Smart move for Bush to tie Obama to this money.

Democrats stand there, whine and complain about the deficit, critize Bush for his spending. So what's the first thing Obama and the Democratic congress do? Spend more!

Government needs to be put on a diet. But we sure got the wrong people in power to do it.

Advice for President Obama:  Whatever Bush says to do with the money, do the exact opposite.  

And NEVER have a press conference like that one we saw today.  NEVER EVER.  

Not to worry, City Counsilwoman Sheila McNeil, from San Antonio will be in DC on 20 Jan 09, at taxpayer expense.  

She reportedly will be there for 3 days for an afternoon meeting to discuss needed infrastructure around Fort Sam Houston!...what a lie!

As reported in local media, and print in the Express News, "If I'm standing at the inauguration, who knows who I might be standing next to," she said.

Abuse of public money.....albeit on a small scale, gotta start somehwere!

350 Billion........Yikes!

Collaboration?  Me thinks this is a new and bold concept.

Without the sarcasm, Thank you, President Bush.  (First time I've called him that.)  You are right, I misunderestimated you.

Advice for President Obama:  Whatever Bush says to do with the money, do the exact opposite.  

And NEVER have a press conference like that one we saw today.  NEVER EVER.
 
Anna Molly

How about what American's want him to do with it? Should that be factored in?

A full 90 percent of donations to fund Barack Obama’s Jan. 20 inauguration have come from well-heeled fundraisers — including Wall Street executives whose companies have received federal bailout money.

A total of 207 fundraisers have collected $24.8 million of the $27.3 million in donations disclosed by Obama through Thursday, according to an analysis by Public Citizen commissioned by The Wall Street Journal.

Slightly more than 2,000 donors accounted for the $27.3 million raised, but 378 of those people each contributed the maximum $50,000 allowed by Obama, raising almost 70 percent of the total, or $18.9 million, the analysis found.

Wall Street employees have been the largest single source of private donations, and many of the contributions have been channeled through financial-services executives who have put together bundles of donations worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“The preponderance of large donors and the fact that so many come from an industry receiving government handouts comes as the president-elect has sought to keep his inauguration free of special interests,” The Journal observed.

Something smells very fishy here. Change we need!

Pete, Salinas, CA

Looks like Obama loves him some money from Wall Street and the bail out!

Only 1468 days till Obama/Biden are gone!

Jack F., Delton, MI

Let the countdown begin Keith O and all of those looking forward to seeing the door close on this already corrupt and scandal ridden incoming administration!

The negative people in these comments are astounding, and ignorant.  Mr. Bush has left President Elect Obama and the country in a horrible mess.  You all should be talking about the problems we face as a nation and how we got here under Bush and how to fix it by getting behind Obama and his administration, instead of spouting your BS.  

I am also counting the next 8 days. Cuz in 8 days Republicans will be allowed to act like Republicans again. We can attack this plan for what it is. Any spending (Keynsian activity) on Obamas part will not be felt in the economy until late 2009 at the earliest, and this spending may in fact be inflationary in the long run. We need to be pushing for pro-growth supply-side tax cuts.

Article I Section 8 of the Constitution gives the "purse strings" to Congress regarding tax and fiscal policy. My bet is the Democrats in Congress will succumb to their constituents who have been waiting for 8 years to get what they have been waiting for. This is a President eager to be all things to all people, and I believe will get legislation filled with "pork projects" and "special projects" the bluest of Democrats desires.

I actually feel kinda bad for Obama. Here is a guy who has all the hopes of one side of the aisle on his shoulders. They expect him to make Lazarus rise and make the waters fall.

Ed Crane ~

Of course, Americans' wishes should be factored in to what should be done with the money.  And if experience is any counsel, that would be exactly the opposite of what President Bush would think we should do with it.  I fully expect President Obama to listen to what Americans want and to do whatever that is.

So, in essence, we agree. ;)

"seeing the door close on this already corrupt and scandal ridden incoming administration"

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
you got to love it.. conservatives what him to fail and predicting scandal they make up.  Always party first. country be damned.  

Why to conservatives hate America? Because they hate anybody else who isn't of the same ilk or mindset.

The new bailout money will be used to payback Obama's most crucial supporters, Unions. Unions got him elected and it is now time for Obama to take care of them. The recipients of my money and yours will be in order of impact on his election 1) AFSCME. This is your good ol' government workers that are so productive, courteous and pleasant to deal with. These losers will be the beneficiaries of money given to corrupt and totally mismanaged states (think NJ, NY,MA,IL etc.) that Obama will give bailout money to. This will be done in order to shore up sagging pension funds and benefit package funding for AFSCME members. Thanks Mr. Taxpayer! 2) The NEA and UFT. These two behomoth slugs are usually first on the payback list but John Sweeney's gang beat them out this time. 'At a way John! Of course Obama cannot simply boost the teachers pay, that would be too obvious, so notice how slickly he slipped school construction into his bailout package. Oh I can see the Taj Mahal school buildings now! The precious school staffs will be working in buildings we suckers that are paying the bill can only dream about. #3 The constuction unions. This is sort of a twofer as these unions and the teachers both will benefit from the school construction lard that Obama is recopmmending. # 4 is the good ol' auto workers. George Bush foolishly authorized release of some funds already to these cretans. The truth is the big three were devestated by the UAW over the last 40 years. By all rights at least 2 of them should be gone but Obama owes them too much so get out your checkbook Mr. Taxpayer the party is on you as usual.

it is not about bush tieing obama to the balance of the tarp fund. if that was the case obama would have never asked bush to request it. the two men are working together in order to make attempts at stimiulating the economy so that job loss can be prevented and the economy cam make the initial steps toward recovery.

folks, we have to get beyond fighting one party against another. we have got to start working together or our country and us will be in deep crap. we have an incoming president that is trying to include both sides of the aisle and some of you on both sides are hoping for failure or a fight. look what fighting the last 8 years has gotten us. is it that much fun to hate someone just because they are a dem or repub?

Barack, you jerk. You've got a lot of nerve asking Bush for that money. How much will go into your liberal agenda?

You even had your opponents kicked off the ticket to get elected into politics. You're like that Seinfeld episode, you're the opposite of everything you appear to be.

"Democrats stand there, whine and complain about the deficit, critize Bush for his spending. So what's the first thing Obama and the Democratic congress do? Spend more!"
-----

Did I miss something or was the TARP program a democratic idea?  If I remember correctly, Paulson and the Fed screamed that if TARP were not passed, the failure would lie at the feet of congress.  All Obama wants is to put the money back into the market where businesses and entrepreneurs can access it.  As it stands now, Hank Paulson's fat-cat buddies are holding onto the the first $350 billion for dear life, hoping we will look the other way as they ladle it out in bonuses and deferred compensation.

For those of you who scream about Keynesian economics, our latest Nobel laureate (Krugman) seems to think it's more effective than supply-side.  I would trust his acumen over the idiot-logs on the internet.

I am proud and happy of the way things are going so far.  And -- unlike Lee of Walnut Grove, MN, I am going to commend President Bush for working with the Transition Team of the incoming Administration.  I would like to see a continued Bi-Partisan cooperation between Obama and Congress, and the Republicans in the Minority.  The only countdown I would like to see now...is the Countdown to our Country picking up the pieces and putting people back to work.  

1-19-09 the end of an error......yeah!

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