Posted on 04/16/2004 6:15:54 PM PDT by RWR8189
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Christine Iverson
202-863-8614
Washington, DC— Today the Republican National Committee released the Index De Le Miserables (IDM). The IDM is calculated based on four factors including proposed spending beyond current budget proposals; tax increases necessary to pay for spending increases; announced tax increases; and number of additional days Americans will have to work before they are working for themselves.
“What do the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus and John Kerry’s misery index have in common? Hint, it’s not their positive outlook.,” said RNC Communications Director Jim Dyke.
Index De Le Miserables
1. Proposed additional spending-- $1.9 trillion Senator Kerry promised 85 new programs on the campaign trail. Senator Kerry has since said he can’t pay for them all, but has not identified which promises he will not keep. The spending number is based on third party citations and does not include 44 other programs for which there is no cost estimate. http://www.gop.com/spendometer
IDM—10.23
2. Tax Increases (unaccounted for) -- $1.2 trillion Senator Kerry has promised to cut the deficit in half in four years. Giving him the benefit of the doubt that he intends to keep this promise he would have to raise taxes equivalent to his spending promises.
IDM—6.10
3. Tax Increases (accounted for) -- $658 billion Senator Kerry has promised to raise taxes on 741,001 businesses, 52,135 farms, 230,933 small businesses, 713,050 self employed. Of course the IDM for these folks is off the charts.
IDM—4.13
Total Kerry IDM—20.46
Question and Answers for the Index De Le Miserables
What is the origin of the IDM?
Kerry campaign made up a misery index so we did too.
How did you create the IDM?
Same way the Kerry campaign did.
Are you aware that since its inception over 20 years ago the ‘Misery Index’ has been defined as a combination of unemployment + inflation?
Yes.
Is it strictly coincidence that the Kerry IDM is the same as the 1980 Carter MI of 20.46?
Maybe.
Nice post, BUT the French is incorrect. The correct version:
Index Des Misérables
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