Obama on Letterman

[Tom P]

It's too bad that politicians can openly lie to the public either by saying something or omission. When the President of the United States says something on national tv, the uniformed believe him.

"Well, here's what happened. We had a surplus when Bill Clinton was president," Obama said. "It was projected to continue to be a surplus. We decided to launch two wars on a credit card. We cut taxes twice without finding offsetting costs for it or ways to pay for it, a prescription drug plan and then we had a massive recession."

We are lead to believe when Clinton left office there was a surplus, no national debt. There was, "a budget surplus" of $260 billion created by a republican congress, republican senate, and President Clinton. The national debt when Clinton left office was $5.7 trillion.
When GW Bush left office in January 2009 the national debt was $10.6 trillion, if you look at one of Jim C's famous graphs you'll see an upsurge in 2007 that continues to today, that's when the democrats Nancy and Harry took control of the congress and senate. Obama called GW Bush "UnAmerican' for a $4.9 trillion rise in national debt in 8 years.

Obama has been President for 3 years and 9 months. The national debt today is $16.04 trillion, or $5.44 trillion since he took office. His credit card. If Bush was UnAmerican, what is Obama?
" we don't have to worry about it short term," Obama said.
Our debt is larger than our GDP, when exactly do we start to worry?

 

[Jeff Young]

Uh wot? Yes, he said there was a budget surplus under President Clinton. He didn't say we had no national debt. He then correctly explained we eliminated the surplus via tax cuts, wars, and a huge increase in a prescription drug plan.

All true.

Also true the debt has gone up dramatically since 2000. That's in large part due to the "Bush" tax cuts, the spending for the wars, the spending for Medicare, and the spending (both by Bush and Obama) on the stimulus and TARP.

Lots of folks are to blame, Obama included, for our national debt. BUT, nothing he said on Letterman was untrue.

 

[Tom P]

By omission, he was talking about debt, then said there was a surplus, not a "budget surplus" the average person has know idea the debt was $5.7 trillion in January 2001.
And yes the debt has gone up dramaticly and Obama has almost equalled the total 2001 debt in under 4 years with $5.44 trillion.

"Well, here's what happened. We had a surplus when Bill Clinton was president," Obama said. "It was projected to continue to be a surplus.

 

[Jeff Young]

Bullshit. "Surplus" is never used as a term in discussion related to the debt. Your just making shit up because you hate the guy. ANYONE who has even a basic understanding of US economics for the last 70 years knows we've never eliminated the debt, and that he was talking about the budget surplus.

Obama's statements: 100% accurate.

Your position: Silly.

 

[Tom P]

Bullshit. "Surplus" is never used as a term in discussion related to the debt. Your just making shit up because you hate the guy. ANYONE who has even a basic understanding of US economics for the last 70 years knows we've never eliminated the debt, and that he was talking about the budget surplus.

Obama's statements: 100% accurate.

Your position: Silly.

If you have a surplus of money, then you don't have debt. Obama was the one to say "surplus". "Budget surplus" was what he should have said if he wasn't trying to mislead. He was making it sound as if their was no debt and a surplus at the beginning of GW Bush's presidency. You guys use the "hate" word quite often, I don't hate Obama, I think he's inept.

 

[Jim Craik]

Tom,

You seem a little confused, let me help you out.

The total Government debt is a very large number, accumulated over a number of years and a number of Presidents.

Each year the Govenment takes in money from taxes. When they spend more than they take in (Reagan, BushI, BushII, Obama), the debt increases.

When a President spends less in a given year than the government takes in, (Clinton) that is called a surplus.

Some of that surplus was being used to pay down the huge debt, most of it left over from the Reagan/BushI era.

So Clinton definatly had a surplus for several years and much of it was used to pay down the debt.

The debt was declining until BushII foolishly cut taxes and even more foolishly started two wars, that started the debt through the roof.

 

[Tom P]

Thanks, oh condescending one!

This was Lettermans question,

“Here’s what I found troubling [at the GOP convention]. They had the clock, the debt countdown clock and, I mean, this thing is going like crazy and it’s several trillion dollars. Now, what is that?” Letterman asked,

This was part of Obama's answer to that debt question,
"Well, here's what happened. We had a surplus when Bill Clinton was president," Obama said. "It was projected to continue to be a surplus. We decided to launch two wars on a credit card. We cut taxes twice without finding offsetting costs for it or ways to pay for it, a prescription drug plan and then we had a massive recession."

He did exactly what I said, and you can spin it however you like, but that was his intention.

 

[Howard Jones]

Jim I'm gonna give you all that. So............O gets elected and being a very smart guy knows what you know..........Then he begins his term with complete demo control of congress.......adds to the national debt (total since 1776ish-2008 = aprox 10T) by another third, now 15+T and does nothing about anything having to do with the nation debt except passin Ocare (another T over the next 7 years).

Genius..........now I get it. But, what I don't get is how anyone who is being honest thinks that O is NOT bankrupting the country............intentionally. After all he is as smart as you are...........right Jim. And he has not proposed any reduction in spending. Not a single billion..........well except defence. Hell we don't need any of that..................what we all need is more food stamps, free condoms, and solar powered cars that cost 70K and sell for 35K.

Whats more we still can't get a budget.....any budget for the last two years, out of the Senate (controlled by demos) and no proposals to fix Social Security or Medicare, the two biggest line items on the budget. Instead we got Ocare. The majority of American s don't want it but that won't stop them. Just shove it down their throats, they won't known what happened for years and O will be long gone.

Meanwhile Afghanistan is falling apart because he told the enemy we no longer were trying to win. Guess what happened to the Afghan's..............They have started changing sides to the one that does want to win. I would never have seen that one coming....... Everyone else in the region is playing look out for number one at the same time that the insane mullahs in Iran are months away from the point where NO ONE can guess how much longer it will take to build a nuke. Do you really think that is going to end pretty? If you were a JEW what would you do? If you like 4 dollar gas you are really gonna like 8 when the persian gulf is at war and we won't do anything to stop it. And they KNOW IT!!!!!!!!!

Libya (I still can't figure out why we did that, well I can, but we can get to that at another time) is quickly becoming a terrorist state run by the Muslim brotherhood as well as Egypt. Oh ya.....Arab spring, are you friggin kidding me! Good job on the middle east O.

The US economy is stuck in neutral because no one is willing to spend a dime with a communist holding his foot on the brake....again, he is smart, and he does know exactly what he's doing.....except a few redneck oil men with their middle finger in the air frackin natural gas on their own land.

Longest period with unemployment this high in US history, most people on food stamps in history, weakest recovery from recession in a 100 years, every big blue state in the country on the verge of insolvency, NASA cut to nearly nothing, our military cut so deep we would have a hard time defending our allies............if we have any left the way he has treated them the last 31/2 years.

Oil wells still shut down the the gulf, coal mines being shut down every day and 60K electric cars plied to the roof at government motors because no one wants to buy a car that can only go 50 miles. Energy policy!!!!!!!!!!!! FU!!!!! there's no policy unless you give money to O and the DNC. Ask me how much we made on GM stock?

Ya........ lets have another 4 years of that...............geese NO BODY.........well only about 45% are that stupid!

I better stop before I say something that might offend someone.........

 

[Jim Craik]

Tom,

In this context, when President Obama says we, he means "We the People of the US". Being President causes one to think of the country as "WE"

When BushII took over, "WE" had several years of Clinton surplus $ and they were projected to continue.

BushII forced through tax cuts, started two wars and added a prescription drug plan. With this cut in taxes and greatly increased spending by Bush, the surplus dissapeard and was replaced by a huge increase in the debt.

Everything President Obama said was true, Clinton had surpluses and Bush immediatly turned that into more debt.

 

[Jim Craik]

Howie, my friend,

Calm down, take a breath. You posted alot of thoughts, lets go over them.

You start with the debt, OK, why is the debt increasing? Why did they spend billions and billions on bank bailouts, GM bail outs, tarp and stimulus. Did Obama, Bush and Congress spent that money just to piss you off?

Howard you know very well why they spent that money, the economy was broken, Obama inherited a real mess. We had much less in tax income to the govenment, two wars, recent tax cuts, yet the cost of running the govenment, military, Social Security and Medicare did not go down at all. Not spending that money, letting the banks fail, letting wall street fail, letting GM fail would lead to 1929 all over again and you know it!

Then you go into Healthcare, you think this will cost you more because now everyone will be covered. Howie, you may not know this but you are already paying for everyone. All the uninsured who go to emergency rooms do not get turned away, they get taken care of and you pay for it. Now if everyone had to pay in, it would actually cost you and me less as we no longer pay for the un-insured as there are not any!

Dinner time, To be continued

 

[Jim Craik]

OK Howie, Frances says hi.

Now we go into the wars. Do you really think you can lay these wars at Obamas feet? Really!

You know very well that Bush stared both these unwinable quagmires. For the most part Obama has ended the stupidity in Iraq. I do not recall Obama saying that we are no longer trying to win, in Afganistan but winning there is absolutly impossable and you know it. Just ask the Brits and the the Soviets.

Then you go into Libya, The libyan people revolted against the madman Gadaffi. How on earth can you blame that on Obama? This was going to happen no mater what we did. Were you happy with the Crazy Colonel. Do you think the US should have faught alongside Gaddafi help him stay in power? Helped him slaughter his people?

Then you go into unemployment, yes it is bad, what the country needed was more stimulus spending, thats right, put people to work, thats what we needed, that is what got us out of the depression. But the Republicans refused to do anything that might help the economy, because it might make Obama look good, and we can't have that. They are willing to fuck the country, just so they can get back in power.

I guarantee you that in the unlikely event of Romney winning, suddenly stimulus will fall from the sky and you know it!

If all you say was really Obamas fault, no one would vote for him, I know I would not vote for him.

So Howie, tell us why, with all these wonderful, smart, blameless conservatives, Folks who you think, had nothing to do with our current problems. Why can't they beat Obama?

Why?

If its all Obamas fault, and the consevatives are blameless, why are the American people voting in droves for..................

An America hateing, black Muslim from Kenya? WHY!

Howard, you are in the minority in this and maybe, just maybe you are wrong.

 

[Tom P]

Tom,

In this context, when President Obama says we, he means "We the People of the US". Being President causes one to think of the country as "WE"

When BushII took over, "WE" had several years of Clinton surplus $ and they were projected to continue.

BushII forced through tax cuts, started two wars and added a prescription drug plan. With this cut in taxes and greatly increased spending by Bush, the surplus dissapeard and was replaced by a huge increase in the debt.

Everything President Obama said was true, Clinton had surpluses and Bush immediatly turned that into more debt.

Bush cut taxes,

I have never seen another person that needs someone to translate what he actually means! No matter what "the inept one" says, someone comes in and translates "oh he really meant this when he said that" I'm glad I'm not one of you guys, it's too hard keeping track of the lies.
Glad he's accomplished something!
Letterman,"Is it harder or easier to campaign as an incumbent?" "Harder, according to Obama: “You’ve got two jobs.” Then again, there are a few perks to being the president: “The plane’s nicer now."
Damn, I am relieved!

Yes with eight years of Bush with two years of democrat congress and senate created $4.9 trillion in debt we shouldn't have. The 'inept one" is responsible $5.44 trillion of debt we shouldn't have in three years and nine months. Spin that!

 

[Jim Craik]

Tom,

I know you strongly feel that you are right and Obama has ruined everything.

So if you are really right why is Obama winning the election by a wide margin?

 

[Tom P]

Tom,

I know you strongly feel that you are right and Obama has ruined everything.

So if you are really right why is Obama winning the election by a wide margin?

Obama was elected on a fluke, a perfect storm. I do know if he is re-elected the National debt will be north of $21 trillion in 2016 and our credit rating will be in the shitter. Your stock portfolio will also be in the shitter.

The answer to your last question is "an uninformed electorate".

The Clinton budget surplus was $260 billion, that lasts for about 85 days of spending. The National debt under Clinton went up $1.6 trillion, better than most, but stll debt.

 

[Jeff Young]

Jim I'm gonna give you all that. So............O gets elected and being a very smart guy knows what you know..........Then he begins his term with complete demo control of congress.......adds to the national debt (total since 1776ish-2008 = aprox 10T) by another third, now 15+T and does nothing about anything having to do with the nation debt except passin Ocare (another T over the next 7 years).

Genius..........now I get it. But, what I don't get is how anyone who is being honest thinks that O is NOT bankrupting the country............intentionally. After all he is as smart as you are...........right Jim. And he has not proposed any reduction in spending. Not a single billion..........well except defence. Hell we don't need any of that..................what we all need is more food stamps, free condoms, and solar powered cars that cost 70K and sell for 35K.

......

Common misconception. Actually, a big chunk of that new debt was already in place in the 2009 Budget Bush put together. Obama's 2010 budget cut spending, as will his 2013 projected budget.

Obama has, percentage wise, increased spending the least of any President since Eisenhower. From Forbes, a non-partisan source:


Who Is The Smallest Government Spender Since Eisenhower? Would You Believe It's Barack Obama? - Forbes

See:

In fiscal 2010 (the first Obama budget) spending fell 1.8% to $3.46 trillion.
In fiscal 2011, spending rose 4.3% to $3.60 trillion.
In fiscal 2012, spending is set to rise 0.7% to $3.63 trillion, according to the Congressional Budget Office’s estimate of the budget that was agreed to last August.
Finally in fiscal 2013 — the final budget of Obama’s term — spending is scheduled to fall 1.3% to $3.58 trillion. Read the CBO’s latest budget outlook.

 

[Tom P]

Common misconception. Actually, a big chunk of that new debt was already in place in the 2009 Budget Bush put together. Obama's 2010 budget cut spending, as will his 2013 projected budget.

Obama has, percentage wise, increased spending the least of any President since Eisenhower. From Forbes, a non-partisan source:


Who Is The Smallest Government Spender Since Eisenhower? Would You Believe It's Barack Obama? - Forbes

See:

In fiscal 2010 (the first Obama budget) spending fell 1.8% to $3.46 trillion.
In fiscal 2011, spending rose 4.3% to $3.60 trillion.
In fiscal 2012, spending is set to rise 0.7% to $3.63 trillion, according to the Congressional Budget Office’s estimate of the budget that was agreed to last August.
Finally in fiscal 2013 — the final budget of Obama’s term — spending is scheduled to fall 1.3% to $3.58 trillion. Read the CBO’s latest budget outlook.

That would be the Pelosi and Reid 2009 budget. How did Obama do so good and we have a presidency with the biggest rise in National debt in under four years in history with Obama, $5.44 trillion?

 

[Jeff Young]

Mostly because of 2009. Which was the Bush budget -- prepared and proposed by him, passed by Congress. 10 and 11 each added about a 1 trillion to the debt on top of that, even though spending fell.

Percentage wise, Obama is far less of a spender than anyone before him.

 

[Tom P]

Tom,

I know you strongly feel that you are right and Obama has ruined everything.

So if you are really right why is Obama winning the election by a wide margin?

Jim, I've asked people, whites, and blacks, who voted for Obama why they voted for him. The answer is almost always the same. The message of Hope and Change and "the first black president". Why do you think 95% of blacks voted for Obama? Why do you think about the same percentage will vote for him again even with the highest unemployment rate of any ethnic group? I was amazed when Samuel L Jackson along with others said that's why they are voting for him again. Not because of his record, or the economy, or unemployment, but his color. The highest office in our country on a racially motivated vote! I'm not voting against him because of his color, it's his lack of performance. I didn't vote for him before because of his lack of experience. The average voter knows nothing about what is happening in this country. They will vote for whoever promises them more. At some point there won't be enough people to pay the promises. Please don't start the racist or hate BS, I'm not a racist and I don't hate.

 

[Tom P]

Mostly because of 2009. Which was the Bush budget -- prepared and proposed by him, passed by Congress. 10 and 11 each added about a 1 trillion to the debt on top of that, even though spending fell.

Percentage wise, Obama is far less of a spender than anyone before him.

Percentage of what?

 

[Jeff Young]

Jim, I've asked people, whites, and blacks, who voted for Obama why they voted for him. The answer is almost always the same. The message of Hope and Change and "the first black president". Why do you think 95% of blacks voted for Obama? Why do you think about the same percentage will vote for him again even with the highest unemployment rate of any ethnic group? I was amazed when Samuel L Jackson along with others said that's why they are voting for him again. Not because of his record, or the economy, or unemployment, but his color. The highest office in our country on a racially motivated vote! I'm not voting against him because of his color, it's his lack of performance. I didn't vote for him before because of his lack of experience. The average voter knows nothing about what is happening in this country. They will vote for whoever promises them more. At some point there won't be enough people to pay the promises. Please don't start the racist or hate BS, I'm not a racist and I don't hate.

That's funny. Most people who I talk to who voted for him and will vote for him again (white, black, latino, male, female) do so because:

1. He stewarded us through the worst economic recession in our life times.

2. He's improved our standing with our allies in the rest of the world.

3. He ended the war in Iraq and is the only candidate who has a plan for getting us out of Afghanistan.

4. He backs equal rights for gay folks.

5. He is the first President to get something done with our health care issue -- we are the only Western democracy with millions of people with no access to health care, and we spend 30% more per capita on health care than other countries for worse results.

6. He offered a reasonable budget deficit reduction plan of 2-3 dollars in spending cuts for every dollar in tax increases, which the Tea Zombies in the House rejected.

7. He believes in the basic principle that a easonable progressive income tax is the fairest means of collecting revenue for government.