GEORGE W. BUSH'S ROSE COLORED GLASSES
"I'm not worried about things in Washington" - George W. Bush, at a press conference this week in the White House Rose Garden.
Well we're glad the President is worry free. Unfortunately, the American people do not have the luxury of ignoring the facts, as they continue to be concerned about shrinking wages, rising kitchen table costs, and skyrocketing gas prices. Maybe they should borrow the rose colored glasses President Bush seems to be wearing.
Recent polls show not only the President's approval rates are shrinking, but Americans are voicing less confidence about the economy. A recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows that over 60 percent of respondents feel there needs to be more attention shown to the record gasoline prices, jobs and health care. Even leading Republican spinsters disagree with President Bush's rosy economic rhetoric. Republican pollster Frank Luntz told Bloomberg news "you can't tell the American people, Happy days are here again, if they're angry about gas prices and afraid for their jobs. They won't believe it." We agree - American's can't and don't trust President Bush's effort to spin us on a sluggish economy.
Here are the facts:
Home Foreclosures Rose in 47 states. "Foreclosure rates rose in 47 states in March, according to Foreclosure.com, an online foreclosure listing service. The rates in Florida, Texas and Colorado are more than twice the national average." [Washington Post , 5/30/05]
American Wages Shrunk for the First time in Ten Years, in 2004. "When adjusted for inflation, average wages in the U.S. in 2004 declined by 0.4 percent. This marked the first time that wages have shrunk since 1994." [Joint Economic Committee of Congress Report, 1/19/05]
Americans Faced Higher Gas Prices, Negative Effect On Economy. "Gas prices have remained at record levels for the past two months - at $2.13 per gallon nationwide, with some states averaging much more (California $2.48 per gallon). That means gas prices have risen 35 cents since the beginning of the year. Under current estimates, a family of four will spend $423 more on gasoline this year than last year and almost $800 more than two years ago. [Boston Globe, 4/8/05; Consumer Expenditure Survey from Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Energy Information Administration]
Families Faced Higher "Kitchen Table Costs." Families are paying much more for 'kitchen table costs' including health care and education. Brand name drug prices rose last year by more than twice the rate of inflation, the largest increase in the five years it has monitored prices according to a study released by the AARP. Under President Bush, health care costs for families have skyrocketed almost 50 percent and college tuition has gone up about 36 percent, even taking inflation into account." [KFF, 2004; College Board, 2004]
The fact is the Republican Congress is still not focusing on issues important to Americans. The Washington Republican leadership and President Bush continue to push forward nominees for judicial positions and top administration positions who are out of the mainstream - fighting for their special-interest political allies instead of getting down to proposing actual solutions to problems American's families care about.
Well we're glad the President is worry free. Unfortunately, the American people do not have the luxury of ignoring the facts, as they continue to be concerned about shrinking wages, rising kitchen table costs, and skyrocketing gas prices. Maybe they should borrow the rose colored glasses President Bush seems to be wearing.
Recent polls show not only the President's approval rates are shrinking, but Americans are voicing less confidence about the economy. A recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows that over 60 percent of respondents feel there needs to be more attention shown to the record gasoline prices, jobs and health care. Even leading Republican spinsters disagree with President Bush's rosy economic rhetoric. Republican pollster Frank Luntz told Bloomberg news "you can't tell the American people, Happy days are here again, if they're angry about gas prices and afraid for their jobs. They won't believe it." We agree - American's can't and don't trust President Bush's effort to spin us on a sluggish economy.
Here are the facts:
Home Foreclosures Rose in 47 states. "Foreclosure rates rose in 47 states in March, according to Foreclosure.com, an online foreclosure listing service. The rates in Florida, Texas and Colorado are more than twice the national average." [Washington Post , 5/30/05]
American Wages Shrunk for the First time in Ten Years, in 2004. "When adjusted for inflation, average wages in the U.S. in 2004 declined by 0.4 percent. This marked the first time that wages have shrunk since 1994." [Joint Economic Committee of Congress Report, 1/19/05]
Americans Faced Higher Gas Prices, Negative Effect On Economy. "Gas prices have remained at record levels for the past two months - at $2.13 per gallon nationwide, with some states averaging much more (California $2.48 per gallon). That means gas prices have risen 35 cents since the beginning of the year. Under current estimates, a family of four will spend $423 more on gasoline this year than last year and almost $800 more than two years ago. [Boston Globe, 4/8/05; Consumer Expenditure Survey from Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Energy Information Administration]
Families Faced Higher "Kitchen Table Costs." Families are paying much more for 'kitchen table costs' including health care and education. Brand name drug prices rose last year by more than twice the rate of inflation, the largest increase in the five years it has monitored prices according to a study released by the AARP. Under President Bush, health care costs for families have skyrocketed almost 50 percent and college tuition has gone up about 36 percent, even taking inflation into account." [KFF, 2004; College Board, 2004]
The fact is the Republican Congress is still not focusing on issues important to Americans. The Washington Republican leadership and President Bush continue to push forward nominees for judicial positions and top administration positions who are out of the mainstream - fighting for their special-interest political allies instead of getting down to proposing actual solutions to problems American's families care about.
posted by T. Scott Brineman at 10:19 AM
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