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  • #1

    Missteps on Economy Worry Bush Supporters

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/artic...-2004Mar12.html

    Missteps on Economy Worry Bush Supporters

    By Jonathan Weisman and Mike Allen
    Washington Post Staff Writers
    Saturday, March 13, 2004; Page A01

    A string of glaring missteps by President Bush's economic team has raised alarm among the president's supporters that his economic policymakers may have lost the most basic ability to formulate a persuasive message or anticipate the political consequences of their actions.

    In recent weeks, the White House has had to endure its chief economist's positive comments about job "outsourcing," or sending work overseas; controversial passages in the annual Economic Report of the President; questions over the legitimacy of Bush's 2005 budget; a California swing in which Bush bragged about the possible addition of two or three jobs to a 14-person business in Bakersfield and a flap over a job-creation forecast that not even the president could stand by.

    On March 1, a host of U.S. industries began paying trade sanctions to Europe because Congress and the White House have not replaced illegal export subsidies with new aid for ailing manufacturers.

    But the non-naming of Anthony F. Raimondo on Thursday as assistant commerce secretary for manufacturing and services has brought the concerns to a boil.

    The long-anticipated announcement of a manufacturing czar was supposed to be a good-news day for a White House struggling with its economic message. Instead the planned, smiling photo op fizzled when it came to light that a year ago Bush's choice had opened a major plant in Beijing.

    "Clearly, the machinery's not working very well," said Bruce Bartlett, an economist with the conservative National Center for Policy Analysis, who noted that this White House has been known for its discipline on message.


    More blunders!


    Think Ohio folks: That's the 2004 economic battleground!
    Norman Chad, syndicated columnist: “Sports radio, reflecting our sinking culture, spends entire days advising managers and coaches, berating managers and coaches, firing managers and coaches and searching the countryside for better middle relievers. If they just redirected their energy toward, say, crosswalk-signal maintenance, America would be 2 percent more livable.”

    "The best argument against democracy," someone (Churchill?) said, "is a five minute conversation with the average voter."
    Tags: None
  • #2
    I assume the questions of "legitimacy" regarding the '05 budget refer to the fact that there is not, as of this time, one dime in it allocated to rebuilding Iraq.

    Which, really, is mind-boggling. I guess you can't call this a "lie" since we know in advance that it's BS, but still...

    Comment

    • #3
      Other than a perceived "tough on terror" label that Bush has, what exactly has W done that the right can be proud of?
      Dude. Can. Fly.

      Comment

      • #4
        Another 4 years of these guys will be a fiscal disaster!

        Bush has the worst case of credit-card fever I've ever witnessed! And yet, he thinks the way out of runaway debt is more tax-cuts. :rolleyes:

        Anyone who manages their household budget the way Bush manages our federal budget is a fool!
        Norman Chad, syndicated columnist: “Sports radio, reflecting our sinking culture, spends entire days advising managers and coaches, berating managers and coaches, firing managers and coaches and searching the countryside for better middle relievers. If they just redirected their energy toward, say, crosswalk-signal maintenance, America would be 2 percent more livable.”

        "The best argument against democracy," someone (Churchill?) said, "is a five minute conversation with the average voter."

        Comment

        • #5
          Originally posted by dvyyyyyy@Mar 13 2004, 09:03 AM
          Other than a perceived "tough on terror" label that Bush has, what exactly has W done that the right can be proud of?
          Well, there are his stances on abortion and gay marriage and other church- and religion-friendly policies he has put into place.

          To some of those people, those kinds of issues are more important than little things like, oh, the economy, foreign policy, jobs, etc.
          “I’ve always stated, ‘I’m a Missouri Tiger,’” Anderson said March 13 after Arkansas fired John Pelphrey, adding, “I’m excited about what’s taking place here.”

          Asked then if he would talk to his players about the situation, he said, “They know me, and that’s where the trust comes in.

          Comment

          • #6

            Medicare cost analyst says he was ordered to provide skewed figures

            By Tony Pugh

            Knight Ridder Newspapers



            WASHINGTON - The nation's top Medicare cost analyst confirmed Friday that his former boss, Thomas Scully, ordered him to withhold from lawmakers unfavorable cost estimates about the Medicare prescription drug bill. He said the estimates exceeded what Congress seemed willing to accept by more than $100 billion.


            Richard Foster, the chief actuary at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said Friday night that he received a handwritten note from Scully, then the centers' administrator, in early June ordering him to ignore information requests from members of Congress who were drafting the drug bill.


            Knight Ridder reported the episode in an exclusive story published Friday, but Foster's comments were his first on the matter. On Friday, leaders in the House of Representatives and Senate called for investigations into the alleged muzzling. Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D- S.D., said the allegations justified reopening the vote on the drug benefit. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., wrote President Bush demanding to know what cost estimates he used in pushing the new drug benefit.


            Scully's note, according to Foster, "was a direct order not to respond to certain requests and instead to provide the responses to him and (to) warn about the consequences of insubordination."


            The note was Scully's first threat in writing, Foster said, and came after at least three less formal threats. They "came in different forms," he said. "Sometimes he would make a comment that `I think I need another chief actuary,' or `If you want to work for the Ways and Means Committee (which was drafting the bill) I can arrange it.' It was that sort of thing."


            Efforts to reach Scully at his office and home on Friday were unsuccessful. In a recent interview, he denied closing off Foster's lines of communication with Congress. On only one occasion, Scully said, did he block Foster's contact with lawmakers, in this case Democrats, saying their motives were purely political.


            Foster said Scully insisted upon a pattern of withholding of information.


            "Estimates that were supportive of the legislation were generally released and estimates that could be used to criticize the legislation were generally not released," Foster said.

            Link
            Dude. Can. Fly.

            Comment

            • #7
              You guys are my favorite echo chamber.
              And, frankly, it has never occured to me that "winning" a debate is important, or that I should be hurt when someone like Airshark or kah, among others (for whom winning a pseudo debate or declaring intellectual superiority over invisible others is obviously very important) ridicule me.

              -The Artist formerly known as King in KC

              Comment

              • #8
                Originally posted by Damtoft@Mar 13 2004, 09:29 AM
                You guys are my favorite echo chamber.
                Sweet. Thanks!
                Dude. Can. Fly.

                Comment

                • #9
                  You guys are my favorite echo chamber.
                  "A string of glaring missteps by President Bush's economic team has raised alarm among the president's supporters that his economic policymakers may have lost the most basic ability to formulate a persuasive message or anticipate the political consequences of their actions."
                  Norman Chad, syndicated columnist: “Sports radio, reflecting our sinking culture, spends entire days advising managers and coaches, berating managers and coaches, firing managers and coaches and searching the countryside for better middle relievers. If they just redirected their energy toward, say, crosswalk-signal maintenance, America would be 2 percent more livable.”

                  "The best argument against democracy," someone (Churchill?) said, "is a five minute conversation with the average voter."

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Now we see why Bush couldnt run a business without going into bankrupcy
                    “I’ve always stated, ‘I’m a Missouri Tiger,’” Anderson said March 13 after Arkansas fired John Pelphrey, adding, “I’m excited about what’s taking place here.”

                    Asked then if he would talk to his players about the situation, he said, “They know me, and that’s where the trust comes in.

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      You guys keep it up.

                      Everyone will have "caught on" by the election.
                      And, frankly, it has never occured to me that "winning" a debate is important, or that I should be hurt when someone like Airshark or kah, among others (for whom winning a pseudo debate or declaring intellectual superiority over invisible others is obviously very important) ridicule me.

                      -The Artist formerly known as King in KC

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        "But outside the White House, allies are worried. The recent losing streak has the administration "on its heels," said Daniel J. Mitchell, an economist at the Heritage Foundation."
                        Norman Chad, syndicated columnist: “Sports radio, reflecting our sinking culture, spends entire days advising managers and coaches, berating managers and coaches, firing managers and coaches and searching the countryside for better middle relievers. If they just redirected their energy toward, say, crosswalk-signal maintenance, America would be 2 percent more livable.”

                        "The best argument against democracy," someone (Churchill?) said, "is a five minute conversation with the average voter."

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          "The flap over Raimondo may be the most glaring breakdown, critics say. He is a well-respected chairman and chief executive of a prefabricated-building manufacturer. But his company -- Behlen Manufacturing Co. of Columbus, Neb. -- laid off 1,180 workers from its five U.S. plants in the past three years while opening a plant in Beijing.

                          What were you saying about Teresa's company, JD?
                          Norman Chad, syndicated columnist: “Sports radio, reflecting our sinking culture, spends entire days advising managers and coaches, berating managers and coaches, firing managers and coaches and searching the countryside for better middle relievers. If they just redirected their energy toward, say, crosswalk-signal maintenance, America would be 2 percent more livable.”

                          "The best argument against democracy," someone (Churchill?) said, "is a five minute conversation with the average voter."

                          Comment

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