Bill Clinton 12/15/2007: There is a lot of economic anxiety, which expresses itself as hard line positions against immigration and trade

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

oops.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Thank God Hillary isn't an elitist who is out of touch with Americans like her husband demontrates here.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

The difference here is he doesn't include guns and religion in the mix. This is going to be the problem.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

The difference here is he doesn't include guns and religion in the mix. This is going to be the problem.

Much ado about nothing.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

The difference here is he doesn't include guns and religion in the mix. This is going to be the problem.

Much ado about nothing.

Maybe

I'm sure Michael Dukakis riding in the tank and John Kerry going windsailing were good ideas in retrospect and didn't help their opponents in any way

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Here's what he's talking about. This is the frustration that is very real in America today. Out of touch with America are those that live in a wealthy bubble and are in deep denial about how ever more of America is being left behind while few pile wealth behind anyone's comprehension. Fed up, frustrated and - yes - even bitter? You better believe it. There needs to be change in course and it takes for a leader to understand what's wrong in order to lobby and push for that correction.

For Many, a Boom That Wasn’t

By DAVID LEONHARDT

Published: April 9, 2008

It’s not just the apparent recession. Recessions happen. If you tried to build an economy immune to the human emotions that produce boom and bust, you would end up with something that looked like East Germany.

The bigger problem is that the now-finished boom was, for most Americans, nothing of the sort. In 2000, at the end of the previous economic expansion, the median American family made about $61,000, according to the Census Bureau’s inflation-adjusted numbers. In 2007, in what looks to have been the final year of the most recent expansion, the median family, amazingly, seems to have made less — about $60,500.

This has never happened before, at least not for as long as the government has been keeping records. In every other expansion since World War II, the buying power of most American families grew while the economy did. You can think of this as the most basic test of an economy’s health: does it produce ever-rising living standards for its citizens?

In the second half of the 20th century, the United States passed the test in a way that arguably no other country ever has. It became, as the cliché goes, the richest country on earth. Now, though, most families aren’t getting any richer.

“We have had expansions before where the bottom end didn’t do well,” said Lawrence F. Katz, a Harvard economist who studies the job market. “But we’ve never had an expansion in which the middle of income distribution had no wage growth.”

More than anything else — more than even the war in Iraq — the stagnation of the great American middle-class machine explains the glum national mood today. As part of a poll that will be released Wednesday, the Pew Research Center asked people how they had done over the last five years. During that time, remember, the overall economy grew every year, often at a good pace.

...

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I understand people are frustrated - I certainly do.

But people in small towns in places like Pennsylvania go hunting on the weekends and to church on Sunday no matter how much money is in the bank. To bring religion and guns into the equation was clumsy, and - yes - completely out of touch with how people live their lives there.

We will certainly be reminded of this comment in the general election.

[metta 0]

Guess who Obama was talking to about small town folks?

Yes, to the San Fran billlionaires.

Do you suppose he was explaining to those "haves and have-mores" ( his $20 and $100 dollar contributing grassroots) why they should be redistributing their wealth to alleviate the bitterness of "them" small town folks in Penn and elsewhere?

Hell, no. He was busy asking them for campaign money.

And, why do you think they are flocking to pay up to his campaign?

To help Obama redistribute their wealth from bottom to top and usher in the "Change We Can Believe In"? He, he he...

It's potent stuff, man. That Kool Aid !

Here's what he's talking about. This is the frustration that is very real in America today. Out of touch with America are those that live in a wealthy bubble and are in deep denial about how ever more of America is being left behind while few pile wealth behind anyone's comprehension. Fed up, frustrated and - yes - even bitter? You better believe it. There needs to be change in course and it takes for a leader to understand what's wrong in order to lobby and push for that correction.

For Many, a Boom That Wasn't

By DAVID LEONHARDT

Published: April 9, 2008

It's not just the apparent recession. Recessions happen. If you tried to build an economy immune to the human emotions that produce boom and bust, you would end up with something that looked like East Germany.

The bigger problem is that the now-finished boom was, for most Americans, nothing of the sort. In 2000, at the end of the previous economic expansion, the median American family made about $61,000, according to the Census Bureau's inflation-adjusted numbers. In 2007, in what looks to have been the final year of the most recent expansion, the median family, amazingly, seems to have made less — about $60,500.

This has never happened before, at least not for as long as the government has been keeping records. In every other expansion since World War II, the buying power of most American families grew while the economy did. You can think of this as the most basic test of an economy's health: does it produce ever-rising living standards for its citizens?

In the second half of the 20th century, the United States passed the test in a way that arguably no other country ever has. It became, as the cliché goes, the richest country on earth. Now, though, most families aren't getting any richer.

"We have had expansions before where the bottom end didn't do well," said Lawrence F. Katz, a Harvard economist who studies the job market. "But we've never had an expansion in which the middle of income distribution had no wage growth."

More than anything else — more than even the war in Iraq — the stagnation of the great American middle-class machine explains the glum national mood today. As part of a poll that will be released Wednesday, the Pew Research Center asked people how they had done over the last five years. During that time, remember, the overall economy grew every year, often at a good pace.

...

Edited April 13, 2008 by metta

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I understand people are frustrated - I certainly do.

But people in small towns in places like Pennsylvania go hunting on the weekends and to church on Sunday no matter how much money is in the bank. To bring religion and guns into the equation was clumsy, and - yes - completely out of touch with how people live their lives there.

We will certainly be reminded of this comment in the general election.

I think we should focus on the actual issue instead of the unfortunate way he brought it up. He admitted that he could have said it better. The issue itself remains just as real and should be addressed. Instead, camp Hillary, in a desperate attempt the deflect attention from her double faced campaign and her blatant lies to voters, rather harps on about an unfortunate way to bring up the issue. This poor choice to exploit the hardships of many Americans rather than work to address them will catch up with her very quickly. Mark my words.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I understand people are frustrated - I certainly do.

But people in small towns in places like Pennsylvania go hunting on the weekends and to church on Sunday no matter how much money is in the bank. To bring religion and guns into the equation was clumsy, and - yes - completely out of touch with how people live their lives there.

We will certainly be reminded of this comment in the general election.

I think we should focus on the actual issue instead of the unfortunate way he brought it up. He admitted that he could have said it better. The issue itself remains just as real and should be addressed. Instead, camp Hillary, in a desperate attempt the deflect attention from her double faced campaign and her blatant lies to voters, rather harps on about an unfortunate way to bring up the issue. This poor choice to exploit the hardships of many Americans rather than work to address them will catch up with her very quickly. Mark my words.

I am thinking about the general election. Regardless of what his real intentions were these words will be used against him and they will work against him in trying to appeal to "Reagan Democrats" Mark my words.

There was a really great book I read awhile back about why Democrats lose elections and why Republicans are able to appeal to people who often work against their interests. It was called Deer Hunting For Jesus. It should be required reading for every one of Obama's advisors.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I understand people are frustrated - I certainly do.

But people in small towns in places like Pennsylvania go hunting on the weekends and to church on Sunday no matter how much money is in the bank. To bring religion and guns into the equation was clumsy, and - yes - completely out of touch with how people live their lives there.

We will certainly be reminded of this comment in the general election.

I think we should focus on the actual issue instead of the unfortunate way he brought it up. He admitted that he could have said it better. The issue itself remains just as real and should be addressed. Instead, camp Hillary, in a desperate attempt the deflect attention from her double faced campaign and her blatant lies to voters, rather harps on about an unfortunate way to bring up the issue. This poor choice to exploit the hardships of many Americans rather than work to address them will catch up with her very quickly. Mark my words.

I am thinking about the general election. Regardless of what his real intentions were these words will be used against him and they will work against him in trying to appeal to "Reagan Democrats" Mark my words.

There was a really great book I read awhile back about why Democrats lose elections and why Republicans are able to appeal to people who often work against their interests. It was called Deer Hunting For Jesus. It should be required reading for every one of Obama's advisors.

Thus far, mainstream America has shared in America's progress and economical gains. That is no longer the case. And that, I believe is the reason why the dynamics of yesterday - which I am certain were masterfully captured in that book you mention - won't work anymore. We shall see.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Guess who Obama was talking to about small town folks?

Yes, to the San Fran billlionaires.

Do you suppose he was explaining to those "haves and have-mores" ( his $20 and $100 dollar contributing grassroots) why they should be redistributing their wealth to alleviate the bitterness of "them" small town folks in Penn and elsewhere?

Hell, no. He was busy asking them for campaign money.

Actually, you couldn't be more wrong about that. He specifically addressed with this crowd of rich people that Bush's policy that favored them were wrong and have a negative effect on many not so fortunate in America. He ain't scared to say that huge tax breaks for the have's (who he was talking to) left a huge burden on the have not's. I know that this kind of straight talk is unknown to camp Hillary where we rather fabricate heroic stories of corkscrew landings under sniper fire to portrait experience where there isn't any. When lies and deception is all you got, I suppose you can't help but fabricate stories to make you look better.

Context from SF