In the commencement speech to Arizona State University's graduating class, President Obama referred to the economic crisis as a "privilege" because "it is moments like these that force us to try harder and dig deeper and discover gifts we never knew we had. To find the greatness that lies within each of us." 

Following this logic, and acknowledging the fact that young graduates are "privileged" to enter what many are calling the worst economic climate since the 1980s, should we be thanking the President for giving our children a debt that will force them to "dig deep"? 

(Image © Charles Dharapak for the AP)

Comments

[Ben W]

Hmm.. this sounds like a "be thankful in everything" situation, and I'm glad that he's presenting our problems as a challenge, rather than an insurmountable barrier.

As for the stimulus package.. that's for the economists to decide. But there's no question that Obama got stuck coming in with a hurting economy and gigantic deficit.

[Jason Taylor]

Yawn. It helped him win the election. There is no particular reason why it should not add to his headache once he is in. There must be some folk saying or other about this.

In any case a hurting economy is a function of hurting morale. Making a bother about it encourages it, and in fact maybe the stimulus package is a placebo.

Stimulus packages do seem kind of dubious though. They can encourage the public to think of the Government as a Sicilian godfather ruling by patronage instead of as a machine built and maintained by ourselves, to serve ourselves.