I'm terrified Obama will be blamed for the recession/depression. Are you?

[HamdenRice]

Poll question: I'm terrified Obama will be blamed for the recession/depression. Are you?

Let's face it: Many average Americans are not very politically aware, not very capable of understanding economics and frankly not very bright.

The economy is going to get truly terrible before it gets better. I think everyone on DU understands the cause and effect of this disaster, and that the cause is a combination of things that occurred on Bush's watch -- unfettered greed by oil companies and the banking sector, non-existent financial regulation, declining incomes for the middle and working classes, extravagant spending on the military -- it goes on and on. I think we can agree that when things are really, really bad a year from now, it will be a result of actions that occurred during the Bush years.

But the truly, really, really bad things that will happen will happen during Obama's term. As bad as things are right now, we're still like Wylie Coyote: we have run off the cliff, but haven't yet looked down, and haven't really started falling.

Many people will not understand why we will be in the situation we will be in, and of course the media will have no interest in explaining it to them. Nor will they be able to comprehend that as bad as things will be, actions that Obama will take will probably ensure that they are not as bad as they could be. But most people who have a broken ankle can't comprehend that they just missed having a broken back.

So, will most Americans blame Bush or Obama?

[Thrill]

1. Only the RW nuts will try to blame Obama

[floridablue]

2. "Average American" who is "Not Very Bright" here

Just as it soon became Nixon's war, the first downturn after Obama becomes President will make it his recession.

[CrispyQ]

3. The media will make sure that it becomes Obama's recession.

"The Hunting of the President" is a documentary about the witch hunt of President Clinton, cuz that's what it was. They were after him from the first day he entered office & they will do the same with Obama, probably with even greater zeal.

[slackmaster]

4. The poll presents a false dilemma

Some will blame neither, some will blame both, some will blame various combinations of all kinds of factors not mentioned in the OP.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

6. Yes. There are many factors involved. n/t

[RDANGELO]

5. No, they won't blame him for the recession but,

when it comes time for reelection, if people don't see things heading in the right direction, He may have problems getting reelected. They don't realize what a big hole this is. This has been coming for a long time.

[azmouse]

7. It's been bad for a long time under Boosh. People blame him right now.

Obama will only be blamed if he can't do something to turn things around in his first year. People, and the media, will not wait longer than that to assign blame even if Obama is doing everything humanly possible to improve the economy.

[Balderdash]

8. Where's the blame Clinton button?

Repubs blame everything on Clinton. Maybe Obama will get a break if the right
can figure out a way to blame Clinton.

[Deja Q]

10. The Clenis got worn out. It's retired and hanging in the Smithsonian.

:yoiks:

[Deja Q]

9. Time will tell. Fortunately those saying "the fundamentals of the economy are sound"

stopped doing so in September, what with everything starting to fall to pieces and all...

[Adsos Letter]

11. As said above, the molders of public opinion will play a crucial role. n/t

[babylonsister]

12. Limpballs is already blaming Obama. I had the unfortunate

experience of listening to him yesterday. He claimed all the people who became unemployed since November are a direct result of their employer's fear of an Obama admin. Not one word about idiot son...now there's a shock.

[JaneQPublic]

25. Repukes always pass the buck in bad times, grab credit in good times

When Clinton was in office during one of the most prosperous times in American history, the Repukes tried to claim it was the result of Reagan policies, totally ignoring that between Reagan and Clinton was another GOP president -- GHW Bush -- who presided over his own recession.

Then during the the GW Bush administration, they blamed the first recession on the preceding Dem president and the second recession on the Dem president who hasn't even taken office yet.

Of course, their arguments only suggest just how weak and powerless GOP presidents are in general, if one in office is utterly powerless against the residual or anticipatory effects of Dem presidents not currently in office. Indeed, according to their buck-passing/credit-grabbing lines of argument, even Reagan's so-called effective policies were so lame they only had a positive impact three or four presidential terms later!

I wouldn't worry about Rush or Shawn or the rest of the GOPers blaming Obama. Of course, they will; it's what they do. But over 80 percent of Americans are looking positively upon Obama's upcoming presidency, and even a few who didn't vote for him are wishing him success, because their own personal well-being depends upon it. Nowadays, all those games of passing the buck, grabbing credit, and generally pointing fingers is SO last year.

[John Q. Citizen]

13. Who cares?

[HamdenRice]

14. Everyone who wants the recovery to continue beyond mid term Congressional elections

and the presidential re-election.

[John Q. Citizen]

18. Obama isn't scared or he would quit dissing his base.

[RC]

26. How do we scare him into paying attention to his base?

All his pandering to the right is not going to fix much.

[John Q. Citizen]

30. Organize.

[rug]

15. Of course not. He will be judged on how he hamdles it.

I'm more interested whether Afghanistan becomes Obama's war.

[Abq_Sarah]

41. The record will show

We were in a recession prior to Obama taking office.

His economic policies are what will be judged.

[marlakay]

16. As stupid as they are most people know it was the war

that swallowed up thirstily all the money we ever thought of having in this country. And most people know the truth that the war was a lie and will blame Bush.

But its all how Obama handles the mess is whether he gets reelected. If he can do FDR moves and restart the economy with jobs he will be praised. If it goes no where he won't.

Also the dem congress will finally have to get balls and back him up.

[gravity]

17. Obama's approval rating says otherwise

Most people, including many republicans, are looking for Obama to fix this mess that was created by Wall Street, who they place the blame on for this mess.

[Deja Q]

19. And that's why most people voted for him,

or that's my feeling and inference from others.

And Obama has a far better chance of doing something positive than McPalin. Unless the only way to get ahead is by wearing short skirts and to the best of my knowledge, Obama isn't a Scotsman...

[RC]

29. He's Irish. black Irish if you want to get picky.

[ecstatic]

20. I think Obama's team can prevent a great depression

Call me naive or whatever... but we'll see. The first mistake congress made was bailing out corporations but not bailing out the people. 70 million tax payers could have received 10k a piece which would have gone a long way to getting our economy back on track.

[Captain Hilts]

21. They'll blame Bush for a few years.

FDR: The Depression wasn't MY fault!

[Skittles]

22. the people who will blame Obama are the ones who still support bush now

stupid fucking idiots

[spiritual_gunfighter]

23. I voted that people will blame Obama

It is bullshit, but I really do believe the MSM will promote the meme that Obama hasn't done enough or made the right decisions to turn the economy around. Bush will be a distant memory in a couple of months and Obama will get the blame.

[RetroLounge]

24. You're terrified?

:rofl:

RL

[HamdenRice]

28. 8 years of President Palin (2012-2020) isn't terrifying? It is to me. Even 4 years.

The country wouldn't survive 4 years of Republican economic policy.

[RetroLounge]

31. Feel free to remain terrified...

:scared:

RL

[Uzybone]

27. Its the Bush recession/depression (tm)

Nothing will change that. Only thing Obama can be blamed for is if we do not get out of it within 2-3 years. 2009 will be worse than 2008.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

32. 30% of the country will blame obama for this. 70% wont.

[HamdenRice]

34. Probably about right. The 30% that supported Bush until his numbers fell ...

through the floor, which is to say, the 30% who generally are not reality based in their assessments.

Hope that's true.

[rasputin1952]

33. bush has had the reigns of power for damn near 8 years...

Obama is not even president yet.

That explains it all right there, the only option is bush and hsi insane policies.

[Bluebear]

35. "Terrified"? Goodness.

[LWolf]

36. I'm not terrified of anything.

Why give terror territory?

I'm sure there will be those who will crank up the propaganda machine; why not?

The American Public has shown itself willing to swallow the most ludicrously orwellian bullshit to avoid cognitive dissonance. What would be different about this?

The response will make the difference.

[disndat]

37. Don't worry

Obama has the mandate and can do anything he needs to. He won't have to buck political opposition.

[bridgit]

38. "terrified"? No, republicans are simply not allowed to blame Clinton coming & Obama going out

And skip on down the road like LaLa Teletubbie after looting the treasury. It's past time for republicans to be held accountable for something, and if it takes pushing back on & belittling M$M to suggest they start asking some question they should have been asking all along then fine.

[hangonjustaminute]

39. There's a lot more

to be terrified about. I really don't see the majority of Americans blaming Prez O for this.

[backscatter712]

40. Remember these two words: "Bush Depression"

Every time, and I mean every single time you talk about the economic downturn with your friends, call it the Bush Depression. Make sure those two words are associated with each other NOW.

Ideally, when kids are all studying the early 21st century in their history textbooks fifty years from now, they'll be reading about the Bush Depression.

[MrSlayer]

42. No, very little "terrifies" me.

Of course they are going to try to blame Obama. All we need to do is keep the truth in the open. The Bush Recession, the Bush Depression, never call it anything but and always correct any that do. Get a grip.

[whistler162]

43. Of course he will!!!!

[DailyGrind51]

44. The 23% who still admire Bush, will blame Obama, but no one with a three-digit I.Q. will.

[W_HAMILTON]

45. Unless it gets much, much, much worse...

...or doesn't get any better during Obama's watch, he won't be blamed for it.

Everyone will realize that the collapse took place before the elections were even held. Hell, lots of people pointed to the economic collapse as the reason why McCain lost in the first place.

[DCBob]

46. Not terrified. Of course whoever is in office will take the brunt of the blame.

But assigning blame is not going to be most people's highest priority -- survival will be.

[mucifer]

47. I'm afraid the Jews will be blamed.

[dkf]

48. If Obama decides to prioritize cultural issues before economic issues he will get blamed for it.

It all depends on people's perceptions as to how hard he is trying.