# Bad Day for Republicans **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 8, 2013, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-day-for-republicans/652436 "2013-03-08T22:22:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2013, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-day-for-republicans/652436/1 "2013-03-08T22:22:18Z")
The unemployment rate in the US is now at a [4 year low.](http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/mar/08/us-jobless-rate-jobs-february) There was a surge in hiring in February, which beat analysts expectations. The Dow Jones finished the week at [a record high.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/05/dow-jones-record-high_n_2813531.html?utm_hp_ref=business) The DJIA has now regained all of the ground lost during the recession, and then some. How will Republicans spin this good economic news? They can’t for a moment admit that things are getting better - this gets in the way of their desire to show that everything is going to hell in a handcart. It seems that that’s all they’ve got at the moment, so will they stick with the refrain? “Ignore what is actually going on, everything is terrible, terrible, terrible”. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2013, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-day-for-republicans/652436/2 "2013-03-08T22:23:41Z")
Probably hammer the debt/deficit even more. It, at least, is real, and has the visceral revulsion they’re hoping for. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2013, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-day-for-republicans/652436/3 "2013-03-08T22:37:34Z")
Of course everything is better! Its because of the tax cuts. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2013, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-day-for-republicans/652436/4 "2013-03-08T22:39:08Z")
Democrat lies, all of them. Don’t believe anything that Fox doesn’t tell you. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2013, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-day-for-republicans/652436/5 "2013-03-08T23:02:12Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > The unemployment rate in the US is now at a [4 year low.](http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/mar/08/us-jobless-rate-jobs-february) > There was a surge in hiring in February, which beat analysts expectations. > > The Dow Jones finished the week at [a record high.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/05/dow-jones-record-high_n_2813531.html?utm_hp_ref=business) > > The DJIA has now regained all of the ground lost during the recession, and then some. > > How will Republicans spin this good economic news? They can’t for a moment admit that things are getting better - this gets in the way of their desire to show that everything is going to hell in a handcart. It seems that that’s all they’ve got at the moment, so will they stick with the refrain? “Ignore what is actually going on, everything is terrible, terrible, terrible”. Huh? Republican here, why would any of this be bad for me and why would I want to spin it? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2013, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-day-for-republicans/652436/6 "2013-03-08T23:07:25Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > Huh? Republican here, why would any of this be bad for me and why would I want to spin it? I’m sure you are sensible, but take a listen to your elected (R) representatives and your (R) party spokespeople over the next few days. I am predicting not much joy from them. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2013, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-day-for-republicans/652436/7 "2013-03-08T23:09:46Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I’m sure you are sensible, but take a listen to your elected (R) representatives and your (R) party spokespeople over the next few days. I am predicting not much joy from them. Who is going to say what, specifically? ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2013, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-day-for-republicans/652436/8 "2013-03-08T23:09:46Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > The unemployment rate in the US is now at a [4 year low.](http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/mar/08/us-jobless-rate-jobs-february) > There was a surge in hiring in February, which beat analysts expectations. > > The Dow Jones finished the week at [a record high.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/05/dow-jones-record-high_n_2813531.html?utm_hp_ref=business) > > The DJIA has now regained all of the ground lost during the recession, and then some. > > How will Republicans spin this good economic news? They can’t for a moment admit that things are getting better - this gets in the way of their desire to show that everything is going to hell in a handcart. It seems that that’s all they’ve got at the moment, so will they stick with the refrain? “Ignore what is actually going on, everything is terrible, terrible, terrible”. Nah, my hypothesis “See - the markets want us to cut spending. The DJIA is soaring thanks to the sequester, and the reining in of uncontrolled government spending. Now we need to cut more.” ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2013, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-day-for-republicans/652436/9 "2013-03-08T23:14:37Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Probably hammer the debt/deficit even more. It, at least, is real, and has the visceral revulsion they’re hoping for. [Got it in one](http://www.speaker.gov/press-release/speaker-boehner-statement-february-2013-unemployment-report): [QUOTE=John Boehner] Any job creation is positive news, but the fact is unemployment in America is still way above the levels the Obama White House projected when the trillion-dollar stimulus spending bill was enacted, and the federal government’s ongoing spending binge has resulted in a debt that exceeds the size of our entire economy. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2013, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-day-for-republicans/652436/10 "2013-03-08T23:29:46Z")
And then you got John “Yelling at Clouds” McCain calling other Republicans “wackos”. Fun times. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2013, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-day-for-republicans/652436/11 "2013-03-08T23:30:35Z")
Well, he’s the highest ranking leader of the President’s opposition. Should he not oppose the President? I don’t know many Republicans that are saying “damn, we hate the stock and labor markets doing well.” That doesn’t erase our problems with President Obama nor should it. Something Democrats will never understand is the President doesn’t control the economy. The economy and by extension the stock and labor markets are going to hit new high water marks, have bad years of extreme loss, and all over again regardless of what party the President is affiliated with. This will continue til the end of our lives and beyond. ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2013, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-day-for-republicans/652436/12 "2013-03-08T23:39:36Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > . > > Something Democrats will never understand is the President doesn’t control the economy. The economy and by extension the stock and labor markets are going to hit new high water marks, have bad years of extreme loss, and all over again regardless of what party the President is affiliated with. This will continue til the end of our lives and beyond. Given the number of times that I heard that Mitt Romney would be better for the economy than Obama, I think this may be something that republicans may not understand either. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2013, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-day-for-republicans/652436/13 "2013-03-08T23:42:56Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > Huh? Republican here, why would any of this be bad for me and why would I want to spin it? You might not. But it’s pretty funny to see Fox News go from “the market hates Obama” and “this is not a recovery” to “it’s not all bad, the market is doing great!” without missing a beat. > [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > Well, he’s the highest ranking leader of the President’s opposition. Should he not oppose the President? Perhaps if he opposed the president for sensible reasons rather than its own sake, he’d have a little more credibility. And let’s please not confuse the stock market with the economy. That’s a bad idea no matter who the president is. The market has done very well for itself lately, but the economy is not nearly as good. It’ll get better faster if the government can stop having a fiscal crisis every four to six weeks. ---
**Author:** ![markdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2013, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-day-for-republicans/652436/14 "2013-03-08T23:52:39Z")
I never really understood that line of thinking. Even when we were embarking on our glorious nation-building wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, my opinion was basically “I think this is a huge mistake, but I hope I’m wrong and that this really does lead to long-term stability in the region.” I guess I’m not in the business of being elected above all else. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2013, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-day-for-republicans/652436/15 "2013-03-09T00:17:51Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > Huh? Republican here, why would any of this be bad for me and why would I want to spin it? Because Republicans, as a group, are fucking stupid. You may not be, but you almost certainly have no problem voting for idiots who have backwards and self-destructive policy positions. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2013, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-day-for-republicans/652436/16 "2013-03-09T00:28:59Z")
It’s really not a huge step between: “I hope the economy does not do well between now and the election season of summer 2016, because that will make our ® chances of winning the office of president that much easier.” And "How can we spin the news to make it look like the economy is actually doing poorly, when all the indicators are positive? To finally: “How can we deliberately screw up the economy and then pin the blame on the sitting president in order to improve our chances of regaining the Oval Office?” I think the R’s are hovering right now between option #2 and #3. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2013, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-day-for-republicans/652436/17 "2013-03-09T01:08:32Z")
This saddens me enormously. Once upon a time, both Republicans and Democrats wanted what’s best for the country, rather than what’s best for their party. They might have had different ways of trying to get there, but their focus was on the big picture. The country was founded on principles of compromise, rather than constant fighting over everything. … it’s not like economics was a precise science. They can BOTH be right (and both be wrong) at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2013, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-day-for-republicans/652436/18 "2013-03-09T01:51:43Z")
Fighting over everything is democracy, so long as the fighting is between equals. A civil fight is nice, but a fair fight is whats important. Beware the siren song of High Broderism, with its sweet seduction saying you don’t really have to choose. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2013, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-day-for-republicans/652436/19 "2013-03-09T02:11:03Z")
> [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](#): > > The country was founded on principles of compromise So… was that when we refused to compromise with the British about autonomy, when we refused to compromise with the Native Americans about land rights, refused to compromise with the British about the status of our sailors, or when we had to constitutionally delay any form of attempt at compromise over the slave trade until 1808? I’m being somewhat facetious, but being fractious and bull-headed and, occasionally, violent has always been part of being a politician in this country. Just be happy that slavery is finally out of our political system; [otherwise, Charles Sumner would have much to teach you about the spirit of grand, congenial compromise that prevailed on the floor of the Senate.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Sumner) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2013, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-day-for-republicans/652436/20 "2013-03-09T03:44:19Z")
The answer is easy: “See?! all those anti-abortion bills we introduced are working!”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-day-for-republicans/652436.md?page=2)