White House pumping fake news and fake solutions
Who is JC Wilcox and why is his research so wrong?
Of course, that’s a rhetorical question, since the US and many other Western “democracies” seem to have become so polarised that no one really cares what the truth is, giving rise to “infotainment” disguised as news on both the conservative right (Fox News, aka Fox Noise) and the liberal left (MSNBC).
JC seems to be fully accepting of the Trump camp’s propaganda, which by most accounts has been about as reliable as its previous “Birther” movement.
The important thing to remember is that all US presidents increase the national debt: Reagan increased it by 300 per cent, George W Bush by 200 per cent, and Obama by 72 per cent. Of course, the law of large numbers makes Obama’s artwork look worse in comparison, but then he inherited an economy on the verge of another Great Depression.
But we’re still here and doing business, better than before. The recovery under Obama wasn’t perfect, but it was better than alternatives such as Europe’s austerity programmes, which extended the economic pain for years. And it was economically sound, unlike many of Trump’s ideas, notably import duties that emulate the border taxes of 1929. Cars and trucks are built in both Canada and Mexico, but it seems Trump only wants to focus on imports from Mexico. If he wants to reduce the tide of Mexicans coming to the US, make sure Mexico has good jobs as well. Knowledge of history and economics would be helpful here.
So much for the fake “news” that Obama “weakened the US economically, militarily and socially”.
Fortunately we have survived the first 30 days under Trump. Unfortunately the citizens of America, my country, have chosen poorly, once again. Life imitates art – Bush then Trump: dumb and dumber. I read that the Pope recently prayed for God to give Trump enlightenment. I’m not sure any god’s miracle can extend so far. But, as Obama taught us, there is always hope.
RB Ayres
