Good to see you again Champas!
As for the Newsweek article it is being widely discussed - and as you might expect, soundly thrashed. Andrew Sullivan is a former blogger that went mainstream. He is entitled to his opinion, but Obama is not more conservative than Bush. Whether you support Obama or want him gone, one thing most (as Andrew is evidence of the fact it is not all) people do acknowledge and understand he is more left than Bush was (although Bush was not very right of center either). American Conservatives do not believe in nationalizing 1/6 of the economy in the name of "Universal Health Care" (actually insurance - but most do not realize that distinction). Whether you agree with Obamacare or not, most (again Andrew so not all) admit it is a growth of government which is the antithesis of conservatism, but a pillar of liberalism (American style).
As most conservatives will tell you - they were disappointed with Bush not being far enough right (I think I already did). And so, as most liberals will tell you that Obama is not far enough left. But just because there are always going to be some to the right of the conservatives and to the left of liberals does not mean that all conservatives or liberals are the opposite.
We have an expression: "He is so far left, he thinks anyone right of Mao is a conservative". That is half of Andrew's problem. He fails to understand that through philosophy or pragmatism, Obama is not on the extreme left and will gather scorn from those who are (even though they will vote for him come November).
While Sullivan is entitled to his opinion, the truth, as stated by economists on both the left and right (including in the administration) the Stimulus did not prevent anything. Mostly because it was not a stimulus, but a pay back. The few benefits it did have in it, were offset by the sucking up of working capital that private industry could have used to restart the economy, and the additional regulations that stifled any hope of a quick recovery.
A couple of years ago, newsweek sold for $1. It appears to have been over priced even at that.
