Would Romney-nomics differ from Bush-nomics?
2004 AP file photo
Let’s chat, shall we? Let’s have a serious discussion of how we got in this rough economy, and what our approach should be going forward. And let’s begin with this, a chart compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics documenting job loss or gain since 2008:
As the chart documents, when President Obama took office in late January of 2009, he did so at the peak of a historic collapse in the U.S. job market that had begun a year earlier. In just four months — November and December of 2008 and January and February of 2009 — 3 million Americans lost their jobs, which is more than had been lost in the entire 1981-83 recession. All told, before things could be turned around, 8.7 million Americans were put out of work in the largest economic crisis since the Great Depression.
Here’s another way to look at it, also from BLS:
Now: Here’s the question that ought to dominate the political discussion in the next six months:
What would lead you to believe that returning to the policies that were in effect under President Bush — lower taxes, particularly on the wealthy (the “producers,” if you choose); more defense spending; a loose regulatory rein on Wall Street — will produce a better outcome than it did the first time around?
What evidence — and blind ideological faith is not evidence — can you cite to justify an argument that this time it would be different?
UPDATE: In comments below, Jack mentions the collapse of the construction industry. Because it’s a point of particular concern here in the Atlanta area, I’ll post the following chart. Note that the upsurge in construction related work begins in 2003 and peaks in early 2006.
– Jay Bookman
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535 comments Add your comment
Jay
June 11th, 2012
1:48 pm
So Ben, your economic advice would be to raise taxes on the poor and the working class. Those lucky duckies have it too easy these days.
Do I have that right?
Just saying..
June 11th, 2012
1:49 pm
Joseph
June 11th, 2012
1:45 pm: “I do love dominating a blog… I’ll let your fruits go back at it… My twitter feed is lighting up…. LOL…”
No excuse too shallow…
Brosephus™
June 11th, 2012
1:49 pm
Joseph
You quit as you never answered my question earlier.
Brosephus™
June 11th, 2012
1:06 pm
You’re question if there ever really was one was answered long ago but you’re simply too dense to understand it…
Can you point to the post where you explained Romney’s context then?
Since that time, you’ve gone off jousting against all other kinds of windmills and such. I’m still waiting on your simplistic explanation of Romney’s context. Either that, or you pointing out where you already explained it.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
June 11th, 2012
1:49 pm
I do love dominating a blog…
Most everyone else is upstairs at the new thread while you’re doing your vagina monologues to an empty theater, sport.
Too funny!
G Mare 71(PLEASE VOTE NO ON TSPLOST)
June 11th, 2012
1:52 pm
Also from personal experience: United Health Care is NOT your friend!
Joseph
June 11th, 2012
1:53 pm
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
A copy and paste job is not my idea of a new thread Skippy… Thanks anyway…
Oblama
June 11th, 2012
1:56 pm
Mama – Technically Carter is alive because he is still breathing but he’s been brain dad for years. Good try but no fly! Obama is about as far away from Reagan as can be. Obama is a left wing big government socialist. Obama believes in big government of, by and for the government. Reagan believed in a government of, by and for the people. They are opposites. Stevie- You missed one living president when it comes to unpopularity. Have you checked Obama’s polls lately?
Oblama
June 11th, 2012
1:59 pm
here tomorrow – gone today.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
June 11th, 2012
2:01 pm
A copy and paste job is not my idea of a new thread Skippy… Thanks anyway…
Shrug.
Don’t really matter what you think, champ.
You’re playing to an almost empty house.
You can call that “dominating” if you want.
That Black Guy
June 11th, 2012
2:02 pm
Adam
June 11th, 2012
1:08 pm
TBG: From Romney’s comments on Friday: “He (Obama) wants to hire more government workers. He says we need more firemen, more policeman, more teachers. Did he not get the message of Wisconsin? (loud cheers happened here) The American people did! It’s time for us to cut back on government!” — Thanks Adam, I hadn’t heard this speech. Since I don’t plan to vote for Romney (not sure about Obama yet) I don’t listen to his every word.
Now to me, that plays his hand. He is not taking the message away that UNIONS are a problem, but that the PEOPLE WORKING THOSE JOBS (or in his words, “government”) are the problem. That’s what he thinks the message is, that we need to cut those jobs. It’s pretty clear from his statement. – I wouldn’t a different interpretation from you. no snark, I just think I already know where you come from on these topics.
Now you can hoot and holler all you want about how he didn’t say that directly, but I can promise you based on how frequently Romney damn near quotes people on the right wing and their blogs and blog comments (”Wealth Envy,” anyone?) that this plays right into the idea that all of those jobs should be eliminated or reduced, in favor of the private sector taking over. It is obvious from his statement that he is catering to that, and your only “reasonable doubt” argument is the Etch-A-Sketch argument – that “he didn’t really mean it, he’s only saying that to get elected.” Personally I don’t buy that excuse. – Like I said, I don’t expect you to have anything other than a negative view of Romney or any other repub/”con”, especially after reading you responses to the Ws recall results.
In the words of Romeo Crenel (sp?) “They are who we thought they were!”
Joe Hussein Mama
June 11th, 2012
2:03 pm
Joseph — “LOL… Are you kidding?”
Nope. Zimmerman’s bail was revoked and his lead attorney dropped him.
“Zimmerman being beaten and defending himself”
No evidence of this yet.
“instead of your side saying that he hunted him down and killed him in cold blood….”
There’s still circumstantial evidence that this is what happened. Why do you think Zimmerman’s on trial at all?
“Thats what you freaks said until visual evidense started rolling in…”
And we’re still saying it, because indications are that that’s *just* what happened.
That Black Guy
June 11th, 2012
2:05 pm
“I think it’s funny that people blast others for linking drudge or HuffPo and then turn around and link from heritage or TPM.”
I should have added “or vice versa” at the end.
Joseph
June 11th, 2012
2:10 pm
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes:
At least there’s one foaming at the mouth loon left to tease… LOL… Do you feel special???
Joseph
June 11th, 2012
2:11 pm
Joe Hussein Mama:
I guess you missed all the leaked photo’s and police report… Or maybe just chose to ignore them becuase it looks to prove you wrong…
Adam
June 11th, 2012
2:11 pm
TBG: I was surprised Romney would say something so clear, and now even more surprised that you find it blurry. I think an explanation of you having blinders on when it comes to this issue and his words is much more likely than my (and just about everyone else who heard it) misunderstanding of his comment.
Joseph
June 11th, 2012
2:12 pm
That Black Guy:
When you have video or audio evidense to back up your point its much better than some random quote found on some blog. Libs are notorious for that….
Brosephus™
June 11th, 2012
2:13 pm
In the words of Romeo Crenel (sp?) “They are who we thought they were!”
That was actually Dennis Green, and one of the funniest post-game interviews ever!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_N1OjGhIFc
Joe Hussein Mama
June 11th, 2012
2:18 pm
Joseph — “I guess you missed all the leaked photo’s and police report…”
Nope, I saw them.
“Or maybe just chose to ignore them”
I’m not ignoring them at all. I simply don’t agree with you that they prove that Zimmerman was attacked.
“becuase it looks to prove you wrong…”
The photos and police report establish that Zimmerman was in a fight and that Zimmerman CLAIMED he was attacked. They do not in any way establish that Zimmerman is being truthful or honest in his claim.
We already know that Zimmerman left his vehicle after being told not to, and that the shooting happened *away* from the street — so clearly Zimmerman was *pursuing* Martin. Given that, Zimmerman may not be afforded any protection under the FL Stand Your Ground law — as people seeking its protection cannot have *precipitated* a confrontation as it appears Zimmerman may have done.
That Black Guy
June 11th, 2012
2:18 pm
Adam
June 11th, 2012
1:11 pm
Brosephus: I gave my take on Romney’s context above. I missed the whole rest of your argument but I personally do not know of any federal teachers – those that teach on military bases comes to mind
federal firefighters – park service (I think) has firefighters
federal policemen (except maybe the FBI) – capitol police.
That Black Guy
June 11th, 2012
2:21 pm
Ben Shockley
June 11th, 2012
1:12 pm
Where would unemployment be if if the justice department hadn’t been forced to hire all those special prosecutors during the Clinton years?
___________________________________________________________
Are they still investigating all these years after the case has been settled? Well golly, that just aint right.
Brosephus™
June 11th, 2012
2:23 pm
federal firefighters – park service (I think) has firefighters
federal policemen (except maybe the FBI) – capitol police.
Yep!!!
Hot Air
June 11th, 2012
2:23 pm
Less than 50% of registered voters favor Obama in the last Pugh Poll. This race for the Presidency is wide open!
That Black Guy
June 11th, 2012
2:27 pm
Brosephus™
June 11th, 2012
1:21 pm
TBG
loonosity
That one made me almost fall out of my chair from laughing!!!!!!!!!
____________________
That’s why I sit on the floor when reading Bookman’s blog. Keeps me from having to use my UHC plan.
Brosephus™
June 11th, 2012
2:31 pm
TBG
I’ve learned to take a sip of whatever I’m drinking and swallow before reading the posts here. I messed up a bill book one day by shooting water out of my nose from trying to laugh with water in my mouth.
That Black Guy
June 11th, 2012
2:34 pm
Brosephus™
June 11th, 2012
1:42 pm
TBG
Don’t let me be the cause of you not asking any questions. That particular post was directed at Joseph. I didn’t intend for it to become an indictment for every deflector here, that is, unless we’re gonna qualify deflection as a sign of superior intellectual ability.
.
______________________________________________________________
Come on Bro. I know how you roll. We good
I said that because if I had not asked the question then we could have avoided Joseph’s goalpost relay race with himself.
Brosephus™
June 11th, 2012
2:40 pm
Jay
I think you’re hitting the wrong thread….
—————-
TBG
I said that because if I had not asked the question then we could have avoided Joseph’s goalpost relay race with himself.
YOu gotta let me borrow that one!!!! I’m glad my coffee cup is empty right about now too.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
June 11th, 2012
2:40 pm
(Psssssssst, Hey Jay — wrong thread.)
That Black Guy
June 11th, 2012
2:43 pm
Adam
June 11th, 2012
2:11 pm
TBG: I was surprised Romney would say something so clear, and now even more surprised that you find it blurry. I think an explanation of you having blinders on when it comes to this issue and his words is much more likely than my (and just about everyone else who heard it) misunderstanding of his comment. – Adam, why would I have blinders on about a guy I DO NOT plan on voting for? So, if I refuse to take a statement in the most negative connotation possible, that equals blinders?
“Same as it ever was”
That Black Guy
June 11th, 2012
2:46 pm
Brosephus™
June 11th, 2012
2:13 pm
In the words of Romeo Crenel (sp?) “They are who we thought they were!”
That was actually Dennis Green, and one of the funniest post-game interviews ever!!!
You, sir, are correct. Although the Mora “Playoffs” was funny as he!! as well.
mark in mid-town
June 11th, 2012
4:04 pm
In response to Jay Bookman who disputed my claim that the context of Cheney’s “deficits don’t matter” was in terms of Bush not paying a political price for running a deficit that was not much outside of the post World War II norm….
from an article: “For Cheney the deficit question is an especially pertinent one, since during heated internal debates over proposed tax cuts in 2002, he reportedly told a skeptical Paul O’Neill, who was then Treasury Secretary, that “Reagan proved deficits don’t matter.”
So do they? “They do,” Cheney answers with his trademark terseness. “The [deficit] conversation, as I recall, was in a political context. But deficits, if you’re going to look at deficits – and you should – you’ve got to evaluate them relative to other priorities. Another priority, for example, would be defending the nation in wartime. And you need to look at deficits relative to the total size of the economy, which oftentimes we don’t do.”"
Paul
June 11th, 2012
5:35 pm
Billybob
When people make a statement like “his top guy saying hiring public sector union people is what will fix the private sector ” then can’t source it and tell someone who asked ‘where’d you get that?” to go google it ’cause an adult could find it”
Well, most people would drop it. Especially when they’ve been off the board for a while, they wouldn’t bring it back up. They’d let it die.
You really should. You’re embarrassing yourself.
(If you need help copying and pasting URLs or text from other websites, just ask. Plenty here would be glad to help you.)
Paul
June 11th, 2012
5:37 pm
5:35 misposted to wrong thread -
Vast Right Wing Conspiracy
June 11th, 2012
5:50 pm
Either way, its better than Emperor Nero’s economy.
ODD OWL
June 11th, 2012
10:46 pm
@ Kayaker…. You have selective amnesia concerning tax increases… President Clinton raised taxes on the richest 10% of the population and created the greastest economic output in history… The Clintonian economic miracle… President Obama’s economic plan is a continuation of the Clintonian economic plan…
atlantato seattle2015
June 14th, 2012
1:28 pm
whats disturbing is poor,working class and middle class,white americans voting Republican and most dont have a pot to pi$$ in to fall back on when the going gets tough but continue voting for the party now of the VERY WEALTHY AND CONNECTED..WARNING:THEY CARE ONLY ABOUT THOSE FOLKS AND NOT YOU!!!!!AND YOUR CONTRIBUTING TO THEM GETTING RICHER AND RICHER while workin class,poor and middle class fall further and further behind..further widening the gap between the VERY WEALTHY LIKE ME(THANK YOU) AND THE OTHER 99% AS A WEALTHY WHITE AMERICAN..I GET GREAT TAX CUTS that i dont need while you struggle ..even though i,m in the top 1% i still voted president obama and will again..BECAUSE I BELIEVE HE IS THE BEST MAN FOR THE JOB..NOT I ROBOT (ROMNEY)we didnt learn anything from being on the brink of another great depression from 8 yrs of republicans that continue to have the same old policies..BOTTOM LINE IF YOU ARE NOT WORTH 2 MILLION YOUR SHOOTING YOURSELF IN THE REAR END VOTING REPUBLICAN..THINK ABOUT IT!