Republicans have a poor understanding of economics. They should have no place in making policy

[Billy000]

1961 to 2012

Republican president job growth - 24 million jobs in 28 years.

Democratic president job growth - 42 million jobs in 24 years.

Bill Clinton says Democratic presidents top Republican presidents in job creation PolitiFact

Lol this really says it all. I feel like you could shove this in the faces of RWs all day and they still deny it.

 

[Chris]

1961 to 2012

Republican president job growth - 24 million jobs in 28 years.

Democratic president job growth - 42 million jobs in 24 years.

Bill Clinton says Democratic presidents top Republican presidents in job creation PolitiFact

Lol this really says it all. I feel like you could shove this in the faces of RWs all day and they still deny it.

Mythology has a powerful effect on people.

 

[Listening]

What a fool

Agreed.

You have liberal thread whining about how the 1% are just getting better off all the time.

The libs whine about how income inequality is getting worse (and they are right....just wish they'd suggest something besides taxing it...and also want them to stop whining).

Then ChrissyThePussy comes along and brags about how net worth goes up 26 trillion.

What gives ?

Is that the middle class...really ? If so, what does that mean on a per household basis ?

If not...is it the one percenters ? And does that mean Obama is basically just making the rich richer ?

Which is it.

We'll never get more from ChrissyThePussy....she never backs anything up with any data or analysis.

Just sucks on the her Obama blow up doll's dick.

What the **** is wrong with you? Do a little research. Stop being such a dipshit. The economy can get better AND the wage gap can grow. Just stop it. Learn to use Google.

A Guide to Statistics on Historical Trends in Income Inequality mdash Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

Shut the **** up Dean.

I never said it wouldn't. I said you can't have it both ways.

WHICH IS IT YOU PRICK.

Answer the question and stop lecturing people about shit you know nothing about.

 

[Listening]

food stamp growth in red states - Google Search

Republicans want to say, "Oh, look at the growth in food stamp usage. Obama must be a failure". Until you see where the growth is. Mostly whites in Red States. In other words, "Republicans".

Now think about it. You have Red State governors in states like Texas going to California looking for workers, probably educated liberals, while cutting education by 5 billion in his state. Come on Right wingers. Don't you get it? He thinks you are too stupid to educate. And you vote him into office. How is he not right?

Texas Governor Rick Perry spends thousands on ads to poach Missouri businesses - KSHB.com

Missouri is not the only state Governor Rick Perry is spending money in. He has recently done similar campaigns in California, New York, Connecticut and Chicago.

--------------------------------------------------

He might as well have been saying, "Come here to work. Our people are not competition. They are dumbshits. Not worth educating".

So cut off the food stamps. The red states will suffer more.

It's that simple.

 

[Listening]

1961 to 2012

Republican president job growth - 24 million jobs in 28 years.

Democratic president job growth - 42 million jobs in 24 years.

Bill Clinton says Democratic presidents top Republican presidents in job creation PolitiFact

Lol this really says it all. I feel like you could shove this in the faces of RWs all day and they still deny it.

Mythology has a powerful effect on people.

Let's hear why this is the case.

I'd love to know.

Carter had a great run on jobs in a false economy which was falling apart when he handed it to Reagan (you know, the guy who beat Carter's ass and then got re-elected with 49 states).

Please explain it to us in terms that are believable.

ChrissyThePussy will never do that.

Just more spam bullshit.

 

[Listening]

1961 to 2012

Republican president job growth - 24 million jobs in 28 years.

Democratic president job growth - 42 million jobs in 24 years.

Bill Clinton says Democratic presidents top Republican presidents in job creation PolitiFact

Lol this really says it all. I feel like you could shove this in the faces of RWs all day and they still deny it.

Mythology has a powerful effect on people.

Quite clearly you've bought into yours.

 

[Chris]

Average jobs creation per month, last 5 Republican administrations: 71,940
Average job creation per month, last 5 Democratic administrations: 156,003

 

[Listening]

1961 to 2012

Republican president job growth - 24 million jobs in 28 years.

Democratic president job growth - 42 million jobs in 24 years.

Bill Clinton says Democratic presidents top Republican presidents in job creation PolitiFact

Lol this really says it all. I feel like you could shove this in the faces of RWs all day and they still deny it.

What's to deny....? The numbers are the numbers.

Obama's job "gains" are nothing but recovering Bush's losses.

Two losers...Obama is the

Average jobs creation per month, last 5 Republican administrations: 71,940
Average job creation per month, last 5 Democratic administrations: 156,003

Here we go....

The SPAM shower.

 

[Listening]

Hey Chrissy....

Let's get your take on this one.......

Vermont governor abandons single-payer health care plan US Message Board - Political Discussion Forum

Maybe you can appeal to your butt-buddy...Billy to help you understand it.

Bottom line....it ain't gonna work.

 

[reason10]

Republicans only econonic solutions are deregulation and cutting taxes for corporations/the wealthy. Both of these methods do next to nothing to help the overall economy.

Regulations cost GDP 2% every year. Now even if you were irresponsible and stupid enough to undo ALL regulations for the sake of growth, you would only be boosting 2%. The growth of that is not nearly worth the chaos that would ensue.

Cutting taxes for corporations does jack shit for the economy in general. Stimuluating supply means dick if you don't stimuluate demand. The extra supply that is created does not meet any increase in demand. This means there is no increase in business just because a company has more to sell. Not only that, but cutting taxes only makes the government borrow more which means more debt. The proposed republican tax cuts would add 440 billion to our national debt.

The recent "experiment" failure in Kansas' economy and the pathetic job growth under Bush proves this.

See the republicans you people elect know this. They say they want to help you but in reality they only care about keeping the wealthy happy.

The reality is that the best way to stimulate economic growth is by stimulating the middle class. That is the driving force of our consumption based economy. Republicans have barely done anything for the middle class since Reagan.

Obama's stimulus created close to 3 million jobs. Why? Because it gave the middle class the biggest middle class tax cut since Reagan. It also extended unemployment benefits for the millions who lost their jobs against their will. This allowed them to spend money they wouldn't have otherwise spent because they were unemployed.

This is what you call demand-side economics.

The greatest economy in the entire history of America is the RONALD REAGAN REPUBLICAN SUPPLY SIDE ECONOMICS 80S.
You lose again.

There's no evidence the economy under Reagan did well because of supply side economics. Zero. Bush's tax cuts were huge and job growth under him was pitiful.

WRONG.
The Real Reagan Economic Record Responsible and Successful Fiscal Policy
President Ronald Reagan's record includes sweeping economic reforms and deep across-the-board tax cuts, market deregulation, and sound monetary policies to contain inflation. His policies resulted in the largest peacetime economic boom in American history and nearly 35 million more jobs. As the Joint Economic Committee reported in April 2000:2
No matter how advocates of big government try to rewrite history, Ronald Reagan's record of fiscal responsibility continues to stand as the most successful economic policy of the 20th century

You lose again.

Lol dude do you realize how much of a tool you come across as using Heritage as a source? It, Fox News, and Forbes.com are all partisan non sense. Again there is NO PROOF tax cuts for the wealthy had anything to do with the job growth under him. I'm sure other policies of his helped the job growth but NOT TAX CUTS FOR THE WEALTHY.

Why was job growth under Bush so pathetic? Don't you think it's kind of sad Reagan is the only politician republicans have to be proud of?

Do you realize how much of a tool you come across by denying Heritage, (especially when you have ZERO credible resources to back up your bullshit and lies)? FoxNews is the highest rated and MOST UNBIASED news source in the universe.
Reagan (and Bush) cut taxes for EVERYONE, not just your betters.
Job growth under Bush was better than that of ANY Democrat. That's just fact.
The Reagan presidency was the best in history, and only total idiots think otherwise. Democrats should not be trusted with running a lemonade stand, much less a national economy. They have NEVER expanded an economy in the entire history of this country.

 

[dblack]

Republicans only econonic solutions are deregulation and cutting taxes for corporations/the wealthy. Both of these methods do next to nothing to help the overall economy.

Regulations cost GDP 2% every year. Now even if you were irresponsible and stupid enough to undo ALL regulations for the sake of growth, you would only be boosting 2%. The growth of that is not nearly worth the chaos that would ensue.

Cutting taxes for corporations does jack shit for the economy in general. Stimuluating supply means dick if you don't stimuluate demand. The extra supply that is created does not meet any increase in demand. This means there is no increase in business just because a company has more to sell. Not only that, but cutting taxes only makes the government borrow more which means more debt. The proposed republican tax cuts would add 440 billion to our national debt.

The recent "experiment" failure in Kansas' economy and the pathetic job growth under Bush proves this.

See the republicans you people elect know this. They say they want to help you but in reality they only care about keeping the wealthy happy.

The reality is that the best way to stimulate economic growth is by stimulating the middle class. That is the driving force of our consumption based economy. Republicans have barely done anything for the middle class since Reagan.

Obama's stimulus created close to 3 million jobs. Why? Because it gave the middle class the biggest middle class tax cut since Reagan. It also extended unemployment benefits for the millions who lost their jobs against their will. This allowed them to spend money they wouldn't have otherwise spent because they were unemployed.

This is what you call demand-side economics.

The greatest economy in the entire history of America is the RONALD REAGAN REPUBLICAN SUPPLY SIDE ECONOMICS 80S.
You lose again.

There's no evidence the economy under Reagan did well because of supply side economics. Zero. Bush's tax cuts were huge and job growth under him was pitiful.

WRONG.
The Real Reagan Economic Record Responsible and Successful Fiscal Policy
President Ronald Reagan's record includes sweeping economic reforms and deep across-the-board tax cuts, market deregulation, and sound monetary policies to contain inflation. His policies resulted in the largest peacetime economic boom in American history and nearly 35 million more jobs. As the Joint Economic Committee reported in April 2000:2
No matter how advocates of big government try to rewrite history, Ronald Reagan's record of fiscal responsibility continues to stand as the most successful economic policy of the 20th century

You lose again.

Lol dude do you realize how much of a tool you come across as using Heritage as a source? It, Fox News, and Forbes.com are all partisan non sense. Again there is NO PROOF tax cuts for the wealthy had anything to do with the job growth under him. I'm sure other policies of his helped the job growth but NOT TAX CUTS FOR THE WEALTHY.

Why was job growth under Bush so pathetic? Don't you think it's kind of sad Reagan is the only politician republicans have to be proud of?

Do you realize how much of a tool you come across by denying Heritage, (especially when you have ZERO credible resources to back up your bullshit and lies)? FoxNews is the highest rated and MOST UNBIASED news source in the universe.
Reagan (and Bush) cut taxes for EVERYONE, not just your betters.
Job growth under Bush was better than that of ANY Democrat. That's just fact.
The Reagan presidency was the best in history, and only total idiots think otherwise. Democrats should not be trusted with running a lemonade stand, much less a national economy. They have NEVER expanded an economy in the entire history of this country.

It's a good thing we have reasonable, non-partisan folks around to keep things fair and balanced.

 

[Billy000]

Republicans only econonic solutions are deregulation and cutting taxes for corporations/the wealthy. Both of these methods do next to nothing to help the overall economy.

Regulations cost GDP 2% every year. Now even if you were irresponsible and stupid enough to undo ALL regulations for the sake of growth, you would only be boosting 2%. The growth of that is not nearly worth the chaos that would ensue.

Cutting taxes for corporations does jack shit for the economy in general. Stimuluating supply means dick if you don't stimuluate demand. The extra supply that is created does not meet any increase in demand. This means there is no increase in business just because a company has more to sell. Not only that, but cutting taxes only makes the government borrow more which means more debt. The proposed republican tax cuts would add 440 billion to our national debt.

The recent "experiment" failure in Kansas' economy and the pathetic job growth under Bush proves this.

See the republicans you people elect know this. They say they want to help you but in reality they only care about keeping the wealthy happy.

The reality is that the best way to stimulate economic growth is by stimulating the middle class. That is the driving force of our consumption based economy. Republicans have barely done anything for the middle class since Reagan.

Obama's stimulus created close to 3 million jobs. Why? Because it gave the middle class the biggest middle class tax cut since Reagan. It also extended unemployment benefits for the millions who lost their jobs against their will. This allowed them to spend money they wouldn't have otherwise spent because they were unemployed.

This is what you call demand-side economics.

The greatest economy in the entire history of America is the RONALD REAGAN REPUBLICAN SUPPLY SIDE ECONOMICS 80S.
You lose again.

There's no evidence the economy under Reagan did well because of supply side economics. Zero. Bush's tax cuts were huge and job growth under him was pitiful.

WRONG.
The Real Reagan Economic Record Responsible and Successful Fiscal Policy
President Ronald Reagan's record includes sweeping economic reforms and deep across-the-board tax cuts, market deregulation, and sound monetary policies to contain inflation. His policies resulted in the largest peacetime economic boom in American history and nearly 35 million more jobs. As the Joint Economic Committee reported in April 2000:2
No matter how advocates of big government try to rewrite history, Ronald Reagan's record of fiscal responsibility continues to stand as the most successful economic policy of the 20th century

You lose again.

Lol dude do you realize how much of a tool you come across as using Heritage as a source? It, Fox News, and Forbes.com are all partisan non sense. Again there is NO PROOF tax cuts for the wealthy had anything to do with the job growth under him. I'm sure other policies of his helped the job growth but NOT TAX CUTS FOR THE WEALTHY.

Why was job growth under Bush so pathetic? Don't you think it's kind of sad Reagan is the only politician republicans have to be proud of?

Do you realize how much of a tool you come across by denying Heritage, (especially when you have ZERO credible resources to back up your bullshit and lies)? FoxNews is the highest rated and MOST UNBIASED news source in the universe.
Reagan (and Bush) cut taxes for EVERYONE, not just your betters.
Job growth under Bush was better than that of ANY Democrat. That's just fact.
The Reagan presidency was the best in history, and only total idiots think otherwise. Democrats should not be trusted with running a lemonade stand, much less a national economy. They have NEVER expanded an economy in the entire history of this country.

Lol good god dude. You actually believe all that non sense? I mean saying Fox is unbiased is one thing but to suggest job growth under Bush was better than all dems is complete non sense.


Check out the new thread I made. It puts your bullshit to rest.

 

[Wyatt earp]

I don't know about most unbiased, but fox is more fair then the left will give them credit for, it is kind of amusing the left has been programmed since 1st grade and when smart adults switch to conservative, the adult liberal children ***** about They watch fox.

 

[reason10]

1961 to 2012

Republican president job growth - 24 million jobs in 28 years.

Democratic president job growth - 42 million jobs in 24 years.

Bill Clinton says Democratic presidents top Republican presidents in job creation PolitiFact

Lol this really says it all. I feel like you could shove this in the faces of RWs all day and they still deny it.

What's to deny....? The numbers are the numbers.

Obama's job "gains" are nothing but recovering Bush's losses.

Two losers...Obama is the

Average jobs creation per month, last 5 Republican administrations: 71,940
Average job creation per month, last 5 Democratic administrations: 156,003

Here we go....

The SPAM shower.

The greatest economy in the entire history of America is the RONALD REAGAN REPUBLICAN SUPPLY SIDE ECONOMICS 80S.
You lose again.

There's no evidence the economy under Reagan did well because of supply side economics. Zero. Bush's tax cuts were huge and job growth under him was pitiful.

WRONG.
The Real Reagan Economic Record Responsible and Successful Fiscal Policy
President Ronald Reagan's record includes sweeping economic reforms and deep across-the-board tax cuts, market deregulation, and sound monetary policies to contain inflation. His policies resulted in the largest peacetime economic boom in American history and nearly 35 million more jobs. As the Joint Economic Committee reported in April 2000:2
No matter how advocates of big government try to rewrite history, Ronald Reagan's record of fiscal responsibility continues to stand as the most successful economic policy of the 20th century

You lose again.

Lol dude do you realize how much of a tool you come across as using Heritage as a source? It, Fox News, and Forbes.com are all partisan non sense. Again there is NO PROOF tax cuts for the wealthy had anything to do with the job growth under him. I'm sure other policies of his helped the job growth but NOT TAX CUTS FOR THE WEALTHY.

Why was job growth under Bush so pathetic? Don't you think it's kind of sad Reagan is the only politician republicans have to be proud of?

Do you realize how much of a tool you come across by denying Heritage, (especially when you have ZERO credible resources to back up your bullshit and lies)? FoxNews is the highest rated and MOST UNBIASED news source in the universe.
Reagan (and Bush) cut taxes for EVERYONE, not just your betters.
Job growth under Bush was better than that of ANY Democrat. That's just fact.
The Reagan presidency was the best in history, and only total idiots think otherwise. Democrats should not be trusted with running a lemonade stand, much less a national economy. They have NEVER expanded an economy in the entire history of this country.

Lol good god dude. You actually believe all that non sense? I mean saying Fox is unbiased is one thing but to suggest job growth under Bush was better than all dems is complete non sense.


Check out the new thread I made. It puts your bullshit to rest.

I only speak the truth. Bush was a better president than ANY Democrat in history. FoxNews IS fair and balanced whether you ******* believe it or not. And you can author a HUNDRED ******* knucklehead threads telling lie after lie after lie and you would not change history one iota.

 

[Wyatt earp]

Bush Jr? What are you smoking crack? Bush Jr. was just as bad as Obama, hell I would of taken Billy boy over bush Jr any day

 

[TooTall]

Republicans only econonic solutions are deregulation and cutting taxes for corporations/the wealthy. Both of these methods do next to nothing to help the overall economy.

Regulations cost GDP 2% every year. Now even if you were irresponsible and stupid enough to undo ALL regulations for the sake of growth, you would only be boosting 2%. The growth of that is not nearly worth the chaos that would ensue.

Cutting taxes for corporations does jack shit for the economy in general. Stimuluating supply means dick if you don't stimuluate demand. The extra supply that is created does not meet any increase in demand. This means there is no increase in business just because a company has more to sell. Not only that, but cutting taxes only makes the government borrow more which means more debt. The proposed republican tax cuts would add 440 billion to our national debt.

The recent "experiment" failure in Kansas' economy and the pathetic job growth under Bush proves this.

See the republicans you people elect know this. They say they want to help you but in reality they only care about keeping the wealthy happy.

The reality is that the best way to stimulate economic growth is by stimulating the middle class. That is the driving force of our consumption based economy. Republicans have barely done anything for the middle class since Reagan.

Obama's stimulus created close to 3 million jobs. Why? Because it gave the middle class the biggest middle class tax cut since Reagan. It also extended unemployment benefits for the millions who lost their jobs against their will. This allowed them to spend money they wouldn't have otherwise spent because they were unemployed.

This is what you call demand-side economics.

Clinton's remarks were the usual see how great I am. He had a Republican Congress that kept him in check and enjoyed oil priced between $13 and $28 a barrel during his term in office.

 

[TooTall]

Republicans only econonic solutions are deregulation and cutting taxes for corporations/the wealthy. Both of these methods do next to nothing to help the overall economy.

Regulations cost GDP 2% every year. Now even if you were irresponsible and stupid enough to undo ALL regulations for the sake of growth, you would only be boosting 2%. The growth of that is not nearly worth the chaos that would ensue.

Cutting taxes for corporations does jack shit for the economy in general. Stimuluating supply means dick if you don't stimuluate demand. The extra supply that is created does not meet any increase in demand. This means there is no increase in business just because a company has more to sell. Not only that, but cutting taxes only makes the government borrow more which means more debt. The proposed republican tax cuts would add 440 billion to our national debt.

The recent "experiment" failure in Kansas' economy and the pathetic job growth under Bush proves this.

See the republicans you people elect know this. They say they want to help you but in reality they only care about keeping the wealthy happy.

The reality is that the best way to stimulate economic growth is by stimulating the middle class. That is the driving force of our consumption based economy. Republicans have barely done anything for the middle class since Reagan.

Obama's stimulus created close to 3 million jobs. Why? Because it gave the middle class the biggest middle class tax cut since Reagan. It also extended unemployment benefits for the millions who lost their jobs against their will. This allowed them to spend money they wouldn't have otherwise spent because they were unemployed.

This is what you call demand-side economics.

How does the middle class tax cuts (niggernomics) create jobs?

God you people are so thick. No wonder you vote republican. Tax cuts help the middle class spend money. They are the big spenders when it comes to economic demand in this consumer spending economy we have.

Aren't you glad that Bush cut tax rates for the middle class?

 

[TooTall]

G. W. Bush's first act as president, regarding the economy, was to intentionally bust the budget and bring back deficits.

He did it with his tax cuts.

Tax cuts bad, tax increases good. I got it!

 

[TooTall]

Raising minimum wage to $10 will dump over 18 million off SNAP ASAP and create as many new tax payers ASAP thus lowering deficits. It will cut demand for consumer loans thus lowering price inflation. Make wallstreet pay the same sky high tax rates as the workers & lower workers taxes. This lowers deficits & inflation while leaving more workers with their own money to spend & invest. These things are all deflationary & Repubtards hate that, they are big government inflation hogs all the way.

A person that makes $10 an hour, and if they are working 40 hours a week, make $400 a week. That comes to $1732 a month using 4 1/3 weeks in a month. You are correct that a single mom with one dependent child will not be eligible for SNAP since the cutoff point is $1705 a month. However, add one more dependent child and she is back on the program since the cutoff goes to $2144 a month. My question is are there 18 million single mom's with one dependent child presently on the program.

As an aside, if I were that mom with one dependent, I would call in sick one day a month, lose a days pay ($32), and become eligible for SNAP.

 

[Dad2three]

Republicans only econonic solutions are deregulation and cutting taxes for corporations/the wealthy. Both of these methods do next to nothing to help the overall economy.

Regulations cost GDP 2% every year. Now even if you were irresponsible and stupid enough to undo ALL regulations for the sake of growth, you would only be boosting 2%. The growth of that is not nearly worth the chaos that would ensue.

Cutting taxes for corporations does jack shit for the economy in general. Stimuluating supply means dick if you don't stimuluate demand. The extra supply that is created does not meet any increase in demand. This means there is no increase in business just because a company has more to sell. Not only that, but cutting taxes only makes the government borrow more which means more debt. The proposed republican tax cuts would add 440 billion to our national debt.

The recent "experiment" failure in Kansas' economy and the pathetic job growth under Bush proves this.

See the republicans you people elect know this. They say they want to help you but in reality they only care about keeping the wealthy happy.

The reality is that the best way to stimulate economic growth is by stimulating the middle class. That is the driving force of our consumption based economy. Republicans have barely done anything for the middle class since Reagan.

Obama's stimulus created close to 3 million jobs. Why? Because it gave the middle class the biggest middle class tax cut since Reagan. It also extended unemployment benefits for the millions who lost their jobs against their will. This allowed them to spend money they wouldn't have otherwise spent because they were unemployed.

This is what you call demand-side economics.

The greatest economy in the entire history of America is the RONALD REAGAN REPUBLICAN SUPPLY SIDE ECONOMICS 80S.
You lose again.

Really? When Ronnie had a top tax rate of 50% the first 6 years? How is that possible? He also increased revenues (mainly tax increases on the working class) 11 times in 8 years!)


Not-Quite-So-Good Times Off Wall Street

But the expansion of stockownership to nearly 30% of American households still left more than two-thirds of the country shut out of direct benefits from the great bull market of the Age of Reagan. For the 70% of American households that still lacked any stake at all in the stock market, the Reagan economy was not quite so lustrous as it seemed to those enjoying the fruits of rising equity values. Real wages, which had increased steadily from 1945 to 1972 but then stalled through the stagflation era, remained flat through the 1980s as well. Unemployment declined from the atrocious highs of the late 1970s and early 1980s, but the high-paying blue-collar industrial jobs that had been the mainstay of the midcentury economy continued to disappear. (It's important to note that this process began long before Reagan came into office, however.) In short, the economic outlook for middle- and working-class families who depended on wages for their incomes was somewhat better than it had been during the bleak 1970s, but still significantly worse than it had been during the 1950s and '60s.

The uneven distribution of benefits from the Reagan boom reflected a growing trend toward what has been called the "financialization" of the American economy


Economy in The Reagan Era






"My colleagues and I have been very appreciative of your [President Clinton's] support of the Fed over the years, and your commitment to fiscal discipline has been instrumental in achieving what in a few weeks will be the longest economic expansion in the nation's history." — Alan Greenspan, Federal Reserve Board Chairman, January 4, 2000, with President Clinton at Chairman Greenspan's re-nomination announcement


One of the reasons Goldman Sachs cites for the "best economy ever" is that "on the policy side, trade, fiscal, and monetary policies have been excellent, working in ways that have facilitated growth without inflation. The Clinton Administration has worked to liberalize trade and has used any revenue windfalls to reduce the federal budget deficit." — Goldman Sachs, March 1998


"Clinton's 1993 budget cuts, which reduced projected red ink by more than $400 billion over five years, sparked a major drop in interest rates that helped boost investment in all the equipment and systems that brought forth the New Age economy of technological innovation and rising productivity." — Business Week, May 19, 1997