This must be what a recession is like, NOT!
Total sales for the January through March 2008 period were up 2.9 percent (±0.3%) from the same period a year ago.
Golly how can things be SO bad that retail sales are only up 2.9%?
Well at my store retail sales are up 7% but we raised prices 7% too. So yes sales are up but the volume is flat.
I think that might be the case here. Everyone has risen prices since last year; so hopefully sales are up; if sales weren’t up then volume would be falling.
"All the perplexities, confusion and distress in America arise not from defects in their Constitution or Confederation, nor from want of honor or virtue, so much as downright ignorance of the nature of coin, credit and circulation.”
- John Adams
You’re still beating inflation Troy. It sounds like you have more money to spend.
The Debate is over! Global Whining has been confirmed.
When the leftie tell the “recession” lie, it’s obvious why they do it: they have to deny the vibrant overall health of the Bush economy, in order to justify their nosebleed tax increases they want to mandate for us.
It’s all about class warfare to buy votes.
Why, then, is McCain doing it?
"If the good men are silent only the wicked are heard.” - Edmund Burke
Why, then, is McCain doing it?
He hates America?
“If a conservative is still a republican after the last 13 years, he is blind to the fact that his party of choice has failed him utterly.” – Realitybasedbob
He hates America?
No, Master Baiter; he’s pandering for votes, just like a Dem. Sorry the logic was too convoluted for you to grasp. I really couldn’t dumb it down any lower.
"If the good men are silent only the wicked are heard.” - Edmund Burke
So he loves America?
“If a conservative is still a republican after the last 13 years, he is blind to the fact that his party of choice has failed him utterly.” – Realitybasedbob
When the leftie tell the “recession” lie, it’s obvious why they do it:
When the leftie....blah, blah, blah...communist....blah, blah, blah, hate America terrorist loving bastards, blah, blah, blah, THEY LIE, blah, blah, blah, conspiracy theory...blah, blah, blah.
You sound like a broken record stuck on stupid.
It is in fact a lie that we are “in” a recession. Pointing that out is appropriate.
The Debate is over! Global Whining has been confirmed.
You sound like a broken record stuck on stupid.
Just the facts, little dude! You lefties have been yammering “recession” for months now, and there is still economic growth. Either you’re too stupid to know what a recession is, or you’re lying for the purpose of creating economic bad news for political exploitation purposes; which is it?
"If the good men are silent only the wicked are heard.” - Edmund Burke
Unbelievable! None of you get it.
Even Larry Kudlow agrees we’re in a recession.
Sure retail sales may be up 3%, but that’s only because gasoline prices are up 25% in the past quarter.
We’re not buying more, we’re just spending more. And for a lot less
If you don’t think we’re in a recession now, just wait to you lose your job.
Sure retail sales may be up 3%, but that’s only because gasoline prices are up 25% in the past quarter.
So the money spent on gas just goes in a black hole or something?
You do know that the oil/gasoline industry employs a lot of people, right?
The war against illegal plunder has been fought since the beginning of the world. But how is… legal plunder to be identified? Quite simply. See if the law takes from some persons what belongs to them, and gives it to other persons to whom it does not belong. See if the law benefits one citizen at the expense of another by doing what the citizen himself cannot do without committing a crime. Then abolish this law without delay … If such a law is not abolished immediately it will spread, multiply and develop into a system.
Frédéric Bastiat, The Law
Rob’s recently listened-to songs:
I’d actually agree that we’re in an economic slow down, but the sensationalized belly-aching about it is more about liberals trying to find a campaign issue than anything else.
I mean, this is an election year and Democrats need something to campaign on.
The war against illegal plunder has been fought since the beginning of the world. But how is… legal plunder to be identified? Quite simply. See if the law takes from some persons what belongs to them, and gives it to other persons to whom it does not belong. See if the law benefits one citizen at the expense of another by doing what the citizen himself cannot do without committing a crime. Then abolish this law without delay … If such a law is not abolished immediately it will spread, multiply and develop into a system.
Frédéric Bastiat, The Law
Rob’s recently listened-to songs:
Yeah, you’re right Rob. I admit it. I was just playing the naysayer.
Things are really great. There’s hardly any inflation, interest rates are low, people are spending money right and left buying new cars, flat screen TV’s, computers, etc.
It’s the Goldilocks economy.
Fortunately none of those people need to eat or drive their cars. I know I don’t. I sell all my food to make bio fuels.
And I’ve a lot of weight as well. So I couldn’t be happier. 
Tim, I find your implication that people are denying themselves food because of the economy to be laughable.
Please come back when you’re ready to discuss the issue in a serious manner.
The war against illegal plunder has been fought since the beginning of the world. But how is… legal plunder to be identified? Quite simply. See if the law takes from some persons what belongs to them, and gives it to other persons to whom it does not belong. See if the law benefits one citizen at the expense of another by doing what the citizen himself cannot do without committing a crime. Then abolish this law without delay … If such a law is not abolished immediately it will spread, multiply and develop into a system.
Frédéric Bastiat, The Law
Rob’s recently listened-to songs:
Even Larry Kudlow agrees we’re in a recession.
It’s not a matter of consensus, leftie, it’s a matter of numbers. We haven’t had even one month of negative growth yet, so there is no “recession”. You lefties are lying, and I’m sure you are lying about Larry Kudlow, as well, but no matter. No amount of propaganda changes the truth. We are not in a recession.
"If the good men are silent only the wicked are heard.” - Edmund Burke
It’s interesting to watch the lefties try to spin this economic good news into bad news by quoting unrelated numbers. I don’t remember this type of analysis when Clinton was claiming “economic growth” from his excessive tax hikes. In fact, economic growth and inflation are not causally related. Most inflation is actually due to taxation and regulation distorting the supply/demand relationship, while economic growth is about the overall economic activity in the country.
Obviously, if you have runaway inflation(like in Zimbabwe, due to Marxism and racism), then any concept of economic growth is a joke, but our rate of inflation is so low as to be irreducible with the size of govt we have here.
"If the good men are silent only the wicked are heard.” - Edmund Burke
Well at my store retail sales are up 7% but we raised prices 7% too. So yes sales are up but the volume is flat.
How’s your profit margin?
"If the good men are silent only the wicked are heard.” - Edmund Burke
I find your implication that people are denying themselves food because of the economy to be laughable.
Rob, I was being fictitious (facetious).
That’s the problem with all you “righties”, you’ve got your head buried in the sand.
And I’ll bet you even believe all the numbers put out by the government.
I don’t have to look at government numbers to know the truth.
The truth is in plain sight, you just have to look past your nose to find it.
There’s hardly any inflation, interest rates are low, people are spending money right and left buying new cars, flat screen TV’s, computers, etc.
All true.
So why all the whining?
Tim doesn’t care what the facts are. Does it bother you that unemployment is lower than in 1996 when Clinton claimed we had the greatest economy ever?
Of course some sectors are doing poorly while others are doing ok. It’s the overall statistics that count when you decide whether or not you are in a recession.
Regarding Larry Kudlow, I believe he thinks we are headed toward a recession, but he can’t think we are in one because we are not.
By the way the job losses we’ve seen in the first quarter are quite modest compared to any true recession.
The Debate is over! Global Whining has been confirmed.
By the way the job losses we’ve seen in the first quarter are quite modest compared to any true recession.
Those “job losses” were incorrectly reported, as they were actually a decrease in the expected rate of increase. No actual jobs were lost.
"If the good men are silent only the wicked are heard.” - Edmund Burke
And I’ll bet you even believe all the numbers put out by the government.
Typical leftie propaganda technique; question the numbers, but only during a Republican administration.
Did you believe Clinton’s numbers?
"If the good men are silent only the wicked are heard.” - Edmund Burke
“If a conservative is still a republican after the last 13 years, he is blind to the fact that his party of choice has failed him utterly.” – Realitybasedbob
The economy is flying
Woof, nobody said things are rosy, what we are saying is that they are no where near as bad as the left is making them out to be.
The Debate is over! Global Whining has been confirmed.
The economy is flying
More leftie lying; the economy is growing more slowly than we would like. We are not in a recession.
"If the good men are silent only the wicked are heard.” - Edmund Burke
Linens n’ Things is losing market share to Bed Bath and Beyond; that’s the way the market works, Master Baiter. If you knew anything about economics, you would know that.
Despite your manure shoveling, the economy is growing.
Both gasoline prices and food prices are inflated by govt ethanol mandates/subsidies. It’s the govt, stupid!
"If the good men are silent only the wicked are heard.” - Edmund Burke
Sure retail sales may be up 3%, but that’s only because gasoline prices are up 25% in the past quarter.
Dumb ass comment of the day.
If people weren’t spending that extra 3% on gasoline, most likely they’d be spending it on other products. But the point is a) they spent it and b) they had it to spend.
r-Gumby:
...I’m sure you are lying about Larry Kudlow, as well, but no matter.
Larry Kudlow:
Kudlow: Recession written all over it. 3:40
Kudlow: Consistant with mild [recession] 10:30
“If a conservative is still a republican after the last 13 years, he is blind to the fact that his party of choice has failed him utterly.” – Realitybasedbob
Typical Master Baiter cherry-picking to support a lie.
We are not in a recession. A lie is a lie, no matter who tells it. Your weak-minded leftie “appeal to authority” is pathetic, as usual.
Note: We are not in a recession.
"If the good men are silent only the wicked are heard.” - Edmund Burke
r-Gumby you can not point to one comment where I have said we were.
Kudlow on the other hand…
“If a conservative is still a republican after the last 13 years, he is blind to the fact that his party of choice has failed him utterly.” – Realitybasedbob
And the cherry picking meme….hilarious…
You call out Tim for lying about Kudlow - I provide actual footage of Kudlow saying recession and you call it a cherry pick!!!
Oh r-Gumby you are in rare form today, my friend, rare form indeed.
“If a conservative is still a republican after the last 13 years, he is blind to the fact that his party of choice has failed him utterly.” – Realitybasedbob
On one level, it’s a stupid thing to say, since the definition of a recession is two or more successive quarters with a net negative real growth rate.
However, since George HW Bush said we weren’t in a recession and was villainized by the press for it, when economic times get tough, most politicians are loth to say anything other than “we are in a recession”, referring to tough economic times, rather than precise economic definition of it.
In Larry Kudlow’s case, I think there is less excuse for it because he has the opportunity to explain the distinction between slow down and negative growth.
2007: A bunch of parsley .49c.
2008: The size of the parsley bunch is almost half of what is was. Price of said bunch .89c.
Recession? Who knows. IMO it depends on ones political persuation.
You call out Tim for lying about Kudlow - I provide actual footage of Kudlow saying recession and you call it a cherry pick!!!
Oh r-Gumby you are in rare form today, my friend, rare form indeed.
Hahaha. Fantastic work. Keep it up.
The right-wing meme that Lefty’s can’t handle the facts is as what I commonly refer to as.....projection.
Who eats parsley? Regarding the price of groceries we actually do eat, if there is a problem it’s to be blamed on the government acting.
They’ve diverted product from food to energy which makes no sense. They are also restricting supply by paying farmers to leave farmland idle.
Another factor is increased worldwide affluence which on balance is a good thing. I think if government were to stay out of it production would soon increase and the market would work it out.
Prices are also up because the costs of growing the crops is higher, with the main imput being oil. So we were going to get some price increases. However the government, mostly lefties, are restricting supply as well.
Finally the COLD weather really put a dent in some countries crops last year. Let’s ruin our economy over “global warming”.
The Debate is over! Global Whining has been confirmed.
IMO it depends on ones political persuation.
Wrong again; the word “recession” has a definition, and we are not in a recession. I know lefties don’t follow the facts when their partisan beliefs are threatened by them, but that’s not my problem.
"If the good men are silent only the wicked are heard.” - Edmund Burke
Ellinas:
Recession? Who knows. IMO it depends on ones political persuation.
Only if you’re trying to argue that liberals don’t have a good grasp on the English language. Because otherwise, political persuasion should have nothing to do with it.
They’ve diverted product from food to energy which makes no sense. They are also restricting supply by paying farmers to leave farmland idle.
Only for corn, which I understand is about 10-15% of the total utilization of that crop (that’s for the US only, I think world wide it amounts to only a few percent). That’s important but probably less so than the world-wide increased demand for corn as a feed for cattle.
Anyway, I occasionally nibble on parsley after a meal. Nature’s breath mint. lol. 89 cents per bunch… didn’t cold weather play a role in that too?
Why is colder so much better?
Little dude, you and Master Baiter are like a couple of pesty puppies trying to get attention from the guy who feeds them. Pathetic.
We are not in a recession. Fact.
"If the good men are silent only the wicked are heard.” - Edmund Burke
What Kudlow actually said:
[...]
By Larry Kudlow
Recessions are part of capitalism. They happen every so often. We’ve had two in the last super-prosperous 25 years. And it looks like we’re entering a third one after Friday’s jobs-loss report.
The unemployment rate went up to 5.1 percent, which is still a low number in historical terms. But the March labor report showed a loss of 80,000 payroll jobs, while payrolls in the prior two months were downwardly revised by 67,000. Non-farm payrolls have fallen for three straight months after peaking last December. Private-sector jobs have dropped four consecutive months
This is a big warning sign. Within the private-sector report, professional and business services payrolls — one of the biggest gainers over the past 15 years — dropped 35,000, the third straight monthly decline following a December peak. Meanwhile, the household survey that picks up entrepreneurial small-business totals is now down 678,000 jobs since a peak in November.
The recessionary handwriting looks to be on the wall. Other recession indicators used by the National Bureau of Economic Research, such as disposable income and overall business and retail sales, are now several months below their peaks of last fall.
Lest we get too gloomy, there were some positive spots in the employment report. For example, the median duration of unemployment actually fell to a fifteen-month low of 8.1 weeks in March, the lowest level since December 2006. This indicates that about half of the unemployed are finding jobs in about two months. (Hat tip to Prof. Mark Perry of the Carpe Diem blogsite.) Additionally, aggregate hours worked in March actually rose, as did the private and manufacturing work weeks.
So while there is an economic correction at work, it could prove relatively mild. Let’s remember, the U.S. has experienced ten recessions since 1947, averaging ten months in length. But in the more recent high-tech quarter century, in which tax rates and inflation have been historically low, the two recessions of 1990-91 and 2000-01 lasted only eight months.
If the current slump began in November, it could be over by late summer.
And let’s also remember that recessions are therapeutic. They’re even necessary to create the foundations for the next recovery. Economic excesses always occur in free-market capitalist economies, and from time to time they must be cleansed. Just think about the excessive risk-speculation, leverage, and housing prices of the current episode. If anything, recessions make for clean starts.
And think of this: Despite housing woes, credit problems, and the sub-prime virus, banks are still lending to businesses. In other words, we don’t have a genuine, across-the-board credit crunch. This is very good news, and more evidence that an economic contraction will not be drawn out.
[...]
Profits are the mother’s milk of stocks, businesses, and the economy. And because profits have fallen, some businesses are contracting and laying off workers in order to bring costs back in line with revenues.
If Washington really wants to help the business sector recover, nothing would be better than an across-the-board cut in corporate tax rates. This competitiveness-enhancing action would lower tax costs, boost jobs, and lift worker wages. The growth incentive would reignite the economy. A permanent corporate tax cut would be far better than a temporary consumer rebate.
The other worrisome issue is inflation. The March jobs report showed a continued easing of hourly wage growth. After a 4.3 percent peak in late 2006, average hourly earnings for non-management workers has slowed to 3.6 percent for the twelve months ending in March. Consequently, headline consumer inflation of 4 percent continues to erode average wages. While most all market observers are focused on the sub-prime credit crisis, it’s the pick-up of inflation in recent months that has dampened consumer-spending power and corporate profits.
As lawmakers in Congress contemplate a massive FHA housing bailout package, they would be better advised to look more carefully at the recession-ending benefits of lower business tax rates and a stronger greenback.
In fact, liberal economists should look at a new Rasmussen poll in which 48 percent of voters say the best thing government can do is get out of the way by reducing taxes and regulations. Only 36 percent disagree. What’s more, 59 percent of voters believe it’s more important to create economic growth than to reduce the income gap between rich and poor. Finally, 49 percent say the best government policy is to reduce spending.
Keynesian-style politicians please take notice.
Nowhere does he say we are actually in a recession. You lied by cherry-picking, Master Baiter, and now you’re busted, once again.
"If the good men are silent only the wicked are heard.” - Edmund Burke
Little dude, you and Master Baiter are like a couple of pesty puppies trying to get attention from the guy who feeds them. Pathetic.
Oh Robert, look at you lash out. Did I hurt your feelings?
I’m sorry, I thought this was a blog, where you notice when another person makes a good point.
Sorry if I take satisfaction in watching you spin like top in order to avoid facts that were presented to you.
Did I hurt your feelings?
No; you annoy me with your stupidity. What part of “pesty puppy” didn’t you understand?
"If the good men are silent only the wicked are heard.” - Edmund Burke
Little dude: Master Baiter didn’t “make a good point”. I posted Kudlow’s actual column, and MB lied, as usual.
We are not in a recession.
"If the good men are silent only the wicked are heard.” - Edmund Burke
What part of “pesty puppy” didn’t you understand?
I didn’t understand the pesty puppy part. Are puppies pesty? I think puppies are adorable and funny.
You must be a really bitter dude to be annoyed with puppies. Sorry to hear that dude. You need a vacation.
You are the puppy that won’t shut u[ when people are trying to sleep. In other words a noisy pest with nothing important to say.
Every point raised against this post has been disembowled, and staked out to dry in the sun. And those on the left don’t even see it.
You need a vacation.
You, on the other hand, seem to be on a permanent vacation from any sort of recognizable reality.
"If the good men are silent only the wicked are heard.” - Edmund Burke
You are the puppy that won’t shut u[ when people are trying to sleep.
No, I am pretty sure I am the cute, adorable puppy. Thats what the lady folk say anyway.
In other words a noisy pest with nothing important to say.
Awww, now youre being mean too. Is this that highbrow right-wing, non hate that people keep telling me about that don’t exist on conservative blogs?
From listening to you yaps, it seems that it was only the “leftie” blogs. Thanks for proving that not to be the case. I knew you could do it.
You, on the other hand, seem to be on a permanent vacation from any sort of recognizable reality.
And that would be your problem my friend. There are realities out there that you fail to recognize, where as I recognize them all.
r-Gumby, you queer little liar you. What you posted was not a transcript of the link I posted. You hate filled lying liar rightie fool. You cherry picking liar. You liar. You filthy rotten liar. You pond scum liar. You common bush swallowing liar.
Trying to say that what I posted was a lie.
Shame on you, you queer little liar hate filled fraud.
Kudlow said “it [new report] has recession written all over it”.
And just to pop your persnickety balloon before you get to blow it up…he did not say we are in a recession…he said it has recession written all over it.
But don’t take my word for it, let’s roll the tape shall we…
OH! What’s this? Kudlow:(around 3:40) “It has recession written all over it”.
r-Gumby- OOOHHHH a swing and a miss…ya gotta love this kids’ spunk
You crack me up though.
But most nutters do so don’t try to use that as a badge of honor, you liar.
“If a conservative is still a republican after the last 13 years, he is blind to the fact that his party of choice has failed him utterly.” – Realitybasedbob
I posted his column, Master Baiter, and it doesn’t say that we are in a recession, which is what I said and you denied.
You are trying to sell the lie that we are in a recession, and you have used cherry-picked comments from Larry Kudlow(as if that makes it true) to justify your lie.
I busted you with the truth, as I always do, and now you’re screaming and crying in pain, spewing your usual ignorant leftie hate toward anyone who busts you with the truth.
Nice try, puppyboy.
We are not in a recession.
"If the good men are silent only the wicked are heard.” - Edmund Burke
More hate filled rightie lies.
The argument, oh majestic liar, was whether Kudlow said it. He did. You lied. But that’s not unusual. It’s kinda cute, in a disgusting liar kinda way.
Please cut and paste here, where I said we are in a recession.
Come on r-Gumby…show me the money…you hate filled 17,144 comments bush swallowing America hating persnickety neo-con trash bag.
“If a conservative is still a republican after the last 13 years, he is blind to the fact that his party of choice has failed him utterly.” – Realitybasedbob
...was whether Kudlow said it. He did.
He didn’t say it; you lied when you said he did. That’s how you always lie; you attempt to cherry-pick and quote others out of context, then you hide behind the words of others when you get refuted.
We are not in a recession.
Nice to see your hate-filled head exploding, as usual.
"If the good men are silent only the wicked are heard.” - Edmund Burke
Robert, you are like a pesty little meadowlark.
That’s how you always lie; you attempt to cherry-pick and quote others out of context,
Funny that. That’s how I thought Rob lied?
OH! What’s this? Kudlow:(around 3:40) “It has recession written all over it”.
“If a conservative is still a republican after the last 13 years, he is blind to the fact that his party of choice has failed him utterly.” – Realitybasedbob
“It has recession written all over it”
No matter how much you lie by hiding behind the words of others, we’re not in a recession. Kudlow said lots of things, the majority of them hopeful, but you cherry-pick on statement, magnify it into something it isn’t, then try to pretend you know something.
We’re not in a recession, not matter what lies you spew through the words of others.
"If the good men are silent only the wicked are heard.” - Edmund Burke
That should be: “...you cherry-pick one statement...”
"If the good men are silent only the wicked are heard.” - Edmund Burke
Gentlemen:I would invite the scrutiny of all of the posts above. The trend you will notice, is that the most invective, insults, nonsense and tripe come from just two trolls : One who falsely claims to be in touch with reality, the other falsely claims to have been in agreement with a conservative talk show host.
Please don’t feed the peevish, whiny, little bitch trolls.
Those who think the party or the country, will be “taught a lesson” by handing the levers of power over to the liberals will learn a lesson, but it will be at the expense of our country and her liberties. And there are no guarantees that the party or the country will come out stronger, more conservative or better positioned to win elections against the incumbent liberals.
r-Gumby:
...and I’m sure you are lying about Larry Kudlow, as well, ...
Larry Kudlow:
“It has recession written all over it”
“If a conservative is still a republican after the last 13 years, he is blind to the fact that his party of choice has failed him utterly.” – Realitybasedbob
So what? We’re not in a recession, no matter how much you try to sell that by cherry-picking the words of others. Speak in your own words, if you can.
Larry Kudlow isn’t on this blog, is he? If he were, I would ask him what he meant. You’re not an accurate source.
"If the good men are silent only the wicked are heard.” - Edmund Burke
Proof: I guess I feel sorry for the needy little puppies, who can’t stop whining and begging for attention. I guess some “tough love” is in order.
"If the good men are silent only the wicked are heard.” - Edmund Burke
From r-Gumby, a man with 17,158 comments:
...I guess I feel sorry for the needy little puppies, who can’t stop whining and begging for attention…
“If a conservative is still a republican after the last 13 years, he is blind to the fact that his party of choice has failed him utterly.” – Realitybasedbob
From r-Gumby, a man with 17,158 comments:
...I guess I feel sorry for the needy little puppies, who can’t stop whining and begging for attention…
“If a conservative is still a republican after the last 13 years, he is blind to the fact that his party of choice has failed him utterly.” – Realitybasedbob
Why are the internets so slow these days?
Will the highways on the internet become more few?
“If a conservative is still a republican after the last 13 years, he is blind to the fact that his party of choice has failed him utterly.” – Realitybasedbob
I wonder if either of the trolls can even define what a recession is without looking it up. Or do they just listen to the Democrat talking points and used that for their reality?
The only reason a knowledgeable commentator like Larry Kudlow would state that the economy “has recession written all over it” is that the MSM has been trying to write that lie all over the economy since last September; nonetheless, they haven’t succeeded in selling their lie. We are not in a recession.
"If the good men are silent only the wicked are heard.” - Edmund Burke
