Throw in a thumb gesture here and there too.

its not a bad idea... sprinkling in a little talk that an upswing in the economy is just over the horizon might help push things along. There is a psychological/emoptional aspect to the markets and economy that many times over powers the desire for rational profit making.

Code_Archeologist: its not a bad idea... sprinkling in a little talk that an upswing in the economy is just over the horizon might help push things along. There is a psychological/emoptional aspect to the markets and economy that many times over powers the desire for rational profit making.

Try this one: "The fundamentals of our economy are strong."

I_C_Weener: Try this one: "The fundamentals of our economy are strong."

Yeah... its better to talk to the American people like they are clinically depressed person contemplating suicide. And telling a depressed person that "the fundamentals of their life are strong" is just asking them to swallow a 12 gauge.

While I think Phil Gramm's "psychological recession" was ridiculous, there's something to be said for boosting consumer and market confidence.

Bill Clinton to Obama: Talk more optimistically about the economy. Oh, and bite me your bottom lip every once in a while



/ FTFY

If you had 3 weeks in the "When will the Clintons start undermining Obama" pool, step up, you racist coward.

Cat Food Sandwiches: you racist coward.

quois?

Clinton doesn't get the "fear-mongering" concept very well. The more fear Obama instills into Americans, the more power he has to impose his will upon them. If he tells us that the economy is going to be better soon, he won't be able to change its very foundations.

"and keep some stain treater in your desk"

Sure, all we need is happy talk about the economy and it will turn right around. Bill, this is prolly why your wife is not POTUS.

I_C_Weener: Code_Archeologist: its not a bad idea... sprinkling in a little talk that an upswing in the economy is just over the horizon might help push things along. There is a psychological/emoptional aspect to the markets and economy that many times over powers the desire for rational profit making.

Try this one: "The fundamentals of our economy are strong."

I don't think he was supporting pushing a rose-colored lenses view, just to pepper in some kind of optimism. I would certainly prefer for Obama to tell it like it is and not completely deceive us. I think the economy is in pretty dire shape, but I do think a lot of it is very psychological. Hint: unless you did something really stupid that you can't afford, cutting back that $5 at the grocery because "oh, the economy!" is not really going to do much.

Mistah Scrotie: Cat Food Sandwiches: you racist coward.

quois?

Former Clintonistas may also be used in the undermining process.

An easier way way to restore some market confidence would be to take Messrs. Madoff and Stanford and publically execute them. But that's just me.

I_C_Weener:
Try this one: "The fundamentals of our economy are strong."

Or "Prosperity is just around the corner," because it worked so well for President Hoover.

The guy is talking to us like we're adults. I'd love to hear some good news about the economy, but I need to navigate with facts.

When things pick up, I will celebrate with strippers and a beer volcano.

/so sayeth fsm
//rAmen

"It's morning in America."

germ78: An easier way way to restore some market confidence would be to take Messrs. Madoff and Stanford and publically execute them. But that's just me.

It's me, too.

/keep the positive thoughts

I was gonna go buy a new TV, surround sound, Prius, F-150 and a bag of skittles until Obama said the party was over.

How can the American people not be optimistic with that big ol' $13.00 a week "stimulus" getting ready to rock their world in what, four months?

Up until he was elected, it was "hope."

Now, it's "everything sucks."

America's first bipolar President...

Clinton is exactly right.

Hopey McChange Chairman Doom Gloom Crisis & Catastrophe is talking us right into a depression.

The President talking optimistically is a good idea. I've been dismayed by Obama's "the sky is falling" speeches lately. Yes, times are tough, but the President should reassure us and give us optimism. A lot of an economic recession is a lack of confidence. A lack of confidence in markets makes people pull out of them, which makes them fail. It's like a self-fulfilling prophecy. A lack of confidence in future funds makes people horde rather than spend, and the economy stagnates even more.

I_C_Weener: Try this one: "The fundamentals of our economy are strong."

[pause for laughter]

"No, but seriously...our economy is going to suck wind for a while until we get back to the fundamentals of sound economic policy."

When the dot-com bubble was bursting, Clinton's administration would call people out for "talking down" the economy. If you couldn't say something nice about the economy, you had just better STFU. "Talking down" the economy was hurting the stock market, which was costing people their jobs and hurting growth.

(In addition to whatever economic effect "talking down" the economy might have had, Clinton was obviously attempting to preserve his legacy and to help Gore get elected. But that's another story.)

Today, I wish people would shut up about the economy. Every TV commercial talks about "these troubling times" or how "today, more than ever, we need to save money." (Remember the good old days, when we'd throw cash out the car window on the way to the store?) Even freaking Avon is selling itself as a hedge against a troubled economy.

So let's not talk down the economy. Let's not speak optimistically about the economy. Indeed, let us speak much less of the economy. Things are how they always were. Up for some, down for others, everyone doing their best to get by.

cirby: America's first bipolar President...

Heh.

I'd be willing to be taxed a slight amount if he needs the money to buy some prozac.

Here's how it works:

First you say, "Oh god, the economy's done for. We're all gonna die in miserable poverty... unless you pass my stimulus plan!"

Then, after the stimulus plan is passed you say, "Now things are gonna be totally rad and awesome forever. Buy a monocle and top-hat, and start practicing your tycoon face. We're all gonna be infinity-aires!"

He should at least act optimistic about his huge money giveaway to liberal special interests stimulus package. I haven't gotten the feeling from him that he has any inclination as to its potential efficacy. It's very much high on lofty rhetoric, but the specifics seem to be left out of the discussions.

He can't talk optimistically, he needs to get people ready for his next trillion dollar depressant.

NobleHam
The President talking optimistically is a good idea. I've been dismayed by Obama's "the sky is falling" speeches lately. Yes, times are tough, but the President should reassure us and give us optimism. A lot of an economic recession is a lack of confidence. A lack of confidence in markets makes people pull out of them, which makes them fail. It's like a self-fulfilling prophecy. A lack of confidence in future funds makes people horde rather than spend, and the economy stagnates even more.

I think this was Bill's way of saying "Barrack, get your head out of your ass before you turn into Jimmy Carter".

I think Obama learned his lesson when he completely lost track of of the Recovery and Reinvestment act.


He's going to have to be active in promoting, guiding, and defining future legislation.


People, I think, want a clear and cohesive plan to follow -- not a meandering patchwork of guess work and ideology.

Which is a bit more complex than being 'upbeat' about our prospects.

And none of it will matter if the plan is incapable of dealing with reality as it actively changes.

I must be the only man alive who has zero issues with how obama has done so far. Including his "tax evaders". His FISA votes and how he's talked about the economy.

"I expect a clean and transparent stimulus plan from Obama, which will eliminate the need for a violent bloodbath."

Diogenes: While I think Phil Gramm's "psychological recession" was ridiculous, there's something to be said for boosting consumer and market confidence.

Okay, how about this...

"For all of those Americans that have credit card debt, or car loans to pay off, or are saving up to buy a home or a college education for themselves or for their children...save your money. Don't spend money on anything that isn't critical. You are what is known as 'tapped out' and you need to have some fiscal restraint."

"For all of those Americans that have none of the above things, get out there and spend money. Your country needs you to take some of that money you've been squirrelling away for a rainy day and spend it, because that rainy day has come. The less money you spend, the longer our economy is going to lag. Your money isn't going to do you any good when our society collapses. No one is going to trade a box of ammo for a giant bag of money, or even a bar of gold. So get out there and spend, damnit."

Hopeful enough?

Shaggy_C
He should at least act optimistic about his huge money giveaway to liberal special interests stimulus package. I haven't gotten the feeling from him that he has any inclination as to its potential efficacy. It's very much high on lofty rhetoric, but the specifics seem to be left out of the discussions.

Well the market absolutely hates it and the banks are using the lack of consumer confidence as an excuse to horde as much cash as possible...at least from what I am personally seeing on the commercial end. This is slowing commerce down to a crawl and it's not getting any better.

Incoming Obama "Malaise" speech in 3, 2, 1....

log_jammin: I must be the only man alive who has zero issues with how obama has done so far. Including his "tax evaders". His FISA votes and how he's talked about the economy.

Wow. Bush must've been a gang-busters president for you then!

onomatopoetic: First you say, "Oh god, the economy's done for. We're all gonna die in miserable poverty... unless you pass my stimulus plan!"

Yeah, because he was just dying to spend that much money in his first month on the job. Mmmm-hmmm. Nothing better than crippling debt to start the Presidency off right.

flannelled fool: How can the American people not be optimistic with that big ol' $13.00 a week "stimulus" getting ready to rock their world in what, four months?

$13/week X 52 weeks X 120,000,000 workers = $81,120,000,000 back into the economy.

The $13 isn't designed to do anything other than get spent, thus stimulating the economy.

Understand now?

Shryke: Incoming Obama "Malaise" speech in 3, 2, 1....

What color sweater?

cirby:

America's first bipolar President...

Lincolnesque.

ZachF81: Clinton doesn't get the "fear-mongering" concept very well. The more fear Obama instills into Americans, the more power he has to impose his will upon them. If he tells us that the economy is going to be better soon, he won't be able to change its very foundations.

That.
And his transportation secretary wants to put GPS systems in our cars to tax our travel. Big Brother will be watching. Change you can believe in^tm

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-lahood-vehicle-mileage-tax, 0 ,6754105,print.story

MFL: Well the market absolutely hates it and the banks are using the lack of consumer confidence as an excuse to horde as much cash as possible...at least from what I am personally seeing on the commercial end. This is slowing commerce down to a crawl and it's not getting any better.

The problem being that, while infrastructure is great for the nation as a whole in the long term, it's not exactly doing much for right here, right now, where we have the problem. The "investment class" isn't seeing shiat from this bailout, thus the stock market isn't going anywhere.

mynameismark: flannelled fool: How can the American people not be optimistic with that big ol' $13.00 a week "stimulus" getting ready to rock their world in what, four months?

$13/week X 52 weeks X 120,000,000 workers = $81,120,000,000 back into the economy.

The $13 isn't designed to do anything other than get spent, thus stimulating the economy.

Understand now?

I'm sure Pizza Hut & Dominoes will enjoy being stimulated each Friday....until it changes to $8 in January. Then it'll be Taco Bell.

mynameismark: flannelled fool: How can the American people not be optimistic with that big ol' $13.00 a week "stimulus" getting ready to rock their world in what, four months?

$13/week X 52 weeks X 120,000,000 workers = $81,120,000,000 back into the economy.

The $13 isn't designed to do anything other than get spent, thus stimulating the economy.

Understand now?

Yeah, thanks for explaining that to me.

SherKhan: cirby:

America's first bipolar President...

Lincolnesque.

STOP THAT!
Lincoln and Kennedy were assasinated, so let's stop the comparisons of Obama to those 2 please!

//shudders
///didn't vote for him but I don't want him to die either

mynameismark: The $13 isn't designed to do anything other than get spent, thus stimulating the economy

You're assuming that people who aren't spending now are going to because of that extra $13.

I'm assuming they put it away into saving. Maybe that will be good and banks having extra money to loan, but I don't think it will get spent by consumers in any large amount.

Barrack needs to decide what's more important.

A. Actually solving the economic "crisis".

B. Using the economic "crisis" as a tool to push through legislation he thinks will reshape America the way he wants.

You guys know what I think he's doing.

cchris_39: Clinton is exactly right.

Hopey McChange Chairman Doom Gloom Crisis & Catastrophe is talking us right into a depression.

Everyone knows algore is the Chairman of Doom & Gloom. Hopey McChange has been listening to the wrong ex.