YOUR COMMENTS

Up until last week, the Obama administration constantly advised that the post election crash of the market was no reflection on Obama's actions/policies. After last weeks market rise, I heard, on numerous occasions, that Obama is driving the market upwards. What happens when this bear market rally goes back down? Is it a barometer or is it not?
- Tom DeSimone, Hopewell, Pennsylvania

Dawn,

Of the college-educated sector of the population (45%), approximately 50% voted for Obama. Given the liberal bend of our universities, I'm surprised his figure wasn't higher. On the upside, it's comforting to know that our universities are not entirely succeeding in their efforts to indoctrinate every student who passes through their doors. On the downside, I'm disappointed that there are still a multitude of educated people who cannot think for themselves adequately enough see through the phony facade of a demagogue like Obama.
- Susie Nickerson, Horseshoe Bay, TX (NH native)

Billy in Derry,

No, Billy, I am not confused, quite the contrary. I didn’t say that I am a Libertarian; I said I lean toward their views which are the opposite of Authoritarian. I believe in less government, but I also appreciate that there will always be people that need support. That’s what makes us civilized human beings.

I vote based on issues and shared values, and I pay enough attention to my choice of candidates to choose on those grounds and not based on the party with which they affiliate themselves.

The extreme conservative right, if given their way, would enact all sorts of laws that impose their beliefs, often based in religion, on the people of this country. And they have been the driving force of the Republican Party for the past eight years. Our government is not here to serve any particular set of religious principles. Its intent is to protect the people no matter your faith, race, national origin, age, gender, or sexual orientation.
- Cheryl, Derry

Cheryl,

I think you may be confused about your own political ideology. You say that you "lean Libertarian", and that the "too far right have taken over the Republican party"."

Libertarian's are the far right! The are to the right of Conservatives. They believe in a very limited Government with virtually no social programs. They believe in a flat 4% tax rate to fund only a military and Interstate highway system.

So why did you vote for the extreme opposite of your beliefs? Perhaps you meant "liberal" instead?

By the way does anyone else notice that the tolerant Liberals here are quick to resort to name calling? I am honestly surprised by that.
- Billy, Derry

Pat,

That is exactly what Obama did. The couple trillion he "saved" so far comes from ending the "surge" sooner than 2019. That would be the same surge that ended last year.

One shouldn't spit at the ceiling.
- Ray, Boca Raton

Debbie:

Methinks anyone who uses "methinks" better own a scotch distillery and ride a horse named Muldoon.

Next time, just focus on counting.


Have a good one.
- Tony, Miami

Why not just cut out the cost of war like Bush did? Then we'd have an articifical budget that isn't even close to the real thing.
- Pat, Chicago

President Obama's budget is no larger than Reagan's or Bush's were. The numbers don't lie. Methinks you just don't like WHAT he is spending the money on. You'd probably rather have it go to the Pentagon?
- Debbie, Palm Coast, FL

Why the gloom from the rabid right wingers?

Your fearless leader, Rush Limbaugh, has declared that he wants the President to fail.

So shouldn't you all be cheering? Shouting from the rooftops: "Bring on the hard times!"?

Don't quite get that.
- Tim Seaver, Adamant, VT

Danny in Manchester,

Bush received a lot of hate speech not because it was "fashionable" as you say but because it was MORE than well-deserved. Americans on both sides of the aisle, as well as the majority of people around the world, agree with that. Even still, quite a lot was said about it from the right...not just limbaugh. We who disagreed strongly with Bush were called haters, etc. "Support your president and shut-up", we were told. If you didn't hear it, you weren't listening.

I am actually in the middle and even lean a little libertarian. I have voted both republican and democrat. But I'm aghast at the mis-information and lies spewed by many who disagree with Obama or have bought into the rhetoric of the far-right.

Some of us think the "too" far-right have taken over the republican party to it's detriment. But I also think that the Dems put up the best candidate this cycle. And I completely disagree that he is pushing a socialist agenda, etc, etc, etc.

Like I said in my first post, they all spend our money. The question is do they spend it the way we think they should. So far, I'm on board with Obama.

Opine on dude...but at least know what you're talking about.
- Cheryl, Derry

Thanks to Obama, we have reached the tipping point where wards of the state outnumber the producers. History strongly indicates this is irreversable. We are doomed.
- Tom DeSimone, Hopewell, Pa

The UL's article is spot on.

Inside Washington, there is revolt among House and Senate democrats on spending. The President needs to focus now on Credit Default Swaps, housing, and regulating/ strengthening the financial system. With the administration's admission that 1.6 trillion of the savings was not real, pragmatism is needed....

We need New Hampshire thinking in DC, fiscal conservatism, and social flexibility..
- NHLiberalinDC, Chevy Chase MD

You know, this nonsense of taking swipes at each other is ridiculous. We are in crisis mode people and our govt is hanging us out to dry. There is zero confidence in the market. Housing prices are falling. 1000 people lost their job every hour last month. I am an angry American and you should be to, but don't take it out on your fellow Americans, take it out on the jokers in our govt. They obviously have no idea what they are doing.
- Dawn, Hayes, VA

Dawn of Manchester, "I am educated" (citing your credential) is just as suspect as when an anti-smoking or global-warming gadfly tells us "the science is settled"--It is an utterance to shush your opposition. If you think 6 years in a university frees you from considering new data, then you are educated but not yet wise. However, your comment that "two wrongs don't make a right" suggests you are on the right track. That is what's going on now: Democrats using the repeated, fake stimulus of the Bush years to give Obama impunity to do more of the same.

Richard of Manchester, I dislike name-calling and even caricatures of name-calling. But your fantasy dialogue between worried Americans and defenders of Obama does capture the spirit, and some of the slogans, trotted out on these pages. Any undecided reader need only ask himself whether he prefers to be persuaded or manipulated.

An anchor on leftie Bloomberg Radio in NYC has just declared that we are in an Obama Bear Market, with the Dow down 20% since inauguration. These are not the random bounces Obama describes them as; they are people with skin in the game deciding that the future looks 20% bleaker than before we were sure what Obama was going to do.
- Spike, Brentwood NH

To Dave from Sandwich...Well put and well said. Thank you!
- Joel, Nashua

Seems to me that Iraq is becoming a stable democratic country located in the Middle East--doesn't sound like Bush left it in a mess. Afghanistan is a mess and will be nobama's Vietnam--dumb dumb to committ more to it. nobama speaks the market freaks--can't he just shut his mouth?
- Frank Johnson, Watertown NY

I resent people who state that those who think Obama is not doing a good job are uneducated. I hold a Master's Degree (therefore I am educated) and I think Obama is on a wild spending spree and completely out of control! Yes, I know Bush spent a lot of money on bailouts, but two wrongs don't make a right. Throwing more funds at a broken system won't repair it; bailing out people and businesses because they couldn't control their own budgets is unwise.
- Dawn, Manchester

American Taxpayer: "Geez, I'm getting concerned about all the money Obama is spending, and it doesn't look like it's really going to help the economy"

Oba-moonbat: "You filthy lying dog! It's all Bush's fault!. Evil! Greed! War in Iraq!
Assorted frothings! Stupid evil brain dead rePIGlican! I don't need logic or fact, you are stupid and evil and foul smelling"


American Taxpayer: "But Wall St doesn't seem to have much confidence in his economic policies and the downturn in the market is adversely affecting peoples retirement savings and the ability of job growth and recovery. I am concerned"

Oba-maniac: "Stupid filthly greedy rich pigs! They should die! Bush did it! Bad War! Dick Cheney!"

American Taxpayer: "But if no one is willing to buy the debt, and the government just prints the money anyway, won't that lead to too many dollars chasing too few goods, and result in hyper inflation?"

ObamaBot: "This is all the dirty Republicans fault! Besides, the Messiah has only been in office for a month! YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CRITICIZE! He told us it could take up to TWO months to fix everything. Last night he cured cancer! But did you rotten crazy right wing nazis give him any credit? of course not! And you wonder why we are smug?"

American Taxpayer: "I'm just not convinced that spending a trillion plus dollars on things that don't create jobs will help. I can't see how raising taxes generates revenue and creates prosperity"

ObamaGreeter (WalMart): "We won, so shut up!"

American Taxpayer: "You're frothing at the mouth. Do you have Mad Cow disease?"

Oba-Won Kinobe: "The Force is with us"
- Richard, Manchester

Obama knows full well what he is doing. He is not a liberal. Liberals lead by feelings and emotions. Obama is a cold, calculating Marxist. Going for total control. Much like Chavez of Venezuela.
He is so far left democrats are going to shudder in the future. Except maybe Botox Pelosi.
They have done well at divide and conquer the people.
Can we not hear ourselves? While we shout at each other, accomplishing absolutely nothing, they sit back, have a $100/lb steak, a fine Chablis and smile at the squabbling unwashed.
Jokes on us folks.
- Michael, Manchester

Brian from Farmington nailed it. The country and an emotional and uninformed electorate, to include the state of NH got this election result terribly wrong. Joe the Plumber was the first to expose Obama as uninformed on basic small business economics. And the major networks have been giving him a pass since last April. So what has Obama done for this nation since he took office:
- encouraged a budget filled with pork.
- created a stimulus plan that respected economists have dismissed as ineffective
- hired cabinet members who are tax cheats
- put VP Biden in charge of the recovery - remember what he said to the small business owner who asked him what in the stimulus bill was there to help small business owners? His response - "...we are building bridges, maybe your business can use them to get around."
- hired academicians for all of the economy related Cabinet posts - there are no real practitioners in the bunch!
- elevated Rush Limbaugh to head of the Republican party to take the attention off of his economic blunders (with our economy in such bad shape, why is he even giving Limbaugh any attention?)
- disrespected the Prime Minister of England
- increased our commitment in Afghanistan without an established strategic goal - sound familiar. He made a lot of noise about Afghanistan during the campaign but has not told the American people what our goals are there, or what we should be willing to sacrifice for those goals - your sons or daughters?
- displayed a lack of leadership that has caused an economic panic and the destruction of nest eggs throughout America.
We got what we voted for, a community organizer with no experience as an executive, and my doesn't it show!
- Phil Cormier, Somersworth

Re: jb from Hookset, who asserts that "little mom and pop shops" are not going to "fix" the economy. jb, your faith in the ingenuity and resolve of free Americans is a damning sign for our future. Free Americans, that is, Americans free of the constraints of government and regulation, can "fix" anything, including an economic crises caused as much by excessive government intervention in the market as excessive risk-taking (much of that risk taking was mandated by people like your neighbor Barney Frank). Your condescending opinion on "mom and pop stores" is unfortunately shared by the many who are being led to believe that only BIG GOVERNMENT can save us from ourselves. Wrong, wrong, wrong, but it will probably take more economic pain and hardship before you and those like you figure this out.
- Drew, Savannah, Georgia

Tory, finally someone who understands what REAL economic stimulus is. Thank you! Now, you need to go and advise those boneheads in Washington.
- Susie Nickerson, Horseshoe Bay, TX (NH native)

Dave, if I you have fifty cents and I have a dollar and the economy doubles, you'll have a buck and I'll have two. What is unfair about that? (Note that of the $1.50 in "increased income", 2/3 went to me - gasp.)

You make the point that GWB spent like a drunken sailor. So, how again is it a good thing that Obama and co have now tripled down on the spending? You must really hate your kids (and grandkids).
- Kirby, Flint, MI

Between 1979 and 2005, the share of overall income taken home by the top-earning 1% of Americans went from under 10% to over 18%. Meanwhile income for the middle 50% - in real dollars adjusted for inflation- actually fell.

Republicans call that 'fairness'- and believe that the focused centralization of wealth and power at the very top is good for our country. Those people lucky enough to be in this small group should be rewarded with tax cuts.

Meanwhile, many of these most powerful, highly paid people in the country are the ones who designed and engineered the current economic catastrophe. They are the same folks who invented - and profited from - the derivatives and credit default swaps that have gashed a hole in our economic hull.

Worse still, these same Wall Street geniuses now have their hands out to Washington, and most economists agree that if we don't jump in and start writing humongous checks, the recession will be deeper, wider, and longer. So we will bail them all out- on the government's dime.

Obama is wrestling will all of this- and he is trying to clean up the mess that the last administration left behind in Iraq and Afghanistan.

He is also - bravely I would argue - pursuing the agenda we elected him to pursue, which is to reform health care, make fundamental changes to our energy infrastructure, expand educational opportunities, and try to return a bit of lost prosperity to the middle class, who have been losing the battle for economic opportunity to their uptown neighbors.

All that costs money. Republicrats can whine, and they will. They're whining might be more effective if they had any credibility left - but between the wreckage of the GWB boondoggle years, and the emergence of your new spiritual leader, Rush Limbaugh, your credibility is at an all time low, and deservedly so.
- Dave, Sandwich

Whenever anyone bashes Obama and the Democrats it is lies and misinformation, but whenever anyone bashes Bush and the Republicans it is the truth and the Gospel? Something's amiss here.

Has anyone noticed the daily vote of no-
confidence oozing from the Dow Jones reports? The only ones who seem to have it right these days are those who are taking their money out of Wall Street, and we're not talking only about "the greedy rich", either.
Maybe we should all go out and spend our money before our benevolent government does.
- Guy Plante, Manchester

Seems to me the "evil" republicans and their fearless leader "W" cost this country a stack of cash in Iraq - oh wait - I guess that doesn't matter...

And perhaps it doesn't matter also that our inept president for the past eight years has the rest of the world laughing at us...nope...guess that doesn't matter either...


Let'sl face it: the economy is broken because we didn't pay attention when we shipped jobs overseas to make more money. The economy needs fixing. The little mom and pop shop isn't going to change it. The auto makers aren't going to change it (mostly because their to busy reaping the benefits of expensive trips and luxuries). There IS NO GOOD SOLUTION. No matter what happens, money will be spent. It WILL GET WORSE BEFORE IT GETS BETTER. Honestly, everyone who complains and bitches about what decisions are being made needs to ante up - what have you contributed to making our economy better? That's right - you elected the best candidate to bring the economy back. Now shut up and let him do it.
- jb, Hooksett

Okay, I give up! I'll plan on signing my entire check over to Obama and I'll let him tell me how I should spend it. He's The One and knows better than I do what my family needs. Since I didn't vote for Obama, I should now just shut up and take whatever he and the yahoos in congress say as gospel? (sorry about the offensive religious word) If I remember right, that's what all you left wing moonbats did during the 8 years of Bush's administration, right?!
- Peter, Manchester

Joel, Joel, Joel,

"It's pretty simple. It's basic economics. The beginning of the end has to come from government."

You pretty much nailed it. The "beginning of the end" of 28 years of mostly great economic times. 28 years. And to think that the evil Republicans were in the White House for 24 of those 28 years.

You asked for ideas. I have a few.

1. Create a government-backed mortgage program to allow anyone with nominal qualifications to purchase or re-fi a house with a 4% 30-year fixed loan. Yes some will still default even at 4%. Here's the rub...we allow them to default. Stringing these people along indefinitely is bad for the economy.

2. Eliminate the capital gains tax for 3 years. Encourage people to put money back in the market. This will reverse the downward spiral. It will also allow people who have postponed their retirement because of tanking portfolios to make back their money faster since all gains will be tax free. When those people retire, jobs will open up for the unemployed.

3. Reduce the corporate tax rate from 35% to 25%. At a minimum, this will save existing jobs and may allow companies to start hiring.

4. Stop the spending!!!

There now, we've addressed the housing market, the stock market and the jobs market, the three pillars of our economic engine. Not too hard to comprehend how these ideas will help ALL citizens of this great country right now.
- Tory Rahm, Denver, CO

We face many problems. We can argue who is to blame for the next four years or we can stand up and take back control and offer solutions to these problems.

My solution is that the current state of taxation should be abolished. It is outdated and doesn't work any longer. America is the land of opportunity. It was always about equality, yet as citizens of America, we do not pay our taxes equally. I own my home and get a $10,000 reduction in my adjusted gross income each year. If you rent a home, you pay more tax because you don't qualify for this deduction. By the way, if your married, you pay more. According to the Federal Government, 1 taxpayer + 1 taxpayer equals 2.5.

It is simple, we need a flat tax income rate for all americans to share equally. You wouldn't need to file a tax return and we could eliminate the IRS entirely. If you work, you pay as you go.

The second measure is to reinvest back into America. We send billions and billions of foreign aid to other countries. Why? Because we are a superpower? I don't think so. These should be haulted and directed back to real Americans who care about this country.

Lastly, we need to drastically reduce spending. There is enough "fat" in government that if wanted to, we could drastically reduce this budget and move America forward again.

It is up to everyone. Stop blogging and write to Obama, your senators, representatives and tell them what you think. It is about taking back and making this country great again!.
- Bob Hill, Concord NH

Cheryl from Derry,

How come when conservatives write about basic disagreement with a liberal or liberal policy, it is hate but when liberals do it, it is simply civil discussion?

This I will never understand.

Over these past 8 years, I have witnessed the most hate speech I've ever seen, but nothing was ever said because Bush-bashing was a fashion trend.

I guess having an opinion is only allowed if it adheres to moronic liberal ideals.
- Danny, Manchester

Obama's cap-and-trade program will cause a $600 billion tax increase on energy production. This expense will be passed on to us in our utility bills. So, essentially, our magnanimous government will send us a "tax credit" that it will then steal away from us by way of higher utility bills. What a clever subterfuge. But doesn't the guy get it? We're in a recession. People are losing their jobs. They can't pay higher utility bills.

Let's face it, many of your were duped by our new "Slick Willie." If you'll look beyond than the alluring rhetoric of the man with the golden tongue, you'll see what he's really about--himself--and the big government he believes will cinch a great legacy for him, as it did for FDR. This is narcissism at its worse. Sadly, we're all going to pay for this man's reckless and egomaniacal spending.
- Susie Nickerson, Horseshoe Bay, TX (NH native)

Rush Limbaugh, the new spokesman for the GOP? Yes, the man who couldn't serve his country when it was his turn due to an anal cyst; however, he has no problem beating the war drum (CHICKENHAWK!) and supporting a President that also couldn't serve his country when it was his turn. We also listened to Rush rail on and on and on for how many years about Clinton not inhaling claiming all drug abusers should be jailed, but when he was found with illegal Oxycoton that was ok and he had a "problem"...not an illegal addiction. And last, Rush found humor in the song Barak the Magic Negro.....I hope you right wing supporters of this piece of American disgrace are proud or yourselves.
- Sid, Plano, TX (Former NH rez)

Joel, I find it comical that you would use 5 paragraphs to take Brian to task for "whining". Carefull, Joel, one mans 5 paragraph response might be another mans "whine".

Regarding "stepping up to the plate". I don't recall Brian spending hundreds of millions of dollars, while running from state to state chanting a mantra of "hope and change" and promising the country to end ear marks(aka pork). Do you?


"Duh. It's politics. That's what politicians do."
Now you tell us, Joel. Where were you when Barry was running as a "candidate of change"? IIRC, you were here telling us what a different kind of hack...err...politician your man was going to be. Now you admonish us for being let down by "The One" and his politics as usual.
What chutzpah!
- Mike P., Manchester

I have degrees from Wellesley & MIT and I can assure you that Obama is a socialist. Not a Robin Hood, "steal from the rich, give to the poor" good guy who was relieving the Sheriff of Nottingham from some of his ill-gotten gains. Obama is worse - he is confiscating money from his fellow citizens - our money - and giving it to his democrat special interests i.e. SCHIP, wind power, illegal aliens, etc. And, as history has shown us, when you keep taxing the rich, pretty soon you don't have any rich people left - except for Obama and his insider friends.
- Martha, Boston, MA

Ever notice how the Obamabots are always the first to post in any forum? Makes me think he has a factory somewhere with thousands of Obamabots parked behind computer terminals, drinking Kool aid, defending The One.
- Johnny, Farmington

You right wing-nuts are just spewing hate...get over it you lost. Spreading lies and mis-information doesn't work any longer. What everyone seems to forget is that dems and repubs NEED taxpayer money to accomplish what is important to them (and to those of us who voted them into their job.) THEY ALL SPEND OUR MONEY! Thank god we now have Obama and not Bush/Cheney.

SID - We need you back in NH!

GO OBAMA!
- Cheryl, Derry

Obamabot comments are beginning to sound frantic. Why?

It's another day in America with Obama in the White House: the Dow is down another 200, GM is going bankrupt, Obama is running up trillions in debt - which the Chinese might not want to loan us, as they informed Hillary Clinton, world leaders are laughing at Obama, the Taliban is on the offensive in Afghanistan, O'Bailouts for irresponsible lenders and lendees, our financial system is on the verge of collapse...

Look! Rush Limbaugh!
- Tom, Campton

Hope, Change.....Hope people who voted him in are realizing they voted only on their preyed on emotion and these words are merely that. Sounds that people "wanted" to hear. Funny how the market has fallen like bricks since 1/20/09. I have to get back to work now, need to pay for my neighbor's cable.
- Peter, Goffstown

If you don't have an education you label Obama a socialist, but only because you are loose with "fancy" words. Obama does not come near socialism as political scientists understand it in fact he is fixing the capitalism Bush wrecked.

All the loser/whiners here are the same types who deride our University and proper funding for our schools. It's no wonder; misery and ignorance both love company.
- Carol Brown, Lee

I beg to differ, Obama is doing a superb job. If there is anything wrong with his stimulus plan it is that it is too small, not too large. This according to the Financial Times of London.

The election's LOSERS are now whining like babies with a rash and they don't understand it is from the crap Bush left in their diapers.

Blame it on Obama! Wow what a stretch, the guy just got in office. And it is kinda odd, you can WASTE a $trillion on a pointless war that made us less safe and the LOSERS don't utter a peep, but spend the same on capital improvements here at home and they go crazy.

Zero logic deserves zero respect. I hope Obama spends FAR MORE if only to enjoy the LOSER'S rants. Rant away, losers!
- Albert Mairne, Manchester

I did not vote for Obama, but I want him to succeed, because if he fails, we are all screwed as Americans. I wish the ones who hated Bush would have realized that - so many wanted Bush to fail, not realizing that when the President fails, we are all hurt.

However, while I pray for Obama to have wisdom, and I want him to succeed in helping this country come out of a recession, I do not agree with his economic plan.

I think raising taxes during a recession is the worst thing to do. I also am outraged that the new plan decrease the deduction people can take from charitable giving - this will mean that, during a recession, charities will get less money. How does this make sense? This is the time to help people give more to charities!

It's also the time to give tax cuts to help those who are hurting. Not tax cuts for the rich, tax cuts for EVERY WORKING AMERICAN. I think we should increase the deductible for everyone, or have a moratorium on FICA, or get rid of fuel taxes - something that will help everyone, but ESPECIALLY the working class and middle class.

I am not a conservative because I am rich (I'm not!) or want to see goodies given to rich people, like Hollywood movie stars and lobbyists. I am a conservative because honest people who are struggling do not want welfare checks, they want jobs, and only by improving the climate for small business, entrepreneurship and innovation can we see jobs growth.

Ironically, when business is booming, we also have more money to fund all those social programs liberals like - it is a win/win situation!
- Shefali, Austin, TX

So, Brian from Farmington, instead of whining and complaining about the president...where's your solutions bucko? I don't see you stepping up to the plate with any new ideas beyond whining about "the socialist agenda" which has been endlessly bandied about here until it's worth little more than for wrapping fish.

This is the first federal budget, mind you the FIRST, to fully account for the costs of running two international wars on the books since we first went into both Afghanistan and Iraq. Not as continuing spending resolutions or off-budget spending but listing what it costs IN the budget where it belongs. That in itself would make the budget swell but then it again it is a dose of reality.

And I will ask you Brian, and others truth be told, have you folks been living under a rock over the past 18 months? Have you not seen what has happened to our economy, and the world's economy, since December of 2007? Well let me be the first to give a great big steaming cup of what I call "Wake the Heck Up" as this is a family newspaper.

We narrowly escaped a financial collapse late last year. We are still near the edge right now. And "we" means here in the United States but there are also enormous problems worldwide. If an economy is driven by the spending of consumers, business and government (and two of the three aren't spending money which is well evidenced by the drop in both consumer and business spending), where would you like us to go to begin the process of righting our economy? It's pretty simple. It's basic economics. The beginning of the end has to come from government.

Is there pork in the budget? Well yeah. Duh. It's politics. That's what politicians do. If you want change then get out from behind your PC screen and get involved in the process. Whining accomplishes nothing but showing ignorance. Don't be part of the problem. Become part of the solution. Our voices need to be heard. Even if I may not agree with you.

Peace
- Joel, Nashua

"That is the highest since 1945 when the deficit was 21.5 percent of GDP"
So? We are still engaged in fighting TWO wars, each of which has lasted longer than WWII.
Perhaps if the cheerleader-in-chief had 1) done his job to prevent 9/11 or 2) skipped his dream of conquering Iraq or 3) not deregulated the lenders, Obama would only need some paper towels to clean up the mess ... instead of needing an army of janitors.

The stock market is still reeling because of the realization that there will be closer accounting and the Bush pigs-at-the-trough party is coming to a close.
- tom, candia

Republicans. Please just accept your irrelevance and give it up.

Your ideas and your policies failed. Then you lost. Now you're just sore losers.
- Josh, Candia

No, Sid. Obama is not the reason for every ill this country is facing. Obama will be the reason for so many ills this country will face when his reckless policies reach their natural conclusion. But Obama's reckless policies seem to appease you left wing hate mongers.
- Nick, Manchester

Sid of Texas: Of course Obama is not the cause of all our current problems. But the prospect that Obama will centralize power, punish achievement, and reward excuse-making and imprudence, is the exact cause of the malaise in the stock market.
- Spike, Brentwood NH

Maybe if the GOP had rolled out something better than McCaine and the winking idiot ya'll wouldn't be sitting here asking for cheese to go with your WHINE! Obama has been in office for one month and he is the reason for every ill that this country is facing? It couldn't be that he has inherited a HUGE mess caused by 8 years of incompetence and greed? Maybe he should just go on an endless vacation and if something tragic happens get out a bullhorn and talk real macho or put on a flight suite and declare MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! Those actions seem to appease you enlightened right wing hate mongers.
- Sid, Plano, TX (Former NH rez)

I wonder if any organizations out there have done a study of how many jobs Obama's misnamed and disingenuous "stimulus" has cost, in terms of cancelled hiring plans or layoffs. The higher income (not necessarily rich) class targeted by Obama during his successful campaign, using class warfare as a key element, will react. Perhaps a small business will not hire, or layoff some workers, especially those small businesses which file combined business and personal taxes; perhaps a spouse will not take a job, or refuse longer hours, if it will push a couple into a higher bracket.

Rather than eliminate the "politics of fear," as he pledged, he has taken them to new levels, warning of economic "catastrophe" and "irreversible decline" if his "stimulus" was not passed. The simplistic and largely inaccurate "blame Bush for the problem" strategy that he and his supporters are now ramping up will not work forever. When the effects of Obama's unprecedented spend and borrow budget and stimulus plan become evident, there could easily be a political backlash.
- Ditmar, Hollis

Makes perfect sense when you consider it was crafted by an Administration comprised of individuals who by and large neglected to pay their own taxes. In the words of the infamous Leona Helmsley - "Only the little people pay taxes." Well, all you "little people" out there - get ready, because you're about to be hit by the Obama Express freight train.
- Lou, Bedford

For those of us who understand the predicament we are all in and the bleak future these policies present. Do youself a favor and go to You Tube and type in Taxpayers Clearance House and watch the 5 minute video. It will bring a smile to your face when the stupid Obama supporters think they won a lottery and when the group tries to give checks to AIG, Citigroup, Amtrak, Olympia Snowe, and Tim Geithner. Funny Stuff!

At least there are some in this country that have it figured out.
- Kyle, Bedford

I have worked hard to get where I am at.
Worked on days I was sick drove in bad storms to make enough money for my family to eat and have a roof over our heads, Now Obama wants me to pay more for the people who I drive by each day sitting on the porch drinking. People who don't pay their bills, I too have cut back on everything to save what little money I have. And that only hurt the other people that work to pay their bills.

Obama's new Plan has over 8,000 ear marks in it. I thought he said no more wastefull spending. Why does this man dislikes the working class.
- -PETE, DEERFIELD

You nailed Obama, Brian. But, let's get the bill's author correct. This is not Obama's budget it is Pelosi's budget. Obama is a man-child president who is on the sidelines as Pelosi and Reid, aided and abetted by Dodd and Frank, drive this socialist insanity.
- Paul, Hampton, NH

Anyone deluded into thinking that massive government spending provides "free" money becasue "the rich" pay for it needs to step back and try to think things thru for a change. The stimulus may have worthy projects, and it may put a few addtional people to work, however government programs are notorious for bloat, graf and corruption. (think Big Dig and waste). The stimulous program is the dream child of the smirking Nancy Pelosi and dumb as a box of rocks Harry Reid. They are finally getting to do what they have always dreamed of doing, and damn the results, "we mean well" will be thier response when it doesn't turn out as they predict it will.
- jeff, Goffstown

It is unfortunate that there are so many people out there that think tearing down one class to help another is okay and, in fact, just desserts for the rich. Their short sightedness is and has already weakened this country into another "EU" mess.
I am afraid that we are on our way to witnessing the worst president that this country has ever seen. Amazingly, the far left will support him right up to the time the wolf is at their door then they will still try to blame it on someone else!
- Jesse, Orford

My Republican friends, the truth hurts, doesn't it? For six years the Bush administration hid the cost of their wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, funding them with emergency funds instead of putting them on the budget, where the American people could get a look at our wealth being flushed down the toilet. Listen dummies, you love your damned war so much, you raise taxes to pay for it. Oh I forgot, Bush and Cheney told us the oil revenues would pay for the war. Bought that one too, didn't you? There you go.
- Bob, Concord

I think the final line in the piece sums it up perfectly

This is not fiscal responsibility. This is recklessness on an unprecedented scale.
- JP`, Warner

Obamas plan to fund this massive spending with equally massive tax increases makes perfect sense, since, it seems, Democrats don't pay taxes anyway. No harm, no foul, if you ask them. Them Repubs got deep pockets!
- steve, nashua

Lack of experience, lack of insight, lack of leadership qualities. Those are characteristics of the man voted into office by an emotional, angry and largely uninformed electorate. Now his supporters are learning that dishonesty is another one of his characteristics. Obama will bring this country to its knees as never before. He's nothing more than a far left radical with a socialist agenda who is incapable of running this country.
- Brian, Farmington

I sat down last fall and looked at my budget. I trimmed and I cut what I could I save about 33 % and figured what I could to live on $15,000 a year. It's not pretty.

A can a soup at night, one egg, two slices of bacon and two peices of toast and a couple of spoons of beans. Other days I can make a couple of pancakes or some oatmeal on other days.
A half a sandwich a day, a small amount of potato chips. I bake a cake once a week, cut it up so it last 7 days.

No more starbucks, no more buying lunches at work. Dunkin donuts once every two weeks for a small coffee and donut. I've cut as much as I can, no more eating out or frequent stops in between.

If only Obama could invite me to the white house I could pare down his 3.2 trillion budget to maybe 2.1.
- Jack Alex, Manchester