"Uniquely American"

Detail from Semarkand beggars, 1905

I had one of those "uniquely American" moments yesterday. I use that term in the context of a president Bush response to a woman who caught him offguard last year during one of his national public relations campaign tours to reassure folks Social Security would be safe, would be there for them, even if his effort succeeded to gut it.

"Promises made will be kept by the government," is a hard swallow in light of Bush's record on everything from assurances "we don't torture" to "we don't spy on Americans."

So it was perhaps bound to happen in one of Bush's townhall meetings somewhere that a concerned and unconvinced 50-something woman would rise up from the audience and explain to Bush she was a divorced mother of three, including a 'mentally challenged' son, working three jobs.
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BUSH: You work three jobs?

WOMAN: Three jobs, yes.

BUSH: Uniquely American, isn't it? I mean, that is fantastic that you're doing that. (Applause.) Get any sleep? (Laughter.)
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What I find uniquely American about this encounter isn't the fact that the struggling woman works three jobs to try to make ends meet. No, what I take as uniquely American is the reaction of the president, the "oddience", the glib quip about sleep, and the laughter. It eases the tension of the real underlying message nicely, doesn't it? It then gets reported in the uniquely American media as a light moment Bush video clip.

Personally, I don't find any humor in that. Nor, in Bush's words, do I find it "fantastic that you're doing that" as regards that mom's efforts to stay afloat. But it IS the reaction to her situation I find "uniquely American" because the reaction to and reporting of this ignores the entire goddamned point.

So anyway, back to yesterday. In our household I often do the grocery shopping. Hence, I pretty well know the prices I pay for items I purchase regularly. Like orange juice.

The last time I purchased frozen OJ was back in July before we departed on a three week trip. That is, until Thursday when I purchased two more cans. To my surprise, the price of OJ was over 19% higher than a month ago.

Then yesterday I read the following news telling how retail sales had recently surged 1.4%. I think that was supposed to indicate a good sign for the economy in that the media called it "robust consumer spending."

I'm no economist, but when I finally juxtaposed that news with the price of my latest OJ purchase, it occurred to me that maybe Americans ARE spending more. They're just GETTING LESS! It's not that we're out here prospering like that single mother with three kids and three jobs. Maybe we're spending more solely because we have to pay more--for the same stuff.

The article went on to hint of the underlying flaw in these statistics by mentioning a.) the rise in gasoline prices, followed by b.) "The figures are not adjusted for inflation." So, what the hell good are these statistics anyway? Why bother to report 'em, if they have little bearing upon American's economic reality?

Conclusion? Well, I'm pretty sure all that robust consumer spending is NOT a sign of a prospering economy any more than the story of the single mom struggling to get by with three kids and three jobs is glib and funny as reported.

Maybe in the months ahead I will pay even more for even less orange juice. And maybe that working mom can add a fourth fucking job.

In both cases, as Bush might say, "I mean, that is fantastic that you're doing that."

"Uniquely American, isn't it?" [sic]