Herbert: The Other America (* disconnect on joblessness)

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/23/opinion/23HERB.html

Either the president doesn't get it, or he is deliberately ignoring the hard times that have enveloped millions of Americans on his watch.

"For the sake of job growth," said Mr. Bush, to the loud applause of the Congressional bobbleheads at his State of the Union address, "the tax cuts you passed should be made permanent."

Job growth? That's the weirdest thing Mr. Bush has said since he told a CNN discussion group, "As governor of Texas, I have set high standards for our public schools, and I have met those standards."

Nearly 2.5 million jobs have been lost since Mr. Bush became president, and the most recent employment statistics have made a mockery of the claim that tax cuts for the rich would be the engine of job growth for the middle and working classes.

Two days after the speech, Eastman Kodak announced plans to cut its work force by as much as 23 percent — 12,000 to 15,000 jobs — by the end of 2006. The news sent tremors through Rochester, where Kodak has its headquarters. More than 21,000 Kodak workers and their families live in and around Rochester.

and stupid Americans will believe it or just give up I guess.

If you are employed---what is the current situation?
Are people being hired or fired ?
Are people talking about all the promotions within available at the company, or are they worried about losing the job they have?

Bush's tax cuts creating jobs doesn't even pass the laugh test, yet people listen and blithely go on like maybe they believe it?

I think people are starting to act like classic abuse cases who just finally shut down and go through the motions.