Bread Line in Berkeley. A comment on the modern economy

Bread line in Berkeley, California.  Epicenter of job killing liberal values

Thanksgiving in a time of misery.   I have been reading candidate websites.

Rubio's website:  Marco's plans will help workers who have suffered during the Obama administration's anemic economic recovery.

Cruz's website: The American Dream is under assault like never before.  Ted Cruz has led the way to bring back jobs, growth, and opportunity to America.

Jeb Bush's website: Under President Obama, Americans have now endured six years of tax increases, endless regulation, added debt. We got an anemic economy.

There is a clear Republican message:  the economy under President Obama has been a complete failure.  I have heard about two dozen Republican candidate stump speeches, live, beginning to end, and have never heard a single word or reference to the condition of the economy in 2008-2009 when Obama was elected then inaugurated.  Nor have I heard reference to unemployment being at 5%, to the stock market having gone up 250%, to the recovery of people's 401k's, to the recovery of the housing market, nor to the US being approximately energy independent.

No.   In the Republican analysis this is a time of misery.  And it is caused by Obama and liberals.

I have imagined bread lines.  

And there are, indeed, bread lines, here in Berkeley, California, in the epicenter of job killing liberal values.   But this is not a bread line of misery.   It is one of abundance, and of consumers with the money and taste to enjoy simple luxuries.

Forty six people, by actual count, standing in line to buy especially good bread.  Organic, artisan bread.  The store operation was very fast and efficient so the line moved quickly but people kept forming in the back, staying at about 46 people at any one time.  A young woman in front of me, Robin, said that very, very good bread is something worth paying a bit more for, and waiting in line to get.

Bread line in Berkeley.   The glass is half full, too.

Jared Guyer, a customer.   Employed.