Obama Spin: Stimulus Was Never Supposed to Stimulate Economy
Posted on July 16, 2009
Obama when he sold his stimulus package:
That is why I have moved quickly to work with my economic team and leaders of both parties on an American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan that will immediately jumpstart job creation and long-term growth. …
There is no doubt that the cost of this plan will be considerable. It will certainly add to the budget deficit in the short-term. But equally certain are the consequences of doing too little or nothing at all, for that will lead to an even greater deficit of jobs, incomes, and confidence in our economy. It is true that we cannot depend on government alone to create jobs or long-term growth, but at this particular moment, only government can provide the short-term boost necessary to lift us from a recession this deep and severe.
Turns out the $787 billion “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act” (AARA) was not designed for full economic recovery, but rather to “stabilize” the downturn. That’s the word from White House officials today, who held off-camera briefings with reporters on how the AARA is working so far.
“This legislation was designed to cushion the downturn,” said White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs. “That’s why we have always talked about this as one function of economic recovery.”
When pressed about the change in terminology, Gibbs said he was not trying to temper expectations after the fact. “I can probably find 15 or 20 occasions when I said this in the lead up,” Gibbs said, explaining that he had always defined the AARA as part of a “multi-legged stool.”
I highly doubt this kind of dizzy spin will fool America. What is Bush said? “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, I won’t get fooled again.” The American people aren’t stupid, especially when we can dig up the words you said just six months ago. You can’t scrub the internet of everything. Obama’s political capital is about to run out. After the fight on his health care crap, he will be on empty in record time. We’re already seeing his approval ratings dropping at record speed.
Translation? The White House has just about given up hope that Porkulus will show any positive upward pressure this year, which is no great surprise, since most of the spending happens in year two – and most of that will not be a stimulus as much as a wish list of liberal fantasies. Unfortunately, they sold it as a short-term solution to unemployment as well as a stimulus. Now that neither have succeeded, they have to spin it as something entirely different.
Best of luck with that. Voters have already grown disenchanted with HopeNChange, as Obama’s declining poll numbers amply demonstrate. Telling voters that this is as good as it gets after waltzing out the door with $800 billion isn’t going to make them love Obama more.
Just Curious: Is Obama Going to Tell Us In Six Months That His “Cost-Reducing Reforms” Were Always Meant to Increase Costs, Too?
I hope when they go for Stimulus II they spell it right, and Conservatives make a stand. I hope Obama gets laughed out of the room.
Trackback URL
Comments
2 Responses to “Obama Spin: Stimulus Was Never Supposed to Stimulate Economy”
Leave a Reply
“Just Curious: Is Obama Going to Tell Us In Six Months That His “Cost-Reducing Reforms” Were Always Meant to Increase Costs, Too?”
Yes, yes he will. And with a straight face, too…
He’ll tell us his “cost reducing reforms” were required to fix the “economic mess that he inherited” from President Bush…despite the fact that our Democratic Congress wrote the laws, wrote the budgets, and passed the legislation.
I know thats what the spin will be. You know it. Everyone knows it.
Take your country back in 2010 and 2012 !!