Posted on 08/14/2004 9:35:01 AM PDT by technomage
An interesting conversation was on Fox News this morning. Stuart Varney (sp) mentioned that for the two months after Hurricane Andrew hit Florida the National GDP actually dropped. Then, when recovery efforts really kicked in, the national economy benefited. Many feel this drop was one of the reasons Bush I lost the election.
The monetary costs of Charley will probably get close to, or exceed, the 27 billion dollar price tag of Andrew. This may cause the national economy to stall before the rebuilding efforts start in earnest and trickle into the economy. Might not be soon enough.
Stu neglected to mention Ross Perot.
If GDP drops and the republicans do a good job of explaining why, then hopefully the electorate is smart enough to figure it out. But who knows, probably a third of the voters mark their ballots based on what happened in their lives during the past 2 days before the election anyway.
The economy is larger now, and it is about to get an infusion from the troops coming home from Europe.
Americans will not blame the weather on GWB, only the demonrats will
Say what?
There is a lot of insurance money that will flowing. That happened after Hugo,and it will happen now.
you are 100% correct. perot got 19% of the vote
THAT elected bubba.
Hurricane Ross, you might say.
"Read my lips, no new taxes"
That's what cost Bush the election...broken promises on core Republican issues.
an interesting point, I must admit.
The Myopic are funny on both sides.... You think it'll lose it for Bush.... DU thinks Bush will now ~win~ Florida because of the hurricane.
NO
this is W's chance to drown the entire state with dollars dollars dollars ...
Although it makes no sconomic sense (the fallacy of the broken window), there is a perception among the public and the news media that such disasters are good for the economy because they "create employment" fthrough the need for massive reconstruction.
I remember reading years ago this very idea in Time Magazine, which wrote that the bright side of Hurricane Andrew was that it stimulated the economy by creating work for the construction trades, which then presumable filters through the economy.
As I say, the argument is economic nonsense, but nevertheless many see it that way.
If Bush loses because of the hurricane, it will be because Florida voters are upset at their misfortune and looking for someone to blame, not because of GDP.
I see this thing completely the opposite. The hurricane gives President Bush a wide open opportunity to show how well he can handle a crisis, again. He can go down there, toss out emergency funds freely, and assure the people they'll be taken care of. He works well in these scenarios. I really doubt the Democrats see this situation as a positive for them.
Why Bubba won:
1) Ross Perot (19% of vote)
2) Read My Lips
3) Slow reaction to Andrew
Yes, if the Demoists can convince the sheeple that terrorists caused it and homeland security failed to stop it ;-)
Kerry will say, he could have prevented the hurricane with. a "Stress HAARP." Jfk the "Majestic Man."
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