Bush: "Now, we dealt with one of our problems, and that is our economy"

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/index.html

Not so fast, Mr. President

George W. Bush has started speaking of the nation's economic woes in the past tense. At a fundraising dinner Thursday for Missouri Sen. Jim Talent, the president said that the county has some problems to solve but suggested that the economy wasn't one of them. "Now, we dealt with one of our problems, and that is our economy," he said. "We had some tough times for a while because of the enemy attack and the down cycle of our economy."

Before catching himself with the obligatory "we can't rest," Bush painted a rosy picture of the nation's employment situation, taking credit for creating 3.5 million jobs over the last two years while ignoring all the jobs that were lost during the first two-and-a-half years of his presidency.

So is the economy all better now? That's not what this morning's news suggests. May's job numbers are out now, and they're not good: Employers added just 78,000 new jobs last month, the smallest number since August 2003 and about half of the number required just to keep up with population growth. While the country picked up some jobs in retail, it lost jobs in manufacturing last month.

Why are the numbers so bad? According to the Associated Press, analysts say that high energy prices and rising costs for health care and certain raw materials "could be making some employers cautious." At the Talent fundraiser Thursday night, the president said that the "job of government isn't to create the wealth, but an environment in which people are willing to risk capital." If business owners are so frightened by the rising costs of gasoline and health care, isn't there an argument to be made that the president is doing the "job of government" all that well?

-- Tim Grieve

09:33 EDT, June 3, 2005

[Enraged_Ape]

1. Idiot

What's particularly galling is that those manufacturing jobs that were lost INCLUDE the burger flippers and burrito crafters.

[Al-CIAda]

12. But didn't you hear? Burger making IS now classified as a 'manufacturing'

job.

:silly:

[Enraged_Ape]

15. That's what I mean

When we live in an economy where even the freaking fast-food places aren't hiring, we're in some sad shape.

[Avalux]

2. Just keep on digging!

You know what's so sweet about the impending doom about to decend on *? He's so arrogant and so sheltered he doesn't see it and his handlers aren't about to tell him - so he'll keep blabbering his crap and making things worse for himself. :woohoo:

[Skittles]

9. he has never in his entire life had to worry about money

whenever he needed help his daddy was ready to give him a handout. The entire Bush family is f***ing clueless. I don't say this about all rich people - I do believe some rich folk are smart enough to understand the financial woes of the average Joe - but not these arrogant bush bastards.

[mermaid]

3. If Business Owners Are SO FRIGHTENED...

by the rising costs of gasoline and health care...WHAT THE FUCK DO THEY THINK WE...THE UN-AND UNDER-EMPLOYED ARE BY THESE SAME FORCES??

Try scared out of our motherfucking MINDS!!!

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Elidor]

5. WTF is that bruise on his cheek?

Has he been into the pretzels again?

[Enraged_Ape]

8. He injures his face on a regular basis

I am an avid martial artist. I love to spar. But in years of sparring, I can't remember when I had an actual bruise on my face--maybe a small scratch or something, but never an appreciable strawberry or bruise. This is because it is REFLEXIVE to protect your head, face, and eyes with your hands and arms when you run into trouble. It happens without your even thinking about it, UNLESS...

your protective reflex has been compromised by, say...

alcohol.

I'm just saying. This guy has facial injuries every two months.

[Skittles]

10. EA, what does "material artist" mean

?

[Enraged_Ape]

11. "Material artist"?

I imagine that would be someone who generates artistic pieces using a variety of materials.

A "martial artist" is someone who is involved in any of a number of combat sports (e.g., karate, judo, boxing, etc.).

[Skittles]

17. LOL.............EA

I am sans glasses until tomorrow morning............Lord, I cannot see very well close up - good thing I don't need them to drive :D

[Enraged_Ape]

19. Well, it's a good thing you didn't read it as "marital artist"

How would I have explained that? :blush: :D

[Heewack]

6. The Economist...

...seems to think the same thing. Their site is replete with articles talking about how strong the U.S. economy is now.

[Kipling]

7. I believe the phrase is "Boom and Bust"

[fob]

13. Major Typo in that last sentence! The last IS should be an ISN'T.

FROM;
If business owners are so frightened by the rising costs of gasoline and health care, isn't there an argument to be made that the president is doing the "job of government" all that well?

TO;
If business owners are so frightened by the rising costs of gasoline and health care, isn't there an argument to be made that the president ISN'T doing the "job of government" all that well?


Even though you have the two "nots" it's not a double negative, or is it?

[RaleighNCDUer]

14. Want to see how strong the economy is?

Stop by your local pawn shop, and see all the people trying to sell their valuables for pennies on the dollar. Yesterday I drove a neighbor to one where he wanted to unload his slightly aging stero system -- $400 new, he got $26 for it.

There was a girl there wanting to sell the flute she played in HS -- a what, $200 instrument? They made an offer of $25.

I haven't seen an economy as good as this since the early 80s.

[stopbush]

16. I hate it when * disassembles like this...

[Coexist]

18. what do you say when presented with such idiocy?

this idiot leaves me speechless.