Phil Gramm Has You Dead to Rights, So Quit Whining and Get to Work

North Star Writers Group ^ | July 14, 2008 | Dan Calabrese

[Dukes Travels]

It says a lot about the current state of affairs in America – and nothing good – that people get offended and outraged when someone tries to tell us things are really not so bad.

Former U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm of Texas has apparently lived too long and done too much to care. We need more people like this. It would be fantastic if the presidential candidate Gramm is advising – John McCain – would think and talk like this. (He isn’t. Oh well.)

In an interview last week with the Washington Times, Gramm said what needs to be said about the economy, and perhaps more importantly, about the state of mind of the American people. Labeling the supposedly horrid economy a “mental recession,” Gramm placed responsibility squarely on the backs of those whose mush-filled minds simply believe whatever they hear about the economy. As the Times reports:

[DaGman]

Fannie Mae and Freddie are bankrupt, IndyMac collapses, today WaMu is down 25%, many bank collapses in the future, gas pushing $5/gallon, highest energy cooling bills in history, this winter will bring the highest heating oil costs in history, groceries up 25%, ...

But it’s all mental and we’re the “mushminded”. Ok... Yeah, that will win the election in November. Real good stuff here...

[1rudeboy]

Can you believe it? I suppose being a supply-side, Reagan conservative isn’t enough for some of us anymore. Where’s my blanky?

[Fred]

"Ministers are to build eight new nuclear power stations across England, the Daily Telegraph can disclose. Sizewell Nuclear Plant The locations of the new nuclear reactors are expected to include Sizewell [pictured], Hartlepool, Heysham and Dungeness The new nuclear plants will mainly be based alongside existing facilities and are expected to be constructed over the next decade. New planning laws will be used to fast-track approval for the nuclear plants which Gordon Brown believes are crucial in reducing Britain's dependency on fossil fuels...."

Eight new nuclear power stations planned for England

Even the squishes Brown and Blair are showing more leadership than an pol in the USA...

[1rudeboy]

Michael Barone observed that the majority of the voting-age population in this country has never lived through a real recession, and it's a large reason why the whining is so fierce.

"I'll be cold this winter but Phil Gramm won't be." Wah.

[dfwgator]

We have rotten leadership.

We're Americans, we don't need leaders, we lead ourselves.

[gracesdad]

“Life is hard for those of us not smart enough to buy candles.”

I’ve found candles to be a very poor heat source.

[ChocChipCookie]

We are avid Disney fans and I’d been hearing that Disney World, in particular, has been having record crowds. However, we were at California Adventure yesterday, and for a Sunday in mid-July, it was surprising how low the crowds were. I guess at some point, even Disney has/will experience the pinch.

[Mr. Jeeves]

That's 50-state-loss talk for a political party who looked the other way while non-government looters took over Wall Street and called it a "free market" because the government looters weren't involved (for once).

Fortunately, McCain isn't stupid enough to repeat these sentiments in public.

[calcowgirl]

McCain Campaign Pulls Plug on Gramm

(Snip)

On Friday McCain's domestic policy adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin told Darren Gersh, a PBS "Nightly Business Report" correspondent, that Gramm is no longer giving advice to McCain or his aides on the economy. "I haven't spoken to Senator Gramm since the comments took place, and I'm not expecting to," Holtz-Eakin said.

Today [Sunday], McCain economics adviser Carly Fiorina chimed in on NBC's "Meet the Press": "I think John McCain has been real clear that Phil Gramm wasn't speaking for him and in fact John McCain has said now for many months that he believes the economy is in a recession. ... I don't think Senator Gramm will any longer be speaking for John McCain. I think John McCain was crystal clear about that this week."

[ChocChipCookie]

Just put on a cardigan, a la Jimmy Carter. /sarc

[KevinDavis]

Well the last time I checked there is nothing in the Constitution about having cheap gas, affordable housing, or a good paying job.. Phil is right we have become a nation of whiners..

[dfwgator]

Guess Obama doesn’t have the monopoly on throwing people under the bus.

[VOA]

bump for Senator Gramm!

I always love his comment about gun ownership:
“Ah have more guns than Ah need...
and fewer guns that Ah want!”

[autumnraine]

Hey, you’re not in a soup line, things are grand! Stop complaining.

[1rudeboy]

It’ll make all the difference in your snow cave. Check it out.

[DaGman]

"Hey, you’re not in a soup line, things are grand! Stop complaining."

I'm on my knees giving thanks while I type this!

[1rudeboy]

I'm trying to find this Washington Times interview now. I don't think it's very likely that Gramm neglected to discuss energy prices . . . and it's funny that people are simply assuming he didn't.

[ejonesie22]

Sad ain’t it...

[ejonesie22]

Sad ain’t it...

[Sprite518]

Bingo... The fake conservatives on here do not know what in the hell they are talking about. I Senator Dip $hit Gramm is a big part the Mortgage meltdown. Case in point
the repeal of the GSA and the establishment of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/03/071603.asp?Page=1