Bush Says Recovery Might Have Looked Strong if He'd Let Recession Deepen

[Judi Lynn]

Bush Says Recovery Might Have Looked Strong if He'd Let Recession Deepen

The Associated Press
Published: Aug 1, 2003

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush suggested Friday that the current drawn-out U.S. economic recovery might have looked more robust if he'd allowed the 2001 recession to get worse.

"Economic historians would say that the recession of 2001 was one of the more shallow recessions. Some would probably say, well, maybe you shouldn't have acted and let the recession go deeper, which would have made - may have made - for a more speedy recovery," Bush told reporters after meeting with his Cabinet.

He did not elaborate, but his spokesman, Scott McClellan, later told reporters: "We acted to address the recession. We acted to make sure the economy came back to a path of growth."

He cited the three tax-cut and economic stimulus measures passed since Bush took office in January 2001. (snip/...)

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGA33C3PUID.html

:beer: :crazy: ???

[ewagner]

1. I'm trying Molly ,I really am

Molly Ivans keeps reminding us not to think of (or call) Dubya stupid. She's says he's not dumb, just terribly limited. I really don't know what that means but I've been trying really really hard not to call him stupid...

but Molly...this...is...too...much......

[MaineDem]

2. umm, yeah, sure

Whatever you say, George/

:eyes:

[yella_dawg]

3. Wow!

I must not really have been out of a job, with all my prospects being exported to Asia, these last 11 months. I guess I just need to get my skills current.

yella

[Heddi]

4. oookkkaay

so he's admitting that he *COULD* have used an economic downturn SOLELY for political gain.

Are we to believe that in the past he's passed up intervening in other "bad" situations just for political gain?

Me remembers low poll numbers pre 9/11....which makes me remember high poll numbers right afterwards....hmmmmm

[MaineDem]

5. I remember...

Before Sept 11 everyone thought - and said it - that he was really really dumb!

[Rose Siding]

50. Sounds like he just accepted full responsibility

for a lousy economy. If he could have "let" it happen, he could have prevented it from happening.

The only task at hand is not letting him sell another one of those "big lies".

[Richardo]

6. Woo Hoo!! We're ALL lucky duckies!

Thanks, Smirky!


(you twit)

[expatriot]

41. bush has been getting offly huffy lately and if we aren't careful...

he'll stomp out of the room and take his toys with him and tell his mommy that he doesn't want to play with us anymore!

[aquart]

7. So, let me get this straight: we OWE George

because he unselfishly sacrificed his moment of glorious triumph for the greater good. Do I have that right?

[ewagner]

9. That's what really galls me!

He's acting like we (the humble servants) are being ungrateful for his kindness in acting on the recession when he did as opposed to making us suffer a little more....

It's all about him.

It's all about how much better HE is than US.

I'm goiing to go breathe in the brown paper bag for a while...
:mad:

[Sagan]

8. It must be awesome to have the media in your pocket...

You can get away with saying really stupid things like this.

[smallprint]

10. Bush Says He Might Have Looked Smart if He'd Just Stick To the Script

somewhere, deep in the bowels of the White House, Karl Rove is screaming...

[Qutzupalotl]

11. So if he had it all to do over again...

oh, never mind. He won't.

[Arugula Latte]

12. Oh, if only

Darn it! Too bad we didn't plunge head first into a depression...Oh, also, if only those darn cable news channels hadn't constantly been beating that war drumbeat. It's their fault, too, remember, according to President Dumbass.

[Lisa]

13. talk about the "soft bigotry of low expectations"!!!

This guy reminds me of an incompetent hiree who demands praise for NOT destroying everything in sight. Gee, thanks for not completely trashing the economy. There -- how's that?!

[hang a left]

14. Tell me he really didn't say that !

Anyone who actually listens to this prick and rah rahs him, needs to have their head examined.

[DagmarK]

15. The only thing suggesting a connection to reality in the orig post is:

The poster's 'comments'.

Good lord...........

Okay, let's say, for grins, that Bush *did* act to bring about some alleged recovery that we are now allegedly experiencing......

Okay...so, he's saying it would LOOK more robust IF he had let things go down the tubes in the last couple of years?

Oh never mind.....his logic causes my brain to spasm. It's like trying to explain that squares are not circular......

[karlschneider]

16. Uh huh. Down looks like up if you're on the bottom.

:eyes:

[TreasonousBastard]

17. Thank you, George.

I think I'll kill myself now.

I have heard everything.

[wryter2000]

18. What planet does this moron live on?

:wtf:

[DagmarK]

19. Economy is vibrant and strong!!! Keep saying that bushboy!

"Bush said the "economy is vibrant and strong" even though recent government economic reports have been mixed."

***Yes, it is vibrant and strong. Exxon just posted a profit increase of FIFTY-EIGHT PERCENT! (reported yesterday, btw)



"Even though some of the numbers are good, there are still too many people looking for work, and so we're going to keep working on the economy until people can find a job," Bush said.

***RUN FOR COVER! He just promised to do MORE of what he has been doing! Oh lord help us!!!!!!

***He's going to 'keep working on it' -- so...when will he be working on it? After he gets back from his month-long annual brush cutting sabbatical? Or will he wait to get working on it after the first 4-day weekend at the ranch after his return from the sabbatical?

[DagmarK]

20. I would love to send a copy of our REACTION to AP.......

Would that be unkosher to send it anonymously to whoever the head of the news organization is? Or maybe to the NYT? Someone...

I don't know.....the responses here are hilarious...or they would be if things weren't so bloody dismal.........

[ibegurpard]

21. The recession's over?

I guess someone forgot to tell the 1000s of people just laid off from those North Carolina factories.

[JackSwift]

22. Translated to English

this means:

"Be grateful the economy isn't any worse, because if I had wanted to, I could have made it lots worse."

I'm not persuaded that the economy isn't bad now. But if he found a way to make a buck out of making it worse for the rest of us, he would have.

[peterh]

27. There was this additional tidbit that wasn’t in the above article…

But instead was in a foreign publication….

<http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2003/8/2/latest/13300Bushsays&sec=latest>

As to whether any particular individuals had actually urged Bush to deliberately let economic conditions worsen, McClellan said: "This goes back to conversations that people have said publicly and that - I don't know the specific person, though. I couldn't tell you.''



It’s only my opinion, but I think McClellan started to go someplace with this and quickly realized that maybe he shouldn’t go there…

[PATRICK]

23. Cognitive dissonance

reveals all! this is a reminder and proof thaht what Bush-Cheney were accused(meekly) of doing in 2000 and 2001- even before being elected- was to deepen the "Clinton Recenssion". They tried everything to trash the market and were barely daunted by acccusations.
It does not matter that Bush is outrageously lying. He is revealing plainly the irksome fact they COULDN'T depress the markets until 911.

This internal lie is his way of spitefully rewriting his personal history around an issue that he lost control of- his inability to orchestrate an economic "bounce" for which he had nothing to contribute but a negative effect.

No, it was not passive, George.

[Maple]

24. This Is Good News

He just publically took responsiblity for the economy!

No more blaming it on cycles or Clinton.

[KamaAina]

25. Bush* Says Oil War Might Have Looked Just if He'd Let Saddam Strengthen

That, folks, is how this particular bit of "pretzel logic" :-) would translate into the foreign policy arena.

And this, THIS is the guy who has his finger (still bruised from the Segway tumble) on the button... :scared:

edit: Yesssss! I ccan edit an extra 'D' out of the subject line, just like Bush* did on his report cards!!!

[PROGRESSIVE1]

26. Question?

:wtf: is he talking about????????

[grasswire]

29. transcript

Q Mr. President, sir, are you surprised, and can you explain why three huge tax cuts and 12 rate cuts by the Fed have not done more in creating jobs to this point? And do you think that we're in a jobless recovery?

THE PRESIDENT: I think -- I think it's important to remember the history of the last couple of years. In March of 2000, the stock market began a precipitous decline. That was in March of 2000. And then the country went into a recession, which would be the first quarter of 2001. And we acted. We called the Congress together and passed a significant tax cut. Economic historians would say that the recession of 2001 was one of the more shallow recessions. Some would probably say, well, maybe you shouldn't have acted and let the recession go deeper, which would have made -- may have made for a more speedy recovery. Our attitude is that we're worried about people's lives; a deep recession would have meant more people would have been out of work. We want people to work in America, it's in our country's interest they do so.

Then as the economy kind of got going again, the enemy attacked us. September the 11th had a significant impact on our economy. And then we discovered some of our corporate CEOs forgot to tell the truth, and that affected confidence. And then as you may remember, Tom, we had the steady drumbeat to war. As I mentioned in my press conference the other day, on our TV screens there was a -- on some TV screens -- there was a constant reminder for the American people, "march to war." War is not a very pleasant subject in people's minds, it's not conducive for the investment of capital.

In spite of all those obstacles, and because this administration has acted firmly, our economy is growing. And we're confident that, over time, people will be able to find a job. But we're not going to rest, and there's more to do. We need an energy policy. We need tort reform. We need Congress to join with the administration to promote pro-growth policies. But this economy is vibrant and strong, just like our country is vibrant and strong. And we've overcome a lot, but there's more to do. And there's no question there's more to do. And we will do it.

[PurityOfEssence]

28. Hitler's last words are prescient here

As I understand it, these are the last words he spoke to anyone who survived. (They're at least the last that anyone's ever reported.)

"In the end, what you regret is that you were too nice."

So. Junior's deep compassionate humanity is what's causing him such trouble. It's all so clear now.

[Lurking Dem]

30. Is that my head exploding?

Again??

[dArKeR]

31. Does anyone believe Bush opened his Macro Economics book at Yale?

With the $20 million plus Papa bribed Yale with to pass Junior through Yale and only averaging a C-, wow! What would his grades be without the $20 mil and the Bush Family whore name?

This is what gets me about our country and our media. Everyone knows Junior is an idiot and unable to grasp any type of complex concept but it just gets rolled over and the media reporters, through politeness or orders, never ask Junior to explain anything in detail. All we get is a 2-4 seconds upchuck of butchered vocabulary then Junior is wisked away. So why doesn't a Dem. candidate make this an issue? Why not challenge Junior to explain himself and not reading from a teleprompter? Why not have TV commercials depicting this?

[leesa]

32. Rove must have his fingers plugging too many holes

Junior is off his leash and has slipped his muzzle. Republicans are without a doubt the most stupid people on earth if they could possibly vote for this moron.

[MODemocrat]

33. What recovery Mr. pResident?

Tell this to all the thousands of people who have lost their jobs!

[fishnfla]

34. Read it last night at freerepublic:

not much but air between them 2 ears is there?

[revcarol]

35. And somewhere, Hoover is listening, saying,

"Why didn't I think of saying that?"

[section321]

36. uuuuhhhhh... I'm speechless.....

n/t

[Mithras61]

37. Regarding Bush's "Economic Recovery"

Here's the unemployment chart from January 1992 to July 2003 (inclusive).

Some recovery...

Source:

Bureau of Labor Statistics @

http://www.bls.gov/webapps/legacy/cpsatab12.htm

[chenGOD]

42. What's truly amazing:

It took a whole year for Bush policies to really start having some effect. Damn you guys wre living it up during the Clinton years hey?

Welcome to the gulag.

[robbedvoter]

38. he's just frustrated cuz you refuse to accept that all is well:

[Booberdawg]

39. Puh-leeeeeeeze!

:eyes:

[nini]

40. Scary thing is he most likely believes this crap.

boggles my mind....

[Rebel_with_a_cause]

43. Do not try this convoluted logic at home

The Bush twins have got to be saying, "We'd better get into therapy before our genes start catching up with us."

[Booberdawg]

44. Yeah, and I'd have a job if I weren't unemployed.

Moron
:eyes:

[cthrumatrix]

45. earth to shrub .... you are a "puppet"...

Your policy of deception and war have done nothing to prevent job erosion and fear.

[samsingh]

46. more twisted repug logic

we could have let you feel much worse and then you would have thanked us more.

[loyalsister]

47. Careful how you read it

It's insensitive not stupid.
He's saying "If I had let things get worse earlier, maybe I wouldn't be catching all this complaining about no jobs bullshit from people. They would think what they have now is a luxury and be thanking me."

[AntiCoup2K4]

48. Does Junior think he's a Jedi Knight??

And when he utters some catch phrase like "Weapons of Mass Destruction" or "The Economy Is In Recovery", everyone will accept it as the truth.

Of course millions of Busheep do, but that's more due to the corporate media than the Moron In Thief himself.

[Bandit]

49. And the evidence is.....

He cited the three tax-cut and economic stimulus measures passed since Bush took office in January 2001.

Quite compelling if I say so myself. Really an economic wizard. Go from the "best ever" to "worst ever" and brag about it.