Businesswoman to President Obama: 'I'm exhausted of defending you'

The hope and change is wearing off...

Businesswoman to President Obama: 'I'm exhausted of defending you' [syracuse.com]

Quote : It was billed as "Investing in America," a live televised conversation on the state of the economy featuring President Barack Obama and U.S. workers, students, business people and retirees. But it sounded at times like a therapy session for disillusioned Obama supporters

Quote : "I'm one of your middle class Americans. And quite frankly, I'm exhausted. Exhausted of defending you, defending your administration, defending the mantle of change that I voted for, and deeply disappointed with where we are right now," said one woman, identified as Velma Hart, who said she was a chief financial officer, a mother and a military veteran.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/nati...y4eXzbqAaL

Quote : A "deeply disappointed" supporter put President Obama on the grill yesterday at a town-hall meeting, telling him that he hasn't lived up to hopes, that she's grown exhausted defending him and that she is fearful about returning to the "hot dogs-and-beans era" of her life because he's not helping the financially strapped middle class. "I've been told that I voted for a man who said he's going to change things in a meaningful way for the middle class. I'm one of those people, and I'm waiting, sir," Velma Hart told Obama. "I'm waiting. I don't feel it yet," the mom and Army Reserve veteran continued.

Quote : Last night, Hart told The Post that she was not completely satisfied with Obama's answer. She complained that he didn't say whether these tough times are a "new reality" or just temporary. "He didn't answer that," she said. "That was the heart of my question. Like most Americans, fear is starting to take hold, anxiety is taking hold." "You can have all the hope in the world, but it has to be backed by action. It's been a long time since I had to make decisions about grocery purchases," she said. Her oldest daughter, Christa, is preparing to go to college next fall and the $50,000 a year in expenses are deeply worrying her. Hart said the accomplishments Obama rattled off don't help her with a home that has lost half its value, diminished retirement savings, a rising cost of living and stagnant wages.

Ha. This is what the first-stage of leftist de-tox looks like, when a Democrat starts to realize that the world doesn't operate on "hope-and-change", but - rather - on a hardened set of political and economic realities that do not, and never have, lined up with the official Dem line on these things.

I am Idkist, and I approve that ladies message....

Its ironic that you use the McDonald's symbol here. Because that, to me, represents the epitome of the impatience of our citizenry. Everyone thinks things just change easily and quickly. As if you can just show up somewhere, plop down some $$ and voila, a full meal. Just like the folks in Iraq expected the US to restore services and rebuild buildings while maintaining security immediately.

If people really thought, as i do, that the policies of the republican party over the last many years has been extremely detrimental to our country--it is absolutely absurd for them expect things to turn around on a dime. This goes double for a country that was experiencing the worst economic environment since the Great Depression.

Unfortunately, people always seem to think that nothing is impossible and no timeline is too short if someone else is supposed to do it.

I disagree with the woman in the OP completely. I think it's remarkable how quickly Pres. Obama is changing things in this country. I'm not sure if she is going to like the new normal though.

Although I agree with the lady, why send you child to a $50,000/year school? I know, that is a different topic.

Quote from aggs23 : I disagree with the woman in the OP completely. I think it's remarkable how quickly Pres. Obama is changing things in this country. I'm not sure if she is going to like the new normal though.

I must admit, I've been changed for the better...

Oh !@#$, wrong musical. Here it is:

Wiv' me jimmy in me hand, lemme see the man who dares stop me takin' what I may; he can start to say his prayers!

To defend the woman, I am tired of debating with people like her trying to defend the indefensible!

Quote from farnan : Its ironic that you use the McDonald's symbol here. Because that, to me, represents the epitome of the impatience of our citizenry. Everyone thinks things just change easily and quickly. As if you can just show up somewhere, plop down some $$ and voila, a full meal. Just like the folks in Iraq expected the US to restore services and rebuild buildings while maintaining security immediately. If people really thought, as i do, that the policies of the republican party over the last many years has been extremely detrimental to our country--it is absolutely absurd for them expect things to turn around on a dime. This goes double for a country that was experiencing the worst economic environment since the Great Depression. Unfortunately, people always seem to think that nothing is impossible and no timeline is too short if someone else is supposed to do it.

Consumer spending drives the economy, not government spending! If Obama had focused on allowing people to have more money to spend, that would have had a more immediate impact than government spending (which is always injected with overspending and corruption). In the amount of money spent on Obama's stimulus, federal taxation of every American's checks could have been suspended for 10 months. Imagine getting a 10-20% (rough averages depending on your tax bracket) raise on your salary for 10 months. The only jobs Obama has created are at the federal level. Hence our federal coffers will now demand more taxes every year to pay for all of these new federal employees, since we know it is extremely rare for federal positions to just disappear.

Also, cutting taxes on businesses and giving them write-offs for R&D would have led to immediate job creation. When businesses are worried about higher taxes and paying higher premiums on health care for its employees, companies have to be cautious when hiring.

I agree that things don't change overnight, but the fact is Obama has not just been an utter failure as POTUS and helping the economy, he has actually been a cancer or the anti-Midas!

Quote from Mixels : I must admit, I've been changed for the better... Oh !@#$, wrong musical. Here it is: Wiv' me jimmy in me hand, lemme see the man who dares stop me takin' what I may; he can start to say his prayers!

WTF is this? Where's my race card?

Quote from Hurricane : Consumer spending drives the economy, not government spending! If Obama had focused on allowing people to have more money to spend, that would have had a more immediate impact than government spending (which is always injected with overspending and corruption). In the amount of money spent on Obama's stimulus, federal taxation of every American's checks could have been suspended for 10 months. Imagine getting a 10-20% (rough averages depending on your tax bracket) raise on your salary for 10 months. The only jobs Obama has created are at the federal level. Hence our federal coffers will now demand more taxes every year to pay for all of these new federal employees, since we know it is extremely rare for federal positions to just disappear.

But consumer spending is declining due not only to job losses but (a) increased savings rates (b) decreased credit card usage and (c) paying off debt. Fact is, these are ALL GOOD THINGS. Our savings rates are 3 times what they were 5 years ago. http://www.bea.gov/BRIEFRM/SAVING.HTM People are becoming debt adverse (which is, again, GOOD). And we've been living beyond our means for quite some time now (and still do). We're undergoing a major structural change. People are spending less, saving more and using credit less. This, like most economic data is both good for us and bad for us.

Quote : Also, cutting taxes on businesses and giving them write-offs for R&D would have led to immediate job creation. When businesses are worried about higher taxes and paying higher premiums on health care for its employees, companies have to be cautious when hiring.

His jobs bill extends the Research and Experimentation Credit.

Quote from farnan : Its ironic that you use the McDonald's symbol here. Because that, to me, represents the epitome of the impatience of our citizenry. Everyone thinks things just change easily and quickly. As if you can just show up somewhere, plop down some $$ and voila, a full meal. Just like the folks in Iraq expected the US to restore services and rebuild buildings while maintaining security immediately. If people really thought, as i do, that the policies of the republican party over the last many years has been extremely detrimental to our country--it is absolutely absurd for them expect things to turn around on a dime. This goes double for a country that was experiencing the worst economic environment since the Great Depression. Unfortunately, people always seem to think that nothing is impossible and no timeline is too short if someone else is supposed to do it.

Who signed the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act in 1999? Who expanded FHA, Fannie and Freddie in the 1990s? Who expanded free trade during that decade?

Sorry, but both parties played a hand in this, along with the federal reserve under Greenspan. To suggest otherwise is being blindly partisan.

Quote from crazygrow : Although I agree with the lady, why send you child to a $50,000/year school? I know, that is a different topic.

Because the child is entitled to it, obviously.

Quote from rrc06 : Who signed the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act in 1999? Who expanded FHA, Fannie and Freddie in the 1990s? Who expanded free trade during that decade? Sorry, but both parties played a hand in this, along with the federal reserve under Greenspan. To suggest otherwise is being blindly partisan.

I agree in some respects. GSA was passed by the republicans and signed by Clinton. Frankly, i think that was the difference between a minor blip in our economy and what we experienced.

The problem is, over the last 10 years, the republicans have been all about de-regulation. That chorus is even stronger now--and it is shocking that has happened so close to what just went down. I think the pressure to be for some regulation faded before the bill was even finished being drafted (or gutted). Fact is, the republicans are for proposals that either contributed to the cause or greatly increased the magnitude of our problems. And i am also VERY displeased with the Dems in Congress. The spending was out of hand. The stimulus bill was mostly a piece of trash, filled with waste. They took good ideas and applied them like a bunch of moronic, self-serving politicians. I'd vote them out if i didn't think the other guy/gal was worse.

Quote from farnan : But consumer spending is declining due not only to job losses but (a) increased savings rates (b) decreased credit card usage and (c) paying off debt. Fact is, these are ALL GOOD THINGS. Our savings rates are 3 times what they were 5 years ago. http://www.bea.gov/BRIEFRM/SAVING.HTM People are becoming debt adverse (which is, again, GOOD). And we've been living beyond our means for quite some time now (and still do). We're undergoing a major structural change. People are spending less, saving more and using credit less. This, like most economic data is both good for us and bad for us.

I think people are becoming more debt adverse because banks are not lending blind anymore but only slightly blind. That has removed a noticeable minority of debtors from the ranks but barely a dent to the overall issue. The issue is that people are uncertain about the economy and their future. It use to be you didn't worry about your job because if you were qualified, you could land something new within a few weeks. Now when I see my industry no longer hiring, I know that if I lost my job, I couldn't just step into something else with a nation hovering near 10% unemployment. We just finally filled an open QC supervisor position (position was not hiring even though it was needed to be filled) at my company by a PhD chemist with 20+ years experience who has been working at Home Depot for the last 8 months because he was laid off. Sorry but when someone with those qualifications has to work at HD (and I commend him for that) just to get a paycheck, the economy sucks.

People are spending less overall because of the uncertainty but mainly because there are fewer people to buy goods. We have added 10 million+ unemployed people during Obama's tenure so there are less people out there buying.

You say we are undergoing a major structural change. Having lived through the Savings and Loans fiasco, all the jobs being lost under the first Bush, and watching Fanny being propped up by more government spending, one would have to be naive to think things are going to change. It is nothing but a lot of hand waving to placate the people and then things will return to the same reckless abandon regardless of whomever is in charge. The only thing that changes is the rights the next party tries to take from me, the amount of debt spending they decide to take on, and how much they decide to tax me to help pay for all of it. Sorry but government beauracracy is perhaps the dumbest and most distasterous thing in existence!

Quote from farnan : His jobs bill extends the Research and Experimentation Credit.

And he should have done this 18 months ago, not after his failed economical social experiment!