Top Republican again suggests that economy is doing fine

The media is missing a huge story. What once seemed like unrelated stories, are now evidence of a large pattern of statements and actions by the Republicans, explained by the fact that they do not believe that the economy is in trouble.

1. Phil Gramm says we're a nation of whiners.
2. John McCain says on the campaign trail last fall that the fundamentals of the economy are sound.
3. House Republicans torpedo the bailout as everyone else sits in fear that the market is in a talspin.
4. Nearly every single Republican votes against the stimulus package.
5. Numerous Republican governors reject their own state's stimulus money, threatening their own local recovery and the national recovery.
6. Cantor says Democrats are "overreacting" to the economic situation.
7. Steele says he still sees lots of people shopping at the malls.
8. Conservatives, led by Gingrich and Armey, hold nationwide Teabagging protests today in opposition to the stimulus package that was necessary to stop us from going into a depression

Then today, the #2 Republican in the House, Eric Cantor, again suggested that the Democrats are overreacting and that the economy was not in trouble.

Democrats in Congress are taking advantage of citizen fears about the nation’s economy for political gain, U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor told area Republicans here Tuesday.

“There seems to be a disconnect between what is really happening in our economy and how the federal government is reacting,” said Cantor, R-Va., the GOP minority whip – his party’s No. 2 member in Congress.

“The more I am outside the Beltway, the more I understand why everybody seems to be scratching their heads wondering, ‘What in the world are they doing up in Washington?’ ” he said.

Every example I cited above can easily be explained if the Republicans simply do not believe that the economy is in trouble. This isn't just out of touch, it's delusional. I seriously have no explanation for how an entire political party can look around this country right now and not see an economy in trouble.

Finally, as for "using fear" to scare the public, that's classic. Remember, they always accuse of us doing what we're not, and what they already have.