Obama -- change or retro?

[Joesitz (RIP)]

He's got a slew of new faces in his cabinet. He's got the biggest job because of the mess left over by the present lame duck.

 

[Ptichka]

I'm not saying Obama administration won't be better than the current one. It's just that Obama ran on "let's change Washington", implying that the Washington under Clinton was still something that needed changing. At the time, this rhetoric didn't inspire much confidence in me, and I was glad to see him appoint those who've served under Clinton. Now, though, I just want something entirely different, more along the lines of what Obama actually promised. While Bush administration certainly did nothing to stop the economy from collapsing, many of the problems that are bearing fruit today originated earlier - hence my desire to see a more marked break from the past.

 

[Alsace]

Washington under Clinton was still something that needed changing. ... many of the problems that are bearing fruit today originated earlier - hence my desire to see a more marked break from the past.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, for seeing that economic difficulties take a _very_ long time to show up from the time of the implementation of faulty economic policies. Now, if we could just convince the rest of the US of this.

 

[Mathman]

Thank you, thank you, thank you, for seeing that economic difficulties take a _very_ long time to show up from the time of the implementation of faulty economic policies.

This is so true. The policy of "borrow, borrow, borrow, spend, spend, spend," that we are finally being forced to face up to now, is usually referred to as "Reaganomics."

 

[Ptichka]

Well, the current crisis has more to do with deregulation than it does with budget deficit...

 

[Alsace]

True, but that's because, for some reason, the US government has not had to pay the piper regarding its deficit spending (or its debt). If the countries we owe call in on our debts, it will be a huge crisis (especially if they are waging war at the time ~ on either our friend or our enemies; or if we are waging war against their friends.).

 

[Kwanford Wife]

Ah... we finally see the result of trickle down economic policy...

big business lost money, laid off the top management, who in turn pull their kids out of private schools, who laid off teachers who then pulled thier kids out of day care and stopped shopping at the neighborhood Target with the cool Starbucks that had to let go of the college student who worked the barista machine. Then she had to stop going to school because she couldn't get a student loan so the college, refusing to dip into their endowment, let go of "nonessential" employees (ie non tenur) who stopped giving to their organization's United Way campaign - who had to cut funding for local homeless shelter and its 10 degrees outside & that scruffy looking guy on the corner is not only on the streets but has a wife with three kids at home that he can't support or get money for because he can't find a job and the only way his wife can get welfare is for him to leave the house - so he does but because its Christmas and he can't face his kids without out SOMETHING he mugs the old lady waiting on the bus who had to get a job because her 401k ran out... and now your tax dollars are paying for his jail cell, his wife's rent, and that old lady's hospital bill because she had a heart attack due to her inability to pay for her heart medication.

And that ladies & gentlemen is the trickle down effect!

So change or retro? I'm not sure. But if Obama & his team can fix any of the above, then he'll have my vote again in four years - if not, I'm moving to the Dominican Republic because at least there I can sit on a hot beach with a cold drink...