I can assure you that “Mr. Hamilton” was quite serious. He would argue, I think, that despite his choice of words, in truth all presidents need to do is tweak the cycle enought to move it to an expansionary phase is all that’s necessary to win election. Moreover, there is some serious scholarship (admittedly most done by economists, so take it with the proverbial dose of salt) that suggests the historical timing of expansionary business policies just prior to elections is not purely coincidental. Like you, however, I am skeptical that any president has the tools or know-how to manipulate the business cycle, by themselves, to serve their own political purposes.