Americans believe in a recession

June 3, 2000 10:49 AM

Americans believe in a recession within the next four years.
    But of course. It's only natural after the most prolonged economic expansion in history. So don't go blaming the next administration when it finally happens.
    If Gore is president, then people will say: "12 years of democrats is enough!", but if Bush is in charge, then the complain will go "You see? republicans don't have a clue".
posted by tremendo (6 comments total)

Funny ain't it?

Despite the fact that we *all* know that it's state & local goverment that directly affects our lives & future...I guess we need someone to blame when it all falls apart.
posted by EricBrooksDotCom at 1:33 PM on June 3, 2000

"Funny ain't it?"

Actually, it's quite sad. And the worst part is that it's probably not even the people that are saying that crap, but rather the idiots in the media (whom the government controls in the first place).
posted by fusinski at 6:42 PM on June 3, 2000

The government controls the media?

Funny, I always thought it was the other way around... Or haven't you noticed that campaign finance reform keeps dying because -- oops! -- most campaign money is spent on media buys.

If a Congresscritter gives a press conference, and no one is there to cover it, does he make a sound? (or, when was the last time you saw Ron Paul or Bernie Sanders get major air time?)

OTOH... let's say the gummint does control the media. Since we the voters control the gummint, is this such a bad thing?

(And where are the stockholders in all this?)
posted by aurelian at 3:04 AM on June 4, 2000

The other, more topical observation I have is...

Sure, I can buy that Americans think there's a recession due within four years.

But... are there any tracking data to tell us if this is unusual? What I mean is, I'll bet that since the 1970's Americans have always thought a recession was due right around the corner...

posted by aurelian at 3:07 AM on June 4, 2000

A lot of americans thought that the Y2K bug was going to happen.

I have less confidence in statistics everyday.
posted by john at 9:47 AM on June 4, 2000

If Gore is president, then people will say: "12 years of democrats is enough!", but if Bush is in charge, then the complain will go "You see? republicans don't have a clue".

The sad thing is, either way they'd be right...

-Mars

posted by Mars Saxman at 5:13 PM on June 4, 2000