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The main political problem that Obama had was in early 2009, he should have structured the Stimulus like TARP for workers. Call it the BWP (Beleaguered Workers program) and spend all of the money on full employment policies. He also could have lowered time expectations and said it was a four year program and once the money was appropriated, the Congress, that got elected in 2010, cofor not touch it. Furthermore, his program should have had no tax cuts in it and he could have used the expiring Bush tax cuts as leverage to get fundamental payroll tax reform (lowering the rate and raising the cap). Also, he could have used the massive BWP funds as leverage against recalcitrant Congressmen, especially those conservative Democrats who suddenly started to worry about the debt as soon as the state tried to help ordinary people.
I know that Obama faced challenges that white Presidents do not face but it was all the more reason to be swifter, more decisive and less conciliatory. Republicans were never going to love you, no matter how much you wanted to be bipartisan. Use the crisis to amass vast amounts of money and then use that money to punish enemies and reward friends.
U must've forgot Obama spent his political capital appeasing environmental whackos
Wit cap & trade & couldn't even get it passed
Wit a Democratic congressm