BuzzFlash
presents Southern Style
by Rebecca Knight
July 30, 2002
Houdini or Hoover
by Rebecca Knight
"My mind is the key that sets me free."
-- Harry Houdini
It's the economy, stupid! That great line originated during the 1992 presidential campaign between Bush 41 and Clinton. We are living in similar circumstances right now with Bush 43's high war approval ratings and an economic recession. One has to wonder if the end result will be the same with the defeat of George W. Bush in 2004.
Bill Clinton, with all of his faults, was one of the most intelligent and adept politicians to ever serve as president. No one can deny that fact. He and his team were brilliant strategists and it served them well as they bobbed and weaved through attack after attack by the right-wing. Clinton's skills and intellect served him well in handling each political crisis. They also served him well in understanding and managing complicated national and international issues.
Clinton's economic policies were quite successful. If you doubt that statement, please take a look at these graphs depicting whether you were better off two years ago.(1) A picture is worth a thousand words!
James K. Galbraith recently wrote an article for the Washington Post (2) in which he stated: "The '90s were a good time for American workers, who enjoyed full employment, rising wages and unprecedented access to credit. Poverty fell during these years, health improved, crime declined and inequalities in pay (though not wealth) diminished. Home ownership reached record levels. These things, unlike profits, cannot be faked."
Mr. Galbraith's contention is that the '90's prosperity could not be sustained because of the tech bubble and rising corporate and household debt. He believes that the economy had a brief recovery in early 2002 due to 9/11 when government spending soared, interest rates and oil prices dropped, automakers slashed prices, and good weather prolonged the construction season. He summarizes the current economic problems as an "underlying disease" caused by "unsustainable private debts, rising oil prices, a confidence crisis, fiscal woes at all levels of government and a falling dollar amid weak export markets."
During the 2000 election campaign in his attempts to take the glow off the obvious successes of the Clinton/Gore economic policies, Bush began talking down the economy. He failed to understand that the economy relies much more on consumer confidence than ever before because of the increasing number of Americans who now invest in the stock market. When a candidate for president speaks negatively about the economy, it is bound to have an impact. So yes, there definitely is a confidence crisis. It is a lack of confidence in George W. Bush. When he tells us that the economy is fundamentally strong and the American people should have "confidence," are we supposed to believe him simply because he says so? Are we supposed to have confidence in his ability to understand the economic problems facing America? Don't forget this is the man who said, "It's clearly a budget. It's got a lot of numbers in it."
Recently, George W. Bush seemed to lecture American citizens by stating that we went through an "economic binge" and now we are experiencing a "hangover." Gee, are we supposed to express remorse over the fact that we invested wisely and made money in the stock market during the 90s? Is the stock market supposed to be reserved for only the wealthy to invest? How dare we peons manage to increase our net worth!
There are some amazing similarities between George W. Bush and President Herbert Hoover. Both apparently believe in "trickle down" economics and the use of the military to police American citizens.
Hoover believed that aid to the hungry and the deserving unemployed should come from local governments in the states and counties, not from the federal government. Hoover also was the first president to practice "trickle down" economics. His economic solution was to provide indirect relief to the unemployed by lending insurance companies, banks, farm organizations, railroads, and the governments of the states, counties, and cities money to stimulate economic activity and employment. His theory was that if the government aided big business at the top of the nation's financial structure, business would then create more jobs and relieve unemployment at the bottom. Seems good in theory, but in practice it has been proven it just doesn't work.
In the summer of 1932, during the great depression, military veterans were due a wartime bonus payment to be completed in 1945. They asked for early payment of this bonus to assist them in feeding their families. To draw attention to their plight, 15,000 veterans went to Washington and camped out until they were driven away. Hoover ordered the U.S. Army into action. General Douglas MacArthur, Colonel Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Major George S. Patton led the mounted soldiers who left the veterans' shanties and tents in smoldering piles. Future World War II military leaders drove proud veterans of World War I from the nation's capital. One veteran said, "We were heroes in 1917, but we're bums now."(3)
Considering that the Bush administration, including Ashcroft's justice department, has supported legislation and executive orders cutting back our civil liberties, it is not too difficult to envision circumstances similar to those military actions taken by Hoover against American citizens also being taken by Bush.
Yes, these are scary times in America. These are times that call for the leadership, speaking abilities, and political skills of a Bill Clinton, but certainly not a George W. Bush. Through his intellectual shortcomings, poor vocabulary, and lack of empathy for the average American, Bush is one of the problems causing the scary times. His lack of interest on an intellectual level showed through his mediocre collegiate record and it continues to this day. It is obvious that he has no interest in being a hands-on problem-solver as president. His interests are in the power and the glory of the office he was fortunate enough to obtain.
The master politician, Bill Clinton, reminds one of the master escape artist, Harry Houdini, who abhorred the scam artists in his profession. With Houdini there were no gimmicks, no slight of hand. He set his standards far above those who duped the public. He was someone of astounding intellect who was a master showman with a knack for publicity. He interested audiences through self-confidence. Politically, President Clinton did the same. But, as with Houdini, with Clinton there was more than just the showmanship. Clinton had the self-confidence to let his compassion, kindness, and a genuine hunger for conquering whatever problems faced America shine through. Since Houdini had no use for those of his profession who survived through tricks and manipulation of their audiences, it is doubtful that he would have been enamored with George W. Bush.
So, America currently faces times of great crisis, especially economically, requiring the political skills and intellect of a Bill Clinton. We are stuck with George W. Bush, who more closely resembles Herbert Hoover and certainly lacks the magical intellectual abilities of Harry Houdini.
Houdini or Hoover? I'll take Houdini!
"I was told if I voted for Gore, the economy would be a mess. It's true. I voted for Gore and the economy is a mess."
-- Paul Begala, host of CNN's Crossfire
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(1) http://www.academycomputerservice.com/economics/charts.htm
(2) http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A35558-2002Jul20?language=printer
(3) http://www.msys.net/cress/ballots2/bonus.htm
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Rebecca Knight is a native Tennessean, who grew up in Nashville, and currently resides in a small town near Nashville. Ms. Knight's political awareness evolved through the civil rights movement, the Vietnam era, the Watergate era, and the cold war. The debacle of the 2000 election increased her sense of responsibility for political activism. You may contact Rebecca Knight via e-mail at tennessee_gal655@yahoo.com.
© 2002 by Rebecca Knight
