Obama gave his talk today fighting for the stimulus package. Several times he displayed crude political calculation and weak leadership when he said "This isn't my opinion, it's what every economist I talk to says". Translation: He wants an out if it doesn't work, is too spineless to take full responsibility, and he really doesn't know much about the economics. He also has surrounded himself with only those that agree with his big government leftist ways, there are plenty of dissenting professional opinions when it comes to the details of this complicated issue. By simplifying the argument into "we gotta do something, and the republicans are in our way" he negates the fact that the republicans did put forth alternate ideas. The sheep are being led, can't you feel the tingle down your spine when the messiah speaks?
Except that Obama has given every indication that he is accepting full responsibility for his decisions. That he considers the input of others makes him a participative decision maker rather than a unilateral one. Perhaps Mav88 is unfamiliar with political figures who are not polarizing in their approach.
I am quite familiar with this approach, it's the old slick willie triangulation. Always frame the discussion so that it's someone else's fault, but also so that you can take credit if something works. Obama will simply shrug and say that he didn't know $5 Billion for ACORN was a waste because he had 5 Nobel prize winning economists agreeing with him. To surround yourself with yes men and then claim everyone important agrees with you is pretty lame and intellectually dishonest. Hussein is in over his head and needs his support group. There is plenty of opposition to the form and size of the stimulus from very good people. For example: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/01/28/politics/otherpeoplesmoney/main4759532.shtml If this shit actually worked the way some people claim it does, economics would be simple, just pass a stimulus package every year- oh wait, that's been tried.
The debate over the economic stimulus supports the view that the Republicans are rapidly become a regional party. Unless they abandon their failed policies that helped get this country into this mess, they are destined to be a minority party. I have yet to see a reaonable Republican counterargument to the stimulus plan posed by Democrats. The GOP looks weak, devoid of creative, substantial ideas. The opinion polls support this: Obama's ratings are high, and those of Congessional Republicans are low, far lower than the middling Congressional Democrats.
They also have little to no sense of context or proportion with many of their item-by-item criticisms. Plus, they seem to forget that it is no longer a Republican administration and that there may be a slight shift in agenda. However, over the last several years they have become a little too comfortable with getting pretty much exactly what they wanted. They have become spoiled brats who would rather break the toys rather than let anyone else decide how best to play with them. Scorched earth, anyone? And Obama's willingness to compromise on some issues seems to fall on deaf ears because it's not exactly what they want.