I've been on about Obama's negative language concerning the economy for a while now, and we're beginning to see pieces on this subject in the dead-tree media and elsewhere. Case in point:
From crisis to catastrophe. Off a cliff. Dark, darker, darkest. Mortal danger of absolute collapse. Armageddon.
President Obama and top Democrats on Capitol Hill are deploying these and other stark predictions of doom and gloom to push through their economic-stimulus package. In terms not heard in Washington since the late 1970s under President Jimmy Carter's watch, the new president has sought to terrify Americans into supporting the $800 billion-plus bailout bill.
[...]
"Mr. Hope has to be careful not to become Dr. Doom," said Frank Luntz, a political consultant and author of the book "Words That Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear."
"The danger for him is using the Jimmy Carter malaise rhetoric, particularly for Mr. Obama, who was elected because people thought he was the solution. There's only so much negativity they will tolerate from him before they will feel betrayed," Mr. Luntz said.
Brad Blakeman, a senior aide to Mr. Bush from 2001 to 2004, said the new president's language is immature.
"It's not presidential. An American leader needs to be hopeful and optimistic - and truthful. Everything he says is parsed; everything he says is searched for deep meaning. When he goes to 'DefCon 5' on the economy and says that we're on the brink of catastrophe, it's absolutely insane."
Well, yeah. Even if the last guy quoted is a lil bit unclear on the DEFCON concept. Which is quite another story, to wit... civilians using military metaphors that they don't quite get. Inexcusable, from my point of view, but we digress.
One of the reasons Jimmuh went down to defeat at the hands of The Gipper was his pessimistic rhetoric... who among us old enough to remember can forget "malaise?"... which was the icing on the cake of his dismal performance. The One had better be careful in this space. But that's just speaking about The One. My biggest concern is for the economy... and the nation as a whole. I don't think it's mere coincidence the market seems to tank on the days Obama utters his latest doom-and-gloom predictions.
Wise-up, Mr. President.
I'm with you 100% on this Buck. He can't scare people into supporting something that will ultimately prove to be one of the worst things to happen to our economy since the election of Jimmah.
ReplyDeleteI well-remember those days as a teenager; I don't wish to relive them as an adult.
The Republic will, as they say, survive. But in what condition and how long will it take someone else to fix the mess P.BO leaves behind.
Which could be the only saving grace in all this (I know, lightning strikes and all that) - P.BO will likely be a one-term president.
I do like the sound of that.
Love the DEFCON catch, Buck. I tell my kids all the time not to use words they don't really understand, that they'll just end up sounding stupid. Case in point.
ReplyDeleteMalaise - those were not the good old days....
ReplyDeleteAnd, I heard it again tonight...
Sad.
The folks that voted for him eye's are still glazed over with the hope and happiness that he was elected. They won't think anything is wrong with him until it's too late.
ReplyDeleteThe country will survive. Just hope the rest of us do with our financial lives intact.
Kris sez: Which could be the only saving grace in all this (I know, lightning strikes and all that) - P.BO will likely be a one-term president.
ReplyDeleteI do like the sound of that.
Which, of course, remains to be seen. I don't EVEN wanna think about a second term, at this point. I just wanna get through the first (and hopefully only) term reasonably intact.
Doc: You give GOOD advice. I learned to be careful in this space around age 20 or so. Painfully, too.
Cynthia sez: And, I heard it again tonight...
I probably didn't pay as much attention to BHO's news conference as I should have... coz I missed any "malaise" bits. I didn't particularly like what I DID hear, tho.
Jenny sez: The folks that voted for him eye's are still glazed over with the hope and happiness that he was elected.
Not all of 'em. I've read/seen QUITE a bit of bitching/carping/complaining about BHO on some of the more strident Lefty blogs. But those types would only be satisfied if Karl Marx were somehow resurrected and put in charge. Idiots.
The irony police are at the doughnut shop snoozin' away. For the last eight years I've been hearing how Bush/Cheney & crew were using something called "The Politics Of Fear" to get their stuff past Congress, notably the P.A.T.R.I.O.T. act.
ReplyDeleteThe meme that is emerging is that Mr. Obama is, indeed, a professional in such tactics -- in which Mr. Bush is simply an amateur. The Annointed One unfortunately doesn't possess this kind of talent in matters where He could actually help. He's clearly in over His head.
This economy started its serious decline when Pelosi and Reid began their terms as House and Senate Leader.
ReplyDeleteNobody is buying anything because of the great job the media did in destroying consumer confidence. Thus the contraction of the economy.
Unintended consequences of wrecking the last administration.
The Barco's crew is experiencing a resurgence of confidence, due to reductions in fleet size. That, and reducing the household debt.
Congress could really take some lessons from average taxpayers.
Morgan sez: He's clearly in over His head.
ReplyDeleteI think that remains to be seen, but I strongly suspect you're right.
DC serz: The Barco's crew is experiencing a resurgence of confidence, due to reductions in fleet size. That, and reducing the household debt.
Congress could really take some lessons from average taxpayers.
Roger THAT... on your last. One of the reasons I could retire early is the absence of debt. I'm been fiscally conservative for years and years and YEARS now... what with my mortgage being the ONLY debt I've carried in the last 20+ years. Very few people can afford to pay cash for a house, so I didn't feel bad about carrying a mortgage. I feel sorry for folks with an "average" level of consumer debt. Speaking of...
The average American with a credit file is responsible for $16,635 in debt, excluding mortages, according to Experian. (Source: U.S. News and World Report, "The End of Credit Card Consumerism," August 2008)
Total U.S. consumer debt (which includes credit card debt and non-credit-card debt but not mortgage debt) reached $2.55 trillion at the end of 2007, up from $2.42 trillion at the end of 2006. (Source: Federal Reserve)
But there IS good news:
After an almost unbroken streak of increases, total U.S. consumer revolving debt fell $973.5 billion in November 2008. About 98 percent of that debt was credit card debt. (Source: Federal Reserve)
I got all that stuff here.