Tuesday, February 10, 2009

This Is Not Starting Off Well ...

I don't take it lightly that Barack Obama has literally done more good in the past three weeks than George W. Bush did in eight years, even if his good was mostly undoing Bush's bad. Still I can't help but be disillusioned that he's (already) quoting the Bush administration verbatim in court on this state secrets bullshit. And these endless tax cuts in the stimulus plan sound awfully familiar, too. I know our new president should not be underestimated, so I'm hoping against my better judgment that there's a method to the madness of his erratic policy skills. But so far the only real change I'm seeing is Obama's bending over backward to acquiesce to people with whom he diametrically disagrees on everything, and his stepping closer and closer to failed ways of President Bush:

The New York Times reports:

On Secrets, Obama Is Sounding Like Bush
In a closely watched case involving rendition and torture, a lawyer for the Obama administration seemed to surprise a panel of federal appeals judges on Monday by pressing ahead with an argument for preserving state secrets originally developed by the Bush administration.

The Destructive Center

President Obama’s pursuit of bipartisanship, and the cuts imposed by “centrists,” have led to an inadequate, insufficiently effective stimulus bill. I blame Obama’s belief that he can transcend the partisan divide -- a belief that warped his economic strategy.

6 comments:

Matthew said...

My only real complaint three weeks in is I don't like the bipartisanship, which is really just him extending a hand only to have it spat on. (I'm reserving judgment on gay issues until we get far enough in to see choices being made, chances being taken or avoided.)

Loved his presser last night—it was sterling and very comforting in the face of a grave economic situation.

I don't know what to make of the Bush-esque torture comments; I focus on the, "We don't torture, period" and the anti-Gitmo comments more.

It's nice to have a grown-up in charge. I just wish his original stimulus was the one that was being passed. Isn't it crazy that a party can be in control and still not be able to have a fairly wide berth as to being allowed to do what they want to do?

Ken said...

Nice to know that I am not the only one wondering what Obama is doing in some cases. Why Judd Gregg for Commerce with NOTHING in return? Why 3 Republican cabinet members. they lost, didn't they?

Anonymous said...

people say they want change, but wont vote for third party candidates. perhaps in 2012...

Danny in WeHo said...

I think (hope) that Obama is just trying to create a workable relationship with the opposing party... and that they'll come around. If things go as I fear, they'll take and take and not give an inch.

Anonymous said...

Let's see, if I remember correctly, the DEMOCRATS won!

While the heck is Mr. President even caring what they republiCONs do or say?

IT BOGGLES THE MIND!

And then jsut today, 2/10/09 his Treasury guy says there will be no limits to executive pay for those getting government help? WTF???!!! This surely sounds like bush.

I voted for the guy, but it is so sad to see Obama start this way. Sure he hit the ground running ... but he was running toward the republiCON way.

CHANGE or more of the same?

The verdict is still out.

FunMe

Anonymous said...

actually, a keynesian stimulus, like the one the president is trying to make, requires a huge amount of government spending AND large tax breaks. Keynes said you should only have high taxes when the government isn't spending much, and vice versa. so tax cuts do make sense with this kind of stimulus.