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Matt Littman

Matt Littman

Posted: November 10, 2007 04:46 PM

And Now, the Economy: What's Left for Bush to Ruin?


In the disastrous seven years of the worst President ever, his defenders had said that the economy is going well, and this shows that the President is doing a fine job.

Who are these defenders? The 33% who approve of the job this President is doing. Yes, there are 33% of the people who approve of George W.'s job performance. Don't you wish you worked for these people? "Tommy, you forgot to fill your orders this month, all of the clients hate you, and our profits are shrinking. I'm giving you a 20% raise!"

You may wonder if the President could do anything to make these people say, "You know what? Maybe this Presidency thing isn't for W."

The 33% of the people who support Bush - I can guarantee you that these people have a very narrow self interest: their wallets.

But the tanking economy means that the President's constituency, the very wealthy, is in for a world of hurt. The terrible housing market does not spare anyone, no matter how many houses you have, and the situation is not going to get better for many years. The President can no longer count on the rich to defend him; they've abandoned the sinking yacht.

The economy is on a straight line toward recession. And you know how this President reacts when he sees trouble looming. He heads right for it.

With the economy in a heap of trouble, it now appears as if Hurricane Bush will finish his term having absolutely decimated everything in his path.

Let's take a look at the record:

Budget Deficit - We're almost $9 trillion in debt. We went from budget surplus under President Clinton to deficits as far as the eye can see under President Bush.

Health Care - More than 40 million Americans are without health care. Bush vetoes bill that would give more children health insurance.

Foreign Relations - What do you think? Iraq was a disaster. Afghanistan was in the win column, but we pulled troops and weapons from there and put them in Iraq. Now Afghanistan is teetering. In Pakistan, we support Musharraf and not the Pakistani people; now we may the price. Iran is bellicose. The world viewed us as its great friend six years ago, and now views us as a big threat.

How about food safety? Between 2003 and 2007, the FDA food safety inspections have dropped by 47%.

What about those toys coming in from China? Guess what? The President has used the Consumer Products Safety Commission to help big business and not the people. I know, what a surprise. The CPSC has few than half the number of staffers it had in the 1970's. Nancy Nord, acting chairwoman of the agency, goes on trips funded by the industries she's supposed to regulate. There's one full time toy tester.

FEMA - You think that gutting an agency and hiring friends who work in the horse jumping business does not impact your life? FEMA went from a model of government efficiency under President Clinton a model of inefficiency under President Bush. Now look at New Orleans.

Should I go on? Is there any area left for President Bush to work his harmful ways? You tell me.

 
 
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12:50 PM on 11/12/2007
Worst recession since the 1930s?????

http://www.nysun.com/article/66268
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
bknott
My Micro-bio is "empty".
12:16 PM on 11/12/2007
I have to take issue with the article's conclusion that the president's 33% base is supporting Bush completely for economic reasons. I would estimate most of Bush's base is middle class, and are behind Bush because of "gay marriage" and "Democrats are soft on terrorism". They're just too dense to realize he's screwing them.
11:25 AM on 11/12/2007
The 33% aren't all wealthy. The W stickers I still see are stuck on the back of old junkers. The people driving these are as one dimentional as Bush is. The W sticker is usually accompanied with a NRA or anti gay or anti abortion sticker and I'm sure Rush is on the radio telling them who to hate. These idiots are also the most vulnerable in this economy. Lose your job at the junk yard and the next thing you know, the bank owns the double wide, you're pawning the guns for food, you're wife is selling your Toby Keith/Ted Nugent collection at a rummage sale and your daughter is walking the streets for dope and smokes. Now lets turn on the NASCAR race and see who's leading,OH SHIT!, they repod the TV, too. Too bad.
researcher
researcher
03:20 AM on 11/12/2007
bush's one great success.

he proved beyond any reasonable doubt that the myth that the demos were spineless and lacked courage was absolutely true.

give credit were credit is due.

bush and cheney up for war crimes.

nancy and reid up for impeachment for incompetence.
04:09 PM on 11/11/2007
The President has led a charmed 6 years in office in regards to the economy. Now that is probably coming to a close, does anyone think the mainstream media will cut into celebrity coverage a little bit to let people know what is coming or unfolding?
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
larryfishkorn
08:05 AM on 11/11/2007
Anyone casting an opposing vote gets shot in the face with buckshot.
02:36 AM on 11/11/2007
With any luck, the last thing George W. Bush will break will be the Republican Party.
01:58 AM on 11/11/2007
We are not going to have a recession, we are going to have a Depression. Not a recession. A Depression. Perhaps, it will be even worse than '29. Yet, no one will use the D word. It isn't just a failing economy, it is an economy that has failed. It's already happened, and this is just the beginning of the equivalent to nuclear fallout.
Some of the 33% are the rich, the obscenely rich already have their euros and don't give a shit about America, anyway. Most are likely just Americans who think they are safe. It's sad.
01:21 AM on 11/11/2007
Here's a couple more:

1-Wholesale decimation of the Constitution and rule of law.

2-The loathing of the rest of the world at our torture policy.

3-Continued destruction of the environment.
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realpolitic
GOP is full of sound and fury, signifying nothing!
01:11 AM on 11/11/2007
What about the dubious legal opinions from the Office of Legal Counsel which, for example, say that an act does not constitute torture unless it "shocks the conscious"? This standard permits almost anything. Or the other "legal" opinions which argue the president is not constrained by any international treaties or domestic laws at a time of warfare?

What about paying people in the press to get out the government message, such as radio host Armstrong Williams who was paid large sums to speak favorably of "No Child Left Behind"? Or FEMA holding phony press conferences? Or Jeff Gannon, the phony reporter, who was allowed in White House press briefings to lob softball questions highly favorable to the administration? His real job was as a male prostitute. Or the paying of Iraqi journalists by the defense department to write favorable stories on our mission there in the Iraqi press?

What about the secrecy? Every time they are challenged in court the administration argues that "national security" is at stake. Lackey judges then dismiss the case. Or when investigated by Congress the administration argues Executive Privilege and Congress does not act.

The Bush presidency is almost a surreal nightmare in how not to govern. One would think the American people deserve better. Perhaps we do not. We must not become a cult of self-interest. We must strive to again live up to and be worthy of our ideals.
HUFFPOST PUNDIT
realpolitic
GOP is full of sound and fury, signifying nothing!
12:48 AM on 11/11/2007
What about the infringement on our civil rights: wiretapping without a warrant on international calls, torturing; rendition; lack of habeas corpus, etc.

The writ of habeas corpus is traced back to the Magna Carta. It says, basically, we can seek relief from an unlawful detention. Only Bush can take us back to pre-medieval times.
12:47 AM on 11/11/2007
"Is there any area left for President Bush to work his harmful ways? You tell me."

He has his finger on "the button".

But what harm could come of that?
12:30 AM on 11/11/2007
Well, off the top of my head:

The Constitution - middle finger to Congress re: subpoenas on Rove and Miers
The Military - beat up into non-readiness
The Dept. of Justice - new law-creating branch of government
The State Department - isn't there a mutiny in the making?
The Borders - cheap labor anyone?
Our Ports - Dubai
Walter Reed and the VA

This man has the Reverse Midas Touch - everything he touches turns to feces including the GOP. Wake up Republicans.
12:22 AM on 11/11/2007
Do you really want to know how far down the rabbit hole we have YET to go??

I quess that depends upon whether the writer's strike really pisses you off or Cheney/Bush does.

Molly tried to warn us what GW (shrub) would do for this country what he did for Texas.

I still consider GW as a puppet who is just as clueless as he was reading "My Pet Goat", thinking "I can't believe they actually did it, I'm going to be the first president dangling from a noose."

Of course you can still be ignorant to the laws of physics to admit our country is drowning in a cesspool of neo-con fantasy. All conveniently galvanized into patriotic hysteria. Where honest discussion is scorned as unpatriotic or censored. This is not the America I want my son to grow up in. Where disagreement with the fascist state can get my son's balls crushed (Jon Woo), while I can be tortured anywhere anytime.

This is not some clever ironic parody. It may not seem like a nightmare now, but take a good hard look down the road, the shitstorm is heading our way.
Reply | posted 05:58 pm on 11/10/2007
12:16 AM on 11/11/2007
The national debt has already surpassed the $9 trillion mark. Without residuals.

Remember that 'subprime problem' that was largely contained as of may 21st? It will get worse in early 2008 and that's only the tip of the iceberg.

The damage was already into Alt-A and prime and now jumbo mortgages. And credit card debt. And car loans. And pension funds. All the liquidity and corrections have not alleviated the problems on the bottom of the food chain.

Beer and bread will cost more thanks to the Fed. Since Dec, 1913, they've not done anything right -- so look forward to more pain, a lot more, next year.

What's that definition of insanity again?