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Post by concerned on Feb 6, 2009 9:23:26 GMT -5
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Post by frankcor on Feb 10, 2009 16:10:52 GMT -5
The Senate passed a $830 billion version of the stimulus package today.
Obama's speech (disguised as a press conference) last night was very disheartening for me. He sarcastically dismissed anyone who doesn't believe Keynesian spending will stimulate the economy. Even Keynes came to realize that FDR's New Deal failed to stimulate the economy and only racked up a huge national debt.
I also noticed he was asking reporters questions from a list that was prepared ahead of time. George W Bush did the same thing but was never prepared for the question. Obama kicked the tactic up a notch by answering every question with a prepared speech that may or may not have even addressed the question.
Obama's strength is his public speaking ability. No one is better. He is a master at setting up a strawman argument and kicking the bejeezus out of it.
But his knowledge of economics is being filtered through his dogmatic view of government's role in the economy. The result is going to be a very long down-turn in the economy. His stimulus plan will only make things worse.
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Post by dgriffin on Feb 10, 2009 23:14:32 GMT -5
Not to let the O-man off the hook, but it is my firmly held belief that NOBODY is going to turn the economy around from Washington. It will turn around mostly by itself and it will take five years. This is based upon the theory ... I can't remember where I read it  ... that the government never solves problems, except to figure out how to perpetuate itself. Harrumph! Democracy in America lasted about fifty years and was long gone before the Civil War. Since then we have had a multiple class system where one group extorts and bribes another in such an efficient manner (usually) that a stasis has been reached ... a standoff, really... with regularly occurring transactions among the various political groups that appear to be representative government, but in reality is a non-violent first cousin to a protection racket. How's that sound? |
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Post by frankcor on Feb 11, 2009 0:08:02 GMT -5
Sounds about right, Dave. It's the Iron Rule of Oligarchy.
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Post by dgriffin on Feb 11, 2009 15:11:17 GMT -5
But the important point is MULTIPLE oligarchies, who tend to keep each other in check.
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Post by frankcor on Feb 16, 2009 11:34:28 GMT -5
They have, for the time being, merged together. There is no check or balance. It's them. And there's us. They rule. We pay.
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... that the government never solves problems, except to figure out how to perpetuate itself.