For Working Families, It’s Still the Economy, Stupid

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2006/09/27/for-working-families-it%e2%80%99s-still-the-economy-stupid/

For Working Families, It’s Still the Economy, Stupid

by Tula Connell, Sep 27, 2006

On the same day home sales were reported to have plummeted by nearly 2 percent from a year ago—the first such annual drop in 11 years—President Bush was touting the economy again. On his way to a glitzy fund-raiser Monday for Sen. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio), he held a brief press opportunity (thereby justifying the trip as official taxpayer-funded business) to crow about the “strong” economy.

But as AFL-CIO President John Sweeney noted:

If the president had bothered to listen to the working people of Ohio, he would know that the economy there and in many areas of the country is failing working families. Does the president really expect the 195,000 Ohioans who’ve lost good manufacturing jobs on his watch to believe their economy is strong?

Susan Carol Orlos is among those Ohio working families. For years, Orlos raised her son on her own as she struggled to make ends meet. Today, she owns a small home-renovation business.

Orlos says, “Most people are living in a bad way, working one, two, three jobs,” including a friend of hers who, despite her Ph.D from an elite university, must work three jobs to keep up with the cost of living.

In fact, a poll sponsored by the Center for American Progress finds the public is “more worried about falling into debt, particularly from medical bills, than about being the victim of a terrorist attack or natural disaster.”

Over the weekend, a lot of comparisons emerged between the Bush and Clinton administrations in handling the hunt for Osama bin Laden. Bondad on Daily Kos points out another really big difference: the way the two administrations managed the economy.

More at link:


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[Awsi Dooger]

1. Bush polls lower on the economy than on Iraq

In fact, much lower in some states. I saw a Florida poll released today with Bush's approval rating 44% on Iraq and 34% regarding the economy.

We'll continue to ignore that and not stress the economy at all, because it makes us feel more like pitbulls if we attack on Iraq. Plus you can merely spit out one word and the accompanying easy reference points. Focusing on the economy takes significantly more effort and creativity so we'll dodge it, then wonder why our gains aren't what we expect in November.

I would play those clips of Bush touting the economy as strong and great. I guarantee they would have significant impact on the voters we are trying to reach and who are vital to our chances. The rich would look at those clips and say, yeah he's right, while the swing voters would view him as out of touch like his father in '92. It's incredible to me he handed us those quotes and we ignore them.