I’m starting to have issues with the language that President Obama is using while discussing the financial crisis. Specifically, I do not care for the fact that the President continues to try to place the blame on his predecessor.

Let’s be very, very clear here – the current recession and financial crisis started under President Bush and his administration. There was very little the Bush administration did to make the situation any better or worse.  The only option they provided was a $700 Billion TARP package that was mismanaged, and continues to be. There is no doubt or question about that, however, every time President Obama makes a decision about economic policy he is taking ownership of the problem. Every decision his administration is making has a direct impact on the current economic environment.

Every time the Obama administration passes legislation – such as the $787 Billion Dollar stimulus that doesn’t stimulate anything, the Housing Bill that only addresses a very limited number of mortgages, or creating the biggest Deficit in the history of the country – he taking greater ownership of a problem that appears to be spiraling out of control.

That is speech like the following can only go on for so long:

As soon as I took office, I asked this Congress to send me a recovery plan by President’s Day that would put people back to work and put money in their pockets. Not because I believe in bigger government – I don’t. Not because I’m not mindful of the massive debt we’ve inherited – I am. I called for action because the failure to do so would have cost more jobs and caused more hardships.

Obama to Congress

Or

“I did think it might be useful to point out that it wasn’t under me that we started buying a bunch of shares of banks. It wasn’t on my watch. And it wasn’t on my watch that we passed a massive new entitlement -– the prescription drug plan — without a source of funding. And so I think it’s important just to note when you start hearing folks throw these words around that we’ve actually been operating in a way that has been entirely consistent with free-market principles and that some of the same folks who are throwing the word ’socialist’ around can’t say the same.”

Obama to NYT Reporters

The American public will only accept the “it’s not my fault” cry for so long.  Eventually the populous will start pointing to the impact of the administration and say “while you didn’t start it, you’ve made it worse.” So when does this become Presidnet Obama’s mess?  Ever day that passes.

It’s time for President Obama to man up and take ownership of the problem regardless of who created is to blame or at fault.  The President needs to stop attempting justify his actions by saying “well, others before me did so therefore I am too”.

The President needs to do what he was elected to do – lead.

Related posts:

1. You *HAVE* to be joking. President Obama wins the Nobel peace prize?
2. Now I no longer need to say it, President Bush will do it for me – sacrificed free-market principles to save economy
3. President Obama saying the Economic Crisis is “not as bad as we think” is like saying Ted Kaczynski (the Unibomer) only had poor social skills
4. Caterpillar contradicts the President, Nadya Suleman, and the difference between coach and 1st class
5. Thank you Joe Lieberman for saying what our President would not