We are not in a recession! In an era of bad to terrifying news, this is a welcome change. You haven’t heard? That’s probably because the media was only prepared for their dramatic disaster story.
But more importantly: Whatever will the Republican Party do now that the economy isn’t cratering?
Upon the news that the U.S. created 263,000 jobs last month and has a 3.5% unemployment rate, Professor and Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institute Justin Wolfers analyzed the September numbers as very good news, “This is an economy that’s still growing nicely. All that recession talk was empty.”
Payrolls rose a robust +263k in September, a touch above expectations.
Unemployment down a tick to 3.5%, equal to the lowest level in fifty years. Revisions also positive.
This is an economy that’s still growing nicely. All that recession talk was empty.
— Justin Wolfers (@JustinWolfers) October 7, 2022
All is not well economically – Americans are scared as interest rates rise and the stock market helps itself to their retirement investments. But the Democratic Titanic the Republicans had been salivating over and the media had been preparing for has been shelved.
Oh, the disappointment they must feel this morning.
Beltway reporters who were about to hit send on those pre-written recession fear narratives 🙃 https://t.co/1xkqRUiFyw pic.twitter.com/8Mr3kxFebA
— Chuck Todd’s shamble bangs (@Drea_got_rage) October 7, 2022
There is nothing Republicans love more than the United States being destroyed if a Democrat is in the White House, and nobody loves to help them spread their empty hysteria and dishonest theater of criticism more than our corporate media.
Republican criticism is disingenuous because they do not offer solutions.
They rarely have actual policy solutions to address the problems they attach to Democrats – sometimes because the problems aren’t actually under the purview of the Democrat or Republicans, but even when they are, Republicans squeal incessantly on cable TV pointing their fingers at Democrats and then when they get into office, they do nothing to address those issues. They don’t even offer solutions while screeching about the problem and oddly, they are rarely asked to provide any.
When Republicans are in power, they focus on grabbing more power, helping the oligarchs and their corporations who donate to the Republican Party, and going after political critics and opponents with the levers of government. Oh, and trying to take away Social Security, Medicare, and affordable healthcare while overturning basic human rights.
Currently, Republicans are taking lessons from autocracy expert Viktor Orban on how to attack democracy from within. (Hint: It involves using the courts and media to weaken democracy. Just like what is happening here.)
Hungary can no longer be called a full democracy under Orban’s leadership: “The EU parliament voted to approve the report on Thursday, which accused Prime Minister Viktor Orban of creating an ‘electoral autocracy’.”
Democrats were expected to be absolutely destroyed by Republicans because it’s the midterms and they’re in the White House. Republicans turn out more at midterms, the public often gives the midterms to the opposing party, the maps, the House district gerrymandering, gas prices were high – then they came down, but now the Saudis and Russia look eager to assist their Republican pals here by forcing higher gas prices – and the economy has been challenged due to a variety of global issues.
Sure, Democrats got the country largely back on track after the global Covid disruption and they’ve passed wave after wave of legislation to actually help The People. But who cares, right?
The thespian-oriented histrionics of Republicans make such better TV. No one wants to hear about actual policies. This is the post-reality TV President era! Make it crazy, chaotic and dangerous or go home.
But then Roe was overturned by Republicans on Clarence Thomas’ Supreme Court, Trump got busted for stealing top secret classified documents, the January 6th Committee revealed horrifying details about Trump’s domestic terrorist attack during his attempted self-coup on January 6th, and we learned more about elected Republicans working to help Trump steal the 2020 election through a variety of unethical and illegal schemes to defraud the American people. Basically Republicans are anti-freedom and anti-democracy, but their base loves it because they are foolish enough to think only liberals will be attacked.
Even with all of that trouble, good job numbers, and a Republican party running 299 election deniers – yes, that’s right, anti-freedom election deniers are a majority of their nominees – the Senate is a maybe keep for Democrats and the keeping the House is a distant hope.
Why? Because the media is failing us. They are not telling the story of Republican attack on democracy in a coherent way. They are not explaining what things mean.
The economy is not cratering. But you know what is, that the media is rather silent on? Our democracy.
But you have the power to do something about that.
Commit to bringing at least five people to the polls to vote, volunteer for critical races, and donate *directly* to the candidates in need. (Suggest not giving your money to anyone/SuperPACs claiming they will share it with candidates due to lack of transparency.)
Ms. Jones is the co-founder/ editor-in-chief of PoliticusUSA and a member of the White House press pool.
Sarah hosts Politicus News and co-hosts Politicus Radio. Her analysis has been featured on several national radio, television news programs and talk shows, and print outlets including Stateside with David Shuster, as well as The Washington Post, The Atlantic Wire, CNN, MSNBC, The Week, The Hollywood Reporter, and more.
Sarah is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
