The American Pundit

In which the left’s CYA spin reaches its lowest point to date, and this new achievement comes directly from the White House.

Remember the old days when the $787 billion “stimulus” package was supposed to help the economic rebound, “save or create” millions of jobs, and Democrats were actually referring to it as the, er, “stimulus package”? Those days are apparently over:

Turns out the $787 billion “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act” (AARA) was not designed for full economic recovery, but rather to “stabilize” the downturn. That’s the word from White House officials today, who held off-camera briefings with reporters on how the AARA is working so far.

“This legislation was designed to cushion the downturn,” said White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs. “That’s why we have always talked about this as one function of economic recovery.”

When pressed about the change in terminology, Gibbs said he was not trying to temper expectations after the fact. “I can probably find 15 or 20 occasions when I said this in the lead up,” Gibbs said, explaining that he had always defined the AARA as part of a “multi-legged stool.”

Really? Let’s review the tape, shall we? Here’s a speech by Barack Obama from back in January:

That is why I have moved quickly to work with my economic team and leaders of both parties on an American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan that will immediately jumpstart job creation and long-term growth. …

There is no doubt that the cost of this plan will be considerable. It will certainly add to the budget deficit in the short-term. But equally certain are the consequences of doing too little or nothing at all, for that will lead to an even greater deficit of jobs, incomes, and confidence in our economy. It is true that we cannot depend on government alone to create jobs or long-term growth, but at this particular moment, only government can provide the short-term boost necessary to lift us from a recession this deep and severe.

By the way, the title of the page from Time magazine? “Full Remarks of Obama’s Stimulus Speech”.

And how about Barack Obama’s top economic advisor, Christina Romer? On July 13th:

“The various forms of fiscal stimulus are expected to provide powerful upward pressure on aggregate demand and to aid recovery,” Romer’s group says.

Back to Obama trying to spin on July 12th even talked about stimulating the economy:

“It was, from the start, a two-year program, and it will steadily save and create jobs as it ramps up over this summer and fall.”

And the White House just two days ago:

In the near term, various factors should help to stem the downturn and eventually increase overall production and lead to employment growth. Most obviously, the ARRA provides $787 billion of fiscal stimulus spread primarily over the next two years. This fiscal stimulus takes a number of forms: tax cuts for working families and businesses; protection of the most vulnerable through programs such as extended unemployment compensation; direct government spending on infrastructure, energy efficiency projects, and other public investments; and fiscal relief for state governments to help maintain key services. Taken together, the various forms of fiscal stimulus are expected to provide powerful upward pressure on aggregate demand and to aid recovery.

And the White House yesterday:

Q And they were incorporated in the stimulus, too, and it didn’t get you any final votes.

MR. GIBBS: Well, I’m happy that you acknowledge the efforts in the stimulus –

And now the White House wants us to believe that the sole purpose of the “stimulus” bill was to stop the bleeding and not to, er, stimulate recovery? Does the Obama Administration really have that little amount of faith in the intelligence of the American people? Is the White House unaware of the invention of the internet and Google? F’ing pathetic.

Baghdad Bob just called. He says it’s too hackish even for him.

Most Orwellian White House evuh.