Obama's Stimulus is his First Battle of Manassas

After a brief hiatus I return with a large smile on my face. Obama's attempt steamroll his massive Government stimulus plan past the Republicans is failing. Mitt Romney depicted it best in saying it "will stimulate government not the economy".

With approval rating below 50% in all major polls, Obama's stimulus plan will hopefully die a quick death. Congrats to the Senate and House Republicans for showing the Administration and the country that in opposition you aren't afraid to plant your heals and fight. Keep up the good work.

Unless there is capitulation from Senate Republicans, the Stimulus package will need to be re-drafted which generate Dem vs. Dem squabbling and added opportunity for Republicans to pick apart the pork barrel flank of this plan.

With the tremendous build-up and impending failure, this may be the equivalent of Union Army's blunders during the First Battle of Manassas or Bull Run for Obama legislative agenda. Eager to satisfy impatient politicians seeking a quick victory, Brig. Gen. Irvin McDowell advanced his untested army across Bull Run to face the Confederate Army in haste. He amassed the largest Army on the North American continent (35K+) and tried to bludgeon his way through to victory. After initial successes and public support for the campaign, he was quickly routed into an embarrassing defeat. Sound familiar.

Even in failure Obama has the capacity and political capital to rebuild and win many future victories. But, this would be a crushing blow to his momentum and strategy.

Signing off...JCB

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/02/05/opinion/polls/main4778192.shtml Sphere: Related Content

Obamanomics, everything for everyone

With announcement of his stimulus plan, it is finally clear to the neophytes that Obama has great vision but lacks great conviction.


He has correctly realized the scale of the financial crisis but his diagnosis and solutions are all over the map. Like his campaign promises, he is a generalist, a populist, a I-want-everyone-to-love-me politician.

Obama's "stimulus plan" includes tax cuts, business credits, infrastructure investment, green technology, deficit spending, promises of a balanced budget, rainbows, unicorns, and peter piper. Even the Democrats with conviction of their own are pushing back on items in the stimulus plan that are in contradiction with their Principles (yes, they do exist).

The man who holds the record for "present" votes will not get by on vague, visionary, generic, or charming policies. The President of the United States is the highest executive position one can hold. He will be forced to make major decisions with imperfect information that will have fatal and enormous consequences on the spot, every minute of every day. If he doesn't understand that, he will learn the hard way.

Bye Bye ambiguity. Its time for Barack to grow his conviction.

Signing off...JCB

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/09/opinion/09brooks.html?_r=2&ref=opinion
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/01/obamas_choice_fdr_or_reagan.html
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/59217.html
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/capital-commerce/2009/1/7/why-obama-will-own-the-recession.html Sphere: Related Content