White House Changing The Definition Of "Recession"

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TOP STORY: Mayor Josh Guillory Enters Rehab

Lafayette's chief executive enters rehab for alcohol addiction, PTSD.
Read the legal opinion on how Guillory can work remotely.

White House Changes Definition of "Recession"

Ahead of a report later this week that experts believe will show the economy shrank for a second straight quarter, which is usually the official marker of a recession, the White House has decided that it's not so clear-cut. Here's the statement they put out this morning as early damage control.

What is a recession? While some maintain that two consecutive quarters of falling real GDP constitute a recession, that is neither the official definition nor the way economists evaluate the state of the business cycle. Instead, both official determinations of recessions and economists’ assessment of economic activity are based on a holistic look at the data—including the labor market, consumer and business spending, industrial production, and incomes. Based on these data, it is unlikely that the decline in GDP in the first quarter of this year—even if followed by another GDP decline in the second quarter—indicates a recession.

The Biden administration wants to point to the growth of created jobs in recent months, while ignoring the fact that there are millions of unfilled jobs around the country and that several major companies are winding down on hiring ahead of a predicted recession.

Related: Biden Team Goes Into Recession Denial (National Review)

The Washington Post Tells Biden Not to Run Again

In a stunning piece at the Washington Post, the message is clear: They blame Biden for the utter collapse of the country around them (and, more importantly, the Democratic Party). In particular, they think Biden's desire to appease voters has cost the country the chance to make progressive advances in policy.

First, and most important, the midterm elections this November would become about key issues and the quality of individual House and Senate candidates rather than the merits of Biden’s presidency and whether voters feel he should run again.
Once the expense of spirit, dollars, actions and arguments to keep alive the possibility of a second term is ended, the need for Biden to posture or tactically temporize will be gone, too. That new freedom would permit him to say with absolute conviction that every ounce of his energy, focus and political capital will be devoted to addressing the nation’s immediate needs and the matters he feels most deeply shape our future.

Democrats Are Furious Hulu Won't Run Their Ads

Apparently, the Disney-owned streaming giant is anti-democracy. Why? Because they won't run ads on abortion, gun control, and climate change without context.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and Democratic Governors Association tried to purchase joint ads on abortion and guns with Hulu on July 15, along with identical placements on a Disney-affiliated ABC affiliate in Philadelphia and the company’s cable sports channel ESPN. The Hulu ads never ran, while the others did.
“Hulu’s censorship of the truth is outrageous, offensive, and another step down a dangerous path for our country,” the executive directors of the three committees, Christie Roberts, Tim Persico and Noam Lee, said in a statement provided to The Washington Post. “Voters have the right to know the facts about MAGA Republicans’ agenda on issues like abortion — and Hulu is doing a huge disservice to the American people by blocking voters from learning the truth about the GOP record or denying these issues from even being discussed.”
[...]
A person familiar with Hulu’s policies, who requested anonymity to speak about internal matters, said that the company does not publicly disclose its advertising guidelines but that they prohibit advertising that takes a position on a controversial issue, regardless of whether it is a political ad. The ads are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, with edits sometimes recommended to the advertisers.
In recent months, the company has reevaluated its policy implementation to give candidates greater flexibility to explain their positions, the person said.
“We do accept candidate ads that reference those topics,” this person said about abortion and gun violence. “It needs to be in context.”

Headlines Of The Day

Al Gore Makes Disgusting Comparison Between 'Climate Change Deniers' and Uvalde Officers (RedState)
Democrats’ ‘Contraception’ Bill Overrides Religious-Freedom Law and Protects Abortion (Yahoo)
Bye bye, San Francisco: The Top 7 U.S. Cities Homebuyers Are Seeking to Leave (CNBC)
FBI Investigation Determined Chinese-made Huawei Equipment Could Disrupt US Nuclear Arsenal Communications (CNN)
Consumers Paying $10,000 More Than in a "Normal" Economy (CBS)

Tweet Of The Day

Hurricane Preparation, What Are the Items You Didn't Think Of?

When there is word that a hurricane might threaten the Gulf Coast, we start thinking about what items we need to make life bearable if we end up stuck at home without electricity and internet.

In addition to these creature comforts, we also need to think about the many things that we would need to take with us if we are forced to evacuate.

While we all immediately think of things like prescription medicines and important papers, there are other things that can come in handy whether we will be stuck at home, at a relative's house, or in a shelter.