Ronnie Agnew: 6.5 = 25

Here is a recent statement made by Ronnie Agnew, Executive Editor of the Clarion-Ledger and recent award-winning journalist:
"Barack Obama does not deserve the pressure that is about to be thrust on him. But he asked for it, and now it is his to fix. We're a nation fighting two wars, facing hostility around the world, an economy that rivals the Great Depression, consumer confidence that is at record-low levels and an even lower view of Congress..."

Doesn't deserve it? Barack's a big boy. He DID run for the job. Assuming he took his job as Senator seriously, he knew what he was getting into when he decided to run for office. Did you see such sympathy for Reagan or Clinton when they ran for office in tough economic times? But poor little Barack. We don't want things too tough for the black guy. Its not fair. He doesn't deserve it.

However, that statement is not my favorite line in his column. This is: "an economy that rivals the Great Depression". 2+2=5 in Clarion-Ledger economics. So an economy with an unemployment rate around 6.5%, inflation under 4%, and GDP decline of around .3% last quarter (and 2.8% growth in 2nd quarter) is the equivalent of the Great Depression which had an unemployment rate of 25%? Its no wonder their editorials are so often off-base or wrong on facts when they don't even know basic history or economic literacy at the "state newspaper".