[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 27]
[House]
[Page 35824]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  PRESIDENT BUSH IS OUT OF TOUCH WHEN HE SAYS THE AMERICAN ECONOMY IS 
                                 STRONG

  (Mr. PERLMUTTER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, President Bush has to get out of the 
White House a little more often so that he can see firsthand how 
average Americans are struggling to make ends meet during this holiday 
season. Over the past 7 years, the President has presided over an 
economy in which the poverty rate has gone up and household incomes 
have gone down. The average family is making less today than they did 
last year, while at the same time, everyday costs for food, home 
heating oil, gas, college tuition and health care skyrocket out of 
control.
  Former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan voiced concern this weekend that 
the economy may be heading into a recession early next year. Despite 
all of these warnings, President Bush stood before the American people 
and proclaimed that the American economy was strong and pointed to the 
tax cuts of his first term as a reason for this strong economy.
  Well, the President needs a reality check. It is time for the 
President to recognize that the struggles of average working families 
are here to stay and he needs to check them out. Together, we can 
address those concerns, and we wish to work with him.

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