How Many Dems Agree With Bill Maher's Recession Wish?
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Politics: Rather than rooting on the strong economy, Democrats have taken to ignoring it, belittling it or, like Bill Maher did over the weekend, rooting for a recession. The extent to which Trump critics will go is truly mind-boggling.
The unemployment rate is at 49-year lows overall, and lower than ever for African-Americans. Household incomes are at record highs. The U.S. reclaimed its No. 1 rank in competitiveness. Economists are revising their growth forecasts upward. Optimism is at levels not seen in more than a decade.
Clearly the economy is doing well. And what's more, the public is increasingly crediting President Trump for it — as they should, since much of the turnaround is due to his dumping Obamanomics.
But what's a Democrat hoping to reclaim the House majority in November to do?
One is to ignore the economy altogether. So, Democrats are trying to turn attention to things like ObamaCare premiums or alleged corruption in the Trump administration.
Ignoring the economy will be tough, however, particularly if GDP growth comes in strong in Q2 and unemployment continues to fall.
The second option is to belittle it.
Nancy Pelosi, having dismissed the tax-cut-fueled raises and bonuses that millions of workers received as "crumbs," is now dismissing the good economic news as no big deal. Why? "Because of the wage stagnation."
"Our economy," she said, "will never fully reach its possibilities unless we increase the consumer confidence."
The army of media fact-checkers must have been asleep when she said this, since her claims are so easy to debunk.
Average hourly wages climbed 2.7% in May, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And as we noted in this space recently, median household income is at historic highs.
Meanwhile, every survey shows confidence levels at or approaching new highs since Trump took office.
The IBD/TIPP Economic Optimism Index, currently at 53.9, has averaged 53.5 under Trump, compared with 47 during President Obama's entire second term. (Anything over 50 is optimistic).
The Consumer Confidence Index is currently at 128, which is 25 points higher than it ever reached under Obama, and higher than it's been in 17 years.
Dismissing this good economic news as meaningless — after spending eight years proclaiming how great the stagnant economy was under Obama — isn't going to dispel the notion that Democrats are out of touch with working families.
Bill Maher's Wish
The third option is to admit openly what many Democrats no doubt feel privately: That a good recession is what the party needs to reclaim its former glory. After all, it did get Obama elected president.
Over the weekend, HBO talk show host Bill Maher spoke the words out load.
"I feel like the bottom has to fall out at some point," he said, talking about the booming economy. "And by the way, I'm hoping for it because one way you get rid of Trump is a crashing economy.
"Sorry if that hurts people, but it's either root for a recession or you lose your democracy."
Let's leave aside the glaring logical fallacy Maher commits with his false dilemma, and ponder what he is saying.
Maher would, if he could, throw millions of people into unemployment and poverty, watch as hard-earned savings vanish, wages stagnate and hope gets crushed, if that might keep Trump from winning re-election.
Wow.
Of course, it's easy for Maher to wish that, since he's already made his millions attacking Republicans. But just how many of his fellow Trump-loathing Democrats secretly feel the same way?
Reporters love to force Republican politicians to answer for anything outrageous that a conservative says. Shouldn't these same reporters, to prove their lack of political bias, press every single Democrat running for office in November to condemn Maher's economic death wish?
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“The second option is to belittle it.
Nancy Pelosi, having dismissed the tax-cut-fueled raises and bonuses that millions of workers received as "crumbs," is now dismissing the good economic news as no big deal. Why? "Because of the wage stagnation."
"Our economy," she said, "will never fully reach its possibilities unless we increase the consumer confidence."
The army of media fact-checkers must have been asleep when she said this, since her claims are so easy to debunk.
Average hourly wages climbed 2.7% in May, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And as we noted in this space recently, median household income is at historic highs.
Meanwhile, every survey shows confidence levels at or approaching new highs since Trump took office.
The IBD/TIPP Economic Optimism Index, currently at 53.9, has averaged 53.5 under Trump, compared with 47 during President Obama's entire second term. (Anything over 50 is optimistic).
The Consumer Confidence Index is currently at 128, which is 25 points higher than it ever reached under Obama, and higher than it's been in 17 years.
Dismissing this good economic news as meaningless — after spending eight years proclaiming how great the stagnant economy was under Obama — isn't going to dispel the notion that Democrats are out of touch with working families.
Bill Maher's Wish
The third option is to admit openly what many Democrats no doubt feel privately: That a good recession is what the party needs to reclaim its former glory. After all, it did get Obama elected president.
Over the weekend, HBO talk show host Bill Maher spoke the words out load.
"I feel like the bottom has to fall out at some point," he said, talking about the booming economy. "And by the way, I'm hoping for it because one way you get rid of Trump is a crashing economy.
"Sorry if that hurts people, but it's either root for a recession or you lose your democracy."
Let's leave aside the glaring logical fallacy Maher commits with his false dilemma, and ponder what he is saying.
Maher would, if he could, throw millions of people into unemployment and poverty, watch as hard-earned savings vanish, wages stagnate and hope gets crushed, if that might keep Trump from winning re-election.
Wow.”
Sounds familiar. Like the last results of a tax cut for the rich. When does the unfunded war start?
Every war is funded. Couldn't have one without money.
How does any tax cut equate to fewer jobs?
What War? When did tax cuts ever lead to job losses?
Incorrect. Bush's wars were both paid for with credit, which he never talked about because, as bush put it, "I wanted to hide the cost of war from the public". None of the cost of those two wars were added to the books until Obama took office. That's one reason why the debt exploded when Obama took office, bush's wars were added to the debt and that's why the right still whines and cries every single day that Obama added a lot to the debt, when he actually didn't add much at all.
The costs WERE added. It is impossible for them NOT to have been added. You can not spend any money that isn't appropriated by Congress.
Bush went to Congress multiple times and requested additional funding.
While it may have been off-BUDGET, it was NEVER off the books.
Like most everything else ?
GWBush's war(s) were off the books.
That is just a myth perpetrated by left-wingers.
It is impossible for the US government to spend money not appropriated by Congress. Bush went to Congress and asked for supplemental funding many times.
Can the president spend money without Congress' approval?
www.answers.com › … › History of the United States › US Presidents
The President cannot spend money without the approval of Congress and cannot directly authorize the spending of money. The president makes an annual budget request to congress describing how the various departments of the executive branch will use the budget. There is also discretionary spending .
Nope, it's the truth, not a myth.
Whenever he does that - I'll thank him. Which has never happened and doubtful it ever will happen. . . . .
gee, I am really sorry my links didn't work for you.
Try typing "Can the US spend any money not appropriated by Congress?" into your browser.
many links will PROVE what I say--- I don't just say "Uh uh" and expect people to believe me--I PROVE it.
Hey, hey, don't you know?
Links are hard. So is typing questions into your computer.
It is ALWAYS easier to stamp your little foot and yell "UH UH" because that is now considered an argument!
I can't educate anyone unwilling to learn.
No he didn't.
Dubya kept the wars off the books and pushed them on the next administration.
You never have educated me on anything and never will
Some REALLY need to learn to do JUST a BIT of research.
Nothing is ever OFF the BOOKS.
It may have been OFF BUDGET (and it was) but NEVER off the BOOKS.
Please stop perpetuating the left-wing lie, er, MYTH.
Thank you SO MUCH for proving my EXACT point beyond a shadow of doubt!
Good job, and THANK YOU!!
LMFAO!
It's almost as if you couldn't WAIT to prove me right!
"Well, the trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so."
In timing only, more accurate to say the tax cut came along While the employment was still improving.
Trump has done nothing and worse for the economy as we will soon see.
His tariff antics have already started blowing up in his face. China never even had to impose tariffs, all they di was buy all the soybeans and sorghum from everyone else but US. Stiffing the farmers that grew 1/2 of their production for export to China.
Vehicles are going to get scary...not only is the auto industry heading in to the 7 year slump which is natural, but now inventories are thick and the market is slowing down. 0% financing for 7 and 8 years is not because they are feeling generous. Nissan is halting production in the USA for now, Ford just dumped car manufacturing to produce trucks and they have been reported to be heading for tough times.
Retail is imploding exponentially...
What has he actually done for the economy except ride the coat tails of Obama's economy?
Congress is already getting pressured to edit the tax law and the Republicans agree it is flawed.
So, what is he doing about heading off the economic tsunami coming? NOTHING.
Now if you could only show where "the left" actually made those eggadurated statements...
I never did that.
Maybe in your imagination.
It is written plainly for all here to see.
Meh, it is coming soon whether you root for it or not.
Wishful thinking 🤔? Why would one be coming soon, virtually no matter what we do? Define soon in this context.
Nooooo, ( deleted skirting {SP} )
Because we have been enjoying an economic boom for years, thus we are overdue. Because dumb ass is doing his best to fuck up international trade, and because while a few like myself have very much enjoyed this boom, most Americans have seen little to no change. Ultimately, all good things must end, you can keep investing as though the gravy train will flow forever, but I am not.
And no matter what we do? We haven't really done anything.
I am planning on wishing the next 18 months to two years.
Doesn't sound like Bill Maher is wishing for a recession - just commenting on the inevitable.
Really?
Even after you have read THIS--Removed. No value - PRF
"I feel like the bottom has to fall out at some point," he said, talking about the booming economy. "And by the way, I'm hoping for it because one way you get rid of Trump is a crashing economy.
"Sorry if that hurts people, but it's either root for a recession or you lose your democracy."
Is wishing and hoping close to the same thing?
Because he definitely HOPES for a recession--if you CHOOSE to believe the words that came out of his mouth.
Or do you think he was LYING?
As am I.
Best part is...they can't blame the Dems for healthcare rising 30%, pissing off our primary oil supplier, pissing off our military allies while he cozies up to a 30 year old tyrant that means nothing to us. They got what they wanted already, to be considered a legitimate government because an American president met with them. Doofus handed that over like he was being robbed at gun point. Just to feed his ego.
In the meantime.just about every respected economist agrees we're going back in the ditch the Republicans put us in last time.
He was being his usual snarky self. No one should take that comment seriously. It was clearly snark.
Commenting on more stuff you refuse to read.
About time!
Unlike Rush Limpballs.
Take a couple of aspirin!
In other words just in time to affect the 2020 election.....Got it.
I remember someone famous saying "It's the economy, stupid".
I guess a few million folks didn't get the memo yet.
Some Dems would rather see Trump and America fail than to give Trump or the GOP credit for anything.
SMDH at the sheer ignorance of that stance.
And some Reps would rather see America fail than to give Trump or the GOP any blame for anything.
Hmmm............….there IS a difference between placing blame and actively cheering for America to fail, or for Trump to fail.
How would you know? you have never placed any blame or acknowledgement of wrongdoing on Trump.
"How would I know?"
I have a functioning brain.
Pity not all do.
Purely opinion there, haven't seen any facts to support your opinion.
Yeah, at this time, I am unable to make people read. Or comprehend what they read.
And you have a guy in the Whitehouse, that some view as a roll model, that exemplifies some people's disdain towards the written word.
You have THE SAME GUY IN THE WH.
Trump is President of ALL of the US. You can deny he is your president all you want, but the fact remains, no matter how much you howl, he IS your president, too.
Is English a second language to you? Or are you stretching trying to imply something that I never said?
I understand English quite well, thank you for asking.
Do you?
That's not what I asked. Interesting....
If a person understands English, it doesn't MATTER if it their first or second or 30th language. One's ability to understand language has NOTHING to do with whether it is their first language or not.
And if you THINK I implied something, then that is YOUR perception. Doesn't make it reality.
Of course not, I have many friends that are fluent in other languages, however it is much more difficult to understand the nuances when it is a 2nd or 3rd language. That is why your responses seem to indicate that English is not your primary language, but a learned one later in life. You respond based on a word or two, but not the sentence as a whole. I would almost think the responses were bot-like keying on specific terms or phrases and outputing predetermined phrases.
Before you go off, I am not claiming you are a web bot, I know perfectly well that you are a person. I am just explaining how your replies are perceived since you don't reply the the specified subject.
Your perceptions hold no value to me.
But you inability to understand the nuances of English, tell me a lot.....Texan1211
Good for you!
I understand it well enough to point out to you that the word you should have used is "your", not "you".
Is that nuanced enough for ya?
Funny shit. The economy has been on the rise for 9 years, but somehow, the right literally thinks that all of this economic growth all happened since trump took office. Trump and his supporters may want to pretend that Obama did nothing, trashed the economy, etc.. But unfortunately, the numbers don't lie. I will give trump partial credit for the economy TODAY, but when he first took office and he was screaming about how great the economy was doing, (when a month earlier he was screaming how horrible it was), sorry, that goes to Obama.
The US economy isn't something that changes over night, and when it does change over night, it's ALWAYS a disaster, (think 1929). Trump has actually done very little to grow our economy, some would say nothing at all. The economy was trending upwards when he took office, it has continued that trend.
Like I said, I will give trump some credit, but all of the credit? No. The economy takes YEARS to fix, and fixing bush's epic fuck up's has literally taken a decade of work.
Also, the debt.... How odd that the right has suddenly stopped whining about the debt, like they did DAILY while Obama was in office. As predicted, the debt under trump will climb MUCH more, and he doesn't even have a recession to deal with...
Trump suspended the debt ceiling? Gee, I wonder why he would do that? So he can spend....spend....spend... You thought the debt exploded when Obama was in office? You ain't seen nothing yet...
Let's see if the debt doubles under Trump like it doubled under Obama.
He has already added almost 2 trillion. If that trend continues, we can project that he will add roughly 15 trillion to the debt in 8 years. I wonder what your excuse will be then? Republican president and congress? Wait, let me guess......"It's the dems fault!!!!!!!!!!!"
2 trillion is a far cry from doubling it.
But I thought the debt mattered? Shouldn't you be shitting your pants about $2 trillion more?
Did you really think that?
Or just now think it because trump is President?
But that didn't happen....so said the MSM !
They loved throwing out the "ratio of spending to GDP" to try and "Save" Obama's legacy !
Yep--some like to change what the question was to fit their "need" to protect some "legacy"!
Legacy's are over rated these days, like presidential libraries.
Democrats never care about the debt unless they’re using it to fight against increases in national defense, the one federal government program they can’t stand or their fight against tax cuts for the American people.
First of all, the tax cuts for a majority of Americans EXPIRE AND ARE MINIMAL TEMPORARY CUTS! But the cuts to the top are huge and permanent! Stop the lies about that. And that GIVEAWAY to the top exploded the debt! Don't pretend it doesn't! Now republicans are trying to figure out how to cut and change Medicare and Social Security!
Deficits don't matter - except when a Democrat is President.
Or when a Democrats ISN'T President--then it matters to DEMS.
Both sides do THE SAME THING--bitch about debt when they aren't in the WH. Can we ALL be adults and just freaking ADMIT THAT?!?
When they are the same, we can. Democrats didn't vote for the cuts for very good reasons, and republicans did to keep their campaign donations coming and please their owners. Not all tax cuts are equal, there are far more effective ways to accomplish cuts than blow up the debt and protect the top. The same top that said straight up they wouldn't do what republicans said they would, raise wages and invest. Most did the same old stock buybacks to keep all those cuts circulating at the top. Republicans literally voted against their own policies just to obstruct Obama, democrats will vote for what they agree with. Both do it, but don't put up false equivalencies.
Ok, have it your way--Democrats are NEVER hypocritical and only do good things for all.
SMDH
All personal income tax rates that were cut expire for all income earners. There will be a vote before the end of October to make them permanent. The caps on deductions for home mortgages and state and local taxes for the rich are permanent.
If you go by GDP, the economy was stagnant under Obama. He never had more than 2 quarters in a Fiscal Year that were at 2.2% or better growth. Yet, every single quarter that Trump has been President has had at least 2.2% growth. Remember, the President takes office in the 2nd Quarter of the Fiscal Year in the odd year after an election due to the Fiscal Year starting in October.
The above link should be a chart from Q1 of 2008 to Q1 of 2018. Note that Obama's GDP growth was 2.2% or better in only 16 quarters of his Presidency. He had 3 quarters of negative economic growth Q2 of 2009, Q1 of 2011, and Q1 of 2014. His quarters of positive growth but less than 2.0% growth were: 2009: Q3, 2010: Q1, 2011: Q3, 2012: Q2, Q3, and Q4, 2013: Q2, 2015: Q3 and Q4, 2016: Q1 and Q4, 2017: Q1. 2014's Q4 was at exactly 2.0%. Remember anything below 2.0% growth is anemic at best. Considering the fluctuations in GDP growth, the economy never really recovered under Obama.
Very informative post. Thanks for your contribution to this seed. I believe that what Maher said was disgusting. The idea that we lose our democracy if he doesn’t get his way and that he wants me and millions of others to lose our retirement savings and our jobs and possibly our homes in order for him to get his way is selfish in the extreme.
Been there, done that, right teapublicans?
Actually, we haven’t been there or done that.
What most refuse to understand is that average wages have been flat for some time. Things cost more yet people are not earning more. The divide between the wealthy and the poor is widening and has been for some time.. It is not sustainable.
Also the stock market seems to be artificially inflated. I don't wish for any thing bad to happen, I am just waiting for the inevitable.
Plus the deregulation on banking and lending institutions, we are asking for the same things that got us into trouble to begin with.
Artificially inflated?
Has Trump been pumping billions of dollars into the stock market?
So you are saying all that money the Feds pumped in while Obama was President was bad?
In a way, yes.
But it did keep the economy afloat.
So Trump had absolutely NOTHING to do with it. Good to know.
Obama took and had blame for the economy just like trump will.
And I do blame trump for tax changes, deregulation and trade wars, which can all have an impact on stocks.
Took the blame?
Have you been living in the US for the last 10 years or so?
Yep. And the whole time I had to hear the right wing say that the economy sucked.
Like you did?
In post 5.
From my initial post.
wages have been flat, this has been true starting around the late seventies. The wage gap started around the same time.
The stock market cannot be blamed on any individual. Many factors can cause change.
Deregulation I will blame.
There will always be a wage gap in a capitalistic economy.
Yes, of course. Now though the wage gap has grown to about where it was at the start of the great depression.
Except that unlike then now wages are beginning to go up and companies are sharing some of their tax cuts with employees.
Or not.
I live pretty close to the border, and I can go to Canada and buy a vehicle (snowmobile, motorcycle, boat, car, RV, truck) and as long as it's made in North America, I pay no tariffs on it to bring it back to the state. It is not the same for Canadians. They in fact do have to pay tariffs to do the same in America and bring stuff home. It is unfair to them and to us. We have several large malls around us and the Canadians wear their oldest nastiest clothes here, buy new clothes, change in the parking lot and wear the new clothes home so they don't have to pay tariffs. The President is right:
Uhhh. No.
Not sure what kind of bullshit you're trying to pass off but.
The rules on both sides are quite similar.
I've traveled extensively and up until last year went to work everyday as an owner of an import/export company.
You may have some NAFTA loophole you're working through and don't realize it but Canadians have Zero duty if the are coming across the border to shop and do not stay overnight in the USA. If they stay 48 hours they have a $200 cad limit before duties are paid. A week and they have a $800 limit duty free. Alcohol and tobacco have set limits.
In the USA If you leave for 48 hours you have an $800 limit every 31 days you can do it again. After that you pay a percentage.
When I came back from the ME I brought 3 Persian rugs with me it cost me $31 because I was $1500 over my limit.
As a business my duties and customs started from the first dollar and fluctuated depending on what I was importing. Same if I was exporting, I paid a percentage to that country.
I'm on my phone so if you want to confirm just google US duties rates and the same for the canadian.
What a pig Maher is. What an evil sentiment. In a recession, real people lose jobs, homes, retirement savings. Real people miss out on college, important medical procedures. Businesses close.
Another wealthy, elitist showbiz prick gleefully wishes evil on his fellow Americans - fellow human beings - knowing that the recession he hopes for won't affect him in the slightest. Because politics.
Maher is one of the most evil humans in the country for wishing such ill upon so many fellow citizens because he’s having a ❄️❄️🌨 tantrum because he can’t handle being on the losing side of a Presidential election 🗳.
no one listened to what the lunatic left wanted before the election and there is no reason for anyone to start now.
That’s so true.
