When the private sector was not investing and creating jobs during The Great Depression, FDR got it right with public spending on such programs as the WPA and CCC. These programs developed many useful infrastructure projects that produced benefits for years to come. And FDR is on most historians top five list of U.S. presidents.
Actually, most historians will tell you that FDR’s programs did little to stimulate the economy enough to bring about prosperity, only to ward off economic ruin for a while. What did? WWII.
Conservatives always ignore the fact that WWII was a massive government spending program, subsidized by increased income taxes and borrowing. Deficit- and taxed-based government spending is the only thing that has ever gotten us out of a depression. This is not the time to cut government spending, unless you want the economy to fail, which the Republicans are betting will help them next time around.
“If only the private sector…would hire a few people.”…A Govt Incentive would help: give a Triple Payroll-tax Holiday for new-hires (for a year) if it increased total company employees. But, there needs to be Demand for company products. Got to keep the Civil Servant & Unemployment & Welfare Checks going out in order to buy products. Has anyone got a plan to increase Exports? Congress sure doesn’t.
“How about we get the Liberals and the Democrats under control instead? They had two years”… Well Said!! Has someone forgotten WHY Democrats were defeated in 2010?
What about all of those jobs that were supposed to be created with all these tax cut for the rich? Boy that sure has worked so well these last four years.
WW2, or any war, should not be given credit for getting us out of a depression. Although wartime spending inadvertently contributed to the solution by getting purchasing power back into the hands of consumers. Albeit inefficiently and at a steep cost in human lives. FDR’s New Deal programs should be given considerably more credit for accomplishing the same thing, but in a much more positive fashion. Because the recovery came after the war, many attribute success to the war. But, in fact, it was a confluence of events that came together after the war that set the nation on a course to prosperity. Things such as:Servicemen and servicewomen returning home with a euphoric sense of optimism after winning a just war; Couples getting together, getting married, forming households, and having babies; Huge housing boom with attendant demand for associated consumer products; Boom in construction of associated infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, libraries, roads, bridges, parks, etc.; Availability of readily accessible domestic building supplies and materials; Self-sufficiency in energy supplies, particularly petroleum products; Relatively low public and household debt relative to the nation’s wealth; Relatively low interest rates; U.S. having a head start in manufacture and export of consumer products; A vibrant culture of hard work and innovation. Public policy now is basically exactly counter-productive to economic recovery: Foreign wars that transfers wealth and capital from the domestic economy to foreign economies, thus preventing wealth creation at home through jobs and the multiplier effect; Tax codes that favour export of capital and jobs; Low taxation of the wealthy that favours wealth accumulators, not job creators and consumers; Cuts in public spending when at the same time the private sector is not spending, thus creating unemployment and shrinking the economy.
“Better Fox then the comedians that only know how to read Obama press reports. What did Janet heart say on ET last night bd? or was it the COMEDY Channel with Stewart I think”
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Actually, nothing is better than Fox. I mean it. Nothing IS BETTER THAN Fox.
“FAIR TAX! The mommy government should not pick winners and losers based on sociology and then use the police power of the IRS to enforce…”
—
Okay. Since I’ve been burned on this stuff before — would you give me a brief breakdown of what you consider the Fair Tax to be? I ask because people will use the same words to describe different ideas/concepts.__
There has been a whole sector of employment that produces necessary & useful products & services but does not attract private corporations who want to show a quick profit. I’m referring to public employment, which the GOP first slandered, then killed. e.g., we have virtually no Health Preparedness plan, to make sure all kids are vaccinated, and funds for the IRS are insufficient to audit wealthy tax avoiders… tho both of these govt departments have been shown to MAKE MONEY… for the population as a whole, that is, not for those of the CEO class, our lords & rulers, who have brilliantly mobilized hatred, ignorance & resentment… and organized a system wherein they gamble with our money, get even richer when they win, and when they love, the taxpayers reimburse them, with only shadow responsibilities attached. One might say, the PR of responsibility, covered non-ironically by the “news,” which is largely owned by the very same people.
kreole over 12 years ago
Good one, Tom……
Gypsy8 over 12 years ago
When the private sector was not investing and creating jobs during The Great Depression, FDR got it right with public spending on such programs as the WPA and CCC. These programs developed many useful infrastructure projects that produced benefits for years to come. And FDR is on most historians top five list of U.S. presidents.
bdaverin over 12 years ago
If only people like you could recognize the difference between Fox News and reality.
grapfhics over 12 years ago
Oh, we’re investing, in global markets . . . in China.Define Chinese take out in the global economy, your job.
Joe1962 Premium Member over 12 years ago
We need to get this Tea party under control they are bad for America and the Republicans!!
Bubba_Boo Premium Member over 12 years ago
It would be great if both parties started doing their jobs!
baileydean over 12 years ago
And the lodges at our national parks, and roads, and bridges.
Kudzu is edible. Why don’t you go munch on some?
baileydean over 12 years ago
Balance!
hotdogger over 12 years ago
Actually, most historians will tell you that FDR’s programs did little to stimulate the economy enough to bring about prosperity, only to ward off economic ruin for a while. What did? WWII.
Riff Gibson Premium Member over 12 years ago
Here’s a perhaps cynical yet entirely private-sector solution to the high unemployment problem: http://jpbulko.newsvine.com
baileydean over 12 years ago
I assume that he’s somehow referring to the help we’re giving NATO in Libya.
Lame, but then that’s what you get when you haven’t a leg to stand on.
ARodney over 12 years ago
Conservatives always ignore the fact that WWII was a massive government spending program, subsidized by increased income taxes and borrowing. Deficit- and taxed-based government spending is the only thing that has ever gotten us out of a depression. This is not the time to cut government spending, unless you want the economy to fail, which the Republicans are betting will help them next time around.
Fuzzy Thinker Premium Member over 12 years ago
“If only the private sector…would hire a few people.”…A Govt Incentive would help: give a Triple Payroll-tax Holiday for new-hires (for a year) if it increased total company employees. But, there needs to be Demand for company products. Got to keep the Civil Servant & Unemployment & Welfare Checks going out in order to buy products. Has anyone got a plan to increase Exports? Congress sure doesn’t.
Fuzzy Thinker Premium Member over 12 years ago
“How about we get the Liberals and the Democrats under control instead? They had two years”… Well Said!! Has someone forgotten WHY Democrats were defeated in 2010?
grenjello over 12 years ago
What about all of those jobs that were supposed to be created with all these tax cut for the rich? Boy that sure has worked so well these last four years.
Gypsy8 over 12 years ago
WW2, or any war, should not be given credit for getting us out of a depression. Although wartime spending inadvertently contributed to the solution by getting purchasing power back into the hands of consumers. Albeit inefficiently and at a steep cost in human lives. FDR’s New Deal programs should be given considerably more credit for accomplishing the same thing, but in a much more positive fashion. Because the recovery came after the war, many attribute success to the war. But, in fact, it was a confluence of events that came together after the war that set the nation on a course to prosperity. Things such as:Servicemen and servicewomen returning home with a euphoric sense of optimism after winning a just war; Couples getting together, getting married, forming households, and having babies; Huge housing boom with attendant demand for associated consumer products; Boom in construction of associated infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, libraries, roads, bridges, parks, etc.; Availability of readily accessible domestic building supplies and materials; Self-sufficiency in energy supplies, particularly petroleum products; Relatively low public and household debt relative to the nation’s wealth; Relatively low interest rates; U.S. having a head start in manufacture and export of consumer products; A vibrant culture of hard work and innovation. Public policy now is basically exactly counter-productive to economic recovery: Foreign wars that transfers wealth and capital from the domestic economy to foreign economies, thus preventing wealth creation at home through jobs and the multiplier effect; Tax codes that favour export of capital and jobs; Low taxation of the wealthy that favours wealth accumulators, not job creators and consumers; Cuts in public spending when at the same time the private sector is not spending, thus creating unemployment and shrinking the economy.
Justice22 over 12 years ago
We have been in a recession for 8 years, so why hasn’t the glass been broken?
baileydean over 12 years ago
Good. It’s nice to know you have some sense. ;)
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Kudzu? Not now, but I did live in Georgia for 3 years it was catching on there. It must feel awful to see it advance and cover things you love.
It actually is edible, there’s even a cookbook. I’ll see if I can find it and will post a link.
What are the “powers that be” doing to help you fight the advance of kudzu?
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baileydean over 12 years ago
“??? sure, um what? Just what we need another lib ideal to take down the traditional family. duuuuh”
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So, “entitlements” are just peachy as long as the person getting the benefit is…YOU, eh?
How typical. How self-serving.
The “traditional family” pulls its own weight and doesn’t rely on others to keep it afloat. Where’s your sense of responsibility?
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baileydean over 12 years ago
“Better Fox then the comedians that only know how to read Obama press reports. What did Janet heart say on ET last night bd? or was it the COMEDY Channel with Stewart I think”
__
Actually, nothing is better than Fox. I mean it. Nothing IS BETTER THAN Fox.
Me? I don’t watch TV. I know of what I speak.
Nothing can be a very, very good thing.
__
baileydean over 12 years ago
“FAIR TAX! The mommy government should not pick winners and losers based on sociology and then use the police power of the IRS to enforce…”
—
Okay. Since I’ve been burned on this stuff before — would you give me a brief breakdown of what you consider the Fair Tax to be? I ask because people will use the same words to describe different ideas/concepts.__
RogerSkulnik over 12 years ago
There has been a whole sector of employment that produces necessary & useful products & services but does not attract private corporations who want to show a quick profit. I’m referring to public employment, which the GOP first slandered, then killed. e.g., we have virtually no Health Preparedness plan, to make sure all kids are vaccinated, and funds for the IRS are insufficient to audit wealthy tax avoiders… tho both of these govt departments have been shown to MAKE MONEY… for the population as a whole, that is, not for those of the CEO class, our lords & rulers, who have brilliantly mobilized hatred, ignorance & resentment… and organized a system wherein they gamble with our money, get even richer when they win, and when they love, the taxpayers reimburse them, with only shadow responsibilities attached. One might say, the PR of responsibility, covered non-ironically by the “news,” which is largely owned by the very same people.