Ok, Let's GET IT OUT! What Will People Consider A SUCCESS For O Regarding The STIMULUS???

[Beetwasher]

We all know that there will be some people here (and in media of course) that will call it a defeat for O no matter WHAT happens. But realistically, what will it take for it to be a SUCCESS for Obama, from your POV, obviously?

[NYC_SKP]

1. I'm looking for conditions tied to each dollar of funding, accountability.

I hope it's in there.

That's my primary concern. Politics requires that this bill will piss off everyone in some detail.

[MNDemNY]

2. 100% employment, Mortgages at 2.5%, wall Street at 15000,universal health care, and ponies for all.

Oh, yea, balanced budget by 2010.

[Beetwasher]

4. Ponies!

LOL!

[Pirate Smile]

10. Unicorns and rainbows!

Forget the regular ole' ponies.

http://yogibrewer.mlblogs.com/HappLand!.jpg

[phantom power]

3. If it passes and then levels off the unemployment rate.

[Dawgs]

7. Agree.

If people feel confident that the economy will be better by the end of this year, then he was successful.

[Occam Bandage]

5. 20% more than whatever the final total ends up being. nt

[Beetwasher]

9. I Wish!

I agree, I wish it was bigger. But As O has said, this is merely a down payment, as it were. More to come, hopefully.

[Uzybone]

6. Regarding the stimulus?

That it passes. With or without the GOP.

[tekisui]

8. As long as it passes, it will be a success.

The moran repukes, acting they have some kind of political power are going to get their asses handed to them.

They are trying to kill it, at least that is the message taken away from their antics. When it passes, Obama's political capital grows, theirs lessens. They become more irrelevant and we will see some start to break ranks.

Obama was smart to start with this big package, because from he on, he will easily win over enough repuke senators to pass whatever is in his agenda.

[phantom power]

11. What is your measure of success, BW?

[Beetwasher]

12. That's What I'm Askin YOU

That's the point of the post, to see how everyone measures the success or failure.

On edit: Sorry, you are asking MY personal measure! If it passes in pretty much it's current form (or even w/ MORE spending on infrastructure) and he can get it passed within the next week or two, I will consider it a success for O. And then obviously, if there is an actual effect on the economy, that will be an ever BIGGER success. I don't care if he gets a single Republican vote, I just care that it gets passed.

[phantom power]

13. Sure, and I contributed my answer. But you can play too!

[Beetwasher]

14. Sorry, See My Edit!

n/t

[phantom power]

15. Your answer brings up an interesting point: there are two kinds of success.

There is political success, and pragmatic success. If Obama (and the Dem congress) get the bill passed without major GOP influence, that is political success. If it actually starts to stabilize the economy, that is pragmatic success.

One of the things that makes being president hard is that you really have to achieve both. Without political success, you lose the power to do anything. But without pragmatic success, you haven't done anything.

[Beetwasher]

16. Yup, I Agree

That's part of what I'm curious about in people's answers. What are people focusing on? Do they get that distinction? (You do obviously cuz you're a smart guy!);)