God bless good ole' Joe Biden. The vice president has opened his mouth and stated that the Obama administration "misread how bad the economy was." At the same time, the veep said that the administration stands by its stimulus package and believes that the plan will create more jobs. Biden made this statement on ABC television's This Week, claiming that the nation's 9.5% unemployment rate is "much too high."
Biden noted that the figures the group used in January were "the consensus figures and most of the blue chip indexes out there." Biden added, "We misread how bad the economy was, but we are now only about 120 days into the recovery package," he also claimed that more jobs will be created in coming months.
The vice president noted that it was too early to determine if the country would need a second stimulus package. He did say that many programs will take effect in September, including $7.5 billion for broadband internet service and new money for high-speed rail and the nation's electrical grid.
Basically, he wanted to remind us that September will bring about faster spam to all Americans, faster transportation to the unemployment office, and quicker response times when the electric company cuts off delinquent customers' power. Sorry, I try not to let my political views come into play on this financial blog, but I can't help myself. At times I wonder if Biden is the only person in the administration that we get straight talk from -- I mean I'm sure that the president's teleprompter wouldn't make the mistake of admitting a mistake. However, now that we know the original stimulus package was based on poor forecasts, what do we do?
Biden doesn't know if the country will or won't need another stimulus -- thanks to the poor data, this is not a fence-riding position. Basically, Biden is saying that the administration has no idea. However, I am a bit concerned by the fact that he points to September, then to 18 months out. The problem we face is right now; the economy is at a crucial crossroads and we could be slipping back to the lows we saw before this administration took over.
Again, though I am Republican, I don't care who gets this mess fixed, just get it fixed. Unemployment at multiyear highs, people with MBAs standing on the street corner with a sign begging for jobs, and economy that is clinging on to any shred of support -- this isn't the time to admit that you may have made a mistake. Just forget about the mistake and move to correct the situation.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
7-06-2009 @ 8:46AM
OMALLEY115 said...
YOU ARE SOOOOOOOOOOOOO RIGHT, JOE TELLS IT LIKE IT IS--WE CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON HIM TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT.........IN OTHER WORDS , WE'RE F***ED
7-06-2009 @ 9:36AM
rikstik71664 said...
Hussein Obama administration NOW will use the term misread in place of ~> it was the last 8 years that put us in this mess. ROFLMFAO!!! And who misread??? Sec of Treasury who didn't know how to use turbo tax?? LOL!!! Or was Hussein Obama not experienced enough to be president??? Still in first term as senator but QUALIFIED to be president? We will never know if he would have been a good senator?? He wasn't one long enought to get re-elected. ROFL!!!! GO HUSSEIN!!!
7-06-2009 @ 9:07AM
Mary said...
So if BO and Joe "misread" the economy when they took office, we can take from that that they can continue to blame republicans for a longer period of time. They are all about blaming Bush for the bad and taking their own credit for the good.
7-06-2009 @ 9:16AM
OxBaker50 said...
Why would anyone be surprised the economy is still struggling? It has been stated for many months, in fact, for the past couple of years, that unemployment would still be high. It was mentioned only a few months ago the rate would rise a bit during the summer months, especially for the construction and housing. The ship is not going to right itself in a manner of months, it will take some time. And yes, this problem started under the last regime. Now is no the time to worry about who created the mess, it's time to fix it, and it will take patience as the country tries to rebuild.
My worry is job creation. All of the jobs sent overseas created this fiasco, ok at least was/is a huge cause of the current economic crisis. All you have to do is look at your local fast food place, look at the age of the employees. This started at least 5-6 years ago. It used to be, fast food jobs were for teenagers, highschool students, now look at the employees. Retirees, men and women in the 30's, 40's and 50's. For all the jobs that have been lost, there hasn't been enough new job with the same pay scale. This is the problem that has trickled down and it keeps getting swept under the rug. There's suppose to be another 15-20 million jobs sent overseas within the next 5-10 years. That's going to create a bigger mess, unless we find another means of income, equal of those jobs being taken away.
7-06-2009 @ 9:19AM
Bob said...
Of coures the recession was missjudged. All anyone had to rely on was economists. And they all dissagree on everyrhing. If President Obama had relied on reading tea leaves, the accuracy of predictions may have improved.
7-06-2009 @ 9:25AM
catherine pierce said...
the people need to take the power back from Congress....join ENDTHEFED.us and join FairTax.org.
7-06-2009 @ 9:22AM
john said...
Biden is finally correct (even a blind squirrel finds an acorn now and then)... the left wing liberal loons misread their impact on the economy.... what a freakin's surprise! Since the left wing took control of the congress in 2007... the economy has LOST MORE THAN 34% OF ITS VALUE... and since the soros puppet was coronated in Grant Park... its lost 14%.... yep... lets all stand back and watch as the left wing and their gimme gimme gimme actions totally ruin the country!
7-06-2009 @ 9:25AM
godblshu said...
Joe Biden seems to speak things he should not say according to Washington political rules of play, however, it is refreshing to me for someone to tell the truth. Honestly, I think Joe just slips and tells the truth sometimes, and has such an inclination toward honesty that sometimes he says the truth before he thinks. It would be wonderful if all politicians had a case of this political disease.
7-06-2009 @ 9:29AM
David Vincent said...
OxBaker50 said...
You hit it right on the head...but....no body want to hear that after all we only live here "they" are up there in the glass palace and "know" what is best for all of us. LOL
Buy the way did all of you get your $20k salery increase this year - I am sure that that everyone in the congress did.
7-06-2009 @ 9:31AM
jfca440 said...
"Misread".....no shitte Joe. I understand when you are making milllions of $$$$$$, things like that can happen...what a jerk
7-06-2009 @ 4:14PM
michael said...
HELLO
7-06-2009 @ 9:46AM
jay said...
mr. biden is right......and that is saying alot for someone like me who is highly cynical of anything any polictician has to say.
the problem as I see it is are we the public going to allow the out of control spending to upsize the government or not?
a bigger government does not mean a healthy economy. what it means is higher taxes!
it is time for the government to stop thinking that it is the cure......it never has been or will be. Obama needs to cut his losses and focus on what needs being done rather than his pie in the sky health plan that will have us all paying 45% in taxes for what will amount to rationed healthcare.
Obama needs to focus on trade and putting us up at number one again rather than allowing china to be the world export leader. More trade means more jobs!!!
More money for government programs is a waste of time, money and effort. Maybe the best thing to do is to cut all social spending programs to zero and return the money to we the people. The economic stimulus that it will create will far out do anything the government can ever do......it is called free will and not control!
7-06-2009 @ 9:46AM
mck said...
What an absolute moron to say the least! Obama didn't misread the economy...he just spent ours, our children's and our great children's last dime all in 3 months! Now what's he going to do? Ask ding-dong Oprah to bail us out! She should since she endorsed is inexperienced, cocky butt!
7-06-2009 @ 9:48AM
freida thompson said...
washington said we are doing better--the economy was picking up-what happened to the shovel ready jobs? we must vote out this administration in 2010 and 2012. and pray to god its not to late. pray the senate does not pass this cap and trade bill--and this climate change is a scam and leave health care along.obama you need to step down and get out of town with the rest of the crooks.
7-07-2009 @ 11:23AM
LARRY said...
OBAMA AND HIS GANG OF THIEVES AND PERVERTS DID NOT HAVE A CLUE ABOUT THE ECONOMY TO START WITH AND NOW THEY ARE BLAMING BUSH AS USUAL--LETS FACE IT OBAMA WAS A MISREAD BY THE VOTERS UNLESS YOU ARE A PERVERT,ILLGAL, OR BELONG TO ACORN=========
7-06-2009 @ 9:52AM
Ben Ross said...
How is it possible Obama could misread anything since he is the all knowing saviour?
7-07-2009 @ 11:22AM
LARRY said...
BIDEN IS SOOOO DUMB OR STUPID WHICH EVER -I CAN SEE HOW HE WOULD SAY THE ECONOMY WAS A MIS READ
7-06-2009 @ 10:00AM
brian.raugh said...
Now we know what this administration will do when they are 100% wrong. They will let Biden "the idiot" speak and give excuses. I'm not willing to risk any more money on this administrations blunders. We spent BILLIONS and Obama wants to spend TRILLIONS more. When Obama took office, unemployment was at 7.2% and he guaranteed it wouldn't go over 8% if the stimulus passed. Unemployment is now 9.5% and he says it's certain to go above 10% They lye for personal and political gain and I'm sick of it. Fock this administration. CAP and TRADE may push this country into a depression and Universal Health Care will ruin us!!! Wake up America!!!
7-06-2009 @ 10:02AM
doc said...
joe biden just admitted that democrats are dumber than dirt, of course the economy was misread, democrats are the ultimate clueless fools. and nobama is the head moron.
7-06-2009 @ 10:16AM
joehdmngr said...
I WOULD NOT LISTEN TO A THING JOE BIDEN HAS TO SAY BECAUSE OBAMA AND FAMILY ARE IN RUSSIA TODAY AND IM SURE HE DOES NOT HAVE PERMISSION TO BE TALKING WHILE HE IS AWAY UNLESS HE HAS A PERMISSION NOTE THAT IS SIGNED PLEASE IGNORE EVERYTHING THANK YOU