May 23, 2003
2004 Elections And The Economy
Here's the thought that I can't shake:The Republicans have to know that the tax cuts they push aren't the best way to encourage the economy. The normal theory is that they say it's the best way, when their actual goal is to drive the country in as deep of debt as possible so that social programs have to be cut, so they can shrink government and stop giving handouts to the people that aren't in power yet, but may be in the future. Because they are the threats to their sustained power.
But the economy is bad, and voters know that. If they aren't utilizing the best strategy to improve the economy, they are risking their own power.
I know they want to retain future power, but I don't believe they are so single-minded about it that they would throw away their short-term power. The thought that I can't shake is that they must have something up their sleeve. Something that they can manipulate that actually will make the economy improve or seem better in time for a year from now.
The other two explanations are that they really truly are blind, arrogant, and stupid from their power and will be completely surprised when voted out of office. Or... that their tax cut strategy really is the best way to improve the economy and I'm just a big dummy (along with Warren Buffett and Bill Gates Sr). I should take an economics course...
Well, if you, Buffet and Gates are dummies, then George Soros must be one, too, because AFAIK he's been criticizing the tax cuts, too.
My guess: The warmongering is supposed to put the poeple and (more importantly) the media firmly behind the government.
They might be speculating on the people thinking: "During these troubled times, we need strong leadershio." rather than "During these troubled times, we don't need the president who's brought this whole mess upon us in the first place."
Posted by: Baumi at May 23, 2003 06:11 AMTwo more explanations
- the tax cuts help out a bunch of rich people who can then use some of the extra cash to finance the GOP's campaigns
- they are going all or nothing and want to make sure they get in all the cuts they can before losing power.
Given that the entire Bush economic team has gone through a complete turnaround already, my guess is that Bush and company just don't know that much about managing an economy and they don't really care about it as long as they can forward their agenda of making life better for people running 19th century companies. Its getting really 3rd worldish, couple big industries (weapons, oil, minerals) make the cash and the rest of the country suffers. Just cause Rove is a solid political stategist doesn't mean he has a clue about actually improving the economy... And the Bush/Chaney track record shows that they are pretty good at running companies into the ground. And this time they don't have any richer friends to bale them out.
Posted by: William Blaze at May 23, 2003 02:38 PM