Rusted Sky

Yes and yes.

They can, they would and they do. That said, if we elect a Democrat, we'll have an instant turnaround!

Yesterday on NPR (I know; I listen to it for the music...), someone breathlessly said that economic indicators might be interpreted to say that we might barely squeak by actually going into a recession. Seeing as how we haven't had the requisite 2 consecutive quarters of negative growth for there to be a recession, I suppose there might be something to what he said, but I was surprised to hear it on NPR.

A recession hinges on consumer sentiment, and no question that the media can drive sentiment, but people look to their leadership at times like this -- and when they look at the Bush administration they see lies and ineptitude and fiscal irresponsibility bordering on "out of control".

So while media reports of a recession may cause people to wonder, it's the mortgage crisis, mounting debt from a failed war, and the falling dollar that causes people to be afraid of losing their jobs. Republicans instill zero confidence as fiscal administrators -- thanks to the Bush-Cheney administration. That's quite a turnaround from the days when Repubs were seen as the fiscally conservative budget watchdogs.

Check out California's mounting budget crisis, triggered by the Swartzenegger administration's bungling, for more proof that Republicans cannot lead on the economy anymore.

Re California. Agree on the mounting budget crisis, and that Swartzeneger collapsed like a pin-stuck balloon when the measures he needed to achieve financial control failed to pass. However, it's the completely Democratic legislature that can override a veto that is to blame for the situation, not the governor - although a token veto would be welcome. He sleeps with the enemy, however, and was always a RINO, so no real surprise there. You actually have a completely Democratic government in effect.

The mortgage crisis is due in part to illegal immigration and lax banking rules that allow loans to unqualified borrowers, and part to the requirements to loan to minorities - also with lax loan qualification requirements.
The war is not failed, the cost is less than 3% of GNP, so the real problem is the cost of the social programs that suck up the rest of the budget, and the unwillingness of the Democrat legislature to reduce spending, starting with earmarks.
In other words, the problem is due to the Democrats, not the Bush Administration, but the MSM will reverse any possible threat of a recession as soon as a Democrat administration should happen to take office.

They are liars.

Khruschev said their grandchildren would bury ours. Looks like he was right.

Lee -

Needless to say, we don't agree on things here. If the media goes out of it's way to portray Bush as a liar - is he? If someone screams that he's a liar about Iraq's WMD, when he was basing his decisions on the best information AT THE TIME, the vast majority of which confirmed his decision - is he a liar?

If the media persistently reports all bad news and ignores any good - and the vast majority of the voters get their information from the media - are they getting accurate, even-handed info?

If someone goes out of their way to persistently misrepesent any situation to spin it for THEIR advantage, are they trustworthy sources of information?

If mortgage defaults are at .5%, and they increase by 50% - are we looking at 50% defaults on loans, or .75%?

The media will report that defaults have risen by 50%. The starting number is the important part, but so often completely ignored. Who would care about a .75% default rate?

J.

Re California -

"You actually have a completely Democratic government in effect."

The old saying "Be careful what you wish for... because you might get it" should be seen as a cautionary tale. Some think it'll be wonderful if the Democrats get full control.

Look at California. It used to be considered a 'heaven on earth' 60, 50 years back. Now, it's looking rather hellish, at least in some areas.

Is it possible to spin such as an improvement?

J.

John C. -

It's kind of hard to proclaim a recession when the indicators aren't there - no matter how hard the media tries to spin it.

And if popular impression is directly dependent on how good a job the media does portraying a normal economy as a disaster, then we're pretty much screwed as a nation.

J.