Someone posted in comments here a link to the Borowitz Report, a satiric web site that on occasion pokes fun at birthers, in particular to the article: Positive Economic Sign, Republicans Starting to Say Obama Wasn’t Born in US Again. In that article, Borowitz talks about a correlation between birtherism and economic growth.
What started as a joke is getting some legs as real economists crunch the numbers. Ology.com reports:
A writer at the New York Times crunched the rough numbers and came up with the same result as Borowitz: as the economy, specifically unemployment, improves, so does the frequency and intensity of questions over Obama’s citizenship.
The results are presented in an article at the aptly-named macroeconomics blog, The Big Picture. According to The Big Picture:
Now, with the job numbers rising again, so are the birther stories. So far in March there are 263 articles, putting us on a pace to break the monthly record set in April 2011 when Donald Trump was trying to be the birther candidate.
Everybody, do your part for economic recovery: rile up birfoons and get them to birf more! How much would a new “Kenyan birth certificate” add to the GDP?
Basically the only parallel is that both anti-Obama sentiment and employment are rising, but causation isn’t absolutely indicated.
Still, I’m sure birthers only get angrier when others get happier, the media reflects jobs and anyone praises Obama for it.
It’s all part of their own alienation from society.
But as always, I await hearing how the nutters will spin this or say it isn’t so.
Sounds like yet another confirmation of my FUD conspiracy hypothesis.
The hidden Puppet-masters will do anything to increase the level of FUD. Birtherism may be just one more flea on the dog, but, to them, it is better than one less flea.
Every time things look like they might be looking good for the President, the Puppet-masters start wiggling their strings.
I really should think about this and turn it into a real theory. I have made some predictions based on it that should give it a test, but I can’t really think of a good way to falsify it.
Agreed. Regardless of the economy, the very electoral calendar set the stage for a period of increased Birther activity. Not only do the primary seasons open up their long awaited avenue of Primary Ballot Challenge failures, but also the 2012 legislative sessions in the state offer their state leve Birther congress critters yet another attempt at pushing doomed Birther Bill nonsense. Plus, the very agitation of 2012 being a presidential election year turns the Birther hyperventilating up a notch…as now they have to face the very real prospect of Obama’s re-election.
Where there is a possible crossover correlation to economic improvement is in that last part – as the economy improves, it does increase Obama’s re-election chances. Therefore, the hyperventilating desperation amongst the Birtheristani will be heightened as a result.
Add to that the ever increasing realization that all the GOP candidates are the saddest crop in modern history and offer nothing positive as an alternative to Obama, and you’ve turned the palpable panic admist the Birtheristani up to Eleven…
not everyone worries about niggling details like that …
also just in from freeper county:
these people are like children.
Hey, if they extend that offer to Australia, I might start giving big oil a bit more respect!
That was awesome, aargh! Thanks for the laugh!
So stupid on so many levels. Not least of which is refining. It doesn’t come out of the ground as gasoline. They’re asking the wrong corps to promise free product!
I notice Newt upped his promise to $2.50/gallon. I guess even wingers are subject to inflation? Will probably drop back under $3 next winter anyway. Newt will up again to $3 and then say, “Look! I did that!”
Hey, Doc, glad you caught my Borowitz post! (today, B says Satan has pulled his endorsement of Limbaugh … heh.)
As the economy betrays them, the Reds (is ANYTHING on their side? 😉 ) will flail for anything, desperate for a distraction. I do love teh gas price thing. Price is going up in spring (as it always does) and moving inversely to unemployment (as it always does) …. don’t like it? ADOPT A FORWARD THINKING ENERGY POLICY, DAMMIT!!!
*ahem*
I think they can hit at least 13 before their speakers blow out. 😉
Another piece of evidence for my hypothesis (or is it hypotheses?). Part of my approach is to look at the birther movement as a stalking horse for the anti-immigration/ anti-anchor baby movement.
If they can somehow get the two citizen parent stuff into the public mindset as a ‘desirable’ thing, then they have pretty much won the anchor baby discussion.
Look who shows up in the spider’s web: The Immigration Hardliner Family Tree
Better! Mandate Three citizen parents! And to protect that institution, require all parents to not be of the same gender!
You’re a genius. Deport Them All and Let the Zetas Sort Them Out!
I wonder if any (or how many) birfer sharks/manipulators intend to ‘score’ windfall from ‘involuntarily abandoned’ real estate?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Canadian_internment
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_American_internment#Hardship_and_material_loss
Very interesting story and graphics, Keith. Thanks for the link.