ACCOUNTING FOR THE US ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE
A New York Times / CBS News Poll of 1368 respondents (1,196 registered voters, 510 Democratic Primary Voters, 323 Republican Primary Voters) conducted from 28 March through 2 April 2008, on issues related to the US Economy, shows Americans’ dissatisfaction about the state of the nation:
Will this Report Card have an effect on the presidential elections?
from http://www.nytimes.com/ref/us/polls_index.html
image from Microsoft Clipart
Depends what’s actually happening in November. Americans have a notoriously short attention span.
Bring on the Truth… Truth will truly set you FREE!! or it will Truly Expose you true nature!!
Current reality is that most “Poles” are politically driven and designed to reinforce the agenda of the polling agency itself or its political affiliation. If the “Pollsters” could expand their perspective rather than simply rearrange the talking points of either political party or BLOG; the same principles that are driven into our society by the “Media” that practices very skillful propaganda; Polls might have genuine meaning.
Polls were originally designed to gather information, aid in course correction when necessary and support or test those actions. However today they have simply become a vehicle to simply reinforce misinformation from either side of a political option. That option is most often driven by a Media driven bias. Polls can be aided, unaided, responsive or selective. Any of which are only samplings. But they do have an impact on a lazy citizenry!
The woes of the current U.S. Economy are the collective responsibilities of 4 administrations plus and most importantly the Congress of the United States; Carter, G. H. Bush, Bill Clinton and G. W. Bush.
If either “Oil” or the “War in Iraq” were is the problem, as it is widely reported by the Media, our economy would not be in jeopardy. So what is the problem; “Global Free Trade Agreements.”
President Carter was the catalyst creating the modern day havoc in the Middle Eastern not profiteering, as it is strongly reported by the Media. In reality, the strategic problem is not simply oil, the cost of oil has only amplified the real problem; that being faultily implementation of “Global Free Trade Agreements.”
George Herbert Bush strongly proposed “Free Trade Agreements” i.e. NAFTA
However, it was not until President Clinton pushed them through Congress did we dramatically and rapidly slide down the slippery slope economic disaster.
George Walker Bush foolishly continued these actions and actually accelerated this dangerous direction; now it is the American Industrial Base that has been severely eroded, not simply the American worker.
Pollsters of the world, let’s face reality. What does the President control? The answer is nothing. He is merely a figurehead for Executive Fiscal Planning, Foreign Policy and Executive Decision Making.
Executive Fiscal Planning is executed by the Federal Reserve. They control the Monetary Policy of the economy. If you lack funding nothing moves.
Foreign Policy, a direct foreign policy is compromised through complicated Congressional, Media and International pressures.
Executive Decision Making, compromised and mitigated from every believable level of government, Congress, Supreme Court and the Media.
Why not ask the Question,
Why are the self interests of the United States ALWAYS compromised and portrayed to be EVIL???
The last time we asked our allies for assistance… NO ONE WAS HOME!!!
Why not ask the Question,
Where is the “Standard Of Living” better?
Where is the “Freedom to Pursue Life’s Dreams” better??
Where can one “Change the Status and Reality of Our Life, for the Better???
Public Polls used as tools of “Propaganda” are simply BAD NEWS!!!
Miki, thanks for the visit.
What you say about the short attention span is true (I guess in most countries). However, the observation of the 70% of respondents that the national economy is getting worse may stick in the consciousness of many all the way to November.
Rick, thanks for the detailed comment. A lot of what you say is true. However, just as “oil” & “the war in Iraq” cannot be entirely to blame, “Global Free Trade Agreements” is not all that bad. In many of the US trade relationships (specially with developing countries), the balance of trade is mostly in the favor of the US.
Ren, We can but hope. As to the war, I’m sure that most of us can think of much better uses of these funds,
* Initial deployment of troops: $9 billion to $13 billion
* Conducting the war: $6 billion to $9 billion per month
* Returning forces to US: $5 billion to $7 billion
* Temporary occupation of Iraq: $1 billion to $4 billion per month
Absolutely right, Miki.
Imagine what all those billions can do for bringing down the costs of health care. From the business end of health care: I was just talking to a Filipina oby-gyne practicing in the States. She says that, while the number of patients have not gone down, the capacities to pay of those without health insurance are way down (she thinks as much as 30% of what used to be the rate). She has had to do a lot of pro bono.
First thing I notice: the respondents of the poll are identified as 523 democrats compared to 323 republicans. Would one expect a democrat bias? I think so. It is interesting that the results of this poll are quoted in the media all the time and I have never heard the composition of the respondents noted.