In article ,
says...

I suspect you are right about the economy being the BIG factor in
getting re-elected. Which is why Bush is not trying to run a budget
surplus. He wants to get the economy moving so he will be re-elected.
Maybe the better way is for the government to spend more, but tax
cuts let people spend more.

Time will tell. I think most folks are not spending any
money because they're pretty much afraid of loosing their
jobs. Because of the economy and all....

The big tax refund go to folks who make lots of money,
who already have enough so that won't change their
spending pattern. Another point is, I doubt that the
economy is really susceptible to control by presidents.
As a co-worker said, "don't you think, if he had a
button that magically made the economy turn around,
he wouldn't push it?"

I guess I just like whacking gunner over the head
once in a while, pointing out that his paradigm about
republicans being finanacially responsible, and the
democrats being tax-and-spend, does not fit *all*
the available data.

My opinion of why the economy is not responding is that companies have
increased productivity and can supply more goods without hiring more
workers.
Obviously not the only reason, but one of the bigger ones.

Not something I had thought of, but of course that does seem
to be the general consensus about manufacturing jobs whenever
*that* topic comes up here. That all those jobs (and
manufacturing jobs do indeed sparkplug the economy) are
departing to overseas, and not coming back.

At one level I sure hope you are wrong Dan, because that
takes the problem out of the realm of petty party politics
and puts it squarely into the 'oh ****' catagory! Not
because efficiency is bad, but because it implies that
we're all going to be flipping burgers at McDs soon.

BTW the recent message you sent me, asking about joist
reinforcement in Vincent's house, got trucated - could
you please send that over to me again?

Jim

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