Some Frank Talk About the Need for Obama to Step Up

FS
I feel that BO is deserving of the same level of respect that prez Bush has receieved from the media and left over the past 8 years. Sorry, I will not be rallying around BO anytime soon. The man is a socialist in liberal clothing.

pieceofcake
Bush has committed no crime. Saddam used chemical weapons against his own people and murdered more then 700,000 of them. Clinton thought he had WMD's too, he was just too busy entertaining monica to do anything about it.

Liberals consider any war a poor alternative to sending olive branches and peace pipes to mass murderers and holocaust deniers. I'm surprised they never asked Saddam to come speak at Columbia.

David, you are raising a good point but most of the commentary posted here (and in the past) has little, if none to do with objectively looking at the past. In doing that, you will find that this problem hails all the way back to Ronald Reagan and Jack Kemp's housing initiatives. Bottom line. Its all about de-regulation. Clearly, (to some extent), regulation is something that is needed.

You, in particular cite ACORN. I on the other hand will say that more than ACORN had a hand in approving bad loans; placing people in homes that they could not afford etc. Make no mistake either, that it is only the less fortunate who caused and are caught up in this miasma. I know quite a few very well-to-do (supposedly), intelligent (supposedly), individuals who "on paper" were worth quite a staggering amount but in actuality were leveraged SO much that (in one case)the family barely could pay for the funeral.

Look at some of the foreclosures in Greenwich CT and some very up-scale communities in Florida & California--these are not ACORN folk! Trust me on that one! Look at the derivitives, on top of the derivitives, on top of derivitives created by Wall Street "professionals." The primary reason these firms are failing and that no one is buying them, is because you can't evaluate the true intrinsic value of these companies! These investment vehicles were not created by ACORN folk, traded by them, nor capitalized by them. Talk to a small-cap CEO about the deregulation of short-selling, message boards, and how their companies were literally destroyed. NOPE! Not ACORN people! Once again, maybe complete deregulation is not the best way to go!

So, since de-regulation seems to be the problem (measures passed by both Democrats & Republicans) maybe we need to concentrate more upon "what" needs enhanced regulation (as Democrats & Republicans) and try to possibly design some type of market for a these distressed assets in order to stabilize the economy. What I found absolutely hysterical (in a macabre way)the FEDS had to prove to AIG why they were nearly insolvent when they took them over. Let's not even talk about Lehman Brothers.

So, it was A LOT of people of all colors/incomes/party affiliations and sex, that capitalized upon a lax system and VOILA! Here we are...

Why point a finger? Let's all work together and fix it (if it can be.) The country feels that Mr. Obama can do the job. ...especially after having Sarah Palin thrown in our faces (sorry! I have to do my little dig--but I DO love her!!! she entertains me so!!!!)

Why not rally behind our new President and support him? It will only be to the benefit of us all.

dave Republicans controlled Congress from 1995 to 2007. That's 12 0f the past 20 years. I would say that 12 of twenty makes Republican control of Congress a majority of the past twenty years. You and I both know taht Clinton was impeached over a BJ. Fortunately Democrats are grown ups and haven't impeached Bush over far more serious crimes.

Barney Franks is an embarassment to his committee and his party. I applaud the transition team so far and President-Elect Obama. The patience Obama is showing right now is phenomenal. He is the type that wants to jump in and roll up his sleeves. I am sure this is maddening not to be able to do anything but look in and stay informed. Someone in the Democratic party should throttle then muzzle Franks before he shames himself further.

pieceofcake
Don't argue with 1/2 truths and bad info. The dems have controlled congress for the MAJORITY of the last 20 years, and clinton did not get impeached because he got a bj. He was impeached because he got a bj and lied about it under oath.(slight difference)

Maybe if he was spending less time playing hide the cigar and running around telling everyone how great he was as prez because "more blacks and minorities have had homes under his administration then ever before" we might not be where wer are today.

The new tourist building in DC was supposed to cost 71 million but it ended up costing like 650 million. Does anybody see why government is this problem not the solution?

Jake You are the only good reporter at ABC!!!!!!!

FS
How can we possibly expect to solve the problem if we aren't willing to look for what caused it?

Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it.

pieceof It was called Perjury! Look it up!

I can't wait to get my stimulus check from Barack. I'm going to buy guns with the whole check!

dave Sorry but Republicans have controlled Congress for 14 of the past 20 years. You may recall that the Republican congress devoted 2 years to impeaching President Clinton over a BJ. The other years of the Republican Congress were devoted to undoing any regulation of banks and businesses so they could rape the environment and consumers and steal enough money to create the current recession. Oh the Republicans did work on pushing creationism and torture in their spare time.

Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it.

"...just think what the the left wing media and socialist dems have said if Bush said that Fannie and Freddie are giving out risky loans..."you just hate poor people!!!"

Why is there this need to assign blame for past actions and discuss hypotheticals? KNOCK! KNOCK! HELLO! WE are in it!!! Any discussions of past actions and things which have never even occured solves nothing! I know! Here is something novel: Democrats (as of this moment) this mess is all the Republicans fault! Republicans (as of this moment) this mess is all the Democrats fault. Now that we have properly settled that everyone (even you) holds some responsibility--let's move on.

NOW! Should the automobile sector be bailed out? I personally am against it. I still dont think the industry "gets" it and, although it will be painful, let the free-market take over.

Pat
You are correct that Bush should have done more to stop the crisis. But just think what the the left wing media and socialist dems have said if Bush said that Fannie and Freddie are giving out risky loans..."you just hate poor people!!!"
Also, the dems have held control of CONGRESS for much of the last 20 years which means they controlled the purse strings. Bush, despite many mistakes he DID make, had nothing to do with the financial crisis we are experiencing.

Dave: To some extent, you are correct, however, the republicans have been in power for 8 years. These things which are so repugnant to them now have been going on for several years. Why didn't the R. party do something about it? Look at this last year....what did Bush do to address the problems which are now rising to greet a new president, whomever he may be. You would think he would want to leave the presidencey with at least one major accomplishment. The democrats have only been strong for the last two years and anything they tried to do were blocked by you know who. However, they do need to share some of the blame. I'm ready for a fresh start with an intelligent person be he white, black or green. Let's stop blaming each other and get behind our president and see what he does.

As far as his citizenship goes...Obama was born in the United States which makes him an automatic citizen. The same as if any illegals bear children in the United states...they become citizens. At least his Mom was a citizen so what is the problem? I think some people cannot get past the fact that we have a black man for president. I say get over it...he is a man, a citizen and hopefully will be a good president.

Pat

Your "open-minded" approach to BO's new upcoming job is touching, but in the real world facts matter. And the facts regarding the financial crisis is that it falls in the hands of the Democrats. Just because the media ignores this does not make it untrue. Jimmy carter began the community reinvestment act years ago and the socialist liberals have been gladly spreading the wealth around ever since. Who would have thought FORCING banks to make bad loans to people who could never pay them back? the democrats- it's really that simple.

Also, BO had very close ties with a community organizer/agitator group ACORN. This group of people actually organized bank sit-ins in Chicago meant to intimidate, the harassment of CEO's and their families, all in the name of "affordable housing".

Barney Frank is now realizing that he was one of the dominos that is linked to the collapse of the financial system. Not that he was directly involved, but by the lack of foresight and leadership. So he's in a pretty pickle now and looking for any lifeline! Sorry Frank, we hate to remind you that Obama is president-elect, to be sworn in on 20 January. Talk to Bush, regardless of how irrelevant he is. Obama can only voice "words" and totally unable to do anything at this time: his hands are tied, according to the Constitution.
So it would be best for you to keep working and stop looking for a scapegoat right now.

FS - No one can request the birth certificate except for Mr. Obama. So even if the Republicans thought there was an issue, they couldn't do anything about it.