President Bush is Right; His Critics Are Wrong
May 4th, 2008 at 12:58am Mark Noonan
President George W. Bush may turn out to be the top economic forecaster in the country.
About a month ago he told reporters, “We’re not in a recession, we’re in a slowdown.” At a White House news conference a few weeks later, despite the fact that reporters pressed him to use the “R” word, Mr. Bush refused. And on Friday, after the most recent jobs report — which produced a much-smaller-than-expected decline in corporate payrolls, a huge 362,000 increase in the more entrepreneurial household survey (the best gain in five months), and a historically low 5 percent unemployment rate (4.95 percent, to be precise) — the president told reporters: “This economy is going to come on. I’m confident it will.”
We’re in the midst of the most widely predicted and heralded recession in history. Problem is, so far it’s a non-recession recession. Score one for President Bush. In an election year, it could be a big one.
First-quarter GDP growth came in at 0.6 percent. It wasn’t the widely predicted decline, and economists expect that number to be revised up. GDP growth for the fourth quarter of 2007 was also up slightly, while the prior two quarters averaged over 4 percent growth.
My pal Jimmy Pethokoukis quotes Stanford professor Robert Hall, who heads the recession-dating committee at the National Bureau of Economic Research: “It seems unlikely that we would ever declare a peak-date when real GDP continued to rise.”
Interesting — isn’t it? — just how durable and resilient our low-tax, free-market, capitalist economy truly is. Hit by soaring food and energy prices, a bad housing downturn, and a Wall Street credit crunch, the economy continues to expand, albeit slowly.
Over the past 7+ years I’ve watched President Bush be relentlessly attacked - mostly on the left, but quite a bit on the right, too. These attacks have tended to an incredible cruelty - no slander has been too extreme for President Bush’s critics…he is hated, by those who hate him, with a white-hot passion which entirely unhinges reason. Through it all, though, President Bush has kept his temper, refused to lash back and - most importantly - gets proven right again and again. Some of the criticism of President Bush won’t be proved wrong until some years after he leaves office, but I do believe that the only thing which will mar President Bush’s record is Campaign Finance Reform…everything else is working just as advertised.
President Bush is the man who has never lied to us; who has always told us how hard things will be; who has always done the right thing no matter what the risk to his political prospects - he is the man we all say we’re always looking for in politics, and just as soon as we got him, half the country went nuts with hatred of the man…no surprise; the true and the good are always welcome in the abstract, despised in the concrete. We’re going to miss President Bush come January, no matter who wins in November - even if the new President does a wonderful job, I doubt much we’re going to get a man with President Bush’s precise mix of raw courage and common sense for quite some time.
Entry Filed under: Economy, President Bush
117 Comments Add your own
1. George Bush » Presi&hellip | May 4th, 2008 at 3:20 am
[…] Peanut Butter Burrito wrote an interesting post today on President Bush is Right; His Critics Are WrongHere’s a quick excerptAgain: President George W. Bush may turn out to be the top economic forecaster in the country. About a month ago he told reporters, “We’re… […]
2. bongoman | May 4th, 2008 at 6:31 am
Peanut Butter Burrito? Huh?
3. Gabrielle Deroscheres | May 4th, 2008 at 7:41 am
The real problem here is that food and gasoline cost too much for the Middle Class who are strapped with building credit card debt and the safety of their homes threatened not from roving bands of street gangs but their mortgage lender. This is a classic sort of push pull that the Republicans and their supporters love. When the economy is going along well growing at 3 or 4 % year over year you trumpet not the American consumer who overspent the nation into prosperity, but the present president who has guided the nation to “X” number of consecutive months of job growth and soon as things turn down you flee from this to the technical meaning of statistics which to the man who has to choose between gas and lunch for himself or just gas and lunch for his kids means nothing.
“President Bush is the man who has never lied to us; who has always told us how hard things will be; who has always done the right thing no matter what the risk to his political prospects - he is the man we all say we’re always looking for in politics, and just as soon as we got him, half the country went nuts with hatred of the man.”
And what a Brave New World brand of ignorant statement that is! Yet the fact of the matter is Bush has been handled so well that on the face of it the statement is true because he has never been allowed to face the really tough questions because of the mountain of executive privilege he took for himself post 9/11. In January 2009 no matter who walks into 1600 Pennsy Ave and takes up shop the country will breathe at least a brief sigh of relief and the bulk of the country will say “good riddance to bad rubbish!”
4. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 9:38 am
Gabrielle,
A zogby poll back in February indicated that over 83% of Americans were very satisfied with their personal lives. That poll just refutes your assertion that people are just hanging on.
5. Gabrielle Deroscheres | May 4th, 2008 at 10:44 am
4. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 9:38 am
Well neocon you get one point for mastering the use of Newsbuster talking points. I couldn’t find any link to any Zogby poll that stated that number but I did find a Gallup poll in January 2007 that stated 84% of Americans were satisfied with their personal lives. But the “personal lives” of the American people wasn’t what i was talking about at all. My concern is their economic condition and the confidence that they have in their economic future.
To examine that we need to look to the Consumer Confidence Index, the Present Situation Index and the Expectations Index as complied by the Conference Board on a monthly basis. During the month you mention, February 2008 the CCI was 76.4 the PSI 80.7 and the EI 50.1 [based on 1985=100].
Comparatively, in February 2000 the CCI was 140.8, the PSI 180.1 and the EI 114.6 showing that even in the post Clinton impeachment era the economy was doing so well for the average consumer household that their expectations of continuing good times, their satisfaction with current personal economic conditions and their confidence in the US economy were near all time highs and double what they are today.
These are the numbers the White House uses to make policy and they are worsening with the CCI plunging to below 65 in April for the first time since March 2003.
6. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 10:50 am
Here you go sweetie,
And incidentally, I found your CCI’s and PSI’s very humurous. Thanks for the laughs.
84% of Americans say they are satisfied with the way things are going in their personal life at this time, while 14% are dissatisfied.
http://www.fundmasteryblog.com/2008/01/10/gallup-most-americans-very-satisfied-with-their-lives/
7. Realtime | May 4th, 2008 at 11:04 am
There is plenty of good news. Exxon once again reports the largest profits ever recorded by a U.S Corporation. Mortgage investment bankers with the help of zero oversight by this administration doled out record bonuses as they sink into bankruptcy; but not to worry as taxpayers pick up the ruins. Multi-conglomerate farm corporations are reaping huge profits with the staggering increase in food prices. Profits made bigger by huge government subsidies for these farm corporations at the expense of the family farmer. Profits of military technology and equipment are going through the roof as the dollar continues its decline. Thank God for the sake of the economy the middle class American worker faced with soaring cost on basic necessities is willing and thankful to take a 1 or 2% pay raise each year. And the three trillion-dollar debt to China for the Iraq war; forget about it the next administration can be criticized for that day of reckoning.
Conservative economics from Reagan to the present are destroying the middle class. To put an end to this madness is why in a democracy we have elections. The revolt started in 06 will continue in 08.
8. Realtime | May 4th, 2008 at 11:13 am
6. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 10:50 am
84% of Americans say they are satisfied with the way things are going in their personal life at this time, while 14% are dissatisfied.
What does this have to do with how well the Bush economy is functioning? Does it mean 84% of Americans ate last night and did not have a fight with their spouse or significant other?
The article went on to say this number has been pretty steady since 1979.
9. Capitalist Infidel | May 4th, 2008 at 11:13 am
Mark,while most of what you say is true, what is also true is this administration will go down as one of the worst at defending itself. I think it was on Powerline that refers all the way back to the “16 words” controversy. While those 16 words were undeniably true they wouldn’t defend them, they actually walked back from the truth.
The easiest way for me to guage the economy is my very own bar/restaurant in lower middle class Monroe North Carolina. To give you an idea my city is around 45% white, 27% black, and 25% hispanic.
In January 2007 Tumbleweeds Bar and Grill grossed $69,000, February 2007 $70,000, March 2007 $91,000, and April 2007 $82,000. Now, in January 2008 I grossed $86,000, February $88,000, March $86,000, and April $89,000.
If this economy is so bad tell me how and why, in a city where the average income for a household of 4 is $40,000 can afford to increase their trips to restaurants and their local watering hole? Oh, and by the way, the only reason March was down was due to the weather. It was too freakin cold out to have our “bike nights” on Wednesdays. Damn that global warming!
10. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Realtime,
That poll suggests that despite the negative hysteria liberals are famous for in their selfish quest for control and power, the average American is very satisfied with all aspects of their personal lives.
Anything else you would like me to explain for you?
11. Greg-O | May 4th, 2008 at 11:34 am
Exxon also paid $27.9 billion in taxes (41.4% tax rate), which is the highest taxes ever recorded by a U.S. corporation.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/is?s=XOM&annual
Let’s drill for our own oil since that is probably the only way gasoline prices will come down.
12. Gabrielle Deroscheres | May 4th, 2008 at 11:42 am
6. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 10:50 am
And why are these numbers funny? American families aren’t laughing at the rising prices they see at grocery stores or at the gas pump. I’m can recognize that the average American appreciated the blessing of the Fates that they were born in Ohio and not Bangladesh but what does that have to do with the price of beef in Poughkeepsie?
The sort of repetitious reasoning you offer means you have no politically expedient and supportive answer to give when this is an issue of economic policy not one of your conservative hot topics.
13. Gabrielle Deroscheres | May 4th, 2008 at 11:45 am
9. Capitalist Infidel | May 4th, 2008 at 11:13 am
Have you considered Infidel that your wealthier customers just aren’t feeling the pinch so much and your middle class customers may have resolved to spend their time at your place as their only extravagance? Either way I’m glad things are going well for you!
14. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 11:52 am
Gaby dear,
You shrug off a poll that speaks directly to individual personal satisfaction in favor of obscure, aggregate polls that support your agenda driven assertion. That’s humurous if not dishonest.
I can tell you in my industry, sales are up 56% this year over last. So tell me Gaby, am I just reaping the windfall from all those “wealthy” Americans? I think to Gaby, any American that actually works and pays taxes, is wealthy.
15. Gabrielle Deroscheres | May 4th, 2008 at 11:59 am
Greg-O the only way to make gasoline prices come down is to make more gasoline. If refining capacity went up 7 to 10% in the next three months gasoline could fall to as far as $2, 80 a gallon by October reformulation. Drilling in every possible place in the US only increases oil production if there’s nowhere to refine the oil you’re still at square 1.
16. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Gaby,
And we can thank liberals for that.
Senate Democrats, sensing what they hope will be an opportunity to blame Republicans for the high price of gasoline, voted in unison last Wednesday in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee to help defeat a bill that would have streamlined the building of new refineries.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3827/is_200510/ai_n15745616
17. Gabrielle Deroscheres | May 4th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
14. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 11:52 am
I most surely am shrugging that poll off just as I do the assertion that providing facts to support economic conditions is somehow “agenda driven.”
So you would tell American families that are being confronted by rising prices what that they are the victims of some Liberal inflationary agenda? I was of a mind that the Bush tax cuts were supposed to keep more money in the pockets of the Middle Class and keep the sort of headline inflationary shocks that hurt the Middle Class in real dollar terms at bay. What’s happened neocon?
And as far as any American who works and pays taxes being wealthy that is just about the silliest thing I’ve every heard since the phrase “trickle down.”
18. Gabrielle Deroscheres | May 4th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
16. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
You can thank RINO Lincoln Chafee
The best energy proposal I’ve heard from the Bush White House was when Predient Bush said he wanted to build new refineries on abandoned military sites. I think this is brilliant. The Oil Companies on the other hand only see the billions of dollars they would LOSE if they had to spend for construction costs and decreased profits from sales based upon broker costs declining.
19. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
When liberals oppose building new refineries that has a dramatic impact the price of gas Gaby, just as you asserted in an earlier post. The article stated that Dems had voted in unison to deny that possibility. So nice spin job. The Bush tax cuts have been responsible for keeping more money in the pockets of Americans hence the sales increases in my and Capitalist Infedels business. I am sorry you couldn’t connect the dots on that.
You might try and keep up with facts in lieu of DNC talking points, which are often at odds. The Dow is over 13,000, unemployment dropped, dollar gained strength and opitmism abounds on wall street.
Tell me again how miserable I am, I keep forgetting.
20. phnx | May 4th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Capitalist Infidel, its great to hear that you are doing well with you venture down south. If memory serves fromt he B4B days, you moved from the North, Chicago was it, to live the great american dream of establishing your own business. Thanks for bringing a little reality to these leftist naysayers. It must really suck to be them.
Traveling around the country, I have found the airlines packed as people are traveling on business and pleasure like never before.
Our business is alos growing at unprecendented rates, we have a manufacturing and distribution company that is expanding in sales and employment.
Sure gas prices are up, and the banks are righting off bad laons and foreclosing on prpoerty. But that only represents 7% of mortgages. Sorry to say, those banks and those homeowners got themselves over their head and deserve what they got.
This “housing crisis” has created great opportunity for investors and for families who could not afford to buy in the past.
Ohio and Michigan are suffering from a severe economic downturn. But they can get out of it by changing their corporate tax laws to atract more investment and jobs.
Our corportate taxes are the highest in the world. Leftists if you wnat jobs petition your legislators to reduce them, and you will see money flow into this country like never before.
Stop Global Whining leftists.
21. Gabrielle Deroscheres | May 4th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
19. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Maybe the average American family is struggling so much because the same sort of circular arguments you use are being offered by the Bush economic advisors.
Neocon you may be a businessman but you don’t seem to know too much about economics. Economies can only be looked at in “snapshot” terms of the current DJIA, the current dollar/yen carry trade and the current unemployment rate if you compare those numbers to fixed points in time wherer the numbers have been either adjusted for inflation or metered to a scale in time [such as 1985=100 for the CCI].
Otherwise no matter how “right” and “forceful” you want to be by saying “what I say goes and is correct” you are still wrong. Your economic situation may be fine and I am sure there are millions, no tens of millions of Americans who are doing just fine in the current economy. However, there are a hundred million Americans who are feeling stressed by higher prices. And that’s what I’m talking about not politics but the raw facts that prices are higher and anre continuing higher for the stuff that Americans need to live on, food, energy, and shelter.
Now I know these things don’t fit into your comfy right wing vision of the world but you might want to start to look at the numbers in the simple light of October of 2007 when the DJIA set an all time record over 14000 the unemployment rate was 4.7% and the dollar got you ¥ 117.
We could go back to August 2007 when many analysts say the economy began its slide twoard recession but I know that R word gets your goat.
22. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
gaby dear,
Again we’re not in a recession. If you knew the definition of a recession, you wouldn’t post such gibberish. Secondly, higher food costs are almost a direct result of liberals deisre for ethanol and the demand that 20% of corn production be devoted to the goal.
Higher gas prices are almost a direct result of the liberals reluctance to build new refineries. You see how it all dove tails together? So you may want to re-think your slavish devotion to those who indoctrinate you.
Some commodity prices are higher today, but most are a result of restrictions and regulations imposed by feel-good, do-nothing liberal policies.
Sorry. What grade are you going to be in next year?
23. Mark Noonan | May 4th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
neocon,
I think its quite hopeless for the Gaby’s of the world…they are so slavishly devoted to a series of lies that they are downright afraid to question their views. The fact that President Bush is right, again, about the economy while 100% of his critics are wrong just doesn’t shake his critics…they just ignore it and cherry pick out a fact which is actually the exception proving the rule…
24. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Mark,
Liberals unapologetic ability to cherry pick gloom and doom does humor me. Specifically when those cherry picked items are constantly shifting.
It would seem to me that liberals global warming concerns are in direct contradiction with their concern for high oil prices. Wouldn’t high oil prices be welcomed by those who want to limit consumption?
25. Gabrielle Deroscheres | May 4th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
20. phnx | May 4th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
The problem with Ohio and Michigan aren’t the corporate tax rates but the quality of workers and their skill sets. Most of the high tech comapitable workers who graduate from fine institutions like U Michigan, MSU and Grand Valley State leave to pursue careers in warmer and more economically sunny climes. What you are left with are workers with no college degrees but some college and those with less education providing the bulk of the work force.
And on the federal corporate tax front I have always held that the federal rate should be 25%. The US doesn’t have the highest corporate tax rate howeverwith the top rate being 39% that distinction gors to Japan with an effective top rate of 42.67%. US state corporate taxes being deductible from that 35%percentage on an earnings basis.
26. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Gaby,
Here’s an interesting read:
http://www.taxfoundation.org/news/show/1466.html
Ireland has the lowest corporate tax rates and one of the healthiest current economies.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/05/01/america/NA-GEN-US-Ireland-Ahern.php
27. Gabrielle Deroscheres | May 4th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
22. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
I’m a quant by trade having attended Tulane University so there’s no grade for me to be in and I’m going to take your bait to argue with insults when I can prove my points with facts. I’m not even partisan! I just hate to see people blindly blunder their way through anything that invovles other people’s money because they want some guy to appear to be right. The president already has his job and it’s too difficult to remove him why all the need to prop him up?
26. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Ireland also has taken advantage of the homogeneous nature of its population to spur forward health care and educational measured that allow anyone to become a college graduate without starting their careers mired in debt.
Bertie Ahern has shown the rest of the world how to do it during his tenure as Taoiseach yet America is not a nation of Irishmen only and this is a barrier to the nation truly coming together to give everyone equal access to higher education.
23. Mark Noonan | May 4th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
I really don’t see any lies here that I have presented Mark, just economic data and the sense from the average American that things are getting tougher and costs are rising.
28. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Gaby,
So only mysoginist societies can excel? That post was completely delusional.
I do not blindly support Bush, but I do give him proper credit and despite the tremendous hits on the economy that resulted from 9/11 and Katrina, his policies have kept us in good shape. And that’s in a society comprised of whites, blacks, hispanics, etc. Who would have thought that a diverse society could succeed?
29. Gabrielle Deroscheres | May 4th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
neocon
The Ethanol thing was just as much about subsidies for ailing farmers in the Midwest that the GOP wanted support from as it was about concerns for the environment. Ask anyone in the oil business if they want to see isooctane replace ethanol. And while you’re at it do a search to see who got the most money from ADM in 2004 in the House races. Kinda explains how all those farm states turned red doesn’t it? The GOP controlled both houses of Congress from the 107th until the 110th why didn’t they just pass a Farm Bill that replaced the one in 2002 that brought ethanol to the fore?
30. Gabrielle Deroscheres | May 4th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
28. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
They train you guys really well to pick out anything other than the topic to discuss. That is a very potent skill unless the people that are reading what you write actually want answers instead of just regurgitated personal attacks on minutia.
And Katrina wasn’t a tremendous hit to the US economy it was a disruption of the national fuel supply due to the Colonial and Plantation pipelines being shut down and several refineries losing or reducing capacity for three months. This refining capacity I might add that is currently near those record lows. Do you have an explanation for that when you consider all maintenance scheduled was finished for most refineries in the US in mid March of 2008?
Year over year the unemployment rate was higher before Katrina hit Jan 05 5.20% Oct 05 5.10%. The DJIA was trading above the April 15 2005 resistance low of 10087 and actually went up during the height of the crisis on 3 Sep 05 to 10447 and then over 10600 on 9 Sep 05. The dollar in this time of tremendous hits traded at ¥115,27 and € at 1, 23 respectively. That is to use your economic indicators.
31. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Gaby,
All those farm states have, for the most part, been red all along Gaby. So your professors talking points just don’t jibe with the truth.
The better question is what happened to the south? Which use to be a Democrat strong hold.
Were they bought by the GOP also? Your drivel is very much expected from someone who anchors themselves in the world of theory. Try getting out now and then and submerge yourself into the real world.
Incidentally, the subsidies for farmers never dictated what they had to use their product for which was the mandate of the liberal ethanol program. Nice spin again.
32. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Katrina was NOT A HIT TO THE ECONOMY? When one of the largest cities and seaports is wiped out in one day, that didn’t have much of an impact??????
There is no need in debating with you anymore. You are obviously unequipped. You might want to let the people of NO know that there contribution to the economy was negligible.
And rather than support your assertion in human terms, you resort to statistics, further proving my “ivory tower” point.
You earlier claimed that you were non-partisan which is always a tactic of the fully indoctrinated. You have proven that to be true again.
Goodbye. Enjoy your self induced misery.
33. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Gaby,
Here’s another interesting read for you. No need to thank me for the education. Oil demand up 45%, no new refineries in 29 years. Do you think that might have something to do with it?
http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=12227
34. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
And here’s a little more common sense for you. New Orleans, a city of nearly 500,000, of which 90% were suddenly unemployed the day after Katrina. Not too mention 80% of the city was uninhabitable.
Yet according to Gabys stats, this was not an impact on the economy. People like Gaby should never be allowed to govern.
35. moe | May 4th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
http://welovebush.blogspot.com/2008/03/why-not-optimism.html
http://welovebush.blogspot.com/2008/04/restoring-americas-image-bush-has.html
36. Gabrielle Deroscheres | May 4th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
32. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
That was one of the most eloquent admissions of defeat I have ever seen! Basically, “you won’t agree that I’m right so I am leaving and declaring victory.” I used your metrics for a good economy stronger dollar, high DJIA and low to steady unelmployment but somehow I’m in an ivory tower. Please!
33. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Preaching to the choir I repeat I fully support the Bush plan to use abandoned military bases to build refineries even ones that can provide dual use isooctane production that would decrease the used of corn based ethanol.
34. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Not a “tremendous hit” to the US economy as a whole. In Louisiana terms it was devastating and millions suffered for the errors of the local state and federal government but in real dollar terms to the US economy Katrina put money in the pockets of companies and small businesses alike from environemtnal companies, to trucking firms in the five state area and beyond to personal protection services like Blackwater USA.
You have to consider too the rate of the unemployed and those on government assistance that were moved to Houston and San Antonion and these people were economic drains to NOLA in dollars and cents terms locally.
37. Gabrielle Deroscheres | May 4th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
I don’t want to govern I just want the people that do govern without demoloshing the facts in the name of politics or political correctness. I had a prof back in the day at Tulane who said, “The nobles speak softly lies they know the citizens will never check up on, the rabble shout lies that the citizens will never check up on and the rational man is the one who listens to his own reason and checks his facts.”
I accept my win gracefully and await our next match hpoing you bring better ammunition next time.
38. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Typical liberal,
Declare victory in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
I thought you said that high oil prices were a result of refineries not operating at capacity, and that Katrina was mainly responsible for disrupting the flow?
Care to re-evaluate those positions? Oh that’s right, you’ve already declared yourself the victor.
Your world must be fun. Goodbye.
39. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Oh and the other glaring ommission of yours was crediting Chaffee for the lack refinery infrastructure when it was duly pointed out that the Dems “voted in unison” to kill the legislation.
Great job on your victory.
40. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Oh and another blunder was your assertion that subsidy programs turned midwest farming states red, when in fact those states have been in the red column for many, many years.
Again, congrats on your victory
41. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
I do have to point out also that you cited, and agreed with the point that our economy had slid into recession beginning in Aug 2007, when in fact all economic indicators and the definition of a recession indicate that you are wrong.
Once again, great job on your victory
42. Capitalist Infidel | May 4th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
phnx
Yep, I moved from Chicago, I had a small bar there 1,700 square feet, my new place is 4,400 square feet. Bought it in March 2006. It’s been there since 1997.
Gaby, check out all those “wealthy” customers at my place. As you can see it’s a very much middle class clientele.
43. Capitalist Infidel | May 4th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Are people still lying about us being in a recession? As anyone can see by the definition that a recession is 2 consecutive negative GDP growth. Since we haven’t even had one quarter yet why are they lying? Can’t you left wing fanatics wait until we’re at least half way there to start lying?
44. Gabrielle Deroscheres | May 4th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
38. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Nope you brought up Katrina out of context first. I pointed out that the two pipeline disruptions had a national effect but did not become a lagging headline indicator.
39. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Chafee, the RINO, was the swing committee vote. No Chafee no vote against.
40. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
the Ethanol States [WI, MN, IL, IA,IN, MO, KS, NE,CO,SD & OK] have not “been red for many many years. Going back to 2002 when the Farm Bill was passed that started this whole ethanol mess only WI and MN were BLUE states. In the 100th Congress only IL KS and NE were RED. and if you go back to the 98th Cong. only KS and NE are RED. Those facts kinda sink your argument. And I didn’t comment on the South being lost because that would hev been fully off topic and I would have sought permission from the blog administrator to discuss that in a non open thread.
41. neocon | May 4th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
I think economic analysis in the coming years will bear out the recession of 2008 began in q4 (revised) of 2007 in macro and will in q2 2008 in technical terms. But like most Republican die hards you don’t want to hear facts or analysis you just want the constant drumbeat of spin and support.
Anyway you slice it neocon I still win on the merits but if you need to feel like you won it’s okay with me.
45. Gabrielle Deroscheres | May 4th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
42. Capitalist Infidel | May 4th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
What’s on the menu? I’m a surf and turf kinda gal but I like a nice sized oyster po boy too!
46. Capitalist Infidel | May 4th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Surf and Turf to my customers would mean fish sticks and a burger
More of a Southwest theme. Tacos, fajitas, but our biggest seller is our wings. Mild, medium, hot, and extra hot.
47. Gabrielle Deroscheres | May 4th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
46. Capitalist Infidel | May 4th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Ha! Being from lousiana surf and turf to me means crawfish and sausage. Fajitas! Now you’re talkin’. No wonder you’re doing well CI good food good service and good atmosphere I suppose. All of which are recession proof even if you don’t agree the national economy is in one
48. Capitalist Infidel | May 4th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Actually I have a knack for hiring the hottest chicks as waitresses and bartenders. That and I only sponsor womens softball teams, the guys will follow where the girls are
49. Nate | May 4th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
since you want to use that poll, look at the graph. it shows that satisfaction climbed during clinton’s 2 terms and dropped during the start of bushes first term. then bush started a war and it climbed until 2004 about to where it was at the end of the clinton presidency. it’s gone down since then to the current 84% (at least that’s what the graph looks like). not sure this is something to brag about.
50. Gabrielle Deroscheres | May 4th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
49. Nate | May 4th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
Good point Nate but the entire poll idea about being “satisfied’ makes about as much sense as asking the residents of a town blasted by a tornado if they were happy to be alive after their home was destroyed!
51. Capitalist Infidel | May 4th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
Im happy and satisfied with my life! In fact the last 7 years have been fantastic! My salary has incrased 4 fold. I would be more than happy to extend the Bush economy! Now…….if I could just find the woman of my dreams
52. Capitalist Infidel | May 4th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
By the way typing on an I-phone is a royal pain in the posterior!
53. Kurt | May 5th, 2008 at 2:02 am
Fun reading the exchange here…
Gabi vs Neo
Neo by a easy TKO
good job
54. Gabrielle Deroscheres | May 5th, 2008 at 9:20 am
53. Kurt | May 5th, 2008 at 2:02 am
Oh I get it Kurt, necon wins by TKO because he steadfastly refused to acknowledge facts as present and toed the conservo line without wavering. So no matter how bad things get when the right is in power of how good they get when the left is in poweras long as you stay on script it’s all good!
55. Eric T | May 5th, 2008 at 11:46 am
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/06/18/clinton-says-sell-everything.aspx
Take look at the Clinton double speak. Out of one side of her mouth, she talks of the evil corporations, out of the other side, take a look at this article. If I remember correctly, the Bloomberg, had an article where Clinton’s fund made about 50 million.
So to sum it up. Their out their bashing the same corporatations that they owned millions of shares of stock in. They made a bunch of cash.
Our country needs the “Straight Talk” John McCain offers. The Clintons talk needs to be renamed, maybe: The Double Talk Express, The Not so straight talk, crooked talk, ect…
56. Magnum Serpentine | May 5th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Let me repeat for you. When President William Clinton lied, no one died… When george lied, over 3000 soldiers and numerous citizens died.
george lied about the so-called george war on terror
george lied about WMD and then used it as a reason to launch the george war in Iraq.
george ignores and lies about the economic depression the United States is in.
george ignored and lied to the citizens of New Orleans about the hurricane disaster.
Funny how george fell over himself in the mad rush to declare the rich Republican districts around San Diego a Federal Disaster area one day after the devastating fires struck there, but george took weeks if not months to declare New Orleans, which had poor African American Democrats, a disaster zone.
george lied about the environment and economy.
george refuses to help those who are about to loose their homes to loan sharks. It was not their fault that they fell for numerous schemes of the banking industry. george should had bailed them out.
george could send gas prices down to 1.50 cents if he would only say he was about to launch Price Gouging investigations into big wig oil. Oh wait, big wig oil controls him and the white house.
19% of the nation supports george
81% of the nation says george is a failure and the worse president in history.
george is a liar. he lied about his military service and went awol in the 1960’s his pappy bailed him out.
george should do something honorable and resign right now!!!
57. Matt Margolis | May 5th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
Good lord, Magnum… aren’t you just a bumper sticker slogan today.
Are you saying there is no war on terror?
Are you saying all these Democrats, including Democrat leaders and Clinton Administration officlals lied too?
So it’s a depression now? Before you make yourself sound even more stupid learn a few basics about economics.
Ah yes, President Bush is to blame for the incompetence of Mayor Nagin and Governor Blanco.
And for your information, Bush declared a state of emergency for Louisiana before Katrina hit, and declared it a disaster the day it hit.
14% of the nation supports the Democratic majority.
so, to sum up your drivel, you’re a liar.
58. Nate | May 6th, 2008 at 12:54 am
“In January 2007 Tumbleweeds Bar and Grill grossed $69,000, February 2007 $70,000, March 2007 $91,000, and April 2007 $82,000. Now, in January 2008 I grossed $86,000, February $88,000, March $86,000, and April $89,000.”
well, gross means how much revenue you took in. could mean you raised prices from 07 to 08 and might not mean any growth at all. my local pizza joint has raised prices since last year about 15% — a number (+/-) which could explain your gross revenue increases.
59. SEW | May 6th, 2008 at 6:34 pm
Kurt, It sounds like a TKO, however, Gaby always appears to be in and out of consciousness, predominately out. Thus a KO.
60. FmrMarine | May 6th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
MS & gab douche:
DUH!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNgaVtVaiJE
You donks are pure lemmings.
Your case of BDS is beyond the jim jones kool aid debacle.
911 was designed, planned, on klintoons watch.
He had bin laden handed to him three times but failed to act.
His admin put up a “wall” between the FBI and the CIA…for sharing info.
He bombed asprin factories and got us in a “QUAGMIRE” in the balkins….but everyone seems to forget that.
While getting his rocks off in the oval office.
I guess putting a cigar in monica was more important than fighting against radical islam.
Oh yeah i forgot about the “vast right wing conspiracy”
I guess that was who must have been shooting at hitlery and wes hubbles daughter on the runway.
61. Pain | May 6th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
60. FmrMarine | May 6th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
None of that is true.
We feel sorry for you that you are so full of hate.
We will light a condle for your Soul, but We fear it may not help.
62. Danish Artist | May 8th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
I see Gabby is a result of Newcomb or A&S influence.
Yes, Gabby, I know Tulane.
Engineering ‘91.
While the science & engineering students were going to class, lab or library at 8:00 am, the Newcomb or A&S students were sleeping in or sunbathing or palying frisbee on the quad.
Explains alot.
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