Captain Zap, I move that this thread be used to point out positive economic news under Obama. We'll leave Dave with his "nattering nabobs of negativism" (one of his cronies used that phrase a long time ago in another context!), and proceed to post only positives.

First item: The Dow Jones Industrial Average, which closed under 8,000 on 1/20, and is now at around 8,280. The Obama rally commences!


mikey

For me, the youtube link that Captain Zap posted is a MAJOR postive......our President is communicating with us intelligently and honestly about a serious subject (the stimulus bill) and inviting us into the conversation......and he said that he would post where and to who this money is going to for all of us to see. I'd call that a very positive and promising begining......and very refreshing after so lo........nope, ain't goin' there......staying POSITIVE!!!

I am demanding. Lets roll.

This is from http://www.moveon.org. It's their list of 10 things (and more) we should know about Obama's plan (but probably don't). You can go there to learn more. And they do ask ... pass it on!

Want to see what change looks like? Real change?

Well, here it is. Last week, President Obama unveiled his budget—his blueprint for America—and it's ambitious, amazing, and unapologetically progressive. As Paul Krugman said, it will set America on a "fundamentally new course."1

President Obama called his budget "a threat to the status quo," and trust me, the status quo noticed. Oil companies, big banks and insurance companies are already mobilizing to stop it.2

Unfortunately, most folks don't realize how far-reaching and progressive the plan is—that's where we all come in.

Here are 10 really incredible things about Obama's plan. Check them out and then send them on to your friends and family so that millions of people will have the information they need to fight to make this vision a reality.
10 things you should know about Obama's plan (but probably don't)

The plan:

1. Makes a $634 billion down payment on fixing health care that will go a long way toward paying for a more efficient, more affordable health care system that covers every single American.3
2. Reduces taxes for 95% of working Americans. And if your family makes less than $250,000, your taxes won't go up one dime.4
3. Invests more than $100 billion in clean energy technology, creating millions of green jobs that can never be outsourced.5
4. Brings our troops home from Iraq on a firm timetable, finally bringing the war to a close—and freeing up almost ten billion dollars a month for domestic priorities.6
5. Reverses growing income inequality. The plan lets the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans expire and focuses on strengthening the middle class.7
6. Closes multi-billion-dollar tax loopholes for big oil companies. 8
7. Increases grants to help families pay for college—the largest increase ever.9
8. Halves the deficit by 2013. President Obama inherited a legacy of huge deficits and an economy in shambles, but his plan brings the deficit under control as soon as the economy begins to recover.10
9. Dramatically increases funding for the SEC and the CFTC—the agencies that police Wall Street.11
10. Tells it straight. For years, budgets have used accounting tricks to hide the real costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Bush tax cuts, and too many other programs. Obama's budget gets rid of the smokescreens and lays out what America's priorities are, what they cost, and how we're going to pay for them.12

This is the change we voted for. President Obama has done his part, now we need to do ours.

P.S. Turns out there are way more than 10 amazing things in Obama's budget and we couldn't resist sharing just a few more.

1. Stops unnecessary government subsidies to big banks, health insurance companies and big agribusinesses.13,14,15
2. Expands access to early childhood education and improves schools by investing in programs that make sure every child has a qualified, strong teacher.16
3. Negotiates for better prescription drug prices using Medicaid's tremendous bargaining power.17
4. Expands access to family planning for low-income women.18
5. Caps the pollution that causes global warming, and makes polluters pay to support clean energy innovation.19

Sources:

1. "Climate of Change," The New York Times, February 27, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/opinion/27krugman.html?em

2. "Obama Calls His Budget Sweeping, Needed Change," The New York Times, February 28, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51201&id=15687-8960747-tWd31zx&t=2

3. "Obama Offers Broad Plan to Revamp Health Care," The New York Times, February 26, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51202&id=15687-8960747-tWd31zx&t=3

4. "Obama Expects Fight Over $3.55 Trillion Budget Plan," Bloomberg News, February 28, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51203&id=15687-8960747-tWd31zx&t=4

5. "Energy Budget Is Sunlight After Eight Years of Darkness," Center for American Progress, February 26, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51204&id=15687-8960747-tWd31zx&t=5

6. "The Economic Cost of War in Iraq and Afghanistan," The New York Times, March 1, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/01/weekinreview/01glanz.html

7. "Tax Cuts," The New York Times, February 26, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/washington/27web-tax.html

8. "Energy Budget Is Sunlight After Eight Years of Darkness," Center for American Progress, February 26, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51204&id=15687-8960747-tWd31zx&t=6

9. "Student Loans," The New York Times, February 26, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/washington/27web-edu.html

10. "Obama unveils budget blueprint," CNN, February 26, 2009
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/26/budget/

11. "Obama budget would boost SEC, CFTC, FBI," Reuters, February 26, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51205&id=15687-8960747-tWd31zx&t=7

12. "Obama's budget," Los Angeles Times, February 27, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51206&id=15687-8960747-tWd31zx&t=8

13. "Student Loans," The New York Times, February 26, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/washi ... b-edu.html

14. "Health Insurance Stocks Dive on Medicare Advantage Cuts," The Wall Street Journal, February 26, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51207&id=15687-8960747-tWd31zx&t=9

15. "Agriculture," The New York Times, February 26, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/washington/27web-agri.html

16. "Investing Wisely in Our Children," Center for American Progress, February 26, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51208&id=15687-8960747-tWd31zx&t=10

17. "Obama Offers Broad Plan to Revamp Health Care," The New York Times, February 26, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51202&id=15687-8960747-tWd31zx&t=11

18. "Obama Offers Broad Plan to Revamp Health Care," The New York Times, February 26, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51202&id=15687-8960747-tWd31zx&t=12

19. "Setting 'Green' Goals," The New York Times, February 26, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51209&id=15687-8960747-tWd31zx&t=13

Has anyone been watching the news lately about how hard hit California has been with the housing crisis and what it did to their economy? Well I got to wonderin' if what happened to the Arkies and Okies during the dust bowl isn't goin' to happen to the Californians. With no jobs and little else to fall back on will there be a mass exodus from California in search for work? How history seems to repeat itself. I know jobs are hard to find all over but it seems like the Californians are having it really tough.
Well with all the dabating and the negative press the economic recovery plan seems to be going through and getting lets just hope that in the end it does work and we all get through. Maybe we will in the future be able to look back and wonder what all the bickering was all about? Debate is healthy but in times like what this country is going through right now there isn't much time to spend on debating...or bickering..
Eric

Thanks for sharing Shel, I am so ready. Change for the better, the sooner the better.

We are all going through bad times, and in some ways it is worse here, because the cost of living is much higher. But, we have some great benefits.

Eric - As a life long Californian, I can tell you that my family will never consider leaving Cali. Those who choose to leave won't find what they enjoy here.

Few (when I say few, I mean low percentages, with a population of 30M, there is no few) may choose to give up the many things we enjoy here. We have mild weather and long growing seasons, the mountains (imagine viewing the rest of the world below you from 10K feet) the ocean, the desert, rivers and streams, trees, (redwood forests) wildlife, the wilderness, big cities and all their urban joys. These are things not given up easily.

My view is the ones who choose to leave will be the ones who were not born here, who have no multi-generational family history here. But the ones who leave will need to sell their homes, which are now worth about half as much as before, and there are very few buyers. Those that left 2 years ago, did fine. Those that will soon leave, face difficulties.

Those people who left the dust bowl knew what they were doing when they came here and put down roots.

I wonder if a new wave of migration to Cali will happen due to the drop in property value. The silver lining is new buyers who could never have dreamed of buying here before, now can.

I just wish other prices would fall as much as real estate has.

DRR I agree California is a great place. I am originally from San Diego, i'm a Navy brat, and I have fond memories of California. The news over here on the east coast is reporting a high rate of unemployment in California. Are these reports true? Maybe you are right the low cost of housing may spark a new boom for California and get it out of it's financial situation. One thing for sure everyone is hurting. I know if I were to lose my job right now it wouldn't take me long to be in the bread line.
If the Republicans will stop trying to tow the party line and the Democrats would do more to pulll the Republicans in maybe there would be somewhat of a chance for this recovery plan to work. I heard a report this morning that the Republican party is looking to punish their fellow republicans that had voted for the stimulous bill. How can this plan work if this kind of stuff is going on in government?...
-Eric

Eric, I need to tell you the reports you are getting are wrong. If you are hearing - 10% unemployment, its not true.

No, it is much worse.

The average job search here now takes 19 months. The report of 10% represents the folks laid off in the 12 months. The ones laid off prior to that come off the books and are no longer counted, even though they have no jobs.

My guess is over 15%.

My company started a furlough program last month. Yep, I'm in. We did well in the mid 90's. Layoffs started in '98 and the last one was in '03. I have lost pay or time off or other benefits every year '97. I make the same per hour that I did in '97, it just doesn't go as far, and I pay more for medical, dental and other benefits.

Rumors are that ~ 300 people will be laid off by July, with buyouts offered first.

My theory is we are in much worse shape than in the GD. The population then was small and the percentage of people out of work was high. Now or population is much bigger and the number of people impacted is much greater. And we have not yet found the bottom.

On a lighter note the government here is looking at legalizing weed and taxing use. $5B industry that is off the books is now lost revenue.

DRR I suspected as much. I think that the unemployment situation is the same everywhere. Not counting the folks who are still unemployed and have fell off of the books has been a problem with every state. It's interesting how the government just rights these people off. Kind of like the child who covers his eyes with their hands figureing what they can't see don't exist. In my state, New Hampshire, I have seen the food lines growing weekly at the soup kitchen nearly every week. There was a time when I would drive by and I wouldn't recognize anyone standing in line. Now..I have seen my neighbors and people that I used to work with waiting in line at the soup kitchen. My company so far is hanging in there. Presently I am working on a contract out of state but am not sure what will be waiting for me once this contract is over in a couple of months. Anyhow, I wish you well and hope that things turn around for you folks on the west coast.

Thanks EP. Right back at you.