Dee, I'm not too sure of your figures, but I think that a federal government guaranteed loan to the American auto manufacturers isn't unprecedented, nor do I think it is particularly wise, but keep in mind that no matter what any President favors, Congress must first authorize it. This is true even of the current president (not capitalized on purpose). Be it Bush, or Obama, they would both be criticized mercilessly if they had vetoed the attempt to keep the auto companies from folding.
I would also ask you to consider that the Patriot Act was a product of the Congress in a time that called for drastic actions, much like those carried out by our government during WW II. I'm not saying some of the provisions of the Patriot Act aren't contrary to our Constitution, but the ultimate arbitor of that should be the Supreme Court
So, is there a difference between Bush and Obama? You betcha. It might be hard for some to discern, but even if it's no more than a matter of me liking Bush's tone better, that's enough for me. Heck, even Ronald Reagan irked me from time to time.