In Economic Chats, Bush Finds People Eager to Pony Up Praise

[papau]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2026&ncid=716&e=29&u=/latimests/20040217/ts_latimes/ineconomicchatsbushfindspeopleeagertoponyuppraise



In Economic Chats, Bush Finds People Eager to Pony Up Praise

By Edwin Chen Times Staff Writer

TAMPA, Fla. — In his initial public appearances of this campaign year, President Bush has settled on a favorite format as he travels around the country pitching his economic policies. The White House calls it a "conversation," although Bush speaks far more than he listens during the nearly hourlong sessions that amount to an economics seminar for Everyman.

At these events, like the one held here Monday, the president shares a stage with as many as half a dozen carefully screened participants, each perched on a stool and armed with a wireless microphone.

Bush makes some opening remarks and then turns the floor over to an emcee and the other guests, typically a couple of small-business owners and two or three workers. Without fail, they relate upbeat stories that reinforce the president's economic program, especially his across-the-board tax cuts.

Their experiences supply Bush with testimonials to the effects of the tax cuts, which, the business owners say, have stimulated the purchase of new equipment and the employment of additional workers.

Such give-and-take allows Bush to burnish the image of a leader with an affable, common touch, in part by leavening his tutorials with a stream of quips, including some at his own expense.
<snip>

[FlaGranny]

1. I got a chuckle out of this "meeting"

yesterday. My husband came home from work and said, "Did you hear? Bush's tax cuts are good for small business." You see, my husband runs a small business. The kind of small business that gets no benefit at all from these tax "cuts." It seems if your business is "small" enough to be able to afford several million dollars worth of new equipment, the tax cuts probably help.

And, isn't it wonderful about all the new jobs? :shrug:

[NJCher]

2. following in daddy's footsteps

On Monday, for instance, after noting that he had attended the Daytona 500 stock-car race the day before and later called to congratulate winner Dale Earnhardt (news - web sites) Jr., whose late father was a NASCAR (news - web sites) legend, Bush deadpanned: "There's nothing wrong with a fellow following in his father's footsteps."


Nothing wrong at all, ya' AWOL, crack-snorting, pretzel-diving one-termer.


Cher

[kskiska]

3. Sounds like his Austin "Economic Summit"

Paul O'Neill suggested an economic summit to gauge the views of business people. The W.H. (Karen Hughes et al) took Paul's idea and twisted it into what's become the sort of farce described in this article. O'Neill was apalled, and resisted suggestions that he participate in the "summit."

[diamond14]

4. that was a real goof....and all the 'real' economists knew it too

it showed a real 'hick' attempt at covering up bush* economic failures....small town 'economic' summit where no economists were invited....a real farce...

these bush* economic cover-ups are even more transparent...most Americans understand the economics of loosing their jobs...the challenge for US is to connect people's job losses to bush* policies...if most people understood that bush* policies are causing their job losses, then there would be many more voters booting bush* out...

[54anickel]

6. Must be why all the "real" economists went to Cuba and were entertained

by Castro reading the Bush gaffes. There's got to be some sort of twisted, dark irony about that.

[ProfessorGAC]

9. It Would Have Entertained Me, That's For Sure

I, alas, was not invited. That'll teach me for being a contrarian in the community, huh? All i ever said was that economic theory is for the lazy. It requires analysis to understand what really happens, and they all got mad at me. Go figure.
The Professor

[ProfessorGAC]

5. A Complete And Utter Fraud

An economics summit wherein all invited are only casually familiar with economics. How convenient.
The Professor

[w4rma]

10. It's like BushCo is *trying* to drive America into the ground.

They want to stay in power as long as they can so they can destroy our nation further. Or maybe they could care less about America and are only interested in making themselves wealthy and leaving us Americans holding the bag.

[bluedog]

7. in Tampa.......

NU AIR


has 350 people in Tampa and 60 in Georgia.....

this man started this co in 1946 and moved to the new location in Tampa south of Waters Ave. in 1977...way before bush tax cuts........tax cuts my ass....these are the facts.....The owner Jack Horner was a B-17 bobmber navigator in WWII and spent 35 months as a Japanese prisoner....

As far as bush telling the mayors of Seminole and Clearwater to fix their pot holes....he has the f'ing nerve.....he was in Hernando county.....Not Pinellas where these mayors serve.....tell the ass to get his freaking counties straight....he didn't even drive over our roads here....he was on the other side of the Bay.....What a moron...

[lanlady]

8. acc. to Paul O'Neill--

--even Bush's cabinet-level meetings are scripted. Karl Rove tells the Secretaries what to say beforehand and when they'll say it. O'Neill was appalled.

But as DUers have known all along, this White House is a pure P.R. operation.