BUSH TO HEAR PEOPLE'S SIDE OF STOX WOES

New York Post ^ | 7/27/02 | DEBORAH ORIN

[kattracks]

July 27, 2002 -- WASHINGTON - In a new move to reassure jittery Americans, President Bush will host an Aug. 13 "economic forum" to hear about "the human side" of corporate fraud, the White House said yesterday.

It will be televised and feature everyone from small business owners to union members, ethicists, CEOs and economists - but not Democratic lawmakers who've been demanding an "economic summit" with Bush.

[Mike Darancette]

This is a good idea - Leaving the DemocRAT lawmakers out of it is an even better idea.

[11B3]

No - it's time to bring the 'Rats into the process! They need to be questioned UNDER OATH, publicly, about what they knew, and when they knew it. To include Rubin and both of the 'toons, not to mention McAuliffe and the rest of Sleaze Inc.

[Miss Marple]

Well, it would be a good thing if one of these regular folks asked about why no one has called Rubin in to answer questions.

[Mike Darancette]

No - it's time to bring the 'Rats into the process!

The time for that would be in Feb '03 when the GOP has retaken the Senate.

[11B3]

Should the GOP accomplish that, it's time for the unbiased investigation of the entire 'toon mafia. Especially The Ankle.

[demkicker]

Yep, it's a good idea. I'm sure the lame stream media will be loathe to cover it.

[section9]

The Democrats have wanted an "economic summit" for some time. It is their vehicle of choice for repealing tax relief. Bush knows the mistake his father made when he got his ass handed to him by George Mitchell.

Not this time!

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[joyful1]

This past week, ol' GW has been acting like a genius. His speech yesterday got scant attention, but he put Lieing Lieberman in his place.

GW is on a roll. Hope he pulls the GOP along for victory in November. The country need it.

[cgbg]

I know Freepers don't want to hear this, but Bush is adopting the "I feel your pain" technique of the Clintonoids.

Neither party feels your pain. They both caused your pain with legislation bought and paid for by corporate, banking, and underwriting lobbyists during the Clinton years.

The American investing public were fools, and fools and their money were quickly parted.

Sorry to deliver the bad news. :-(

[grania]

The American investing public were fools, and fools and their money were quickly parted.

I'll agree with that. Add to that, a big enough pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, somebody's gonna find a way to get it.

The hype and the promises have been pretty pervasive over the past decade...a lot of people read the literature put out by these investment outfits, and believed it. Maybe it's time for the schools to be teaching a heavy-duty economics course to all high school seniors.

Last year, I went to one of these brokerage outfits to open an account for a little recreational trading. And some twenty-something twerp was lecturing me to take my money out of CDs and trust them. He was kind of dumb, but really intimidating and insulting. I bet he did a number on a lot of people who trusted their mutual funds and investing because of all the hype.

[ImpBill]

I guess I just don't get it. What the heck does GW have to do with "Stox Woes"? This is a typical "Clintonian" bid to grab the "I feel your pain" political capital in an election year.

I don't blame GW for the crooks in the corporations that ripped off their stock holders and sent the market tumbling, nor do I expect the government to "fix it" other than enforcing the laws currently on the books and seeing to it that those CEO's spend some time in Leavenworth with some big dude named "Bubba" as their cellmate. But of course that won't happen.

More political theater. It is akin to making the current bunch of highschool dropouts at Airport Security government employees. It is all for show and quite transparent. And unfortunately many folks will just eat it up, and nothing will change.

[ImpBill]

posted my 12 before reading your 10. Great points.

[ImpBill]

P.S. Not all Freepers gush at GW's every move.

[Dales]

What the heck does GW have to do with "Stox Woes"?

Two things. If one listens to another, then that person in turn is more likely to listen back. By extension, if a person sees one listening to people like him, then that person is more likely to listen to the person who listened to his peers.

And since Bush's social security privitization plan is dependent upon the public having confidence enough in the markets to give him public backing on the issue, Bush has to do what he can to establish trust with the public on the issue of the stock markets.

Not to mention that the framers of the Constitution make the position of President a political position, and as such it is not surprising or out of design that the man holding the office would play politics at times.

[Dales]

make = made. Sorry for the typo.

[cgbg]

Bush has to do what he can to establish trust with the public on the issue of the stock markets

Let me be blunt. This is a stupid and losing strategy of the Bushies.

(1) They didn't create the problem.

(2) By failing to correctly identify who _did_ create the problem they are undermining their own credibility.

(3) Beating up on the rich is a Democratic strategy. The Democrats are better at it. Rather than luring the soccer moms such a strategy legitimizes class warfare and the Democrat's platform. The voters will remember who to call when they want their big government "fix".

(4) If the market continues to tank (and I believe it will) the administration will look foolish no matter what they say or do. I have already had a variety of people refer to George Herbert Hoover Bush. Hoover (lest we all forget) was a Republican "centrist" who through a variety of stupid government interventions dug a deep hole for the country. FDR then continued similar policies and turned the deep hole into a trench.

-----

So what should the administration do?

(1) Lower taxes--income taxes, capital gains taxes, etc.

(2) Use existing laws to indict and convict criminal activities.

(3) On the political front, educate the public on the horrible laws passed by Congress in the 90s, naming names (Republicans and Democrats).

(4) Tell the truth about the stock market. It is risky and people near retirement should not be taking such risks.

(5) Slam the Democratic demagogues. Pound them every day. Embarass them. Show their hypocrisy. Take off the gloves and fight like your re-election and the party's fate in November depends on it. Because--it does.

[RJCogburn]

Oooohhh. I read this and quickly felt a visceral reaction, not a favorable one, at this Clinton-like political posture. I blame Bush a bit for this, but mostly I blame the general population that sucks into this fraud and makes it effective.

[gcruse]

 
     The goal is "to have citizens come forward . . . to talk with the Cabinet secretaries, to talk
     with the president, about how they see the human side of policies in Washington,

     Bush for Pope.

[blueriver]

It will be televised and feature everyone from small business owners to union members, ethicists, CEOs and economists

Just exactly who is getting invited to this summit?