Obama's media blitz: Reclaiming an edge

While the economy was a boon for the democrats in Nov., the republicans are using this to their advantage now. Even though the republicans were good with money for the rich CEOs and wall street (without oversight), they also realize that spending more tax dollars isn't sitting well with the average American and they plan to use this. Their plan? Tax cuts. Somehow I've heard this somewhere before and I think we are smack dab in the middle of its' end result. While they like to yell pork at the top of their lungs, it seems as though even if removed they will not get on board. They are invested in failure for the Obama administration. First spoken by the voice of their base, Rush. Backed up by the new RNC leader who has said...and I quote: "Rush Limbaugh is a conservative voice in this country that clearly people must pay attention to and clearly the Obama administration and others in the administration must be paying attention to". After 8 years, we have seen that these "conservatives" are anything but. So why in the world would anyone believe that presto chango, they now have found "themselves after 2 short months. Politically, it is not conservatism they are pushing, just obstructionism.

Mark, how many points is he down in the polls in two weeks? Is this change? A cabinet with tax cheats and lobbyists, a questionable Pork and special interest spending bill concealed as emergency stimulus. It is not only Republican opposition but independents and Democrats as well. Folks aren't stupid as they investigate via honest articles and sources for the real facts about this bad legislation. So lets hear all the disinformation and Axel talking points via his slobbering MSM. A pig is a pig even with lipstick. Wasn't that the campaign mantra?

The latest Gallup Poll, released today, shows that only 38% of Americans want Obama's so-called "stimulus" bill to be passed. 37% want "major" changes, and 17% want it to be rejected entirely.
See http://www.gallup.com/poll/114097/Americans-Support-Stimulus-Major-Changes.aspx for the details.

In response to the previous posted comment, I could not disagree more.
Firstly, more fundraising dollars went to democrats this election cycle than republicans from Wall Street. The notion that Republicans are in bed with Wall Streeet is a total fallacy, but nice try.
Tax cuts have worked in the past and can work again, though they aren't the only solution for this BIG problem we are going through.
The tax cuts did not get us in this crisis as your comment seems to allude. In fact, if the tax cuts had any impact on this crisis it is that they merely prolonged the bust.
No, this economic meltdown is the result of greed, too much deregulation, and too much REGULATION in other areas, too much government spending, a war, and chiefly the housing bubble....but not tax cuts.
As for your comments about Rush Limbaugh, I find it highly hypocritical that you would lambast a voice from the media in this post. After all the article is about President Obama using the media to promote his agenda. Should that tool not be available to those on the other side of the fence?
Obstructionism is a beautiful thing when the betterment of the country is own your side.

Bill R.,

I couldn't agree more! Repubs are playing a game. Trying again to play us as fools. They will lose again and be in deeper.

More Gallup numbers on Obama-Pelosi-Reid's so-called "stimulus" plan:

"Americans have fairly low expectations for the plan's ability to turn around the economy. Just 17% say the plan would make the economy a lot better, while another 47% say it would make the economy a little better. Seventeen percent (including more than a third of Republicans) go so far as to say the plan would make the economy worse."

"only 10% of Americans say the economy will get better this year as a result of Obama's stimulus plan."

"Only 44% of Americans say the plan will make their families' situations at least a little better, while the majority of 53% say the plan will not have an effect at all, or will actually make their financial situations worse."

And can you imagine how many more people would be opposed to the plan if major media outlets such as the Swamp didn't censor comments by opponents?

Prez B.O. should be taking his "economic stimulus plan" to the friendly neighborhood unemployment office, and get ready to take questions from the crowd there, most of whom will be asking how it's going to get them back to work ASAP. Let's see how much audacity he really has.

Support for the stimulus plan is fading because Conservatives have rightfully identified blatant pork barrel projects that will do nothing to immediately boost the economy. If Obama hopes to win public support for his plan he needs to forcefully take a stand against Pelosi and Reid and others who have shamelessly flooded this legislation with earmarks.

This is not the time for another speech about solving a national crisis - we have already been inspired - now is the time for specifics and for some courage to just say no to the politicians from both parties who are hellbent on wasting taxpayer money to ensure their re-election in 2010.

I would love to see the President demand that Pelosi and Boehner or Reid and McConnell publicly debate the merits of proposed spending in the stimulus package.

billr always forgets the Democrats in charge of oversight were sleeping on the job.

Please explain this contradictory statement, "It's not only a bipartisan pick, but also a message that the president is serious about budgetary discipline - planning to tackle the bigger problem of runaway entitlement spending early in his first year in office."

I would call the President's Stimulus Package an increase in the runaway entitlement spending already underway. When you increase the funding for unemployment spending by 100% as well as many other "entitlement" programs, you're NOT being Serious about budgetary discipline.

So the press has been given the "Obama Youth Squad" orders to convince the public at large that spending more, creating more federal debt for future generations to pay back is fiscal responsibility?

It shows the typical, political shennigan's of "Pay to Play" that both parties have perfected. Nice try but I'm not drinking the kool-aid today.

Selling the package to the media. Is that like selling the Senate Seat through Emanual and Axelrod?????

I'm not impressed that he is going on main street media, they all turn to jello when he is around. I say if he wants to sell his plan he should hold a press conference with the White House Press Pool with the only questions being allowed would be on the stimulus. They don't get any answers from Gibbs, Obama needs to face the "beast" of the press pool and the hard questions instead of the soft-ball talking heads.

I don't blame him. The way the media
fawns over him they will do his
bidding whatever it is.

What? Even MORE Obama than the 24-7 praise-fest we have now? How can this be? I thought EVERYONE was supporting Him on everything He did, except a small group of people that are of no importance?

Based on the way things are covered, Republicans are, what, maybe 1% of all the people in the US, so why should Obama care?

He can get anything He wants. So do it already.

Agre-
Don't see how he can gain an edge with Rahm ,Axelrod and few of his Cabinet Picks , Plus CHANGING his CHANGE..

Seems like a good time for Republicans to step up to the plate and stick by their convictions. No Federal dollars should go to states with Republican governors.

Obama needs to get out there and explain exactly how the pork barrel items got into his stimulus plan, why he is supporting it and how each pork barrel item will stimulate the economy.

Clearly Obama does believe in tax cuts for the rich...just look at his Treasury secretary, HHS nominee and Charlie Rangel! Change you can believe in? Right!

springfield says the democrats in charge of over sight failed. That would be a great answer if it were true. The housing bubble started to burst at the end on 05'. That is when it started so the issue of oversight certainly was missing years ahead of the collapse when republicans ruled Washington. They tout big numbers to throw fear into the masses who are already tired of bailouts. You want big numbers? How about 1.5 trillion? That is the amount of money lost by the American homeowner due to that lack of oversight and greed on wall street and the CEO/big business first mentality of the Bush and the "new found conservatives". Have they forgotten their 1 trillion and counting waste of money and lives on the Afghanistan and Iraqi war? While Afghanistan was the real war on terror, they let it fester for their ill concieved and mismanaged war in Iraq that certainly will cost much much more since they took their eyes off the ball. Even though the democrats have removed the anti smoking money and the money for STD, they are still crying. One would think that with the selection of many republicans for cabinet positions, bi-partisan should be the new way but alas, driven by the fear of their base and its' leader Rush, they only wish to obstruct.

Funny how all of a sudden the righties are relying on polls, when for years they've been telling us to ignore polls. They've also been harping about the "liberal" media, when all we see on TV are Republicans attacking the "Pelosi bill." The WH obviously sees that it's currently losing the public relations war, and is trying to counter.

No wonder Democrat politicians always favor tax hikes--it's because they don't pay the taxes they owe!

How do you all suppose the economy is going to be turned around? Monetary policy (i.e. cutting interest rates, pumping money into the banks)? Already been there, tried that. Isn't working. More credit? We're already in debt enough as it is. Tax cuts? How will that get the economy going when all people will do with them is pay down personal debts but not do any spending?

That leaves forced spending. As in, the government gives out a contract to rebuild a road or a transit line, the contractor buys supplies from vendors, who can now do business again, and hires workers, who in the new jobs can buy stuff, etc.

And the debt for this forced spending? Well, who's the only person who can borrow money right now? The federal government. And what do they get to borrow at? Zero percent short-term, and still only about five percent long-term. And why do they get to borrow at those rates? Because they're the only debtor the market trusts right now.

The market has spoken, it has spoken loudly, and what it has spoken is that this recovery will have to be government led.

If this were the 18th century and the problem was no food, no one would be blaming the distribution system or the markets. Either you plant and carefully tend the crops or you don't. Our problem isn't financial, it's a huge void in our entrepreneurial activity coupled with too much protectionism of entrenched economic interests. The rich are unwilling to lose ground making it impossible for us to adapt to new realities like the powerful Asian juggernauts and Europe unbound. As long as Obama keeps relying on his old school advisers, the worse it's going to be. The banks are not going to give us a solution, they're part of the old school holding us back. The GOP is even less capable of leading us out.

No wonder Democrat politicians always favor tax hikes--it's because they don't pay the taxes they owe!

Posted by: "Dissent is Patriotic" | February 3, 2009 10:33 AM

Are you against people who don't pay taxes? What do you say when the IRS itself says 30-40% of people have tried to cheat on their taxes......and they also say that small businesses are the worst of these. Do you then want to give those "tax cheats" a hand up?

Ref
The latest Gallup Poll, released today, shows that only 38% of Americans want Obama's so-called "stimulus" bill to be passed. 37% want "major" changes, and 17% want it to be rejected entirely.
See http://www.gallup.com/poll/114097/Americans-Support-Stimulus-Major-Changes.aspx for the details.

Posted by: "Dissent is Patriotic" | February 3, 2009 8:41 AM

Hope some members of Congress read this.

DBX, you can't be serious.

"That leaves forced spending. As in, the government gives out a contract to rebuild a road or a transit line, the contractor buys supplies from vendors, who can now do business again, and hires workers, who in the new jobs can buy stuff, etc."

To get my vote, Obama ran on the platform of ethics reform (he already is violating his policy, and that the whole financial problem was caused by Bush Policies including spending too much. So his solution is to spend more? What an idiot I was for believing this liar.

Please, this pork proposal is a paypack to special interests and welfare leaches to get their vote for another eight years. This is not the new leadership I was promised when I voted for him.

Anyone with a sense of financial markets knows you need to get the banking and mortgage situation (due to Reid and Clinton) in order, and get people to think long term. If you don't qualify to own a home, save longer and harder.

There are many, many upper bracket taxpayers who have avoided millions in taxes with abusive tax shelters.

The single act to improve the federal balance sheet that would do the most good:

Increase many times over the number of audits of upper bracket tax returns.

You will find such concealment, fraud, "reliance on opinion letters of eminent tax professor ---------- at eminent law school X", etc. etc., as will knock your socks off.

Maybe Obama already has sent this message to IRS.

There are millions in unpaid taxes in those shelters, gold in them thar hills!

I wish Obama and both houses of Congress would get on the same page with re to a stimulus bill, and only then try to sell it to the American people. How can anyone really say they support the stimulus package at this point when we don't even know what the final version will look like? What exactly is Obama asking people to do in his ad campaign? Give blind support to a stimulus bill regardless of what it says?