The McCain Campaign Doesn’t Get It
Posted on July 10, 2008 by andrew
Phil Gramm is one of John McCain’s top economic advisors. He isn’t just a generic “surrogate”, he’s a guy who has a key role in influencing McCain on economic matters and will be helping to develop this country’s economic policies if McCain is elected. This is what he thinks of all you whining little girls who lost your house or can’t pay for the gasoline you need to get to work:
In an interview with the Washington Times, the McCain economic adviser downplayed the economy — despite it having been the top issue of concern to voters in public polling for months. Gramm goes so far as to call the economy a “mental recession,” says that “We have sort of become a nation of whiners” and blames much of the hand-wringing on the perpetual scapegoat — the media.
Now, there’s an argument to be made that Gramm’s position has some validity. We aren’t, technically, in a recession at the moment according to the most recent economic data. Additionally, all recessions are in some sense arguably “mental”: The perceptions and expectations of workers and consumers play a huge role in determining what actually happens in the economy.
That said, Gramm still doesn’t sound like a guy who is much concerned about the very real problems faced by a vast number of American citizens at the moment. There are real problems in the economy, even if the effects of those problems may have been enhanced by a sensationalistic media or an overly worried citizenry. For Gramm to brush aside the concerns of that citizenry doesn’t speak well of McCain’s likelihood to understand and work to solve the problems of normal Americans.
And politically it’s really fucking stupid.
Sphere: Related Content» Filed Under 2008 presidential election, John McCain, Phil Gramm, economy
Comments
Leave a Reply
