I think the public is saying that they want and support Obama's plan, but don't expect a turnaround any time soon and are bracing for 8-10% unemployment.

Note to the president-elect: the electorate wants you to be bold. Don't hold back.

Indeed. He's got all the cards, and should play his hand confidently. The public's behind him, and he doesn't need any 80 Senators, nor does it matter if he gets any more than 60.

Hell, he can even have Pelosi and Reid do the stimulus package as a budget bill, in which case he only needs 50 votes, and he's damned sure got 50.

It doesn't matter if this thing passes narrowly. What will matter is how well it works, and how idiotic the GOP will look for opposing it when the fall of 2010 rolls around.

There IS skepticism related to the bailing out of the people who put us into this situation. That money does seem to be going down a sinkhole, with no attendant positive impact on the economy.

Laura Bush just spent nearly a half a million dollars on new china for the White House. That is just about as insulting to the Obamas as telling them they can't use the Blair House. Is Laura implying that Mrs. Obama has no taste? Or is Laura simply spending money profligately during a crisis?

I don't see any conflict between the views. Last resorts are last resorts. What do we have to lose? We have a hard landing coming no matter what happens. The American way of life will be negotiated but not by any of us. So, yes, skepticism should carry the day. And anyone who ain't preparing for a long rainy stretch should be.

I'm skeptical that Obama's sales pitches are increasingly sounding like Bush's. Actually they've always sounded like Bush's, but nobody noticed during the campaign. He is a salesman -- or rather he's handled by salesmen, and we know how that's turned out under Bush and Reagan.

I'm worried that Josh Marshall and Krugman might be right--Obama's stimulus plan won't be big enough, Obama won't take the lead with Congress, and Congress will screw the whole thing up or take far too long passing anything.
OTOH, it seems that Obama has hired a lot of people with Congressional experience, so it would seem that they would know what they're doing.

This proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that The Politico is ran by both an ox and a moron.

Laura Bush just spent nearly a half a million dollars on new china for the White House. That is just about as insulting to the Obamas as telling them they can't use the Blair House. Is Laura implying that Mrs. Obama has no taste? Or is Laura simply spending money profligately during a crisis?

Most, not all, administrations order new china. It becomes part of White House history and stays in use. First families still use the Lincoln china, for example, although there aren't enough unbroken pieces left for a State dinner, and Nancy Reagan's selection, which was red, is also popular with her successors. So it's not about "taste"; it's about leaving one's mark on the White House.

Having said that, Bush is no Lincoln, and it's hard to see future first couples proudly telling guests that they're using the "Bush II china." And really, in the middle of an economic crisis, they should have forgone this. It's pretty tacky given the disastrous state of the union.

Or is Laura simply spending money profligately during a crisis? -jen f

She's not the only one. Rachel Maddow had a bit about the head of the Department of the Interior early this week, who just completed I believe it was a $2.5 million renovation...of his office bathroom.

It now includes luxury hardwoods, a shower and a fridge.

There truly is no connection between these people and the common man.

Strictly speaking, one can be skeptical yet convinced. But I doubt that was the sense Politico meant. (I'm a skeptic, therefore I doubt.)

In Soviet China, we are buying America from Bush, and Bush uses our money to buy China!

DEFINE 'SKEPTICISM' well here is some…

Certainly there has to be a form of cynicism from the public and disagreement within our representatives. Be sure, the Republicans can not afford to stand around in agreement simply saying that they goofed. Because, they can’t simply stand around looking like idiots that don’t belong in government, which is the case.

For me, here America has proof in wide screen cable television the Media is the key player in mis information to the public. All for simple reasons to keep power for those who own the money operations in America. Once that is changed and Bush and Company no longer is able to shock the economy by funneling money through the treasury and Federal Reserve with congress approval, finally America will find relief.

The mainstream media is also key player in this goof because of their previously unchallenged dynamics to govern through media sensationalism. Now with the transparency of the Internet it all is very funny to describe those major media factions that keep examining issues to ends that are obvious, and they have known all along. The media is, and was sticking it to America; they are the ones who have traditionally worked America into this disaster along with Bush and Company.

Unfortunately it also includes long time politicians with major networks, MSNBC, CNN, FOX, and hate radio have danced around the economic abyss America is in since 911. Now it is not hard to prove, and with Obama with his change will likely change the basics ways news is presented to America. For me, news is not a side show or an entertained bait and switch environment, that will be something current major media giants will find hard to accept. Here, many media giants and journalist will find themselves in a mix of revealing bias in overwhelming transparency facing basic judicial actions not exercised, but ignored in the past.

Please it is hard to believe that within just two month were America gets a very presidential person, Obama, America falls into an economic slide that has the possibility for our economy to collapse. Just this afternoon Obama explains that it is so severe if not addressed with urgency it may not be able to be reversed. The only other time this was talked about was by Hillary Clinton during the campaign when she said “America must reverse the way we are going�. So, we hear it again.

My take on this, MSNBC is part of the core of corruption, those in the basic staff, not necessarily the General Electric company the own it but internal operators that have used and abused every angle of deceit possible in the electromagnetic domain to manipulate the electorate for years decades.

Inclosing Senator Reid as the pivotal player in our Senate that is responsible for good government is himself tainted working within a State of Nevada that legislates prostitution and gambling. Sorry, for me even being the dumping space for dirty radiation with their mountain has to be a crime. But with those basic for me fly in the face of basic good public government. Let alone an economic problems that stem from corruption that even the Republican Governor of Nevada is under an FBI investigation similar if more diverse than Blagojevich. None of this, none of this reported for bias reasons and unreal balance that promotes division and hate for Illinois. Senator has little if any respect from many in America knowing very well Harry Reid is the gate keeper of huge cash funneling and corruption in a state that clearly out flanks Illinois in drug smuggling and prostitution, and gambling far beyond anything reported.

...it's hard to see future first couples proudly telling guests that they're using the "Bush II china." -shortstop

Unless the 'they' you're discussing are the Obama's new puppies! They are going to be eating in such style!

I only hope that Bush asserts that this purchase is the penultimate decision made during his term in office, second only, of course to the rug Laura also picked out.

I know I'm harping on this, and it's off topic, but this is just such a, albeit traditional, slap in the face of the people when they could have foregone it, and scored some minor brownie points on the way out.

I am skeptical the problem of over consumption financed with debt can be resolved with more over consumption financed with debt so Americans can resume their over consumption without having to pay their debts. A command economy of over consumption cannot be sustained.

It's true that Obama is up against a skeptical public, if you mean the same "skeptics" who believe Bush has done a swell job.

Maybe the Obamas can have a yard sale the first weekend in residence, get rid of the china, leave all the windows open and air out the place, too.

I think Obama took your advice, Steve.

He is making a very hopeful and bold speech now live from George Mason University re: the Economic Crisis.

He emphasized that things are indeed going to get far worse if we drag our heels...

He mentioned it might take a while but he was really targeting the Congress (as per Chuck Todd's take) to not do the same old partisan dance.

Good for Obama!

and scored some minor brownie points

I do not think this phrase means to this administration what you think it means.

But yes, we're all in agreement that they should've forgone this. Everything they're doing now is a big eff you to the nation. Although I do like the idea of the Obama puppy gobbling kibbles off the Bush service.

Most, not all, administrations order new china. It becomes part of White House history and stays in use.

I guess my question is, do they normally order it at the beginning of the term or at the end? If it's normally at the end, then this is a kerfuffle along the lines of Clinton keeping the rug from the Oval Office, which is something every president does. A kerfuffle with very bad optics, but a kerfuffle nonetheless.

I guess my question is, do they normally order it at the beginning of the term or at the end?

Okay, this is getting embarrassing to keep talking about, but I actually know something about this topic (lowering voice to whisper) for reasons that I cannot, of course, divulge.

It's not all that unusual to order it near the end of a presidency. I'd have to check, but I think a couple of the last few first families have done it fairly near the end of the line. Really, the only kerfuffle here is that these people had the nerve to spend a half-mil on china--which not every administration does even in good economic times--in the middle of a financial meltdown they energetically helped bring about. And that's a big enough kerfuffle, in my opinion. It was atrocious, arrogant judgment.

The American people are human. If it comes to a choice between fiscal responsibility or painless get-rich-quick schemes of so-called economists, the popularity of the latter is assured.

Quite possibly the difference is that people aren't too pleased with what's been done by the Bush administration, but are willing to give the Obama administration the benefit of the doubt. Sounds reasonable, doesn't it?