Bush Claims of Better Economy Don't Follow Numbers

[kayell]

http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=1145938&l=14089

While the Bush/Cheney re-election website promotes the idea that the economy is "stepping on the gas pedal," new figures released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed hiring to be flat in December 2003 with a net gain of 1,000 jobs. A new report released today by the Economic Policy Institute finds that the Bush administration's assertion that the president's 2003 tax cut fell 1.615 million jobs short of its prediction for the year.

The president publicly unveiled his 2003 tax cut last year by tying it to job creation. In the State of the Union, Bush said, "When America works, America prospers, so my economic security plan can be summed up in one word: jobs." But the president's policies have failed to benefit American workers. A National Journal piece last week noted that "The economy is so far behind the administration's forecast that an average of 400,000 jobs would have to materialize every month until the end of 2004 to keep to the White House schedule. How hard is that? During the 1990s boom, such phenomenal job growth occurred in eight months out of 102."

The White House has thus far focused on putting a positive spin on the state of the economy. The president said in early December, "This administration has laid the foundation for greater prosperity and more jobs across America
so every single citizen has a chance to realize the American dream." But
so far, the widely reported increases in productivity and growth aren't translating into jobs or higher wages. New jobs being created are paying 13% less than those lost during the recession--$14.65/hour versus $16.92/hour. By contrast, new jobs created during the later years of the expansion, 1998 to 2000, paid 12% more.

While the rapid growth of the recovery has so far failed to benefit workers, corporate profits have increased at a rate far beyond those of previous recoveries. According to the EPI study, previous recoveries provided an average of 61% of total income growth - and never less than 55% -- to workers. In this recovery, however, only 29% of the total income growth has gone to workers' wages and benefits. Meanwhile, corporate profits have claimed an average share of 46% of total income growth in this recovery, compared to an historic average of 26%.

[lovedems]

1. Hopefully he will be out of a job this November. n/t

[LiberalFighter]

13. Only if every one of us works to make that happen

[Military Brat]

2. I wonder how many of those corporations outsource to save $$$

And how many of them have offshore tax havens so they can escape the duties which the "peons" of America must pay for the privilege of living here?

I don't mind fair taxes, but I do hate fraud and waste when it comes to my hard-earned money. And lately that's all I've seen from bushco.

[Skittles]

8. yup

you just know all these thieving bastards are in church every Sunday, praising the Lord for their "good fortune". :puke:

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

3. It's all in the 4th Paragraph

"While the rapid growth of the recovery has so far failed to benefit workers, corporate profits have increased at a rate far beyond those of previous recoveries." Carly Fiorina, take a bow.

[NickB79]

4. Ah, so in other words

JOBLESS RECOVERY!!!!

Geez, how many different ways can the Bush Admin. spin this shit?

[bvar22]

5. This MIRACULOUS Recovery is for RPO.

Rich People ONLY!

[ninkasi]

6. Bush has never let facts

get in the way of what he claims to believe. While he's only concerned with how corporations are doing, the rest of us would prefer decent paying jobs.

We need to get behind an effort to urge corporations to keep jobs in this country. As far as I'm concerned, they want all the rights of an individual, with absolutely none of the responsibilities. Every single thing Bush has done since seizing office is has been done to benefit his benefactors, at the expense of the citizens. Time for regime change, and this includes members of Congress.

[Skittles]

7. his claims of better ANYTHING are all f***ing BULLSHIT

Gawd I am so fed up with this lying, incompetent piece of CRAP in the White House.

[salin]

9. Get this... bush says he doesn't listen to the news

and apparently he doesn't allow much discussion on issues occur in his cabinet meetings (or with advisors). He is lazy - and can then say whatever he pleases - and has learned that folks eat it up as truth. Pathetic state of affairs.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

12. It goes even deeper than that

Chapter 16 of "Bushwhacked" opens with a GWB quote from Bob Woodward's "Bush At War"...

"I'm the commander - see, I don't need to explain - I do not need to explain why I say things. That's the interesting thing about being the president. Maybe somebody needs to explain to me why they say something, but I don't feel like I owe anybody an explanation."

Group Hug, anyone?

:grouphug:

[yellowcanine]

10. Hey, look on the bright side

Less people are looking for work because they have given up, right? (Otherwise why did the unemployment rate go down?) That means less gas is being wasted for people to drive to unemployment offices and to interviews, right? Not as much global warming. Bad news is good news. Up is down. War is peace. More attacks means we are winning. In is out. Hot is cold. Oh, never mind.

[indepat]

11. There are liars, damned liars and statistics.

[central scrutinizer]

14. figures don't lie, but liars figure

nfm