Bill O'Reilly: Anger Over Obama's Handling of Economy
June 8, 2011

By Bill O'Reilly

As you may know, there was bad economic news last week. The unemployment rate went up and housing remains awful.

In the face of the bad news, even the liberal press is concerned. Listen to Bob Schieffer grilling Nancy Pelosi:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BOB SCHIEFFER, HOST, "FACE THE NATION": You were talking in kind of a different way when unemployment went to five percent under George Bush. What you said then, "Americans are struggling with sky-rocketing energy prices," gas was only $3 a gallon then. And you said, "This morning's" -- this is January 4, 2008 -- "This morning's job report confirms what most Americans already knew. President Bush's economic policies have failed our country's middle class." I mean, aren't Republicans entitled to say, you know, if gas was $3 and unemployment was five percent and the president has failed the American people, don't they have a right to say that this president has failed the American people?

REP. NANCY PELOSI, D-CALIF., MINORITY LEADER: Well, if you want to go into the past, we can talk about the past all you want. The public wants to know about the future.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Well, with all due respect to the former speaker, no one knows about the future. But here in the present, the U.S. economy remains in trouble. That was a very good sequence by Schieffer. I have to give him credit.

"Talking Points" believes the American people themselves can turn the economy around if the government gets out of their way. There is a lot of cash on the sidelines. And once the private sector becomes more confident, the economy will improve.

What's holding things back is huge government spending and uncertainty about things like Obamacare. Also, many Democrats still believe the federal government should redistribute wealth in America. Industry does not like that, so it's become a problem.

A new Gallup poll asks: Do you think our government should or should not redistribute wealth by heavy taxes on the rich? Forty-nine percent of Americans say no, but 47 percent want the feds to play Robin Hood, to take from the affluent and give to those who don't have much. Forty-seven percent is a big number. That number includes 71 percent of Democrats, while just 43 percent of independents and 28 percent of Republicans support forced sharing.

In the gender area, 52 percent of women want income redistribution, but just 42 percent of men do. On the race front, just 41 percent of whites believe in forced sharing; 64 percent of non-whites do.

So you can see where this is going. Barack Obama is heavily dependent on minorities and women for votes. Thus, the private sector does not believe the president will pull back on his nanny state economic philosophy, and that's stunting economic growth.

The essential question is: What kind of country do Americans want: a vibrant, capitalistic state or a Western European-style nanny state? The call will be made next year.

And that's "The Memo."

Pinheads & Patriots

Actor James Arness died last Friday. He was 88 years old. We had the last interview with him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

O'REILLY: You're also on TV Land now, you know, so you get the reruns...

JAMES ARNESS, ACTOR: Yes.

O'REILLY: …still all over the world. And you still get mail, right?

ARNESS: We get e-mail that you wouldn't believe, and it keeps increasing. We get, I'd say, probably -- maybe 100 e-mails a week.

O'REILLY: Do you know why?

ARNESS: Well, I...

O'REILLY: Because people need heroes these days, Mr. Arness. And you're a hero. You're a hero as an actor on the screen, and you're a hero as a real guy fighting for your country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Mr. Arness was a patriot. The full interview with the actor is now posted on BillOReilly.com, and everybody can see it.

On the pinhead front, you make the call. The late-night guys are going wild over Weiner.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAY LENO, HOST, NBC'S "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO": I don't think Congressman Weiner learned his lesson. Did you see him leaving the press conference? Look at the car he drives. Look. Here he is leaving. Look at there -- see right there. Right there. That's...

(VIDEO OF OSCAR MAYER WIENERMOBILE)

CRAIG FERGUSON, HOST, CBS'S "THE LATE, LATE SHOW WITH CRAIG FERGUSON": It's a huge political scandal. Today Arnold Schwarzenegger actually called Weiner to say, "Thank you!"

DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, CBS'S "THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN": And I thought, well, now, wait a minute. What is the big deal? Aren't -- don't congressmen -- men and women in Congress, don't they get to mail their packages for free?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

So is the piling on pinheaded or patriotic? Please vote on BillOReilly.com. We'll give you the results on Wednesday. Too much or Weiner deserves it?

— You can catch Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" and "Pinheads & Patriots" weeknights at 8 and 11 p.m. ET on the Fox News Channel and any time on foxnews.com/oreilly. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com.

Transcript Date: 
Tue, 06/07/2011
Transcript Show Name: 
O'Reilly Factor
Posted by BillOReilly.com Staff at 6:49 AM
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