So according to conservative folks, the U.S. economy is doing just fine, never mind all the hullabaloo about the mortgage crisis and the falling value of the dollar. Now I’m loathe to contradict someone who bases their economic outlook on some how full a mall parking lot is, but I’m going to have to disagree that our nation’s economy is on solid ground, especially on the heels of this report that our economy may not be in such great shape after all. Among the highlights of the article:
Investors received more bad economic news when the Fed released data Monday that showed the nation’s industrial output dropped by 0.5 percent in February. Analysts had expected an increase of 0.1 percent.
So let’s recap the current state of our nation’s economy:
- Price of crude oil over $100 a barrel? CHECK!
- National industrial output falls instead of increasing? CHECK!
- National mortgage crisis, forcing several large finance companies to the brink of bankruptcy if not for intervention by the Fed? CHECK!
- Value of the U.S. dollar at an all-time low against the Euro? CHECK!
But hey, at least there’s a bright spot in all this economic doom and gloom! Good old Dubbya insists we’re not in a recession, instead preferring to use the term, “challenging times.” It’s good to know this isn’t the beginning of a recession, but rather just some “challenging times” that we’ll get past without nary an ill effect on lower and middle class folks, because after all, those are the folks that usually feel the effects of a recession the most.
Heckuva job, Bushie…heckuva job!
Hi, Zach. Bruce from Badger Blogger here.
I notice it’s been 5 days now since you used my blog post to slam “clueless” conservatives.
I can’t help noticing that not one person has offered a comment in support of your choice musings.
Have you considered the possibility that no one cares what you think?
Just wondering.
Hi Bruce.
Salty much?
Have you ever considered the possibility I don’t care what you think?
After all, anyone who bases their opinion of the economy on how full a mall parking lot is isn’t someone whose opinion I put much stock in.
Well, at least you finally got one comment to your opinion… after all these many days of waiting. Congrats on that.
That must have made this snowy Friday evening just toasty-warm-wonderful for you, hey?
Aw Bruce, if I didn’t know better I’d think you were trying to insult me. Didn’t anyone ever teach you that if you don’t have anything nice to say, you shouldn’t say anything at all?
If you’ve got something relevant to add about my thoughts on the economy, by all means feel free to share, because I’d love to hear more about your theory about the fullness of mall parking lots being directly tied to the strength of our nation’s economy.
So, Zach, using your logic of: “Didn’t anyone ever teach you that if you don’t have anything nice to say, you shouldn’t say anything at all?”
Yes, actually, the Jesuits at Marquette did teach me that. I guess they would be your “anyone”.
So, tell me how that logic applies, precisely, to the use of my blog post in your weak and unconvincing argument; which five (5) days post-publishing, not one person other than the dude being slammed has weighed in on?
Why don’t you clear this up for me. And please, do it without pulling in any outside help from the worker-bees of your lefty brain-trust.
Bruce, I’d rather have no comments at all than a thread full of comments from some of the folks who frequent BadgerBlogger.
As for your assertion that my argument is weak, I’d argue it’s no weaker than your argument that our nation’s economic health can be judged on the basis of how full our mall parking lots are. You say my argument’s weak, but unlike you I’m backing up my argument with facts. Instead of relying on a cruise through the parking lot at Southridge to determine how healthy our economy is, I’d rather look at economic indicators.
But hey, to each their own…have fun cruising the parking lots at Brookfield Square!
I don’t even live in Milwaukee, you condescending little peon. That’s so funny.
I’ve never even made the argument that Bush is doing a “good job”. Good luck supporting that one.
I essentially made the comment that, despite the media’s most valiant attempts to the contrary, average people are still spending money.
Disprove that.
Aw Bruce, what’s with the name calling? I mean, I’m surprised it took this long for you to resort to calling me names, but still, let’s try and act like adult. If you want to start name calling and throwing out personal insults, go back to BadgerBlogger, because I know that’s par for the course over there.
“I essentially made the comment that, despite the media’s most valiant attempts to the contrary, average people are still spending money.
Disprove that.”
Oh, Zach, should we act like “adult” now? I’m screencapping all of this of course.
Let’s try to “act like adult”. Good idea.
Would you like me to go “back to Badger Blogger” now?
Wow Bruce, you caught a typo. Congratulations, because you’re the big winner!
By the way, thanks for proving my point about acting like an adult.
“I essentially made the comment that, despite the media’s most valiant attempts to the contrary, average people are still spending money.
Disprove that.”
You’re in over your head, aren’t you Zach?
Check back when you aren’t a child, with the unsubstantiated opinions of a child.
Bruce, again with the name calling. I’ve provided links to each of the points I made in my original post, thus providing substantiation to my opinions. However, I’ve yet to see you do anything other than resorting to name calling and trolling in an attempt to get a rise out of me.
And while you attempt to attack me for my “unsubstantiated” opinions, you’ve yet to provide any solid proof to back up your point that the economy is hunky-dory – except for your own experience in a mall parking lot. You assert that all’s well with the economy, but if that’s the case, why did George W. Bush feel the need to embrace an economic stimulus package to give the economy a “shot in the arm“?
Maybe the President should cruise through some mall parking lots…perhaps if he had, he know the economy is just fine without an economic stimulus package.
And Zachary, what, in the grand scheme of “keeping the economy afloat” do you do for a living? Share your insider information, please.
Bruce, I give that information out on a need to know basis, and quite frankly, you don’t need to know.
But hey, enough about me; let’s get back to the topic at hand. I’m waiting for you to address my point about the economic stimulus package. If our economy’s in such good shape – as you seem to be asserting – then why the need for a massive economic stimulus package? If our economy is in such good shape, why has President Bush himself said we’re in “challenging times?”
If you’ve got something substantive to add in this discussion, I’m all ears – or eyes, as it were – so feel free to jump right in and refute my points with evidence to the contrary.
Are you with The Fed? The SEC? The FDIC?
Lay your exclusive information on us, brother.
Bruce, enough with the non sequiturs. If you can’t refute my point with some evidence to the contrary, just come out and say so, because you’re making yourself look bad.
I’ve provided a number of links – both in my main entry and here in the reply thread – that I feel more than back up the point I’m trying to make, while you on the other hand have provided nothing other than some lame name calling mixed in with a heavy dose of trolling.
Actually, what you do for a living is kind of a “need to know” subject, based on your topic; you’re so willing to share your personal “economic observations”, yet so unwilling to justify where they come from.
You have the wide-eyed, idealistic opinions of a child.
You might “feel” they do, but they don’t. Keep trying. Start with facts. Always a good place to start.
“I essentially made the comment that, despite the media’s most valiant attempts to the contrary, average people are still spending money.
Disprove that.”
Bruce, I’m loving the whole, “I’m not gonna answer the question because I can’t” schtick…it really works for you. My “personal economic observations” are based on data I gathered (and provided links to), so they’re more of a “mix tape” as opposed to simply being my unsubstantiated opinions.
As for me being wide-eyed and idealistic, I prefer to think of myself as pragmatic and reality-based. In the reality I call home, George W. Bush seems to think the economy needs some serious stimulating to the tune of over 150 billion dollars in tax rebates. In the reality I call home, George W. Bush has categorized these as
“challenging times,” which leads me to believe something’s just not right with the economy.