Well, the numbers are in, and they’re pretty ugly. From the beginning of January 2014 to the end of March, GDP rose by a paltry 0.1 percent. Economists had expected to see at least one percent growth. Whoops.
Waiting for the news that the economic fundamentals are great; it's just that we had 3 months of awful weather.http://t.co/T2px9v8iAU
— Brian Faughnan (@BrianFaughnan) April 30, 2014
That’s actually the basic gist of the White House’s take on things:
.@CEAChair blames 0.1% Q1 GDP growth on "historically severe winter weather, which temporarily lowered growth in the first quarter."
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) April 30, 2014
Some indicators suggest severe weather had disruptive effect that began to abate at end of Q1 http://t.co/QnvsZIC3ud pic.twitter.com/e7SMYbyRhw
— Jason Furman NARA (@CEAChair44) April 30, 2014
https://twitter.com/AaronBlakeWP/status/461515591077994496
That explains everything!
https://twitter.com/redsteeze/status/461515849527214080
https://twitter.com/redsteeze/status/461522408172969985
massive swing and a miss on Q1 GDP at 0.1%, but well, you know, it's all the weather, Nothing to see here, folks
— Jeff Cox (@JeffCoxCNBCcom) April 30, 2014
https://twitter.com/LoganDobson/status/461516583626891265
Blame it on anything but the Obama administration’s horrendous economic policy.
They say the weather removed 1% off the GDP number. Shenanigans
— Teddy Prentiss (@wallst_savvy) April 30, 2014
And the dog ate his homework. RT @markknoller: .@CEAChair blames 0.1% Q1 GDP growth on "historically severe winter weather, which…
— Dinah (@DinahLord) April 30, 2014
The White House is blaming "historically severe winter weather" on the fact that GDP growth was 0.1% in the 1st quarter. What a fucking joke
— Paul III (@PBGal3) April 30, 2014
We had winter under Reagan too."@JimPethokoukis: "I get a shiver in my bones just thinking about the weather …" 1Q US GDP up just 0.1%.”
— David Palmer (@dcpalmer911) April 30, 2014
Well, yeah. But Reagan didn’t have to contend with climate change like President Obama does!
https://twitter.com/chelseagrunwald/status/461523192516186113
https://twitter.com/DANEgerus/status/461518422551961600
@AaronBlakeWP That damn GOP hurricane machine back up & running? #BlameBush
— Gregimus (@murgatr0id) April 30, 2014
Evidently the weather machine only functions within U.S. borders:
@AaronBlakeWP Why wasn’t Canada’s GDP harmed by severe winter weather? https://t.co/It3iNtSdCx
— DCD (@DCDude1776) April 30, 2014
So the administration is blaming cold weather for poor economic growth. If true, how do you explain Canada's 2.5% growth in GDP this year?
— History Prof Brad (@brad_duren) April 30, 2014
Because apparently they don’t have winter up there.
Canada GDP hits 2.5% cuz there's no winter there, or, uhm…
— The Curve Is Bent. Time to Free Us! (@NolteNC) April 30, 2014
Man, just imagine what the GDP in Canada would be if they had winter there.
— The Curve Is Bent. Time to Free Us! (@NolteNC) April 30, 2014
Pretty brutal, no doubt.
At least some individual states dealing with chilly temps made out OK:
Let's see. North Dakota had one of its harshest winters on record. No growth problems here from some weather. cc: @BarackObama
— eric (@eriContrarian) April 30, 2014
https://twitter.com/ScottLofquist/status/461516161973096450
But let’s be honest:
https://twitter.com/redsteeze/status/461531005661487104
Heh. Meanwhile:
You guys, what if this winter thing comes again next year?
— American Journalists Publish Chinese Propaganda (@JohnEkdahl) April 30, 2014
We’d better take pre-emptive actions now!
https://twitter.com/redsteeze/status/461527918259490816
https://twitter.com/JDtheBard/status/461529536362864640