Here at Hope n' Change, we like to think of ourselves as "glass half full" types. For instance, when we hear that there's a new strain of antibiotic-resistant bacterial "superbug" spreading from India, we take a moment to count our blessings.
"It could be worse," we say to ourselves. "It could be something as nightmarish as the latest news about the American economy!"
It doesn't matter what sector of the economy you're talking about; you can spin Washington's "Wheel of Misfortune" and come up with a loser wherever you look: the jobless numbers just "unexpectedly" rose again, housing foreclosures are going up instead of down, the stock market is taking triple-digit losses, and a surprisingly large trade deficit suggests that our alleged "recovery" may be grinding to a halt. Record numbers of people are on food stamps, and near-riots are taking place as people fight to get into government-funded housing.
But, like we said, here at Hope n' Change we like to think of ourselves as "glass half full" types. So even after looking at this economic news, let's still take a moment to count one very important blessing...
Mid-term elections will be here soon...and it's the only known cure for the virulent Anti-American SuperMajority that is currently making us all sick.
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14 comments:
The more I see administration economists and media experts declare that there will be no "double dip recession" or worse, the more I'm convinced we're already there.
The one thing I give Billy Jeff Clenis credit for is his campaign theme "It's the economy, stupid".
As much as Obama would rather have you focus on unicorns and rainbows, this economy is looming over us like a big, ugly mother-in-law. Those of us who aren't beaten down yet are fearful for our futures and wondering: How in hell did we get here? Pointing fingers back at the last administration is becoming more laughable by the day.
The upcoming election is all about which party will be in control in the future. The following shows that party control has had more of an impact on the economy than which party is President. This narrative is starting to worm around the internet, please do your part to see that it sees the light of day:
Opinion: Which Is the Real Prosperity Party?
Here are some quotes from the article:
"The choice for voters in this year's fierce fight for congressional control will come down to a single question: Which political party -- Democrats or Republicans -- will do a better job coping with crippling unemployment and a devastating deficit?"
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"As President Barack Obama plaintively inquires on the campaign trail, "Why would anyone want to go back to the economic policies that got us into this mess in the first place?"
Though endlessly regurgitated by mass media, this melodramatic (and highly partisan) storyline amounts to a misleading simplification of the historical record.
Indeed, looking at the data, it would be more accurate to talk about the "Gingrich boom" and the "Pelosi collapse," than to rant so endlessly about the "Clinton boom" and the "Bush collapse."
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"The deficit picture also brightened after tight-fisted Newt Gingrich and his allies captured 53 Democratic House seats and took the initiative on government spending. During two years of all-Democratic rule (1993-94), the federal deficit averaged 3.35 percent of the gross domestic product, but the subsequent six years (under GOP congressional leadership) brought deficits averaging less than zero -- with surpluses from 1998 through 2001."
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"In W's first six years, with his GOP allies dominating Capitol Hill, Bush deficits averaged 1.91 percent of the GDP -- well below the 60-year postwar average. After House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., brought their free-spending ways to House and Senate, deficits soared to a dangerous 4.74 percent over the next two years -- and continued to skyrocket to a projected (and appalling) 10.27 percent for the first two years of Obama."
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"The unemployment rate went from an average of 5.29 percent during Bush's first six years (with Republican majorities) to 6.57 percent after the Dems came to power -- and an excruciating 9.4 percent (average) during the first 18 months of Obama."
alan- Obama and company are counting on America's collective (and selective) lack of memory to reframe all of our economic problems as the "Bush legacy." The examples you cite above help show that their argument is complete BS.
As we've said here before, there's plenty of blame to affix to both parties...but the Democrats deserve most of the blame.
Yeah. Like the bird flu and the swine flu. I sense another "convenient emergency" intended to distract the public's attention from what the 0ther hand is doing...
You said it, brother....there is always an "august surprise" before a big election, and EVERYONE should know this will be a biggie! The dems certainly do, and hopefully reasonable people of all persuasions do too. The rest of you stay home.
This is a remarkable time we're in right now, and when I think about it, the closest parallel I come up with is the third reich!
oh yeh....hoosier dad, loved the "this economy is looming over us like a big, ugly mother-in-law" quote!
Readers- Great comments! We have a strong hunch that there will be a big "August Surprise" coming soon, and that it will be the political equivalent of a biblical plague (on our side, at least)!
We used to hear about the "October" surprise. Events timed to dominate the news cycle right up to the election in November. I still wonder if the economic melt-down in September 2008 was a natural market event or was induced by some outside force (a lot of wealthy Wall Street types & George Soros are still standing on two feet). A lot of Americans lost wealth in the quarter ended 9/08. Got their quarterly IRA statements a few weeks before the election. I remember McCain suggesting (and getting mocked for it) that he & Obama delay one of the scheduled debates so that they could vote on the financial rescue. Obama refused - he had a campaign to win!
But yes indeed, we must be alert for "surprises" that seem to be politically convenient. I think this time around, though, people are more aware and suspicious & the internet screws up attempts to dominate the news cycle. Don't forget, Stilton Jarlsberg and many other bloggers are on the job 365 days a week!
I'm not so sure that the Obama administration and Democratic Party have the competence to pull anything off without screwing themselves up in a big way. It seems like everything they touch turns to crap anyway.
Dang, I meant Stilton is on the job 365 days a year, not a week. Although sometimes it seems like he puts in 7 days of work in one day, if you know what I mean.
that's ok, Alan Markus. it takes someone working 365 days a week to keep up with 'el Presidente' & his 57 states.
Or as Joe Biden might say, "Stilton Jarlsberg works several jobs. It's all about jobs - 'jobs', it's a three letter word"
Boy am I glad I agree with YOU guys!
alan (and others)- I wouldn't normally take credit for working 365 days a week, but when Obama's top economic advisor "pulled the chute" and slid to her escape this week, Robert Gibbs gave her credit for having accomplished 6 years work in 18 months. As long as we're using new math (or is it "no math?"), I'll just say thanks for the kind words!
READERS- In case any of you haven't heard yet, Barack Hussein Obama took the occasion of his taxpayer-funded Whitehouse Ramadan dinner to announce to his Muslim guests that he fully supports the building of the Ground Zero mosque.
There will be a new cartoon up at one minute after midnight. And in the meanwhile, I'm puking blood.
http://bit.ly/cj3oAv
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