Propaganda on the Economy

It is a pity we are so good at spin. At churning out dense swirls of propaganda to blind folks to reality. We are expert at this unfortunate art. Our propaganda machines can turn spinach into filet mignon, sewage into Dom Perignon. And vice-versa.

This came to mind when the Democrats’ spin machine started up recently — and the liberal mass-media chorus began to chant in harmony: This current booming economy was actually just a continuation of Obama’s legacy. That is what they sang.

Next, the former president gave us his solo effort. Obama told us this surge in our economy began with him and his policies.

First, a note: You can search Obama’s writings. You can read all his interviews. I defy you to find anything that indicates he knows diddly-squat about economics. Diddly-squat minus ignorance squared. By his own comments over the years, one thing is clear: The guy simply knows nada about economics. Remember his boast that Trump would need a magic wand to bring back manufacturing jobs? That was enough to earn him a dunce cap.

I don’t hold that against him. I really don’t. Lots of presidents went to the same school as he did. A school that taught them nothing about economics.

Anyway, he added his exhalings to the fog of propaganda that the Left suddenly spewed. By the way, I am in no way ignoring that the Right exaggerates as well. Their propaganda machines are chugging away day and night. When elections are in sight the propagandists feast.

However, in this instance, the Right has a solid basis. Obama and the Left do not. Therein lies the pity. The pity being that people are swayed by propaganda. It is the misinformation that changes their attitudes and wins their votes. The propaganda, instead of something closer to reality.

Let us squeeze some of the puffery from both sides. Let us get down to a few basic ingredients. One is that the economy did poorly under Obama’s policies. Under the policies his advisers persuaded him to back. Sorry, it simply did perform poorly. For example, we suffered the worst recovery ever from a recession.

In Obama’s last year in the White House, the economy slowed each quarter. Think about that. By the time he left office, the economy was taking the gas.

Another ingredient is that extra taxes and additional regulations bog down economies. Especially when they are already crippled. We cannot deny that Obama’s policies clogged the economy with taxes and regulations. They simply did. At a time when it was gasping. The timing was horrible.

Another ingredient is that lowering taxes usually helps economies. Cutting regulations also usually helps economies. 

Another ingredient is that when we reduce government interference, economies like it.

The simple fact is that the current administration reversed the course the Obama administration had taken. Reversed it, in numerous ways.

A few simple facts: Markets immediately leapt upward. Optimism among investors shot upward immediately. Optimism among small-business owners (our great jobs creators) swelled. Consumer confidence soared.

We are dealing with basics here. Create obstacles for investment and risk-taking and you will slow your economy. Create incentives for them and you will stimulate your economy.

The communists of China could tell us that. They finally — after years of abysmal agriculture — allowed farmers to grow and market their own food. Suddenly, output rocketed.

I wish we could exterminate the propaganda. If we did, more people would see that some policies help our economy. And some policies dampen it.

It does not really matter which party brings forth the policies that help our economy. JFK, a Democrat, put forward tax policies not unlike the current policies. 

It is the damned fog of propaganda that keeps more of us from seeing what works — and what does not.

From Tom…as in Morgan.        

Tom Morgan writes about political, financial, and other subjects from his home in upstate New York. You can write to Tom at tomasinmorgan@yahoo.com, read more of his writing at tomasinmorgan.com, or find him on Facebook.

It is a pity we are so good at spin. At churning out dense swirls of propaganda to blind folks to reality. We are expert at this unfortunate art. Our propaganda machines can turn spinach into filet mignon, sewage into Dom Perignon. And vice-versa.

This came to mind when the Democrats’ spin machine started up recently — and the liberal mass-media chorus began to chant in harmony: This current booming economy was actually just a continuation of Obama’s legacy. That is what they sang.

Next, the former president gave us his solo effort. Obama told us this surge in our economy began with him and his policies.

First, a note: You can search Obama’s writings. You can read all his interviews. I defy you to find anything that indicates he knows diddly-squat about economics. Diddly-squat minus ignorance squared. By his own comments over the years, one thing is clear: The guy simply knows nada about economics. Remember his boast that Trump would need a magic wand to bring back manufacturing jobs? That was enough to earn him a dunce cap.

I don’t hold that against him. I really don’t. Lots of presidents went to the same school as he did. A school that taught them nothing about economics.

Anyway, he added his exhalings to the fog of propaganda that the Left suddenly spewed. By the way, I am in no way ignoring that the Right exaggerates as well. Their propaganda machines are chugging away day and night. When elections are in sight the propagandists feast.

However, in this instance, the Right has a solid basis. Obama and the Left do not. Therein lies the pity. The pity being that people are swayed by propaganda. It is the misinformation that changes their attitudes and wins their votes. The propaganda, instead of something closer to reality.

Let us squeeze some of the puffery from both sides. Let us get down to a few basic ingredients. One is that the economy did poorly under Obama’s policies. Under the policies his advisers persuaded him to back. Sorry, it simply did perform poorly. For example, we suffered the worst recovery ever from a recession.

In Obama’s last year in the White House, the economy slowed each quarter. Think about that. By the time he left office, the economy was taking the gas.

Another ingredient is that extra taxes and additional regulations bog down economies. Especially when they are already crippled. We cannot deny that Obama’s policies clogged the economy with taxes and regulations. They simply did. At a time when it was gasping. The timing was horrible.

Another ingredient is that lowering taxes usually helps economies. Cutting regulations also usually helps economies. 

Another ingredient is that when we reduce government interference, economies like it.

The simple fact is that the current administration reversed the course the Obama administration had taken. Reversed it, in numerous ways.

A few simple facts: Markets immediately leapt upward. Optimism among investors shot upward immediately. Optimism among small-business owners (our great jobs creators) swelled. Consumer confidence soared.

We are dealing with basics here. Create obstacles for investment and risk-taking and you will slow your economy. Create incentives for them and you will stimulate your economy.

The communists of China could tell us that. They finally — after years of abysmal agriculture — allowed farmers to grow and market their own food. Suddenly, output rocketed.

I wish we could exterminate the propaganda. If we did, more people would see that some policies help our economy. And some policies dampen it.

It does not really matter which party brings forth the policies that help our economy. JFK, a Democrat, put forward tax policies not unlike the current policies. 

It is the damned fog of propaganda that keeps more of us from seeing what works — and what does not.

From Tom…as in Morgan.        

Tom Morgan writes about political, financial, and other subjects from his home in upstate New York. You can write to Tom at tomasinmorgan@yahoo.com, read more of his writing at tomasinmorgan.com, or find him on Facebook.