A.I.G....unfreakinreal

[Riot]

obama is using the same approach bush used back when he wanted his war. ramp up hysteria, make everyone think the sky is falling, so that you can push your agenda thru with barely a whimper of protest.

I don't think the financial crisis is exaggerated or the extent and severity is being lied about by the Obama administration.

Obama's agenda (education, health care, etc) is why he was elected. I better see changes there, that's why I voted for him as President

What Obama wants to do with that (platform, campaign promises type of stuff) has been readily separatable from what the administration is doing with the financial crisis as far as I can see - I can separate them out, see which is which.

The administrations answer to the financial crisis is far more than healthcare, education, other platform promises.

But when you have thousands of unemployed people (California just went over 10%), and many are highly educated and successful in technology and business, putting them back to work, and the government putting money into, the grossly underfunded and understaffed area of education is terrific in my view.

The US is not the brightest bulb in the world box regarding education. We should die of embarassment over that, with our potential resources. That must change, asap. Getting all of our children a great education should be number one. We are not first on the "quality education" list when compared to other countries. It's embarassing, that 18-year-olds can't read n thy rite lyk this cuz thy txt Seriously - I remember when I tried to hire receptionists when I had my private practice, I was appalled at the void between some of their ears.

The health care industry is fairly financially sound, but you bet, I think there needs to be major shakeups (although I'm not convinced any national healthcare system can work in the US within the next 20 years), so I don't mind that getting serious attention, either.

obama preached public works as a way to increase jobs, but only a small portion of his total budget will go towards that.

Yes, but that portion will create jobs, no? And our crumbling infrastructure is getting to lethal threat (to the public) level.

Do you think public works (infrastructure improvement) should be a more major focus, receive major $$ of government anti-recessionary funding?

(If so, tell the govs who are refusing bailout money because the feds are telling them they must spend it on infrastructure in their states to stick it)

the rest is just bigger govt. bigger govt only means a bigger expense in the end, and we can't afford that. govt is an expense only-and that expense grows every day

I agree with you, I prefer less government control, smaller government when the choice is there. I think the Peoples Republic of California is the perfect smaller example of what should be feared in that regard - across the board.

But I won't choose smaller or less "just because" - that depends what we are talking about.

I think we have to look at exactly what that "rest" entails if we want to start cherry picking what is good and beneficial given the economy, consideration for the future of the country, and what isn't.