AS MUCH AS THE REPUBLICANS DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT

The New York Times reported today that Wall Street has again begun hiring in anticipation of an economic recovery. The shift underscores the effectiveness of President Obama's leadership in beginning to right the country's economy and in putting America back to work.

While immense challenges still remain on the road to full employment, the remarkable recovery of the biggest banks and brokerage firms is surely a leading indicator that recovery is well under way.

While Republicans and even a few blue dog Democrats continue to resist the additional economic stimulus that President Obama has called for, it is clear that additional, targeted economic stimulus, at the expense of short term spikes in the national deficit, is the economic medicine that most reputable economists prescribe. Not doing so will only slow or even stall the recovery which, after all, would seem to be the goal of the Republican leadership, whose only concern seems to be the midterm elections rather than the well being of the nation.

At least they are consistent, the Republicans being the party of NO, have said no to everything that President Obama has proposed and now they have said no to economic recovery as well.

Come November, Americans should say NO to them.

THE WORST

The nation's 238 leading presidential scholars, who have been polled annually for the last 28 years have, upon consideration,  rated George W. Bush as the worst president in modern times and the fifth worst of all time.

President Barack Obama, who hasn't yet served a full term, rated 15th.

At least some people are paying attention.

HELP WE'VE FALLEN AND WE CAN'T GET UP

Rather than put forth effective solutions to the great challenges that face the country, republicans instead will fall all over themselves in their mad, cynical, rush to criticize President Obama for political gain. The funny part is, the only thing they ever manage to do is fall all over themselves.

How can anyone ever take this party seriously? The only way is if you are being intellectually dishonest in order to push a wrong headed right wing agenda. No wonder the republicans are a regional minority party.

Within the past few days both Karl Rove and Michael Steele have fallen all over themselves.

On Thursday, Karl Rove criticized President Obama for an "orgy of overspending."

The fact is when Bill Clinton turned over the keys to the White House to Rove's protege, George W. Bush, the U.S. government enjoyed a budget surplus. By the time that W. handed over the keys to Barack Obama, the federal budget deficit was more than a trillion dollars.

Can somebody please help Karl because he has fallen and he can't get up.

On the same day, republican party chairman Michael Steele claimed in a speech that the war in Afghanistan was "a war of Obama's choosing" and that "This is not something the United States has actively prosecuted or wanted to engage in." The only problem with these statements, as with most of what republicans say, is that they are factually inaccurate. The war, of course, was begun by President George W. Bush in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. These statements are also far out of line with the consensus view among republicans that the president is, for the most part, executing the right strategy to win the war in Afghanistan.

Can somebody please help Michael because he too has fallen and he can't get up.

How quickly, republicans forget. Americans won't.