fuck did he get the Nikon deal? I wouldn't buy a Nikon because that living Peter Principle is doing the endorsement.

[Pro Libertate]

JW,

He's not the Peter Principle in action. The people who hire him are.

[JW]

Good point, but let's just agree that it's both.

[Pro Libertate]

What about his fans? Although not employed, there's something seriously wrong with them.

[Pro Libertate]

I mean, not employed to be Kutcher fans, that is. Though they may all be unemployed, too.

[John]

The fact that he is fucking Demi Moore makes Kurchner even less credible. When he met her he was an up and coming Holywood stud. In that position, I would probably fuck some old bag like Moore once or twice to brag about it to my friends and think, "yeah I fucked that chick I used to lust after when I was 8". But I sure as hell wouldn't marry her and give up the incredible variety pack of young women that he is entitled to by virtue of being a male hollywood star. I mean really. What the hell is a matter with him?

[Pro Libertate]

He's gayer than Sulu?

[John]

Touche Pro. Touche

[KD]

Of all the governments in all the countries on this interesting little planet, which one would you be most likely to expect to say they must cut costs?

How about these guys:
Moscow also plans huge budget cuts in an attempt to limit its fiscal deficit - rejecting pressure to follow the US and other western countries to try to stimulate the economy with a big boost in public borrowing.

[John]

Great. The fucking Ruskies now have a more competent government than we do. Obama, all the charm and open mindness of Putin, but without the good sense. Great.

[Bring Back Celebrity Deathmatc]

Asthon Kutcher vs Joe the Plumber.

[meerdahl]

It is such an important, urgent matter that the Democrats have to lard it up with obscene levels of pork for all their special interest group supporters...

[MNG]

"I would probably fuck some old bag like Moore once or twice to brag about it to my friends and think, "yeah I fucked that chick I used to lust after when I was 8"."

WTF? Are you not aware of what Demi Moore looks like? I would fuck her 24/7 if she let me.

[MNG]

When Obama was talking about the politics of fear he was talking about this Bush stuff like "if you vote for the Democrats the terrorists are going to eat you" or having people vote based on the fear of "the Other." I don't know many people who don't think an economic catastrophe is very probable (or already happening). So I'm not sure that's the same thing.

[Hugh Akston]

Maybe this isn't the thread to bring this up, but where the hell were these "let's cut taxes and let the market do its job" Republicans during the last 8 years?

Fearmongering is not a desirable quality in a president.

Then why do we keep electing people who bear that quality?

[stubby]

Rasmussen: 50 percent say stimulus plan like to make things worse.

I like this: Government employees are the least skeptical of all.

In other news, my daughter thinks doughnuts make a healthy breakfast and my husband thinks his workshop needs more tools.

[Bingo]

The fact that he is fucking Demi Moore makes Kurchner even less credible. When he met her he was an up and coming Holywood stud. In that position, I would probably fuck some old bag like Moore once or twice to brag about it to my friends and think, "yeah I fucked that chick I used to lust after when I was 8". But I sure as hell wouldn't marry her and give up the incredible variety pack of young women that he is entitled to by virtue of being a male hollywood star. I mean really. What the hell is a matter with him?

The geezer has a point!

[John B.]

my daughter thinks doughnuts make a healthy breakfast

They taste good, and they've got the sugar I need to get me going in the morning. That's why Little Chocolate Donuts have been on my training table since I was a kid.

[jtuf]

Obama is such a fake. He starts off full of the hope and dreams speal. Then as soon as someone disagrees with him, he gets indignant at the challenge and warns of impending doom.

[Obituary Spam]

Lux Interior Dead at 62 RIP

[dunnage]

First off, screw the Bush tax cuts. If you want to help the rich there are much better ways.

And the Repubs, well tax cut slogan is all they have -- they're even willing to give tax cuts to wage earners this round.

But where is Obama and his Goldman Sachs Wall Street Treasury -- We need big stimulus now. And tax cuts, construction, job training ain't it. The program has little bang for the $. So I don't believe Obama and his people. I do know they are going to give trillions more to the Investment banks.
s

[R C Dean]

But I sure as hell wouldn't marry her and give up the incredible variety pack of young women that he is entitled to by virtue of being a male hollywood star.

What on earth makes you think he has given up the variety pack?

[Thomas Jackson]

What else do you expect from president 666? The looker you look at this puppy the more you want to drown it. Obama and his cronies don't whatanyone to look at this dog.

Hussein is sleazier than Barney Frank and Helen Thomas going at it hot and heavy. The image just makes me what to remember the effectiveness of Carter and the honesty of Clinton.

And I am still waiting for my unicorn.

[B]

Because evidently things like $150 million for bee farming are necessary to prevent the loss of "500 million" jobs a day.

[B]

"They taste good, and they've got the sugar I need to get me going in the morning. That's why Little Chocolate Donuts have been on my training table since I was a kid."

That is perhaps the greatest SNL skit ever.

[B]

"I don't know many people who don't think an economic catastrophe is very probable (or already happening). So I'm not sure that's the same thing."

So the politics of fear is in force when the Republicans claim a vote for Democrats could lead to a terrorist attack, but is not in effect when Democrats claim a vote against their stimulus will cause the greatest economic ruin in the history of all mankind? I smell a huge double standard.

[TerryP]

While the best thing to do would be to leave the money with the people who earned it and let them decide what to do with it, another option if the politicians just have to do something would be to give every American $2,500 and let them decide what to do with it. For a family of four you would get $10,000. Some would get spent. Some would get invested. This would help the businesses that deserve it the most since they will be satisfying consumers needs, instead of politicans needs. Good banks would be helped out as the money flows into their coffers to lend right back out again. Heck even gov't would be better off as tax money started to flow in from profits and higher wages. We would still have to worry about paying it back in taxes and inflation, but at least we would have it to begin with. This would actually cost less than the bill Obama is pushing without many of the problems associated with it.

This will never happen, however, since the politicians get nothing out of it.

[Brian]

Who knew that Obama was a Sophist?

[economist]

"WTF? Are you not aware of what Demi Moore looks like? I would fuck her 24/7 if she let me."

MNG...Have you looked at her recently? Granted, I would do it myself (because I wouldn't have Kutcher's much wider variety of options), but still, not 24/7. And I can think of far more attractive women.

[economist]

"What on earth makes you think he has given up the variety pack?"

I think John's making the assumption of fidelity in marriage.