But what Mr Obama really needs right now is a television superhero to help him to rescue the US economy. His inauguration as president in 11 days’ time will take place in what can be described, without hyperbole, as the worst economic conditions the US has faced in at least 70 years. Data due from the Labor Department this morning is likely to show that the US lost more jobs, net, in 2008 than in any year since the Second World War. Economic activity in 2009 is likely to decline at its fastest since the same historic landmark.
Most alarming, not only is there no obvious end in sight, the evidence suggests that things are getting worse. Despite the bailouts last year, the financial system, crippled by the housing market disaster and folly, remains clogged and more big financial institutions are likely to be in trouble in the next few months.
The American consumer, the hero of the global economy in every period of weakness in the past decade – from the Asian financial crisis to 9/11 – has gone on strike.
There is a superhero to save America. His name is God. Maybe we should spend more time praying and less time discussing.
With all that talk about ‘hope’ and ‘change’ (whatever they meant at the various times Mr. Obama spoke the words to whoever heard them and cleaved to them) during the campaign, I really thought Mr. Obama thought himself fully qualified to don the cape of ‘superhero’ and come to our rescue and save the day. Now he needs his very own superhero to help him out? What a disappointment.
Dilbertnomore: At least we have president who does his homework and will do something.
[i] Edited by elf. [/i]
Elf –
I appreciate the edit of #3 having read his original in email tracking service.
JW –
It would have been nice to know just what Mr. Obama held to be the true components of ‘hope’ and ‘change’ before the election. ‘Hope’ and ‘change’ were given to us as lovely, gossamer, sugar plum thoughts that each was encouraged to tailor to his or her own need of them. Unfortunately, the main-stream media just seemed to lack the intellectual curiosity to pose hard questions about what lay behind them and insist on answer. Now we have a President Elect about whom we know very, very little. Strange, no?
dilbert, his rhetoric was effective. But I find it odd what you think we don’t know much about the president elect. We know lots. He has two books. He’s responded to every insinuation. He’s been followed by the media. I think that this conservative talking point has proven to be false. Until they prove he’s not an American citizen, that he’s a secret Muslim hell bent on bringing Stalinism, we just don’t know who he is.
He said he’d be ruling from the center, reaching across the aisle, which is what he’s done so far. Seems that we might want to listen to what he is saying. He might be speaking the truth.
Mr. Wilkins –
You make a most unfortunate choice of words if you are mistaken, which I sincerely hope is the case. If your wording is intentional you and what you purport to represent is nothing short of despicable and has no place in the United States of America.
In the second paragraph of #5 you use the word ‘ruling’ to describe Mr. Obama’s upcoming administration. If you have read our founding documents, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and have some elementary understanding of the founding of the our nation, you should know that no citizen of the United States of America can ever be ruled by a President or a President’s government. A President may govern within the confines of the Second Article of the Constitution. A President may lead. But a president who intends to rule is no President any American will accept and every patriot will reject and dispose of as the Constitution dictates.
Monarchs rule their subjects. Americans are citizens who permit government to exist for their good governance. We are not subjects. And don’t you ever forget it.