Kevin Drum, one of my favorite political bloggers, brings us this chart of how median incomes have dropped across the U.S. in the last six years. It's a wonderful answer for those Bush backers who wonder why, with the economy doing "so well," more Americans don't give the administration credit for a great recovery. Maybe it's because it isn't reaching most of them.
I dunno why the Democrats don't build the second tier of their '06 campaign around this issue. The first tier, of course, would be Iraq and whatever other countries we're about to invade. But I can sure imagine a commercial that flashes photos of those execs (especially at oil companies) who are taking home a million bucks a day. Precede it with a quick soundbite of Bush saying how great the economy's doing, then show the execs as a voiceover intones, "It is…but only for Bush's billionaire cronies." Then tick off the list of states from that chart: Down 11.3 in North Carolina, down 12 in Michigan, down 10.4 in Oregon, etc.
It used to be the economy, stupid. Now, it's the war, stupid…and by the way, the economy, too. I'm going back to watching the telethon.