Doesn't some old adage read something like, "...all good things come to those who wait?"
Apparently there are some who either haven't heard that before or simply don't buy into the theory.
As I have stated previously, I wasn't 'for' our president during the campaign and I couldn't find anything about him to make me want to vote for him.
However, he is now our leader (like it or not) and he will come closer to succeeding at his job if we will all simply give the support and time necessary for him to do so.
Or, those of you who have constantly and consistently berated the man and his attempts at turning this economy around can 'keep on keeping on' in hopes of making the former and future 'conservative' regimes look better by comparison.
It's a dirty job but someone has to do it.
Thank you for your time and attention,
Woody

Woody and "friends"...if someone could "really" define "succeeding at his job" for me...then you and he might have my support. However, I know success down the wrong road is not something this old fellow desires...! I'm concerned what He, Congress and even the GOP are doing to the Country I used to know and love (still love her); but, its getting harder to love what she's seemingly becoming....

Actually, "GreenKepi", I hadn't solicited any support, except for the current administration, and not because I was an Obama supporter, but due to the fact I am whole-heartedly in love with my country.
However, in answer to your query about a definition to "...succeeding at his job...." let me state it as simply and honestly as possible.
Obama's success will be "our" success. And by the same token, the defeat of his attempts at 'turning this country's current ills around' will only lengthen the misery we are already experiencing.
To make it as clear as possible, let me borrow a phrase from the late-president John F. Kennedy, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."
And if all you can do is be negative, well as I have already said, it's dirty job and I guess someone has to do it. Only don't expect me to wish you good luck.
Thanks, again, for your time and attention,
Woody

GreenKepi-

What is the country 'becoming' that has you so concerned?

This is a great cartoon. It sums up how a lot of us feel.

But I'm not expecting rockets in the future.

Before the crash, our recent growth and the skyrocketing housing market was driven up by extending bad credit. Hopefully, we won't get a repeat performance of that.

This also means it may be a long time before we soar again.

I'll be happy to reach the bottom and then get some modest growth.

The economy was a mess when President Obama took office and, although there seem to be signs of improvement, it's still pretty much of a mess. the latest unemployment figures (which are always a lagging indicator of recovery) were terrible.

The President has, on many occasions, warned us that this recovery would be slow, and for us to have patience. I certainly have faith that we will bounce back, but I am certain that we have a better chance of that having elected Obama.

As for GreenKepi's question as to the definition of 'succeeding at his job', I would say the economy is only one measure of success. On other issues, I think our new president is already succeeding with flying colors.

- the image of the United States within the community of nations has soared in Obama's short tenure. Having a president who is not afraid to admit our faults as a nation is a great start. Having one who listens as well as he talks has gone a long way to rehabilitation our image, as well. But having a leader who is willing to extend a hand to countries that have known nothing but the back of our hand, has gone a long way to improving our reputation in parts of the world where we have been long-despised.

- The president has also put a great effort into repairing the tattered ideals and principles that are the very foundation of this land. Over the past ten years, the Bill of Rights has been weakened, the power of the executive branch has been expanded, and our country's commitment to human rights and international law has been casual, at best.

Restoring the rule of law in all its forms, is a success that cannot be understated, and one that will go a long way to restoring this country into a model for the world to follow.

- The president also views environmentalism, not as an impediment to economic growth, but its driving force. This is not only a responsible position for the well-being of our planet, but it's a position that Republicans and Democrats alike have fought for years. Be it the politicians in the pocket of the auto or coal industry, the interest of our environment and our people has always taken a back seat to the interests of stockholders.

- Lastly (and I could go on), is Barack Obama's drive to reform our health care system. I won't go into how monumental this efforts are, but, in my mind, he could achieve no greater advancement for our citizens in general.

Universal coverage (in some form) is what separates us, the most powerful nation on Earth, from the rest of the industrialized world. It's been a long time coming, and now it has a real chance of happening.

Success is not always the ability to enact change, it can simply be the willingness and courage to try. We should remember, If you never attempt anything, there is no chance for failure. I think having a president who takes that risk by tackling our most pressing issues and challenging the most powerful special interests, is a success in itself.

Beautifully put, Ollie. Especially the last paragraph.

Why don't YOU run against Robin Smith?

I just wish there could be a BIT of depression. Prices are ridiculous. My SS cost of living increase no way matches
reality. Nothing I need or want gives coupons, either. I don't get food stamps.
I buy what I can at a store that gets damaged stuff or shelf clearance things, but there too, there is not much I or anyone else can really use or want.

Vegetable garden? I can barely manage a few tomatoe plants and one pepper plant in my 8sq. ft of garden. Oh yes, 1 large squash plant that shows a bloom and another about 2 inches high. Oh JOY!
I have a roof over my head! It's summertime, and the livin is easy?
"Fish are Jumpin (in mercury and PBS.) And the 'baccy is high!"

Inspired by OllieH's last post, I started thinking about the definition of 'success' as a leader.

In my opinion, one of our greatest presidents was FDR (don't have a stroke, rolando). Not necessarily because of the agenda he promoted (although it was impressive in both scale and vision), but because of his ability to inspire confidence in the American people. When he took office in March of 1933, FDR was the president of a desperate and frightened electorate. But each time he spoke, each time he flashed that irrepressible smile, he built up our national confidence and healed our wounded spirit.

Obama has that same ability.

What makes an effective leader is his or her ability to get others to follow. We are so used to this being achieved through fear that we've forgotten how effective inspiration can be. Obama inspires us to follow him using reason, of course, but also by appealing to the better angels of our nature. He shows us a course that's both better for us as a country, and better for us as human beings. That, coupled with an intellect and class befitting the White House, and the ability to pronounce the word 'nuclear' gives me a confidence and pride in the office that I haven't felt in many years.

So far, I'd say that's a great success!

wow - OK everybody - can we have a group hug?

Sailorman, Sure! Group Hug! I need one. Just let me get on my Kevlar gear, in case some of you are carrying. C:-)

Worse, the fine print on the skyrocket says, "Made in China.".
Think about it.

Economic facts and figures that we read and hear are informative, but in my opinion, too much attention is paid to them, and by that I mean that people react to these reports, but not necessarily in the way that they should.

An economic figure is released and what happens? Stocks take a hit almost every time. What if we just quit paying attention to all the press releases that are making us recoil in fear? I'm not suggesting that we ignore them altogether, but we don't have to let these negative reports rule our lives, do we?

We're going to have to start spending money again. Okay, I understand that many people are barely getting by, but if the figures are correct, around 90% of us still have jobs and are plugging along just fine. Spending for the necessities of life and to have a little fun now and then is definitely in order.

If the corporate banks have locked their doors on lending money, that's not not a problem. Pull your money out those corporate banks and discover your locally owned banks and credit unions. They want your business, and they want to loan money. They are also the least likely of financial institutions that will play games with their customer's deposits. It's why they are doing just fine today.

People, this country was not built by corporations. It has been ruined by them. For two decades, I have resisted doing business with large corporate entities than is absolutely necessary. I like Mom and Pop businesses, and I support them by spending my money for the products and services that I need. My business is always appreciated and most welcome.

We're not going to prop America back up by feeding the hungry mouths of corporations who grow fatter and fatter, while choking the life out of the communities they invade.

Some will argue that corporations provide jobs, and that may well be true, but at what expense?

Big Box Retailer moves in and what almost always happens? Smaller competitors for miles around them bite the dust. The people who were in business and are forced to close the doors are more likely to have firm roots in the community. Most of these people provided jobs too. So, for as many jobs as may be created by Big Box Retailer, equal numbers or more are lost. Entrepreneurs, who previously made very good money, are often forced to relocate or they lose it all. We all lose when any localized business folds.

America needs to fix this problem one step at a time, and you can never go wrong if you start to invest in your own community. Competition can only work if there are plenty of competitors vying for your business. Personally, I'd rather spend my money where it is more appreciated and more likely to passed around locally, rather than to be stuffed into bank accounts in another state.

Sometimes, that cheaper price is far more expensive than you can ever begin to imagine.

Yes, the economy was a mess before Obama. Anyone who has paid a bit of attention to anything already knows that. No reason to keep repeating it.

However, the people of this country elected a leader of "promise" and "change" to bring us out of the mess that was here. Then, there was guarantees that unemployment would reach no higher than 8% if the ridiculous stimulus bill and bailouts were passed. We "had to do it right then, right now" or the world would surely come to an end.

However, employment is now pushing 10% and we will have quadrupled what was already an alltime record national deficit by the time all of this is over. God help us if the health BS passes. But, alas, after its all done and said, the country will be in debt up to our eyeballs and with conditions about the same, and the media and Obama will say, "well, he inhereted this mess".

Yes he inhereted a mess. But, isn't "the Annointed One" supposed to bring us out, not make it worse?

Alright Chattanooga Liberals, flame on...

najones75-

I was not making excuses for the president by establishing that the recession was inherited, I was making the point that it took us a while to get into this mess, and it will take a while to get out. You'll note, my next sentence was about having patience in the recovery.

But blaming the increase in unemployment on anything Obama has done is misguided. Government spending does not cause companies to lay off workers, the economy and consumer spending does. As the economy worsened, job security did too.

It would have been worse had we not passed the stimulus bill. Many jobs (most of them government jobs like firefighters, teachers and cops) were saved thanks to additional funds being added to the state coffers. Governors all over this country were spared some seriously harsh decisions thanks to that stimulus money. Tennessee, for instance, didn't have to lay off nearly as many state workers as was projected before the stimulus money came in, and the state and national projects funded by the stimulus will ultimately benefit private sector industries who contract for the work involved.

Yes, we do find ourselves deeper in debt. Much deeper. But it's like the bills that a patient now has to pay for a treatment that kept him alive. The alternative to the debt was far less desirable.

najones75, while you may not feel the need to be reminded of the fact that our failing economy did not start before January 20th of this year, there are those out there that want to pin all of this on our current President.

No one at any time has ever 'promised' any cap on unemployment at 8%, but I'd love to be corrected with proof that it was. There were absolutely predictions offered many times after the President took office, by himself in fact, that unemployment would reach the levels that we are seeing today.

The last time that many of the cylinders quit firing that keep our economy chugging along, this nation experienced a 25% unemployment rate.

Where do people get this idea that our economy would be fixed in 5 months? This criticism is unfounded and unsupported when comparisons are made to instances where our economy has tanked in the past.

Regarding health care coverage: Any assertion that we as a nation cannot afford a movement to a nationalized plan, is easily refuted by the fact that there are at least 20 other nations that provide socialized health care to all of their citizens, having establish records of better overall health care, longer life expectancies, and they provide this care while spending less per capita than we do. The facts are easily found and they are undisputed.

The simple fact is that our health care has come to be dominated by greedy corporations. Their motivations are no secret. They merely seek to profit, profit, and profit some more. They never care to make a steady and predictable profit. They always want more.

So, now that corporate hospitals, health care systems, drug manufacturers, and even the insurance companies that we purchase health care insurance coverage from, have come to dominate the health care industry as a whole, any quality of care or concern for human beings have gone bye bye. Bean counters have replaced the family doctor.

Where's the balance? Where are the competitive forces to keep prices in check? For the love of God, where has the humanity gone that used to be at the core of providing health care to people?

It's been an observation of mine that people are less likely to care about a core issue unless it affects them on a personal level. I suppose it's to be expected.

Think about this; Any of our current circumstance and lives can change today. All it takes is a pink slip in an envelope or a serious traffic accident on the way home from work to alter your lifestyle. I don't care who you are, or what you have, or how prepared you think you are. No one is prepared for everything.

People need to set the semantics aside and look at issues from all sides before taking stances, and if it is not too painful, they should try thinking about someone but themselves every once in awhile.

Najones75,

I wrote a tirade and deleted it. So...

Has anyone knocked on your door in the middle of the night because of the way you feel and believe that Obama is incompetent, and dragged you off to be shot and deposited in an unknown mass grave?

You have all the power in the world to make your individual choice without fear of reprisal.

Be a sport, shake hands, and at the end of about 3 1/2 years, make another decision.

We all have to live under our majority choice, and I'm still willing to give it a try, in spite of many disappointments through the years.

You are aptly named, Clara.

I'll take your handshake. And I'll raise a pint glass to common ground and the common man, sitting here in Charlotte, flying out for London.

Take care of the country while I am away.

Fly safe, InspBucket. God speed. Lift a glass to Piccadilly [and Eros] for us.

By my calculations that long, sputtering fuse will reach the rocket on the "First Tuesday following the First Monday in November", 2012.

Or perhaps shortly after the next Congressional elections...depending on what the "Republican-Proofed" Senate does.

Interesting...here's a similar 'toon.

http://media.townhall.com/Townhall/Car/b...

Do you people read anything in context or do you simply make up what you want to hear. Never once did I say that unemployment was Obama's fault. I said that this president has done nothing but spend money we don't have and plans to spend much more and for what? Economic matters are cyclical...there's ups and downs. Yes, things will eventually change...get better. They always do. But, we don't need government spending and control to make that happen.

Clara, I bet during the past 8 years you've kept your mouth shut, haven't you? Rrrrrrrrrrright. Pot, kettle, black.