Missed one-two punch on the jobs argument.

I saw one of our guys up against John Fund on Hardball yesterday. I sometimes think we aren't hitting all cylinders on the jobs issue.

We talk about how badly Bush has done on jobs and how his solution to every problem is a tax cut for the wealthy. That part is good.

But then some conservative like Fund inevitably comes back with something defending Bush. Fund had a bunch of them. "The misery index is lower than under Clinton. The average unemployment is lower than under Clinton. The stock market is up 49%..."

One thing I think we should say whenever they go into rosy scenario mode is, "Then I guess Bush's position on jobs is that everything is just fine, and we don't need to do anything. Doesn't that prove he is out of touch? Like father, like son..."

Bush is in a double bind. On the one hand, he can't admit his disastrous jobs record openly or he loses. But on the other hand, if he doesn't admit there is a problem he will look like a do-nothing.

Truth is: There has been a world wide loss of Manufacturing jobs.

Even with all the jobs Mexico has taken, the still lost 15% of their manufacturing jobs in the last 7 years. China is worse: lost 16% even with all the jobs taken from Indonesia.

Manufacturing jobs are today what farm labor jobs were in 1920. They are simply disappearing worldwide.

WE AS A PARTY need to have an answer. I believe that the TRA should serve as our model to answer the problem.

This was used to great effect in the 70's in Detroit

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

"I'm satisfied with our progress" is totally inconsistent with "I won't rest until everyone has a job."

But this needs to be pointed out. When people spew such ridiculous babble, like Bush did in this Diane Sawyer interview, it's easy for the viewer just to become confused. The dems should do some parsing to reveal the extent of Bush's dishonesty.

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/primetime/US/bush_sawyer_excerpts_3_031216.html
DIANE SAWYER: One of the worrying sectors is still jobs. Treasury Secretary John Snow said that we needed to create 200,000 more jobs a month in order, at the end of this, for you not to be the first president, as everyone has said, since Herbert Hoover, who had a net job loss in his term. How are you going to create 200,000 new jobs a month?
PRESIDENT BUSH: Well, first, let's make sure the record, so I can distinguish myself from Herbert. I inherited the recession. I didn't create one. When we showed up in office, the country was beginning to go into decline, and we responded with some tax relief, strong tax relief to stimulate the economy, and it's working. It is also important that people keep — at least remember that the attacks happened just as the economy was coming around. We had corporate scandals, which we've acted strongly, "we" being the Congress and the executive branch. You know, it didn't help that we were marching to war, in all due respect for the TV stations and networks, there was at least — I know one had "March to War" every day on TV, which is not conducive to capital investment when you think you're marching to war. Anyway, we've overcome those obstacles, and the country's — the economy's growing. And I'm pleased and won't rest until people can — who are looking for a job can find work. But I am pleased with the progress we have made. ...
DIANE SAWYER: What worries you most about the economy? The deficit? campaigning against them and —
PRESIDENT BUSH: Yeah, well, you got to understand, we're at war and I'm going to spend what is needed to win the war. And we've got to protect the homeland. We'll spend what's needed to protect the homeland.... We've got a plan to cut it in half over the next five years. It means Congress is going to have to tow the line when it comes to spending. We can't — they can't, particularly in campaign years, try to be all things to all people and overspend. But I think we're making good progress. I'm satisfied with the progress we've made ...

The misery index is low because Greenspan is playing politics with the Fed. He is keeping interest rates lower than he would have if a Democrat was in office.

Unemployment is low because people have give up looking for jobs. Bush is going to be the first president since Herbert Hoover, to have lost more jobs under his watch than was created.

The stock market is up alright, up after falling horribly once Wall Street realized that the grownups weren't in charge anymore.

That would be the best way to circumvent this. Clinton was digging us out of the Bush 1 hole, the same hole Bush 2 is putting us back into. It's important to remind people how bad it was in 1992 and how bad it can get again.