In the latest episode of “Whiteboard Wednesday,” U.S. Representative Mark Green (R-TN-06) used humor to demonstrate why the Biden administration’s messaging on the United States’ economic recession is missing the mark.
A recession would look bad for President Biden's legacy, no wonder he changed the definition!
MORE in this week's #WhiteBoardWednesday: pic.twitter.com/VZ7MunkAO9
— Rep. Mark Green (@RepMarkGreen) August 3, 2022
“Welcome to Whiteboard Wednesday. I want to introduce you to something. This [fly swatter] is a blade of grass. It’s a blade of grass. Why? Because I want it to be a blade of grass,” he said with a humorous look.
“I guess in America now, if you don’t like the definition of something, you can redefine it,” Green continued. “For example, President Biden’s out there saying we’re not in a recession. Why? Because Fed Chair Powell said we’re not in a recession.”
“Remember, Powell’s the one who said back in 2021 that inflation is just transitory. Well that didn’t turn out to be correct,” he said.
Green then explained how the term “recession” is defined.
“Well, the actual definition of a recession is: two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth – right out of the economics textbooks,” he said.
“And the facts are that in 2022 Q1, GDP growth was negative 1.6 percent and in quarter 2, negative 0.9 percent. Let’s do the math for the president’s economic advisers. One plus one is two,” Green added.
“That’s two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth. We’re in a recession. The United States is in a recession. Whatever you call it, it’s a recession,” he said.
Green then let the audience in on the joke about the fly swatter.
“Oh by the way, that’s [indicating the fly swatter] not a blade of grass. It’s a fly swatter and it’s about time we smash the stupidity coming out of the White House economic advisers. That’s Whiteboard Wednesday,” he said.
In the tweet posting the episode, Green said, “A recession would look bad for President Biden’s legacy, no wonder he changed the definition! MORE in this week’s #WhiteBoardWednesday.”
The Biden administration maintains that the United States is not in a recession. Still, its rhetoric on the matter is directly contradicted by former President Bill Clinton. In 2000, Clinton, asked if the United States was heading towards a recession back then, said in response, “Well, a recession is two quarters in a row of negative growth. I don’t think we’re going to have that.”
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Aaron Gulbransen is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected]. Follow Aaron on GETTR, Twitter, Truth Social, and Parler.
Photo “Mark Green” by Mark Green.
