George Will Sticks Up For Gramm: Americans Are ‘The Cry Babies Of The Western World’

[Purveyor]

Last week, Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) economic adviser Phil Gramm sparked controversy by stating that the U.S. is in a “mental recession” created by a “nation of whiners.” In response, McCain quickly tried to distance himself from his long-time friend’s remarks.

Today on ABC’s This Week, conservative columnist George Will acknowledged that the economy had slowed tremendously but nevertheless staunchly defended Gramm’s comments. “Phil Gramm was right of course,” Will declared. “Absolutely”:

WILL: On two points. … We’re not in a recession as commonly defined. That is two consecutive quarters of negative growth.

STEPHANOPOULOS: We may be running there though. Even Bernanke says so.

WILL: We’re not however. Unemployment is just about the post-war average at 5.5 percent. His second point that we’re a nation of whiners: we are the crybabies of the western world. In fact, we have an extraordinarily low pain threshold.

Watch it:

--snip--
With his full-throated defense of Gramm’s callous remarks, Will is echoing the likes of several Fox News pundits who have also taken to defending Gramm. Last week, Sean Hannity declared, “Maybe we do whine too much.” Fred Barnes added that Americans are “whining all the way through” the bad economy.

Watch it at:

Think Progress: http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/13/george-will-gramm/

[hedgehog]

1. Translation: "I got mine!"

[smoogatz]

40. Subtext: "Shut the fuck up and go back to work!"

[roguevalley]

52. George Will is not only a nazi, he's the most boring man on earth.

[End Of The Road]

2. I'll try not to whine next time I fill up my gas tank. nt

[NC_Nurse]

3. Recessions are always defined AFTER they start...but being wrong never

stopped people like Will from spewing their BS.

[Purveyor]

7. IIRC, the last recession was declared about a year and a half after it had actually

started.

You are so correct.

[World Citizen]

4. Sounds like fodder for an episode of South Park. nt

[gratuitous]

17. Not really

South Park doesn't really do Republican idiocy. But give Al Gore a lisp, dress him up in a silly costume, and we're off to the races!

And Will's take is a hoot. Hasn't it been the Republicans bringing fine whine to an art form for the last seven years? Every time one of them gets caught (again), the excuse for the latest transgression against the Constitution is an involuntary ejaculation of Nine Eleven!

Yes, Will indeed has gotten his, and screw the rest of you who haven't wangled a network spot where you can coach the candidates before a debate and then rate their performance afterwards.

[DJ13]

5. These Republicans would have argued the Great Depression wasnt so bad either

[sasquatch]

6. Whenever I see George Will I start visualize a guillitine

:evilgrin:

[LostInAnomie]

8. I love it when rich bastards that have never done a honest day of work in their life...

... call me a whiner.

Especially, when they are conservative fucks that cry like babies if they have to pay a cent of taxes on anything.

[BlueJazz]

12. You Said It . Raise the tax on the Rich by one percent and they squeal...

..like the pigs they are.

[SalmonChantedEvening]

9. The Usual Barking Chorus

Of lapdogs paid to spout the party line.

[lynettebro440]

10. I don't whine

but I sure do bitch, especially when i'm filling up my car. Is that the same thing?

[eleny]

11. Another snob speaks

pfui.

[Graybeard]

16. Elitist pig is more like it.

He is as repulsive as they come.

[eleny]

19. I recall him saying months ago that he didn't know what people were complaining about

There was a big fuss around here about that, too. He keeps his beak well up his butt.

[smoogatz]

44. This has been the Republican line all through the Bush kleptocracy.

Everything's fine! We're doing great! Stop complaining and go back to work, you peons!

[melody]

13. We DON'T have medical care, we DON'T have adequate public transportation ...

and we haven't stormed the government buildings?

We're not whiners in the least and maybe we're the most patient people in the world.

[spanone]

14. humaniy passed goerge will about 15 years ago

[MikeNearMcChord]

15. I would love to see George Will lose his job at ABC

and at the Washington Post, his stock portfolio tanks, loses all of his investments homes and other stuff living on skid row,and forced to beg with a sign that says
WILL PERFORM SEX ACTS FOR MONEY

[momster]

36. He'd starve....

who wants a guy as cold and unfeeling as that anywhere near them.

[vssmith]

42. A certain Senator from Idaho

[Sanity Claws]

18. The unemployment rate is measured differently these days

So it makes no sense to compare our current rate to rates in earlier decades. If we used earlier measures, the rate would be considerably higher.

[jedr]

20. this is all damage control;

Gramm stepped on his **** big time,so now all the Conservatives will try to lessen the damage. Let it go in one ear and out the other, but keep the quote handy for time of need, I'm sure it will show it's ugly head again in a 30 sec. spot against McCain, if not, it should.

[Skittles]

29. of course it is

they're not big enough people to say, I'm wrong or I said this very badly or whatever - they're so arrogant they just dig the hole deeper....fuck them

[bumblebee1]

57. Unfortunately,

Gramm was wearing golf shoes when he stepped all over his ****.

[tabasco]

21. When pasty little pricks like George Will start calling us names

it's time to bring back the fucking guillotines.

[sasquatch]

27. That's what I said

[BearSquirrel2]

22. George Will is a fucking liar ...

George Will is smart enough to know that the unemployment number is strictly the number of people collecting benefits. When you lose 65,000 jobs and the unemployment number is unaffected, that tells you we are REALLY hurting.

[The Gunslinger]

23. This is going to be the new republican talking point..

Say something bad about the economy - Your just whining. Rush and friends will soon be catapulting this propaganda all over their right wing airwaves, jut like the old "If your against the war, your against the troops and hate America". Typical rightwing BS.

[sendero]

33. And it's going to backfire..

... in a tremendous way.

Joe Six Pack is not going to be fooled by the Reps and their lapdog media this time.

[asdjrocky]

24. And just look at them all...

Laughing and enjoying their banter around the table. Pretty easy on a 6 figure salary. Man, when will this country stop worshiping the rich and rise up? They are laughing at us.

[brentspeak]

25. The contempt Will, Gramm, Fox News, etc. have for the average American

is written all over their faces. Well, back atcha, creeps: the people have nothing but contempt for you.

[tsuki]

26. Beginning with George "Waaah, I have to pay taxes" Will. nt

[Skittles]

28. the arrogance of these fuckers

they go on and on about figures and percentages - TALK TO THE REAL PEOPLE, ASSHOLES. DRIVE YOUR LUXURY VEHICLES TWENTY MILES DOWN THE ROAD AND TALK TO THE AVERAGE AMERICAN. FIND OUT WHAT IS GOING ON IN THEIR LIVES.

[Pushed To The Left]

30. Once again, members of the conservative movement expose themselves.n/t

[opihimoimoi]

31. #4,,,need 1 more,,,,K&R

[salin]

32. So is it safe to claim that the conservative response to the economy is therapy?

and more of the same policies (as they are doing just grand, thankyouverymuch)?

idiots.

[Solly Mack]

34. damn hungry people with their "extraordinarily low pain threshold"

[salin]

35. Let them eat cupcakes!

We need the cake for ourselves - GOP2008.

[progressoid]

37. Hannity declared, “Maybe we do whine too much.”

Pot, meet kettle.

[The Backlash Cometh]

38. Are you all getting the inside joke on this one?

I can just see George Will and the other Repub stoogies in the days and weeks after 9-11. They knew that a strike like 9-11 would put an end to their opposition because people would be afraid and they knew just how they would be afraid and how they could use that fear to destroy our own constitution. Now that the jig is up, they are looking back at those same people and calling them whiners.

Don't you just love it?

[smoogatz]

39. This really couldn't have worked out much better for us.

Gramm has spoken the truth, finally, about "compassionate conservatism." I can see the new McCain bumper stickers now: John McCain: Shut Up And Go Back To Work.

[vssmith]

41. Get Gramm and Will jobs at WalMart--see how THEY do

[moondust]

43. Republican mindset.

They've never done an honest day's work in their lives and don't know or associate with anybody who has. How are they supposed to know how the other 90% lives?

[Wednesdays]

45. Way to win votes, 'pubbies...

Insult the voters. What a winning strategy.

[windoe]

46. Kids raised by sociopaths are not allowed to complain~

so naturally they cannot tolerate this in others, after all 'a dictatorship is so much easier'. <<<<<<< Recognize>>>>>>>

[FatDave]

47. I wonder who would do the whining...

...if George Will had 10,000 angry peasants on his doorstep?

[librechik]

48. Yeah, George--keep us informed about the Pukkke pParty's inhuman attitudes

and contempt for the people. That will help in the General--help the Dems, that is!

Glad to see these creaky old cranks walking down that dead end. That's not a light at the end of the tunnel. It's the edge of the cliff you are going off.

[yellowcanine]

49. George Will has never done a real day's work in his life. How would he possibly know what

working people are going through?

[Initech]

50. Our corporate masters might as well just give us a big middle finger while they're at it.

[DCKit]

51. "We’re not in a recession as commonly defined."

Perhaps because the people who keep and publish the numbers are using them "creatively" and ignoring any statistics which would prove this Residency to be an epic economic failure?

When people are either starving or freezing to death - or both - a month before Obama is sworn in, it's going to be a real pisser to explain to the people that it is, in fact, his fault. Their only fallback will be Bill Clinton, and even the die-hard 20% are going to find that hard to swallow.

[Rex]

53. Oh fuck George Will. He sucks donkey balls. A pool of vomit makes

more sense than George or Phil! Low pain threshold? Really? Seems we Americans LOVE pain! Just look a the last few decades.

George Will - 0
Bucket of vomit - 1

[rebel with a cause]

54. Well, lets cry him a river

so he can drown in it. :grr:

[Overseas]

55. Crybabies of the Western World -- just because our social safety nets have gaping holes

Why should we be the crybabies of the Western World? Just because the other industrialized nations have national health insurance, better social security systems, free education, and much more competent public services?

George Will and Phil Gramm say privatization is best. -- Let them eat fries!
(Carbs are antidepressants. Then you can add in the joke about our fat poor people!)

[samsingh]

56. repugs either whine or gloat. repugs are assholes. they've made a

mess that liberals and progressives have to clean up.

repugs are also stupid - they'd have to be to be repugs.

[ThoughtCriminal]

58. I hope they keep trying to push this

And while they're at it, explain what all that whining in 1994 was about.