Ok -- break it down for me. Why are these damn lies?

[CatWoman]

“We have every reason to be optimistic about our economic future,” Bush said.

“When you think about the news that’s come in, the jobs report, the recent report on strong economic growth, low inflation, strong productivity, lower gasoline prices, a strong housing market, increases in consumer confidence and business investment. Our economic horizon is as bright as its been in a long time,” he added.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10295858

[NorCalDem]

1. Because they came from Bush's mouth! n/t

[malaise]

31. I don't think you understand

Bush had to speak about the great economy yesterday. Having taken back Christmas from the wicked and ungodly, the real business of Christmas does not appear to be going well. Now that the king of truth has spoken, let the shopping spree begin.

[knowbody0]

2. here goes:

up is down, down is up. good is bad, bad is good.

[wryter2000]

3. I'm not sure they're lies

I'd have to check on all the details in the second one. But rather than lies, they're empty rhetoric. What does "optimistic about our economic future" mean in concrete terms? What doess "bright as it's been in a long time" mean? Aside from the fact that he doesn't know the difference between its and it's.

It's like what I heard of his war speech the other day. You couldn't verify it one way or another.

[CatWoman]

5. you make great points, Wryter2000

but is our economy doing that well?

is inflation REALLY in check?

is unemployment REALLY low?

[wryter2000]

11. Turns out that isn't "the economy"

It took me forever to figure out why a freeper with a econ degree and I couldn't agree on the state of the "economy." He meant GDP growth (which is what I think economists mean by "economy").

I meant what you might think of as prosperity -- interest rates, unemployment, inflation, etc. In past times, the two things were correlated. Growth of GDP led to prosperity for everyone. Recently, the rich have been keeping all the riches to themselves, so you have "jobless recoveries," and that sort of thing.

[Arkansas Granny]

21. I think you are onto something. I suppose that if you are in the

upper 1% or 10% of Americans in terms of your earnings, the economy might look good. However, if you are down here with the majority of us folks, things are getting rougher every day. The cost of living keeps going up faster than my wages and little by little, the money I have left after paying basic expenses is shrinking. Luckily, my children are grown and I only have myself to support. A lot of people I know who still have children at home are really feeling the pinch.

[Bob3]

4. We're about to be hit by an oncoming train

that's why the light on the horizion is so bright.

[CatWoman]

6. LOL

sad but funny :D

[BlueEyedSon]

7. I'll tackle employment.

1. Unemployment is not low. The way that the feds calculate unemployment relies heavily on the statistics of who is currently receiving unemployment benefits. Use up your unemployment insurance, and your are no longer counted among the "unemployed", even though you don't have a job. "Real" unemployment is closer to 9 or 10% than the 5% commonly quoted. In a recent NYT piece, Bob Herbert stated that among inner-city black adult males, unemployment is 50%.

2. Job growth is typically in the "service sector", i.e. "you want fries with that?"-type jobs. Those jobs suck, and they hardly pay a living wage.

3. It's Christmas Holiday time and many retailers are doing their usual staffing for the seasonal rush. Most of these jobs are not permanent and not full-time. And they suck.

[CatWoman]

15. I'm gonna sic O'Reilly on you!!!

:D

[Lefty48197]

8. Does he mean we've reached rock-bottom, with nowhere to go but up?

Low inflation. Strong productivity. a strong housing market, increased consumer confidence...


we had all of those things during the Clinton years, but we didn't have a dipsh*t President giving away the nation's wealth to his campaign contributors. We didn't have a dipsh*t President starting a war against an enemy that posed no threat. We didn't have a dipsh*t President encouraging large corporations to bust unions, cut wages, cut benefits, and reduce worker protections either.
Lower gasoline prices? I don't get that one. Lower than what? A gallon of milk? A pound of baloney? We did have lower gasoline prices back before we had a dipsh*t President who invited the oil industry executives into his office to write national energy policy. That I do know.

[wryter2000]

13. There's another example

"Increased consumer confidence." As compared to when? I think it did go up last time. But does that mean anything?

[Warpy]

18. No, he means the house of cards is still standing. Just.

Consider that his "strong housing market" has the highest inventory of unsoold houses since 1986, that unsecured consumer debt continues to grow as people need to charge necessities like food and fuel, and that inflation is back, were they to tell the truth instead of removing food and energy costs from that "market basket" of good they use to gauge it.

Hey, the economy is just ducky if you're a dumb rich white boy who never had to work a day in your life and inherited a bundle and had everything handed to you and all your messes cleaned up and hidden from public view as soon as you made them.

[hippiechick]

9. I'll try # 2 for $500, please ...

1. Jobs = it's the holiday season. Seasonal jobs always give the numbers a boost. But they're low wage, no benefits, and not permanent.

2. Economic Growth = 'strong economic growth' following a 3 year period of economic fall-off still equals out to an overall negative.

3. Low inflation = that one I can't speak to.

4. Strong Productivity = people are putting in more hours, but getting less long term benefit out of it, which means they're not earning additional wages to spend on those products we're all spending more hours to make.

5. Lower Gas Prices = Lower than September, but still higher by an average of about 20 cents a gallon than this time last year.

6. Strong Housing Market = credit. Mortgages that people may not be able to pay back when they lose their jobs over the next year or so.
Market go splat. Empty, foreclosed-on houses. Banks with bad debt. People with bad credit.

7. Consumer confidence = Huh? That's just a plain old lie, George.

8. Business Investment = Big business is investing in gobbling up small businesses. Big businesses limit the market by eliminating competition, outsource their jobs overseas, discourage unions, and manage to dodge taxes most of the time. Nobody wins in big business except the shareholders and the Execs.

Do I get a cookie ? :hi:

[CatWoman]

10. LOLOLOL

You went straight to "Double Jeopardy"

:hi:

[trotsky]

19. The "low inflation" one is easy.

Because of the lack of jobs, there is a downward pressure on wages. People are more willing to work for less now than they are in a good job market. Less wages paid out means less reason for employers to charge more for their products, meaning little inflation. That and the large numbers of people who have crappy jobs can't afford to buy expensive things, so prices have to stay lower so more people can afford them.

[The Whiskey Priest]

12. Because we have a deficit that is a tsunami

if all is as he says, then the economy will super heat and the feds will raise interest.

Of, course if all the jobs are lowering paying thant he jobs lost then the workers have less discretionary income...which means the economy will sluggishly chug along....making more low paying jobs..etc etc.

[gratuitous]

14. Every reason to be optimistic

Try this exercise:

How many of you (select any group at random or by choice) hope that things will get better in the future? Show of hands, please.

Okay, thank you.

Now, how many of you believe that things will get better in the future? Show of hands, please.

What's the difference, and why were there so many fewer hands raised in answer to the second question?

[CatWoman]

17. and how many of us think that Gratuitous is the cat's meow?

:hi:

[gratuitous]

23. Aw, you made my weekend

:hi:

[neuvocat]

16. Ok...

“When you think about the news that’s come in, the jobs report,"

We were supposed to have "turned the corner" by now.

"the recent report on strong economic growth,"

Mass layoffs at GM don't happen during time of "strong economic growth".

"low inflation,"

2+ dollar per gallon gas prices to not indicate low inflation, not in the U.S.

"strong productivity,"

From what, outsourcing?

"lower gasoline prices,"

They'll never ever go below 2 bucks again. Ever. That's why hybrids are bcoming popular.

"a strong housing market,"

The housing market is a bust. The only reason more homes were purchased last month is because the prices were too high to begin with. Less than 12% of the purchasers could afford one. It may be at the most 15%, but lets see just how long those people can afford to keep their new homes.

"increases in consumer confidence and business investment."

We're not getting stellar reports from the shopping malls after Black Friday. Even Wal Mart is struggling and the Good Guys retail chain is going under.

"Our economic horizon is as bright as its been in a long time,” he added.

He probably said the same thing at Arbusto.

[LunaC]

20. Give it a month and they'll revise the numbers

They have a tendency to "fudge" the truth in an effort to "catapult the propaganda". The Truth always squirms out after the fact.

[Armstead]

22. Gasoline prices lower than what?

Last I checked there was still a 2 as the first digit of the current gas price.

[CatWoman]

24. Here in Georgia (Atlanta)

it's gone down to below $2 -- in the l.90's.

[Mutley]

25. This could be one reason...

http://today.reuters.com/business/newsArticle.aspx?type=ousiv&storyID=2005-12-02T201117Z_01_BAU250698_RTRIDST_0_BUSINESSPRO-ECONOMY-GREENSPAN-DC.XML

[CatWoman]

26. and the drive home from work, the news reported that

Ford (or is it GM) will soon close more factories due to anemic sales....

[Mutley]

28. I heard about that, too.

Yet, there is no reason to worry about the economy.

[CatWoman]

29. and let's not forget all the layouts that have already been announced

this week

[Mutley]

30. But hey, the economy is fine, okay?

Don't make me send you to Guantanamo! :D

[BenDavid]

27. Problem is

this is not hitting home with Americans. The stock market can rise all it wants, and jobs can be added, but until American households begin to see their incomes rise, then bushit will always be perceived as having a no confidence in the economy.... Difference was with Clinton's economy, the Americans saw their income rise and they felt optimistic about the economy and the U S moving in the right direction.

[Nikki Stone 1]

32. Remember, too, that a lot of the figures they use have been compromised

The GAO (formerly General Accounting Office, now Government Accountability Office--whatever the fuck that means) is having its budgets squeezed and arms twisted to come up with "data" that is favorable to Junior. Remember that GAO is supposed to be answerable to Congress and provide the people's representatives with accurate information and forcasts. Now, it is answerable only to Junior and his gang of whiney thugs.

Also remember that early on, this administration stopped counting the long term unemployed. I have to go find the link, but people unemployed past the time their benefits ran out are no longer counted in the stats.