Obama Is High in Polls, But Issues Like Mortgage and Auto Crises Help Republicans

The problem is everyone feels like they need handouts. I work in collections for a cell phone company and I hear every excuse possible to give more time to pay there bill. Everyone I talk to has an excuse for why they need more time or credits. This is a cell phone company, it is not a necessity. If a person is having a hard time in life and needs help with their finances, then why have the most expensive phone with the highest plan? People are not asking for help anymore they are demanding it. That is the problem with the economy today.

“I’m hurt and I need Workmen’s Comp. so I’m waiting for my check” “I’m disabled I need a disability check, but I only get it once a month.” “I lost my job I need my unemployment before I can pay my bill.” “My bill is too high I only make 4000.00 a month so I need a credit to help with the overages.” “There’s an Ice storm and I need another month to pay my bill.”

yasmin of MI 8:58PM February 20, 2009

Mr. Hanshaw, Your comments about illegal aliens fails to take into account that a wide Republican majority failed to act on the inrush of illegal workers for years and years. Living in Arizona, I can tell you from experience that when people are deported, they are generally able to come back within a month. We would need to live as a heavily armed state, basically at war, to keep them out. Neither political party seems able to solve that dilemma.

To all of you who are so smug and self righteous about helping those "losers" who failed to manage their finances properly, let's hope you are never at the mercy of others, needing a helping hand.

Due to the general state of the economy, my husband and I have watched our income from his veterinary practice and my decorating business erode for years. We have lived in the same comfortable but unfancy home for over 23 years. 3 years ago we had to refinance our house to keep our business going, hoping to ride out the downturn. We have never missed or been late with a payment. Still, if one more setback happens, say a health issue for one of us (my husband is still working six days a week at age 70), we will go down the tubes. It is very disheartening to listen to the Republican faithful deride people just like us as "losers" "leeches" and people who refuse to live within their means. Personally, I haven't purchased a new outfit in three years. I have to think that mean spirited mindset is what drives the vast majority of good caring people away from the Republican Demagogues.

phoenician lady of AZ 11:15AM February 20, 2009

Mr. Obama just signed a stimulus bill that will cost $789.5 billion plus another $300 plus billion because it's borrowed money. He did not go through it line by line as he said he would do when he wanted my vote. In fact he did not even read it.

If he is not going to make a reasonable effort to make certain that the hard earned money of the taxpayers is being spent without waste, then it is incredibly hypocritcal of him to be asking for more sacrifice from taxpayers to help other Americans out of their difficulties.

Harry22 of MA 9:08AM February 20, 2009

Much of the opposition to the mortgage bailout seems to be venting their anger at those irresponsible individuals that purchased a house that they could not affford. I don't doubt that many folks fit this profile. On the other hand, many budget minded people are recently out of work. These people with previous responsible spending habits, are now in vulnerable economic positions and will also be facing foreclosure. I don't want to see bad come to lots of good folks simply because the DC and Wall Street economic gurus have squandered the economy. We don't know the entire story on what's currently happening, but it will be examined deeply in the coming years and decades. Therefore, while I respect those who don't support the measure to provide homeowner relief (aka Obama's plan), I'm in profound disagreement with them. I have a good job, pay taxes and I'm totally cool with using my tax contributions to help out my fellow citizens. I'm lucky to be in this position. We have to pull together. Everything seems to be falling apart. Several years ago the Mississippi river was flooding its banks and people from all over the nation flocked to towns and communities that were being devastated and began sand-bagging. Well, that's basically what we need to do now as Americans. Where our leaders have failed, the people must pull together and sand-bag this nation and economy back to health. Failure can not be an option. We must pull together.

Anthony R. Seta of OH 1:42AM February 20, 2009