An Economic Recovery

Progressive-Democratic Party Presidential candidate and ex-President Barack Obama mentee Joe Biden had this to say about our economic progress over the last couple of years.

I know President Trump likes to take credit for the economy and the economic growth and the low unemployment numbers.  But…President Trump inherited an economy from [the] Obama-Biden administration—that was given to him….

The Obama-Biden “recovery” from the Panic of 2008 was the slowest on the post-WWII era record, though, and it was years behind schedule on the Obama-Biden promises of unemployment recovery and actual jobs creation recovery, and their “recovery” never did fulfill their promise of GDP recovery.  On that latter bit, Obama and Biden even asserted (proudly?  Certainly loudly) that under 2% GDP growth was the norm, and Biden’s hero even ridiculed the idea that better trade deals (and so better economics) could be done—”Well, what, how exactly are you going to negotiate that? What magic wand do you have?”

Robert Southey anticipated Biden, I think.

“Now tell us what ’twas all about,”
Young Peterkin, he cries;
And little Wilhelmine looks up
With wonder-waiting eyes;
“Now tell us all about the Panic,
And what the upset all was for.”

“They say it was a shocking sight
After the Panic had run;
For many thousand bailouts here

Lay rotting in the sun;
But things like that, you know, must be
After a famous victory.

“And everybody praised the Veep
Who this recov’ry did win.”
“But what good came of it at last?”
Quoth little Peterkin.
“Why, that I cannot tell,” said he;
“But ’twas a famous victory.”

 

An Inapt Analogy

With friends like this….

I’m a firm believer in tightly secured borders with legal entry points established at one-mile intervals along it and the elimination of visa quotas for those who want to come here legally, whether with a goal of gaining citizenship or just for long-term residency and work—so long as they pass tight vetting procedures.

A Letter to the Editor writer in Monday’s Wall Street Journal tried to make the same point, but his point was, and is, counterproductive.

In saying that demanding specialized skills as the criterion for entry might work for the short-term but was long-term short-sighted compared to a come one, come all (presumably subject to vetting) criterion, the letter writer offered this:

Our nation historically has been more like the Milwaukee Brewers than the New York Yankees.

Well, no.

The Brewers are perennial losers, having never won a World Series and whose last pennant win was in 1982.  That’s not the United States I know.  The Yankees, on the other hand, have 27 World Series titles and 40 pennants.  That, though, isn’t the United States I know, either; although, it’s closer to the mark.

The US benefits from taking on all comers who want to become Americans (not many all-comers stay with either the Brewers or the Yankees), and we also gain from taking on those who have specialized skills that directly and quickly benefit us, whether they want to become Americans or want to be here as long-term residents.