Anti-Biz Obama 'Loathes Profit Motive': Barnes

(NEWSER) - President Obama has big plans for the economy, and that’s too bad because he knows nothing about it, Fred Barnes writes in the Weekly Standard. All of his proposals and angry jabs at Wall Street are counter to his professed interest in growth and job creation. “Obamanomics pays lip service to a free market economy,” Barnes writes. “But Obama hasn't a clue what makes it work.” More»

Republican Party lacks opposition bump usually accompanying hard times

(NEWSER) - Americans are bummed about the economy, but that hasn’t given Republicans the usual opposition party boost in Washington . “The mood in America may be blue, but attitudes toward Washington are just jet black,” a pollster tells the Wall Street Journal . Some 58% of respondents think the economy will continue to fester, up from 52% last month. But folks would still rather have the Dems in control after midterms, 46% to 38%; those numbers were 43% to 40% in September. More»

(NEWSER) - President Obama said today that the US faces a long slog in finding its way out of financial tumult, but emphasized that he is seeing signs of hope, the New York Times reports. "Times are still tough," he said. "By no means are we out of the woods just yet. But from where we stand, for the very first time, we are beginning to see glimmers of hope." While he issued no major policy initiatives, Obama reaffirmed his determination to reform Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, notes the Washington Post. More»

Directly or indirectly, $150B spent has had great effect, report says

(NEWSER) - The economic stimulus package has already created or saved at least 650,000 jobs, the White House said today, even though just $150 billion of the $787 billion has been spent. And the number of jobs is closer to 1 million if it includes positions added indirectly, according to the administration. The tricky numbers come from tens of thousands of reports by funding recipients, including state and local governments and private firms. More»

Good news for prez ahead of today's job-loss report

(NEWSER) - President Obama’s stimulus package appears to have helped the economy bottom out more swiftly, an economists’ report says. Analysts hold that the stimulus boosted economic growth by about a percentage point in the second quarter—not enough to keep the economy from shrinking but enough to slow the pace of decline, reports the New York Times. More»