Do you know what a forecast is? Someone sticks his finger in his butt, then in his mouth to get it damp then raises it in the air and says, "I predict rain because the wind is coming from the South".
I have begun to wonder if the Democrats didn't manufacture this downturn late in President Bush's term simply to sink the Republicans. Okay, someone call a doctor for me as I am beginning to sound like Desh! Please... this might be terminal! After all, it couldn't have been coincidence that all of this happened with perfect timing now could it?
But, truthfully, is it possible that this could be done? I tend to think that it is possible... hell, look at how many people follow the political leaders and pundits (Rush Limbaugh) of this country word for word... (but I am not claiming it did, just wondering out loud) look at how many people simply accept the talking points from either side without so much of a question. All it would take is for Congressional stars of the party on the outside looking in to start talking down the economy making it sound worse than it really is and it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. "The American Auto Industry is about to collapse... Merrill Lynch collapsed because of the credit crisis. What credit crisis? Why, the one that came about because of adjustable rate mortgages sold by banks to people who couldn't afford them... the country is doomed!!! What? whose fault is the credit crisis? Not ours, it is the other parties fault." Then in late February when a new President has been in office for a couple a months, you start talking recovery and that too becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.
Don't get me wrong, I realize that the economy wasn't in the greatest shape at the end of Bush's career, thanks to his uninhibited spending spree, but were we really on the brink of the Next Great Depression? Did we really "need" the auto industry and financial industry bailouts? Would the world have collapsed if we had told them sink or swim? I don't think so. The companies that have failed or might have, were poorly managed. All companies eventually collapse... yes, even Microsoft will someday go by the wayside, due to poor management most likely. But, if there is a market for their products another one will take its place.
So, what I am saying is, maybe, the Liberal Party aka Democrats (this time around, but Republicans could have done so just as easily and might in the future) and the media screamed the imminent coming of Hellfire and Brimstone in order to scare people into a mad panic to sell stocks... and once that began the snowball effect went into action. What will turn that around? March, 2009 the President begins laughing again. He institutes his very costly "spending program" consisting of lots of pork and paybacks, begins to act like he smells victory and Voila! The market begins to rise again, people begin spending again, home sales stabilize and suddenly all things are well with the American economy... America has a new President and a new majority party in both houses of Congress..."Mission Accomplished".
We Americans are lemmings. Tell me this is not possible!
All things are well with the American Economy? Are they really? Can we afford to continue to spend like drunken sailors? I'll leave those answers to you.
Immie
