I'm glad to finally see some people with some visibility saying this. I've been telling anyone who brought up the "recession" virtually the same thing for about a year. Their response has invariably been, "Haven't you been watching the news? I saw it in the paper. Guess I better not get that new car."

I always make sure to point out to them that "consumer confidence" is an oft-quoted economic indicator, and it's been manipulated shamelessly as the Left has tried to talk us into a recession.

the whole point is to persuade the average american idiot who prioritizes american idol over who is running the country and what policies are affecting this country. these slugs have no economic education, have no idea how to separate a sales pitch from a fact, and can't see any further than the end of their nose when it comes to politics. these are the prize voters that democrats depends on, ignorant, lazy, sheep. they see a nice car drive down the street or the newest big screen tv they don't have and think it's the economys fault they are 50k in credit debt with all the other crap they own and a democrat jumps on tv in a commercial break with their anti conservative jab between american idol and what ever other stooopid waste of time there is on tv and these wastes of space believe the democrat lies. 

idiots are rich soil for democrats to plow.

lunaticcringeradio

Saw the show. My jaw dropped when I heard that remark. It is clear there that the media is using the Democratic talking points to convince enough ignorant people that we are in a state of out-right depression. Yellow journalism at its finest.

I'm going to try to shoot for a middle ground on this one.

First, I completely agree that the media has a hand in creating the impression of bad times moreso than they are. I personally think they tend to do that with eerything though. Don't people who watch local news think their community is less safe than people watching because all they see is crime stories? Isn't political debate on the decline because of the soundbyte nature of the present media? So I agree with the basic idea behind the article, but to me it's just not that surprising.

Second, I don't think it's unreasonable for people to be concerned about the economy, because while profits are still rising, wages are stagnant (arguably falling in real terms). Thus, the part of the economy that most affects people's lives isn't doing so well. So I think a sizeable measure of decreased confidence is more than justified.

I noticed this trend of the media encouraging people to be "victims" about twenty years or so years ago - starting in the local media. It seems it started with the idea to cast the news as "being on your side". This has helped to lead people into being whiners. Cast by the media as "victims", many are happy to play the part.
True story: I was once asked to be interviewed about a local business situation. When I told the reporter I really had nothing to say, he suggested I act "sad". That did it - I walked away.

McNotObama '08

Phil Gramm's remark probably brought smiles to lefties, starting with Obama. Gramm's stupid remark on whining fit all the stereotypes dangled before Democratic Party voters of rich, uncaring Republicans. Ben Stein made essentially the same point that Gramm did about the generally good economy, but avoided Gramm's insensitivity. Stein is sophisticated and deft, characteristics that Gramm lacks. Gramm's degree in economics, while it helps him to understand the economy, does not help him to grasp how to convey economic facts without alienating huge groups of voters and making others needlessly uncomfortable.

Someone who is out of a job, especially someone older than 55, is worse off than if he or she were in a recession. That person either might never work again or likely will be able to get only a job paying just above the minimum wage. While surely many took excessive risks in buying houses, hoping, perhaps, to flip houses before balloon payments started, some surely had spouses lose jobs and found themselves unable to pay their mortgages. In either case, people in a bad economic situation can surely think Gramm's "whining" complaint applied to them, personally--and take the unhappiness out on Republican political candidates. 

I wish I had access to the Nexis database. Someone should compare the AP's budget of stories on the economy during the current economic slowdown and compare the stories to what the AP fed member newspapers in similar recent downturns. The economy does well when consumer assessments of their own present and expectable economic situation is positive. The AP's stories have seized every opportunity to make the current slowdown seem far worse than it is. Why? Many on the AP staff want Obama in the White House. If they say they're trying to inform the public and only that, they're not telling the truth.

McCain should send Gramm back to Texas. And hire Stein. McCain's #1 goal presently should be to get elected. Stein can help. Gramm can only hinder.