Obama: GOP Can't Criticize Stimulus Package

President Barack Obama looked comfortable enough at his first White House news conference, but he sounded like a man fed up with one thing: Republicans lecturing him about his $820 billion/$750 billion/$880 billion/$1.3 Trillion economic stimulus plan.

Obama repeatedly reminded a national television audience that federal spending and deficits soared under George W. Bush’s presidency. He used the point to undermine GOP lawmakers opposing his plan and calling it too costly and wasteful.

"It’s a little hard for me to take criticism from folks about this recovery package after they’ve presided over a doubling of the national debt," Obama said. "I’m not sure they have a lot of credibility when it comes to fiscal responsibility."

"What I won’t do," he said at another point, "is return to the failed theories of the last eight years that got us into this fix in the first place." …

Bush and his Republican allies in Congress relied too heavily on tax cuts, "especially tax cuts that are targeted to the wealthiest few Americans," Obama said, using past decisions to hit current critics who want more tax reductions and less spending in the stimulus plan. "We have tried that strategy time and time again, and it’s only helped lead us to the crisis we face right now," he said…

At least three times he suggested that some unspecified number of his Republican critics want to "do nothing" about the economic crisis. GOP leaders consistently have said they want the government to act, but they think Obama’s plan is too heavy on spending and too light on tax cuts.

Asked why he used dire language earlier in the day in Indiana, suggesting the downward economic spiral could be irreversible, Obama did not answer directly, and emphasized his optimism. "I’m absolutely confident that we can solve this problem," he said, "but it’s going to require us to take some significant, important steps."

Obama alternated between "we" and "I" in describing tasks and challenges. "We averted catastrophe by passing the TARP legislation," he said of the massive financial bailout plan that Congress approved while Bush was still president. But without sufficient oversight, he said, "we didn’t get as big of a bang for the buck as we should have."

"My immediate task is making sure that the second half of that money, $350 billion, is spent properly," Obama said, seeming to shoulder the new burden himself. "That’s my first job." …

"My hope is that after a difficult year," he said, "businesses start investing again" and "consumers start feeling that their jobs are stable and safe, and they start making purchases again, and, if we get things right, then, starting next year, we can start seeing significant improvement."

"I am the eternal optimist," Obama said in his final remarks, someone trying to provide the "civility and rational argument" that Americans want in their leaders.

For a man who spends so much of his time navel-gazing, Mr. Obama sure is tone deaf when it comes to his own outrageous hypocrisy.

"My hope is that after a difficult year," he said, "businesses start investing again" and "consumers start feeling that their jobs are stable and safe, and they start making purchases again…”

Why should businesses or consumers be encouraged by anything Mr. Obama has said or done?

Hasn’t he had exactly the opposite effect?

"I am the eternal optimist," Obama said in his final remarks, someone trying to provide the "civility and rational argument" that Americans want in their leaders.

Mr. Obama’s “civility” is to blame Republicans for a financial crisis brought on by his own party and even his own personal efforts. (Cf. Mr. Obama’s work for ACORN and against “red lining.”)

His “rational argument” is “I won.”

For all of his faults, Mr. Bush grew the deficit as a result of the national security concerns following 9/11, the hideous expense of fighting two wars, plus a few social welfare programs that the Democrats loved at the time.

Mr. Bush did not flush away trillions of dollars to buy votes and to push his party’s agenda. (If only.)

This is not Mr. Obama’s money. It belongs to the taxpayers of this country. Almost half of whom did not even vote for him.

Winning 52% of the votes did not make Mr. Obama our king. We’re not a third world dictatorship just yet.

Our elected representatives in government should have some say about how our money is squandered spent.

Every time Mr. Obama tells our representatives to shut up and sit down, he is saying that to the millions of Americans they represent.