When do problems blamed on Bush transfer to Obama?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Finger pointing is an age-old past time in Washington. But at some point when you get the job, you also get to own the problems that come with it.
When President Obama took office almost 18 months ago, he had a lot to blame on his predecessor, George W. Bush - the economy was on life support, and the country was fighting two wars half a world away and the country was spiraling ever more deeply into debt. The general mood in this country wasn't so cheery. But a year and a half later, not a whole lot has changed. The economy isn't much better, the wars continue, and the debt has gotten a lot worse.
President Obama is still reminding Americans though that he "inherited" a lot of his problems. Last week, he told attendees at a Wisconsin town hall meeting that the economic woes many are facing are not his fault.
Granted there is still a lot of animosity when it comes to the Bush presidency, but at some point he becomes history and the country must confront the here and now.
Our friends over on CNN.com point out that 41 percent of Americans say Republicans are responsible for our current economic problems. 28 percent point a finger at Democrats, and 26 percent said both parties are to blame, even though in the last two years of the Bush Administration, Democrats controlled Congress.
The debate over whose fault everything is could take on added importance when it comes to the midterm elections in November. Will the voters continue to give the Democrats a pass?
Here’s my question to you: At what point does ownership of problems blamed on George Bush transfer to President Obama?
Tune in to the Situation Room at 5pm to see if Jack reads your answer on air.
And, we love to know where you’re writing from, so please include your city and state with your comment.
@jackcafferty on Twitter
18 months is way too much time for taking over. Waiting 3 months to make a policy change in Afganistan and 2 to 3 weeks to take action on an oil spill doesn't take any time off of it. Putting the blame on someone else doesn't get the job done. He did a pretty slick job of setting up BP for all the blame. What happened 5000 feet down in the ocean was BP's fault. What happened on the coast due to his inaction is his.
Jack, we should give him another 6 years. As talented as Bush and the republican congress were at wrecking the country, it took them a few years to get us in the hole we're in now, but they expect President Obama to fix it in less than 2 years? I think you've been listening to Rush Limbaugh too much. President Obama isn't magical.
Jack
We don't expect overnight change. We do expect the pendulum to begin changing direction.. Obama has not been sucessful in any significant changes. Personally I will be donating to the Obama Library in 2012
Unfortunately, it was January 20th, when he took title to a burnt down mess. Obama is a contractor trying to fix a "house on fire". That was started by a bunch of Lobbyists hiding behind a bunch of Republicans, who have gasoline in one hand and matches in the other with a sheepish grin. And to make it worse he has a bunch of Democrats, scratching their heads with one hand and the other hand, well that thumb is up their collective butts. It's a shame not to see any rallying support from the Democrats for our president. It's no wonder our countries in such a mess.
Jack,are you telling us that Obama ran for President not knowing what the state of the country was,had no idea what he was going to be responsible for and we all voted for that?
Ownership of Bush's problems transferred in the 2006 mid-term elections... when the Democrats took control of Congress.
When will you stop believing polls? Even pollsters say that polls are NOT representative of the climate in America. Since only landlines are used, (how many people do you know who still have those, & who are they?), pollsters tell us that almost without exception, those participating in polls are older, white, Conservatives.
What about the opinions of the rest of us; the MAJORITY of Americans? What part of "partisan" don't you understand? As any pollster will tell you, poles can't be accurate. Why do they bother to conduct them, I wonder?
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I had belief in Obama until he was elected! I did not vote for him, although I would have, but I was out of the country working, WHEN I had a job. You know, building a new plant outside of the U.S.A.
Anyway, I knew he was going to win, so I was not worried about the vote.
Now, unfortunately, I see how rediculous he really is. Or probably the entire government as well. I can't stand the political bickering between Democrats / Republicans. We can't succeed with our present political system. Our government is throwing this country down the doilet, and their only focus is on getting their own party elected. It's time to stop playing kissy-face with other countries, stop blatently handing out tax dollars to other countries, do SOMETHING to get American workers back to employment, making U.S.A. made products. Time to seal the spewing borders, spewing Oil well, spewing dollars leaving America, etc.... I am disappointed in our latest president and just as pissed off at the last one. Repubs / Dems, (Independents?) I don't care, get someone in there that actually cares about the LEGAL CITIZENS of THIS country.
Jack does a second Dr ever have to take the blame for the missed diagnosis of the first Dr?
Stop blaming Bush when the economy goes back to pre-Bush levels. You remember, 6 years of a budget surplus.
The day he was sworn in as President of the United States he assumed ownership. He applied for the job, with full knowledge of the problems we faced.
As he stated: "I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States" he took the responsibility and ownership of the problems.
His constant whining that he "inherited" the problems is an evasion and a poor excuse from a man who was not prepared to accept those responsibilities of the most powerful man in the world.
On January 1, 2011 when George W. Bush's tax cuts expire. President Obama has promised that only the rich will pay more taxes under his watch. But now he desperately needs more money. Therefore, he will veto Congress' extension bill and let all the tax cuts expire. President Obama will plagiarize Bill Clinton by claiming that it all depends on what the meaning of "rich" is. He will say something farcical like "all Americans are rich just to live here". From that date onward Obama will take ownership of all Bush's problems.
Indeed, the lie may even spawn a powerful "George W. Bush in 2012" movement. Obama appears on the threshold of taking failure as a President to a whole new level, and making Bush look marvelous by comparison. Not the accomplishment the world had hoped for.
It took Dubya 8 loooong years to get us into this mess.
I think we might be a little patient as Obama is so far doing a great job cleaning it up, but it will take more time...
Say what you want about Obama the savior, as the Republicans
keep calling him, he won't be able to bring back all the American
soldiers killed in Iraq. By the way the Republicans have
invented the word "NO" as I have learned.
Bush is the "decider" not the transferer.
Blame Bush?? Who blames Bush..... Obama gets blamed for EVERTHING! If Obama came up with a cure for cancer, the right would blame him for hurting the funeral parlor industry!
When do we stop blaming Bush? When the problems stemming from his horrible leadership are cleared up or go away.
When do I stop blaming Bush? Just as soon as the recession of 2008 and two, very expensive wars become a memory.
Sometimes you make mistakes and the consequences go away quickly. Sometimes you make mistakes and it can take many years to repair the damage. For example, the oil blowout in the gulf!
Every President has to take responsibility for his own actions and the ensuing results Jack. In an era of radical political views (more so than ever before) and instant communications ownership won't be a presented reality. They are still piling on President Clinton and Carter for goodness sake. When you go to your local home improvement store, put a can of white paint on the counter and tell them you want it some color of purple to match what you have in your hand they will add colors to the white, put it in the shaker for 20 minutes, check it out, add more colors, shake it until it finally gets to be right.
It does not matter who the President is or the party they are from they can't get change "the thing all politicians are elected for" done by walking in the door. The current results belong to Pres Bush and the issues now belong to President Obama. It's going to take a few more shakes of the can Jack to get things turned around.
I guess that depends on whether you're a Democrat or Republican Jack. If you're a Republican, about 6 months ago was enough. If you're a Democrat about 150 years might start seeing a downturn in the Bush blame game.
It goes to show how little real executive experience Obama has. If he were an executive at anything other than government, he would have already been fired for not doing anything other than pointing fingers at other people.
Funny how their memory is so short when it comes to taking credit. Biden's flying all over the place taking credit for Iraq – despite the fact that the withdrawel was Bush's plan as was the surge which both he and Obama were dead set against – ah, but that's working, so ......
If you can't turn things around of course you blame someone else, isn't that the American way?
If you are a true leader, it becomes your problem and your responsibility the moment you take office. Most people can see you may have not gotten the Country into something, but take ownership and show that you are in charge. As Truman said, "the buck stops here."
NEVER! They were Bush's messes! The only thing Obama is responsible for is to try and clean up those messes. And believe me it is going to take alot longer than 18 months or 4 years or 8 years for that matter.
The "problem" I think we're most concerned about is the collapse of the global economy. That's kinda a big problem, and it's really simplistic to blame it on any one individual. Note that Repuiblicans repeatedly blame that same problem on Bill Clinton and the Democrat-majority Congress of the Bush Presidency.
To me, the bigger "problem" is the complete abandonment of America's moral compass. That we would torture prisoners, that we would invade a nation while UN inspections were ongoing, and based on lies. Obama bears no blame for these things, though Congressmen/women who authorized the invasion of Iraq DO bear blame, as does Bush. And Obama bears blame for his failure to set America's morality back to its former peak.
I think when the strain of the wars started during the Bush Administraiton come to an end, then more attention will go toward Obama and his responsibility in the country's state of affairs.
Do people really think those big problems inherited from Bush can be solved in 18 months? I don't know of any company that can do that let alone a country. If after 4 years, the problems inherited from Bush are still not solved, then you can blame Obama. Before that, you can't. That is why we have election every 4 years, not every 18 months.
I think that the problems are just inherited – don't point fingers, just say they were here to start with, and that if they don't correct before Obama leaves, they will still be "inherited" by his successor. Only when we fully turn a corner and see unemployment truly reducing, the market truly rebound, can we say we are 100% on the right track. Then it's patience that will solve – nothing more, nothing less.
Simple, they are Bush's problems until they're solved. If the Republicans were trying to help solve them, I might cut them some slack, but since they and their president caused these problems and they refuse to help solve them but still try to pin them on Obama, they get nothing but blame until they're fixed. When you leave a mess behind, it's still your mess.
When Republicans, especially in the Senate, stop acting like brats and let Obama clean up the mess Bush left behind. Charming bunch, those Republicans – willing to destroy us just to win. I never thought people who profess to love this country would ever stoop so low. I was wrong.
We can stop blaming Bush when we stop having to paying for his mistakes.
Since Congress is the governing body when it comes to fiscal activities, they are the ones who should bear the greatest responsibility.
The coach has changed but the same lackluster team is playing.
Let's be real – the second Bush stepped out of the Oval Office for the last time all blame in regard to decisions and policy were Obama's. For him to keep blaming Bush is nothing more than him admiting he wasn't up to the "Change" he thought he could bring.
Are you seriously asking whether or not the buck should stop with the President simply because of timing? A leader accepts responsibility regardless...something our citizens are too critical of and our politicians lack the fortitude for.
Time nor history will change the fact that Bush dumped two wars (one optional), a doubled national debt, loss of respect for us around the world, and a plummeting economy on President Obama.
Stop blaming and fix the problem.
Given that the Republicans still routinely run against Jimmy Carter (out of office for 29 years now) and blame him for all the ills of the 80's and 90's, I guess Bush can stop being blamed sometime after 2037.
Obama now owns Iraq and Afghanistan,health care,the new taxes, immigration but not soley the economy. Bush still deserves to own that one. Obama may have not helped the economy and maybe made it worse but he still has Bush's company on this. I don't think any one party is to blame . They all got us into this together. They all went along. Send a new crop of legislators down to DC in 2010 the present one is rotten.
The existing two "Wars" should never be shifted to Obama and at least give him a couple of years to try and fix the economic crisis, which in fact is a worldwide problem. Many States are in a much bigger economic problem than the Feds. The only out is a healthy tax increase on the most wealthy in the country who have had a free ride too long. How else could we ever get the failing infrastructure of this country fixed. PS. Get the hell out of Irag and Afghanistan. That is a mess.
Never. It's the current administration's job to try to fix the extreme damage done by the Bush administration. GW Bush was the worst U.S. President, EVER.
No, the second doesn't take blame for the misdiagnosis of the first. But, as some point, the second doc is expected to effectively treat the ailment. Standing bedside with a clipboard and repeating "We've inherited these problems" isn't going to heal the patient. You're on the case now, Dr. O, and have been long enough to make it "your patient."
When we are out of Iraq and the economy is on the right tract is when we can stop blaming those idiot that you "Jack" hammered on for the eight years they were in. 18 months is not enough time to correct the screw ups the privious adminstartion did to us. Give us at leaset foru years to see if his programs work then you can start piling on !
I think that when two million jobs return, the trillions in personal savings come back, when Cheney is tried for war crimes, and when the MMS finally takes BPs last dime we can remember that Bush ranks right above the bottom of the Presidents list. But we cannot ever forget that his presidency gave rise to unregulated greed and the rise of this oligarchy.
Jan 20, 2009.
He knew the situation when he ran. Has he taken ANY blame for ANYTHING? He takes credit for his "victories". Paper Leader. He may be President, but he certainly is no leader. Neither is VP Buffoon.
To my knowledge, Bush has never accepted personal responsibility for the consequences of his disastrous policies of deregulation and cutting taxes while at the same time embarking on two foreign wars. Neither have the Republicans. Until they do, your question is meaningless.
Obama and the Democrats are struggling to clean up their mess and are likely to do so for years, because the Republicans in the Senate threaten to filibuster every remedy they propose.
President Reagan, blamed Jimmy Carter up until his re-election........
Let's see economy goes into meltdown mode, 8 million people are kicked out of the workforce, under GWBush......I liked George, but It's not pointing blame if there is truth involved.
George W.'s political M.O. was divide & conquer. He's going to carry those scars for short term political gain for a long time. P.S.-the scars from a baseless political impeachment don't heal easily either.
Jack, he took ownership the day he took office.
Jack, when the two wars are over and the housing and bank situations are no longer a problem. Bush deserves everything he's getting and then some. Or are you already rewriting history Jack?
Jack – about the Dr analogy from Susan. Seems Dr Obama has taken over care of the patient and the patient isn't getting better. He can continue to blame Dr Bush but he isn't making himself stand out as a better doctor by any stretch of the imagination.
George Bush did everything he could for the country...Barack Obama is doing everything he can for the country...if anyone can do better, then run for office.
Tough to say.....
Some of the items are Bush's fault-two wars without an end are draining our financial resources, financial bailouts of the banks that have done nothing to rescue our economy (remember if they did not have the money by the end of the week the end of time was going to happen?)
Obama-fiscal spending with little or no results (unemployment still above 9%, no signs of economic recovery).
Both-failure to have a cohesive plan (GOP-the party of no, Dems-the party of spend)-there is no middle ground.
With all of this here we are......no where
This isn't like President Obama inherited a house that is falling apart, or car that needs work. He got a country that had a trillion dollar deficit. If he could have figured out a way to have solved that kind of money issue in this short of time, he wouldn't be the president, he would be a trillionair businessman. But he isn't, he is a man that wanted to fix a nearly destroyed world that W. and his cronies left. Clinton left the country on a silver platter and W. pawned that platter to oil companies and ran the country into the ground.
We past that mark at the 1 year point. Time to take the good and the bad.
Obama's responsibility started the moment he took office. Instead of blaming his predecessor, he should have clearly stated: "Here's where we are, and this is what we are going to do about it." We can debate the reasons this didn't happen–but sadly the opportunity seems to have been lost.
Does January 20th, 2009 ring a bell?
I think that when the current administration embraces the worst policies of the last administration they have to accept the blame for their actions. Obama supported the bank and auto bailouts, extended the Patriot Act, failed to withdraw troops from Iraq after 16 months as he promised, and while I don't blame him for the Bush deficits that hit close to $500 billion, I DO blame him for his own deficits that are 3-4 times as large.
Mr. Obama knew what the job entailed when he pursued it. He was hired by the American people to fix the problems that existed when he ran for office. I don't know any employee who would look good blaming his predessor for the problems they were hired to fix.
Mr Obama is not living up to his resume and his now casting blame in the futile hope that he will save face. He's an intelligent and well-spoken man who has not shown the strength and leadership that is necessary for his position as leader of the free world. I don't even think he realizes how many people throughout the world depend on the continued strength and leadership of the US. Despite our flaws this nation provides help to countless people through out the world that would not be provided by any other nation.
Jack:
Politicians do not have problems, the people do. Bush's problems became the people's problems as they will pay for all the mistakes. Boy, will they pay. Now President Obama does not have any problems either, whatever he does to modify previous problems, they become modified problems for the people (to pay for), then he can hop on AF-1
(of three) and forget about it. Did I make this all clear ?
Harry Truman says the buck stops here so obama has got it
and has to step up to the challenge! Herb
it doesn't matter which president gets the blame. until the congress and the senate or republicans and democrats stop worrying about their re election and start trying to help the american people nothing is going to change. and by the way i find it inconceiveable that a man could stay in office until he reaches the age of 92. all of them should retire at age 67 and get out of the way and let young people in with new ideas and fresh thinking. i also think that term limits shold be made a law, two terms in either house and you are out
Bill Clinton was blamed for at least the first four years of Bush administration failures.
Nearly all the problems, and primarily our economic woes need not be transferred to Obama anytime soon, because the giant dollar chewing Elephant that George W. Bush left in the room is still with us. We'll all have to chew on this Elephant one bite at a time till it's gone... and that will take a while. Thanks for nothing W.
The continued finger pointing of our president, while unfortunate, is not misguided nor incorrect. When does a doctor have to accept responsibility for the misdiagnosis of the doctor before him? He doesn't, and he shouldn't have to.
Theresa in mississippi: He doesn't HAVE another six years. Obama is without a doubt a one termer. If folks don't agree with him they are called racist. Anyone with a brain saw that coming during the campaign and it is sure getting old. He will be voted out come the next presidential election. Of course, allegations of racism will spew when that happens also.
President Obama should have stated he owned the country's problems as of his Inauguration Day. Americans look to their President to be a leader, accepting responsibility for solutions.
If you use the precedent Bush established, you can blame your predecessor until a month before the election that replaces you. I remember Bush blaming Clinton well into his second term! Jon Stewart had a montage on the Daily Show that showed them still blaming Clinton in October of 2008!!!
South San Francisco, CA
I think Obama should have stopped blaming Bush when he started taking credit for anything. Obama said he was going to stop the paritsan bickering and politics during his campaign, but still 2 years later blames Bush and the Republicans at every chance he gets, he's another 2 face politician who has not lived up to his campaign slogan promise of "Change". The only change is that the country is being governed from the Liberal Left, and hopefully the November elections will take some of the pressure off of their deathly strangle hold on this country.
When Obama started allowing Bush Policies to go forward he became Bush. There is no difference between them, 2 wars,the economy in the dumper, the gulf oil spill owned and operated by BP's Coast Guard, GITMO still up and running,no transparency..What is different?
Enough is enough. Stand up on your own two feet, Barack. You have had plenty of time as president to do so. Face the music, be responsible and stop blaming the former administration for our current problems. Each administration inherits problems from the previous one. You, sir, are certainly no different.
Tim McCoy
Houston, Texas
Be realistic! Bush had 8 YEARS to run this government ship aground.
Obama doesn't walk on water! His financial/economic & health reforms
took a year to get through the Senate. Why is held accountable a YEAR AND ONE HALF into his term? The question sounds fishy to me.
Give him at least 2/3 of his term to start attacking on jobs, economics, and the environment.
Anasa/California
Actually Jack, it's my fault. I love cheap food, cheap gas, and cheap goods and services. In order to fill my consumption needs someone has to pay the price. Why should I pay more? It does not make sense economically. Until the rest of America owns up that they are the biggest part of the problem, there will never be a solution. That will never happen because it is easier to point the finger at someone else.
When do problems blamed on Bush transfer to Obama? When the President took the oath of office in January 2009. I spent over 28 years in the military from President Carter to President Bush (II) and had the opportunity to command on several occasions. As soon as you are the commander (or the Commander in Chief) any problems or challenges the organization is dealing with are now your problems and you don't blame the other guy. Both sides in congress need to "man up" and get to work as a team or step aside and let a new team work these problems for America.
Bush definitely created the mess. Obama racked up the debt to avert disaster. There are still debates as to whether this should continue or whether spending should cease. In any event, debt is like jail, real easy to get into and really hard to get out of. The impatience of people may result in a backlash against the Democrats but it will not change their situation. The piper must be paid and we have been dancing for quite some time now.
Lord knows, Obama will use this excuse for years to come!! He's the consumate politician! I think Americans are starting to see through this constant blame game on Bush....it's old stuff! Make fun of Bush all you want, at least, HE acted like a President!
Maybe when the american people step up and accept THEIR responsibility for a good portion of this mess.
Issues from the previous administration becomes the current president's problems on innaguration day. Blaming others, be it, Bush, Democrats, the banks, or the man in the moon is not going to do anything to turn the current situation around. I'm still waiting for change, let alone change I can believe in.
Jack,
He took on this mess and promised a "transparent" government. Smell smoke? I think his pants are on fire. I don't trust him or any of his cronies. It's not about Dem vs Rep. They are not interested in serving the people of this country. We seem to forget that we are their bosses. It's about incumbents getting the boot. They think they are all entitled and untouchable. It's time for new blood. Just wait til November.
When will everyone realize that Obama and Bush (and virtually all national dems and reps) play on the same time. They are puppets. While some puppets are more empathetic, likable and charismatic than others, but they are all puppets.
Every President senice Woodrow Wilson has sold the US down the river. Some more than others, however, any president since Nixon has played their part in selling our national sovereignty out.
Obama is the good cop, Bush was the bad cop. They play their roles to the "T".
It is my hope that my fellow Americans realize this sooner rather than later. I fear for this nation.
Considering that Bush had a six year jump On Obama to effectively destroy this country, Obama has like years to mend the wounds.
The one difference between the two is that one was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and always did his best to take care of his special interest benefactors and the other is trying to bring this country back to its moral compass. Ten presidents couldn't erase the damage of George W. but at least this one is trying. Tell me what you think when Obama reaches his second term something George W. should have never attained.
The transfer of power begins when he takes office. I have never heard a military officer say that he inherited the problems or that the problems he now has belonged to someone else. It doesn't work that way. The problems are his when he takes that office and he needs to accept them and keep his remarks out of his speeches.
As soon as bush didn't start 2 wars and didn't trash our economy, Obama has to stop blaming him for it. In the meantime, you're free to write moronic opinion pieces. And pass them off as journalism.
This is obam's mess...he has quadrupled the dept, raised taxes etc etc etc etc..he is a complete disaster!!!!!
Obama thought he could solve the nation's problems. Now he must blame Bush because he cannot.
I now blame them both equally...Obama is a big disappointment and the Dem's will pay big time in Nov...
The answer, Jack, is when Obama has had half the time to fix things as young Bush had to screw them up.
And lets not forget the Reagan – Gingrich years when the foundations for much of the current mess were laid.
Under most circumstances problems inherited from a former administration become the responsibility of the current administration. However, the depth and the severity of the economic crisis that was left by the Bush administration will be with us for some time to come. Most economist say that we are just as likely to enter another recission as not before things become normal again. If you are in a hole up to you neck, it might not be too much to overcome. But given the current situation, Obama is in a hole as deep as the one BP is drilling to stop the oil spill. I would give Obama 4 years before I hold him responsible for the mess we are in. It is just that bad.
Re: Blame game
Jack,
If you purchased a car that had been involved in a horendous accident and you're now left responsible to pay the debt; do you accept the blame? No. You accept the responsibliity because the debt is now yours, but you should never accept the blame for the debt.
Virginia
Louisville, KY
The repeal of the Glass Steagill Act preceeded Bush.
His administration abused the relaxed laws and
invited the financial abuse that led to the current Depression.
In plain terms, the bank robbery was an inside job!!
Obama will never be able to get it back.
Americans are too impatient – they want gratification instantly. It took 8 years of Bush to turn surpluses into deficits and create two new wars. President Obama shouldn't be expected clean up after a Republican majority in just 18 months. Let's get real.
Jack,
Do you think there might be room on the President's desk for Harry Truman's "The Buck Stops Here" sign ?
It seems to me the president has very little power. He must have the support of both house and senate to pass any laws or make any changes. I don't believe bush nor obama should carry any blame but it needs to be shared by or representatives. I cant see much desire from these folks to help or change things for the interest of the AMERICAN PEOPLE. WE THE PEOPLE!
There is not statute of limitations for murder!
obama is the consummate man-child that wants attention for every imaginary success but would throw his mother under a bus before taking the blame for his numerous blunders as president. Every single day he proves more and more how important it is to be tested as a leader before being given one of the most important leadership roles in the world. This man was not and is not qualified to be an intern yet he was made CEO of the United States. If he didn't feel up to the job he should have said so when he was campaigning and stepped aside and let Hillary take charge. If he still feels he is not up to it then resign and let VP Biden take charge....he could hardly do worse. Until then own up to your job.
The mess Bush left us in will take generations to resolve and will always be Bush's fault. These problems won't just magically become some else's fault. Obama should be blamed for his mistakes and not those of others. If Obama doesn't begin to straighten out the mess of his predecessors then he should accept blame for that but not for the mess itself.
He's trying to force another recession, so he can claim success when things look a bit better in 2012. Let's talk about Obama's successors...who will be chained to the outrageous vote-buying & patronage that was paid by the "stimulus" garbage. GWB's TARP plan saved the economy. The stimulus saved thousands of union jobs...either sleeping Fed drones or shovel-leaners watching WORKERS drive past.
Obama's a fraud...now spending NASA funds to encourage Muslim children. Is NASA in the IED business??
Day 1. In private industry, when a CEO “volunteers” for a new job that involves solving a company’s problems there is the expectation that he has solutions and the ability to implement these solutions. If, after 18 months of digging a deeper hole for the company, and still blaming his predecessor for everything, the board might just get the idea that maybe he does not have the required experience or ability, and must be “in over his head”.
I'd prefer to ask when a leader ought to accept responsibility for fixing the problem rather than blaming someone else for it. The answer? A real leader does that on day one. Yes, President Obama inherited this mess. But, he asked for the job; no one forced him to take it. Blaming President Bush does nothing to help solve our country's problems. So, while President Obama is not responsible for creating much of this mess, he is responsible for cleaning it up. If he were to spend as much time fixing problems as he spends blaming President Bush for them, we'd all be a lot better off.
Don't anyone be fooled, It will take a lot longer than 1 1/2 years to fix the problem Bush and his minions left behind. Obama is doing a great job. I seriously doubt that any one else, let alone the republicans, can do any better. Pres. Obama "inherited" almost every thing this country is enduring right now. Yes even the oil spill. All republicans care about is their pockets and being elected next term. We(The people) are neither stupid nor ignorant. Give Obama his 4 years, HELL give him 8. It will take at least that much to fix these problems.
Colin Powell advised Bush before invading Iraq: "If you break it, it's yours forever." Can you imagine what we could've done with that money domestically instead?
Since we can't turn the clock back, or rewrite history then it remains the Bush/Cheney economical mess. When President Obama was sworn in we were on the verge of another great depression. I felt sorry for whoever took over as it seemed an almost insurmountable problem.
It took eight years for Bush to get us to this point. Now the economy is slowly turning around. Instead of losing hundreds of thousands of jobs, we are gaining some.
We now have health care reform. Children will no longer be denied health care because of a preexisting condition. The insurance companies can no longer drop you because your care costs to much. People will now longer have to crowd our emergency rooms for health care. This is a big deal.
The President has had to fight every step of the way against the party of no. And he has prevailed, lucky for us. Yes, the buck stops here and he has it well in hand.
As any person who has been promoted or elected to a position of authority should know: When you accecpt the position you accept the responsibily of the problems left you. You take the job know the history of your precedcessor and it is your duty to change the course of the company. If you're not doing that it's no one's fault but your own.
Paul
When to stop blaming Bush? Certainly that should be sometime
after the Republicans stop blaming Clinton and Carter – and how
long has that been going on?
If the problem existed before the change, then it transfers to the new management. Obama may not have created the problems but they are here and they are real and he needs to stop blaming his predecessor. Frankly I am getting very tired of the cry baby attitude not only by the Prez but his supporters as well.
Jack, Bush was a bad president, who left a hugh deficent, Obama was able to triple it in eighteen months with a democrat congress. It is hard to give either a hand on the back.
Like many Americans who have no jobs! I'm mad than hell but my anger is directed towards obstructionist namely (1) the Republicans who oppose every move to revive the economy (2) You the media, with the vertically integrated structure fox news have brainwashed even the most respected journalist in America, (3) Special interests, they will oppose if Jesus is coming from heaven tomorrow, use every dime they have to bribe the congress to close the doors of heaven if thats possible. Having said that, Jack! I will only hold President Obama accountable if you all can stop being obstructionist and help him build the Nation we all love and adore.
Continuing the analogy of doctors:
IF the first Dr. cuts an arm and a leg of patient after misdiagnoses, Second Dr. can only do so much. He can not give the patient a brand new leg and an arm.
In this case, isn't first Dr. to be blamed all the time?
And that's what Bush did to the country. Cut an arm and a leg and now Obama is trying to put some patches.
Hi Jack, Obama does have to own up to his policies and Bush the same. Maybe we overstate the reach of the President, and assume he is this messiah who will correct all the wrong in the world. When change does not happen, we get frustrated. Our expectations are off. My bet is that the recovery will be lead by the American people and trickle up, not the other way around. American talent will correct this ship, i've got faith in us.
When exactly and what exactly is Obama blaming Bush for? In fact, the mess that this country is, could easily be blamed on Bush, Clinton and Bush Senior.
When the problems Bush caused are gone. Since thats a long way off, its going to be a long time until we should stop blaming Bush.
A lesson taught to all Chief Petty Officers in the US Navy states that every time you point the finger of blame at someone, there are three fingers pointing back at yourself. Any semi-respectable leader will tell you that energy spent on finding who is to blame for an ongoing problem is wasted energy.
When is it time for a leader to accept the blame? The very moment that person claims the title of "LEADER".
Only a President with no answers would take the easy road. I hear and see alot of talk, the liberal media loves Obama. Show me positive results, and I'll think of you as President. Time to put on the big boy pants and offer no excuses.
It is true that a lot of the economic mess we are currently experiencing is a result of failed policies from the previous administration. President Obama may not be responsible for the failure of those policies, but he is responsible for how effective his policies are in dealing with our current problems. President Obama never promised a miracle. He said it would take time to turn things around. A year and a half seems like a long time for those who are struggling. I wish business were doing more hiring. However, I do think we have made progress.
The same is true for the wars. He may not have gotten us into the wars. But, he is responsible for the success of his policies in dealing with the wars.
George Bush absolutely owns the Iraq war lock, stock and barrel until the day he goes off to the big ranch in the sky. He lied to get us into a war that doubled our debt ( two wars) and kept us from focusing on Afghanistan. Dick Cheney owns the Gulf oil disaster. Need I remind anyone of the forty secret meetings with the oil and gas industry where he said "Don't worry about safety valves, boys, those Europeans are just wasting money." President Obama is doing an admirable job of digging us out of the huge crater those two dispicable men put us in.
Jack...He prays everynight...Forgive me Lord,for I know not what I am doing,and It's Bushes; fault.
I'll never stop blaming Bush. The mess he and his crew made is so huge and has such long term far reaching effects, it changed the world.
Blame Bush? I still blame Regan.
Jack,
Never, Never. Look at it this way. If you trusted your home to someone for 8 years. You leave them with excess money as well.
At the end of the 8 years they destroy the house and then burn it down.
They also depleted the money and leave you in debt.
You have to now try to re-build the house and replenish the debt. That is what Mr. Obama is doing. This man has brought us back from the brink of destruction and all you media people can do is ask negative, uuseless questions. You are trying to mislead the voters. The President is taking reponsiblity for getting the country back on track and he is doing his best. No one who is not on drugs could not expect him to fix it all even in 2 years. Stop the whinning and see what you can do to help.
It is never to long as long as the facts warrant it. One should never forget the mistakes of past failed policies. Reagan's trickle down never worked, only made billionares out of millionares, and lead to the largest % increase in the deficit this country has ever experienced. (LOOK IT UP) Bush's deregulation has led to the largest government bailout plan this country has ever experienced. So if we don't continue to remind people just how we got into these dire straits, we will certainly we doomed to repeat the past mistakes, since the billionares are desperately trying to hang on to their illgotten gains.
IDIOTS,
When blame is placed, it doesn't get shifted to another, over time.
If you screw up something, why should someone who takes over inherits the blame. Blame cannot he inherited. Learn some sense, people.
We can stop blaming him when it's not his fault. Plain and simple.
@SusanB from Idaho:
If the first doctor misdiagnoses a patient and the second doctor also fails to properly diagnose, both are at fault. So, the short answer to your question is "yes".
Even if the second doctor properly diagnoses but fails to prescribe proper treatment, the treating physician is responsible for the patient's declining health. Bush is no longer in charge, so the buck stops with the president.
People please! Jack is not saying that Obama should have cleaned up any messes by now. All he is saying is when is it time to stop blaming Bush and start taking responsibility for the job that is wholly his? That doesn't mean it has to be fixed tomorrow. But, the partisan and cheap game of still blaming Bush 18 months later is unproductive, and its basically aimed at people the Democrats deem to be stupid. Its Obama's country and until he takes some ownership of the problem, how do we know he's really trying to fix it? He may just be saying all of these things for midterm elections and paying little attention to what he can do to fix our problems. I don't need this president to make excuses, I need him to get it in gear however possible and focus ALL of his attention on the country. Its a desperate move to still be blaming Bush.
Lets blame ourselves for the problems this country faces. We the people are just too greedy and irresponsible.
Bush and his cronies spent eight years creating the problems that
this country now faces. It is highly unlikely that any one President
can fix the mess in only 18 months. Sure, President Obama now
owns these problems, but we must be realistic. These problems are
not going to go away tonight, tomorrow, or anytime soon.
Jack,
Blaming Bush isn't the answer. Nor is blaming Obama. You voted in Bush, not one but twice. Getting hoodwinked not once, but twice. The blame game is a really easy game to play until you realize that your as much to blame as anybody, then you want to take your toys and go home. At the very least, Obama seems to have stopped kicking the can down the road and at the very least started the dialogue toward the very difficult choices that face America today.
Obama ran on change and preached it to all his believers like he could make it happen overnight. Well, that is not the truth, Obama has been only able to change one thing and that is bringing Chicago style politics to the White House, nothing else. If you take over as a CEO of a business, you are responsible for the company regardless of what the previous CEO may of done. Welcome to the real world Obama, time to live up to all your promises and change you said would happen for America.
Gulf State politicians are nearly totally composed of corrupt Big Oil Republicans supported by State citizens that didn't care that crude Oil was fouling their environment, poisoning their ground water and fouling their beaches. And now America is to feel sympathy for the many decades their greed and decadence created for them personally?
When the Northwest States faced economic bankruptcy when Republican led east coast Corporations clear-cut mass swaths of forests that had previously been carefully managed by multiple generations of family's, where were these same Gulf State Republican politicians? They were voting NO to helping the Northwest States greatly suffering from the Timber crisis.
Yes, those Republican politicians were the very ones voting NO, blocking all legislation to help, and blocking all legislation previously signed and promised to the Northwest States. Police, Fire, Schools and Library staffs were gutted and many were entirely closed down as a direct result, go figure!
When the GOP in the senate and house are preventing Obama from taking the steps necessary to repair the damage Bush did, the blame should be put on the house and senate republicans.
from greenbrier tenn. bush should have all blame removed as soon as he isn't responsible. the sooner the better. i hope it doesn't take as long to fix all the broken mess as it did to make them. that will require 8 years and likely longer, as the b.p. spill indicates. i'm afraid we are just beginning to see what we don't know from bush and cheney.
Lets see, Bush had 7 years at war and Obama is less than 2. So I'd say we keep blaming Bush for at least another 4 years, Just to be fair
I think you can stop blaming the presidential predecessor when the problems he caused have been rectified – either by action or by changing circumstances. In the case of Bush, I think he has to take responsibility for the failure to arrive at a secure-enough Afghanistan. Bush's policies contributed to the collapse of the economy in 2007 but that was hardly the only reason for that event. The right question in my mind is what should be our expectations for how long until we consider Obama to have succeeded or failed in changing the direction of the country...given his inherited circumstances, the current climate and breath and limitations of his authority. Personally, I'll give him until January 2012 to show substantial progress. I'll grade on a curve..to an extent but if by then, he's not the man to make it happen, we'll have to look for someone else.
There is no time limit on blame. Just ask Bill Buckner of the Red Sox! Forgiveness may come, but that does not change the fact that the mess we are in came from the Bush administration's screw ups! The answers are not simple and made more difficult when one party refuses to cooperate or accept that their man screwed up. It would just mean they have to accept the fact that they went along with Bush.
JOBS... Oboma became responsible when he and his party opened up the piggy bank and gave the bailout money to the banks and SIG. What did we get for that... were any jobs saved? Darned few in my opinion.
I will be voting for a non-incumbent presidential candidate with a plan to put people back to work in the next election and beyond.
Gee, I remember when Bush just got into office and 7 months later the towers fell. Of course things started being said about Clintons administration missed opportunity in getting Osama, and the Liberals (Democrats) screamed and bellowed at the top of their lungs about "IT HAPPENED ON BUSHS WATCH, SO HE"S TO BLAME. Lo and behold Bush DID say it happened on his watch, so He did take the blame. The President you have now is a blatent JOKE. At what point in his 4 years will he decide to become a leader. Bush was raked over the coals about Hurrican Katrina, and all I see is oil killing marine life and your oceans faster than anything, I'm not even from the USA, but I am appalled at what this so called leader has done to your country. It's quite sad actually. The US is fast becoming a second rate country and you will no longer be the super power as it once was. How sad.
Responsibility for the war in Iraq and it's enormous costs remain with Bush. Bush was obsessed with eliminating Saddam and intended to use force against him before election day 2000, never mind 9/11. This obsession contributed to the lack of attention to intelligence that preceded 9/11. The Bush administration pressured intelligence to provide an excuse to invade Iraq. Tragically, the Iraq war was a mis-use of the power of the Presidency to settle a personal vendetta over Saddam's foiled assination attempt of Bush One. Clinton was impeached over B.S. Bush should've been impeached for acts of his administration that got us into the war in Iraq. History and God will judge Bush harshly for his willingness to send young Americans to fight and die in Iraq.
Just because some time has passed does not mean the roots of the problem aren't Bush's. Bush started the wars, that will never change. Bush led this country into a deregulated nightmare that led to this recession, that does not change. These are HUGE problems that cannot be ended in a mere 18 months, they likely will take close to a decade for us to be recovering from them. No matter how long it takes, BUSH STILL STARTED IT.
Many of your readers are badly misinformed. Prior to 2006,before Democrat control of congress, the dow was flirting with 15,000. Now, 9,600, and all seems lost. Who do you really want to blame?
The Republicans and Bush are still blaming Clinton some 12 years later for many, many things Bush had to deal with. I guess that was different?
Presidents are elected to solve problems.
Every president inherits or is burdened with problems. Putting out fires is pretty much the essence of the presidency. Speaking of which, the reason Obama is getting so much flak on the gulf oil leak is because of the perception that it is one more thing he is unable to solve.
@Mike sey:
"And lets not forget the Reagan – Gingrich years when the foundations for much of the current mess were laid."
Or how about Rangel and Frank, who served on their respective finance committees and had oversight of the entire financial sector. Thank God they were on the job or the whole financial industry might have collapsed. Oh wait, it did.
I don't care who is blaming who. That is for the pundits to discuss for ratings. What disturbs me is the fact that no one can stop Corporate America and the banking industry from running this country into the ground and taking away the freedoms our founding fathers came here for.
President James A. Garfield (The 20th President of the United States who lasted only 100 Days) stated two weeks before he is assassinated:
“Whoever controls the volume of money in our country is absolute master of all industry and commerce…and when you realize that the entire system is very easily controlled, one way or another, by a few powerful men at the top, you will not have to be told how periods of inflation and depression originate.”
Presidents are voted into those ivory-coated positions for specific reasons. Typically, when tides and times change as they did in 2008, people vote for change, as was Obama's mantra. Nothing has changed! Poor and delayed decisions are creating nightmarish results! The deficit and debt have the economy in a stranglehold! There is no new technology being spawned to put people back to work, and less money made in the private sector translates to lesser taxes collected. the private sector cannot afford bloated public sector pensions and additional entitlements like ObamaCare. A good book that paints pictures dating back decades prove that "W" did not cause the financial meltdown. For those who haven't read "Architects of Ruin" and keep Bush-bashing, perhaps they should and with an open mind. A solid leader spoils gridlock, and until the system is changed that strip the lobbyists of their present stranglehold on both the Executive and Legislative bodies, we will spin our wheels on the wet sands of poor and downright bad legislation, and run this country into economic turmoil. On this path, only a World War or some other incredulous disaster will possibly bring the government and voting public together again.
The problems Bush left are too devastating. I can't get past what an awful president Bush was. Obama needs more time before I can blame him for Bush's disasters. Looking back, Nixon is not blamed for Vietnam . . . he's blamed for Cambodia. I'll blame Obama for the problems he creates.
If we don't stop blaming Bush until the problems he caused go away, then we need to start looking at how many of our problems date back to former presidents and keep blaming them. I'm sure we can find something wrong with Johnson's policies and Truman, come on there has to be something, FDR, etc., you get the picture. He wanted the job, he got the job, now he needs to perform the job. It's all on the Democrats, they control everything. Quit with the finger pointing and get to work.
As soon as conservatives stop blaming Clinton. So in other words, never.
Jack, Jack. Common sense tells you Bush and his administration took their eyes off the ball, leading us into this mess of and economy and disaster of foriegn policy. It is disingenious to try to hand it to Obama......just yet. Right now we have a better stock market, some job improvement, fewer Americans are dying overseas and the economy is flat, not in a nosedive. All this despite a "just Say No" GOP.
We should have elected "Bozo the Clown" as POTUS. Then we could at least laugh a little since he would not own any of our country's problems either. If our country was/is that messed up, then it doesn't matter who we elected as president. Thus, the historical nature of the Obama presidency is that historic but maybe hysteric.
When someone in Chinese leadership sneezes, the DOW can drop 500 points just because of the fragility and interdependence of global markets. China owns an alarming share of US debt and is absolutely controlled by an oligarchy that is often openly hostile. What is wrong with this picture? Wake up America. We should stop looking for a US President, Republican or Democrat, to blame for our economic problems. The root of our malaise is that for a long time now, the USA has consumed far more than it has produced and borrowed to make up the difference. Borrowing from rival powers is never a good idea. Eventually the piper will have to be paid. The only way to "fix" our problems is to point the finger of blame at ourselves, and begin to change our patterns of consumption. Energy independence would be a great place to start.
It took the republicans 40 years to get us to where we are now. It will take another 30 to get back to where we should be. It started with Reagen trickle down and bush jr. finished the job. So called conservatives (they spend wildly on wars and the bombs and guns) wanted us to be where we are today. Wages being driven down, 100 people for every job, social programs be cut when we need them the most. The want no pensions, so soc ail security, no safety nets whatsoever because they want the money to go to them. They are the greediest people on earth.
It took Bush and Republicans 8 years to destroy the Surplus, economy, banking system, Wall Street, and leave 2 wars unfinished and unpaid for..........wouldn't a reasonable person say it might take the same to repair all the above?
I won't even delve into the crooked and incompetent people Bush staffed the MMS with, leading to the Oil Gate Scandal.
There are those who are still blaming FDR for what they perceive as the ills of our day. Apparently, there is no statute of limitations on blame in the political world.
This is partly why our national political dialog is so impotent.
Without a whole lot more intelligence and knowledge than is displayed in the comments here, we are certainly doomed. CNN has unearthed the great revelation that Pogo was rightL we have seen the enemy and the enemy is us.
I always thought that when you ran for, and are elected to office in this country that you were expected to hit the ground running and take over where the other guy left off. The new captain doesn't get to hide below decks until the storm is over he or she is supposed to be taking responsibility on the bridge and giving orders (good or bad) to guide the ship not complaining about the weather.
It's not just Bush II/Junior we're blaming. It's Rumsfeld, Condoleeza, Cheney, for having pushed for that Afghanistan invasion and base making.
Those actions decided upon by that mob along with Bush II were something we'd have to deal with for years if not decades and the world was warned. That it would affect the economy, it was obvious wasn't it?
We SHOULD effing be blaming Bush and Rumsfeld and Chaney and Condeleeza and all those that supported them for years, years from now. They are incredibly so much to blame for.
Liberals will never stop blaming Bush for everything and anything! The heat wave in the Northeast is totally Bush's fault! Obama's terrible response to the oil spill is totally Bush's fault! The stock market decline this summer is Bush's fault! Everything bad that happens anywhere in America is Bush's fault, now and forever!
AT NO POINT! the damage that Bush has done ,is irreparable! and not yet have all surfaced ! Yes congress was controlled the last two years by the democracts but the first six years is when the republicans and their republican president "Bush" did the damage! President Obama in spite of what some of you say, is not the MESSIAH! but thank God he is SMART!!!!!!!!!!!
George W. Bush's leadership will plague the United States for another 100 years at the least. He left all his problems for Obama. When he left the economy was losing 2 million jobs monthly. Now the Republicans think everythng is status quo and by not participating in the governing process have made everything worse. Even if they do return to power they don't have any plans or ambitions to make anything better. As George W. Bush demonstrated they are LAZY.
No one could have fixed these problems in 18 months. Obama and the next president won't fix these problems. The bushco admin decimated this country. if you don't believe it, you have not been paying attention.
Jack,
When the sores heal from all the terrible moves Bush made, that's when Obama can stop blaming Bush. It will take generations for those sores to heal. Tha national debt has increased about $12 trillion since 1980. Almost three-quarters of it happened during Repbulican administrations, $5.7 trillion alone during George W. Bush's tenure. Unfunded wars; over $1 trillion lost due to tax cuts, a crumbling world economy. No one......NO ONE has ever inherited such a mess.
Just because someone has been replaced does not mean that culpability and responsibility for actions are erased. Would we pretend that the Great Depression was FDR's fault since he inherited it? Or, World War II was the responsibility of Truman?
We need to distinguish between cause (be it action or inaction while President) and response. Bush had numerous opportunities to respond to the crisis to which his policies contributed. He often chose not to respond or respondent ineffectually.
Obama does not share the blame for causing the economic, political and social mess he inherited. However, he has responsibility for taking actions to address it. He should be held accountable for how his actions (and inactions, if there are some) solve or ameliorate the problems he inherited from Bush. But be very clear, the cause of many our current woes resides with Bush, not Obama.
How about when all of the heartache and crap he caused (too numerous to list) goes away? That could be in 20 to 50 years!!!
Apparently never Jack! Owebama will go down uttering those words, he is in a state of denial, nothing will ever be heis fault!
Blame G. Bush? Of course, that's all they know to do. Remember, the democrats got elected by "Not being George Bush". They never said WHAT they would be, just NOT George Bush. Remember how wrong it was that we were in Iraq (George Bush) it was Obama who said the real war is in Afghanistan. Great thinking by just not being George Bush. This guy and his democratic followers do not have a clue as to how to run a country – man were we fooled. It looks like George Bush really has a thing for hurting people in the Gulf. First he causes Katrina and now he has caused this oil fiasco. He is an amazingly powerful person able to wreak havoc on the country years after he has left office. Wait till November lefties.
I think the problems become yours as soon as you take office. Quit blaming everybody and fix the problem. There will be plenty of time for blame once the problem is solved. The gulf oil spill is yet another example of how President Obama is blaming everyone else instead of focusing on solving the problem. Americans just want the problem solved, not a bunch of finger pointing about who got us in the problem and how we got into the problem.
Jack-I'd point out that it took FDR almost nine years to begin to make a dent in the financial diasaster he inherited from the previous two republican administrations.
Obama has the unenviable job of fixing some of the biggest challenges we've faced in over half a century. Can't expect overnight success, especially when there is no hint of bipartisanship in politics anymore. Everything in this country is a big divisive issue. The US is having an identity crisis.
Economic mess started with bank deregulation during clinton years. Spiraling debt started during Reagan years. Beginning with Reagan no presidency paid any debt down
When to start blaming Obama?
We can stop blaming Bush when he did not cause the problem. For example, he had nothing to do with the oil spill in the Gulf.
He was responsible for the war in Iraq, regardless of how long it takes others to end the damage. Does anyone remember why we invaded Iraq in the first place? We were afraid they were developing weapons of mass destruction and would give them to our enemies. They weren't.
We are still there, seven years, five thousand lives and one trillion dollars later.
Jack, let's take personalities out of it and posit this. You hire a contractor to build your house. Over the course of years, there are delays, work stoppages. You finally move in but find out the guy did a crappy job. The plumbing and electrical are all wrong, the drywall is melting the whole thing is a mess. You hire a new guy to fix your home. When do you stop blaming the old contractor while the new contractor is fixing stuff? It took the Republicans and Bush 8 years to dig this ditch. It is far too serious and too complex to expect to be out of it in 18 months. I wish you had shown Jon Stewart's take on the Blame Game. Otherwise, this is just another Rovian attempt to rewrite history.
Jack, we may never stop blaming Bush. WWII was over before I was born and we still haven't stopped blaming Hitler.
Obama will only stop blaming Bush when Bush tells to stop and take responsibility. Which won't happen because Bush has too much class to stick his nose into Obama's failures.
When 26% of Americans don't know who we won our independence from (recent survey), what is the value of a poll?
Ownership is not the problem...What Bush did is his legacy ...and... Obama took ownership the minute he was sworn in to lead the country.
The problem is our “TV show / news cycle” mentality. We think everything goes from start to finish like a 30 minute sitcom, a 60 minute news special, or a 2 hour action movie.
Maybe we should get Gov. Arnold from CA to run things for a while. He could Terminate the Oil leak, kill the Predator Taliban and put an end to the True Lies in Washington that keep us haggling more than fixing…and all before we finish our popcorn!
President Obama has played the blame game long enough. There are many things to blame for our economic condition. Among them is the fact that we are doing nothing about our lack of immigration policy when so many Americans are unemployed. Congress continues to spend on pork, we have two wars, and we have unfair trade policy. As far as I am concerned, our politicians (both sides of the isle) and our political appointees share all the blame. I think that both Bush and Obama fall into those categories. It is not going to stop unless the American people wake up, and vote for common sense. No incumbents!
You take responsible when you take office. He need to stand up and be a man and say hay I'm to blame for all this; let fix it. But, alsa it is going to be our children to have to deal with this mess, he has put the country in. He could at least admit he is to blame and not blame others for it.
The blame stops at day one. The presidents job is to assess the situation from day one. Come up with an action plan and move forward. The blame game is a cheap way to try and poster yourself into a better light. The Presidents team should be saying, we where here and under my direction we have made the following improvements.
Every President including Bush came into office with a horrible economy. Bush had a bad economy from Clinton and 911.
When there are no more people, like Michael Steele, who need to be reminded.
President Obama has already done many great things that are rarely discussed. Give him his 8 years and that will be undeniable. "Peabrain" Bush's damage will take years to undo. I just can't blame Obama for any of this, especially when all Republican elected "leaders" are willing to do anything (and I mean anything) to set President Obama up for failure at any cost. What a lesson on politics we've all experienced.
I will never stop blaming George Bush and his eight years of destroying America economy and the working people! Bush didn't have the courtesy to leave President Obama some rope to anchor this mess and do what is right for the American people. Bush left this country in a mess and he ran out the door so fast even crafted the bank bailouts to protect his wealthy friends. This is wrong! But there is assurance that Bush and his friends will meet the God of heaven and stay before his judgment. Do what is right now, payday will be hell in the latter day.
The don't. Bush-Cheney did everything but rape the country. The blame for their actions will follow them throughout history and no amount of republican history reversal
How about decades ?