Obama to hold online town hall meeting

(Credit: WhiteHouse.gov)

President Barack Obama is turning directly to the public to win support for his economic proposals in ways unseen from any president before him, and on Tuesday he continued that by introducing a new feature on WhiteHouse.gov called "Open for Questions."

The new feature, modeled after the "Open for Questions" tool on Change.gov, allows users to ask a question about the economy, as well as vote for or against others' questions. On Thursday morning, the president will hold an online town hall meeting on the economy, streamed on WhiteHouse.gov, and answer some of the most popular questions from the tool.

"One of my priorities as president is opening up the White House to the American people so that folks can understand what we're up to and have a chance to participate themselves," Obama says in an introductory video at the "Open for Questions" page. "We're going to take advantage of the Internet to bring all of you to the White House to talk about the economy...This is an experiment, but it's also an exciting opportunity for me to look at a computer and get a snapshot of what Americans across the country care about. We may not always agree on everything, but this way, I can get a sense of your concerns and give you some straight answers."

After visitors set up an account on WhiteHouse.gov by submitting their name, e-mail address, zip code, and choosing a password, they can submit or review questions in a number of different categories related to the economy: jobs, health care reform, education, home ownership, veterans, auto industry, financial stability, green jobs and energy, retirement security, small business, and budget.

The terms of participation notify users that the tool is hosted by Google but that WhiteHouse.gov owns and has access to the data related to the questions and voting, which will be treated in accordance with the WhiteHouse.gov privacy policy. It also says Google never receives the e-mail addresses submitted and does not store the IP addresses related to the tool.

The new feature was launched the same day President Obama held a nationally televised, prime time news conference to advocate for his $3.55 trillion budget proposal and other economic plans. Besides making more television appearances than might be expected from the president--his stint on NBC's "The Tonight Show" was the first time a sitting president was a guest on a late night talk show--Obama is making use of the millions of e-mail addresses his team gathered during the presidential campaign to directly appeal for people's support for his budget.

The group Organizing for America, overseen by the Democratic National Committee, has sent out e-mails over the past week and a half asking Obama supporters to mobilize on behalf of the president's agenda.

"In the next few weeks we'll be asking you to do some of the same things we asked of you during the campaign--talking directly to people in your communities about the president's ideas for long-term prosperity," David Plouffe, Obama's campaign manager wrote to the e-mail list on March 13.

A tool featured on the DNC Web site allows visitors to submit their address to find the phone numbers for their congressional representatives, in order to make calls in support of Obama's budget. It also provides a script for volunteers to follow during the calls.

[AppleSuxLeo]

Lots of meeetings , speeches , and money handed out. No results. Just greedy bankers that got richer.

[BogusBasin]

Obama is really Steve Jobs in disguise. This country will turn around for sure.

[Michichael]

What's with all of the retarded pothead questions in that list? Are people seriously concerned with getting their drugs legalized instead of more important things? I mean hell, they don't even go AFTER you any more. Why don't we, instead of asking about whether getting high won't get you fined any more, we ask about things like how he's planning on addressing the gross abuses of power of the last regime, or perhaps reigning in the invasions of privacy that RIAA and other companies are trying to push down people's throats?

[Endbringer]

How about someone ask him how adding debt to more debt gets someone out of debt? He's proposing the largest deficit increase IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD. People complain about the last administration and republican Congress, but Obama and the liberals in charge of Congress are talking about passing a budget that increases the deficit MORE THAN 3 TIMES WHAT BUSH DID DURING HIS ENTIRE 8 YEARS.

Obama is going to bankrupt America. Even Europe is worried about what he's trying to do because our economies depend on each other. Not once has Obama talked about fixing the looming bankruptcy of America due to Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid. Everyone else in America, businesses and people, are pulling back on spending and making sacrifices, yet he's increasing the size and power of government! I can't believe how many don't realize that every penny the government gets is taken from us. They don't earn their own money; they take it from those that do earn it. Every single dime of it. So, how does taking money out of the economy and giving it to government going to increase wealth? It doesn't. Never has and never will. The incompetence being demonstrated by this administration and Congress is frightening, but even more scary is the fact that the people don't care or are just ignorant.

[EverydayPeople]

Why don't you ask this question yourself? I would hope his plan is based on sound research and figuring. he does have access to great econmoists. I personally, would love to hear the breakdown in simple terms. You, haven't given any answers either. I want to know how his plan would work, and from you--how it wouldn't work. Spoken in economical terms, not generalizations or subjective opinion. 1+1=2 etc... I want the figures and the facts. Rather than simple bantering--and that is on both sides.

I need a chart and figures that represent the soluitions proposed by both parties. Please let me know if anyone has access to this-links, whatever!

Thanks Endbringer for your critic, without solution!! You're the best!

[kastorion]

Mr. President:

"THE AMERICAN DREAM NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT BACK"
"UNEMPLOYEED ROSE AND SEEKING BACK THE AMERICAN DREAM"
Congratulations on being our 44th president. I am a resident alien of the USA. My parents brought me TO THE USA from Greece for the 'AMERICAN DREAM:. I arrived in NYC Ellis Island on 7/29/66. I have LIVED THE "AMERICAN DREAM" UNTIL 2001 when I LOST MY JOB OF 25 YRS. NOW MY HOME IS IN FORECLOSURE WHICH I PURCHASED 28 YRS. AGO. I CANNOT FIND A JOB AND MY MORTGAGE COMPANY IS NOT WORKING WITH MY HARDSHIP. I NEED YOUR HELP TO FIND A JOB AND SAVE MY HOME AND PLEASE ALLOW ME TO HELP OTHERS THAT OUR FACING SAME ISSUES.

PLEASE HELP ME AND MY HUSBAND FIND A SOLUTION. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND YOUR GREAT SMILE WHICH IS BRINGING BACK CONFIDENCE TO THE COUNTRY.

THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND YOU ARE ON MY #1 LIST TO MEET IN PERSON.

ROSE BAKIS

[randallj51]

Mr Obama. this may not be a subject of importance in this days of distasters.but just curiouse.what can be done about land lords who take outragouse amounts of rent money and bank it.not will to do repairs on the home your living in.i get tired of paying good rent and living with mold and rodents leaky pipes etc. good lElaina Wilson Ft Wayne Indiana.landlords need to be better.i have had men landlords just walk in my home any hours of the day.saying they own the property they come in when they want.cant get anywhere in the court system.the landlords always win and i end up loosing.