Wednesday, January 28, 2009


Republican's Attack on the Demacrat's Plan to Save the Economy

For most Americans the current Republican tactic of complaining that the Democrat’s stimulus package is too large, falls on deaf ears. The reason for this is simply that the Republicans stood idly by while trillions of dollars were squandered in Iraq, on foreign oil, and on interest to China to fund the multi-trillion dollar deficit Obama was left with. Trying to deny him the means to do anything about it now seems hypocritical at minimum. A more thoughtful strategy would be to suggest by supporting failing Industries and financial strategies of the past we are preventing the economy from being about to naturally adapt to the new economic landscape. Restructuring State and Federal taxes, funding groundbreaking energy research, giving small grants to small and medium companies and learning institutions trying new ideas can help our economy find new, practical answers. The free market will determine the winners. If the French can safely burn their spent fuel rods through reprocessing in breeder reactors, how can America not take advantage of our nuclear waste and this technology? Why should we encourage the big three to manufacture an overabundance of vehicles that anyone can buy for a song used? Especially when they could be partnering with GE to produce and deploy wind turbines as they (GE) already do, with foreign companies overseas? We will need more light-rail, CNG busses and light transport in the new economy, GM could make those. Both of these companies (GM and GE) already have taken US taypayers' money, maybe we should just convert our shares to voting shares and force them to do so. The right way to "save" to economy is to help it "change" to face the changing world, not to prop up economic strategies already proven to fail, that waste resources, new strategies need to succeed.


Nathan Benefield
January 25 at 10:50am
You nailed it Rick, Obama is merely continuing the failed policies of George W. Bush. More spending on "infrastructure", more grants for "alternative energy", tax "rebates," more money for Medicare and Medicaid without reforming those programs. We tried this "fiscal stimulus" in 2001 and in 2008 - and it failed. Haven't we learned our lesson. If government spending leads to an economic boom, after 8 years in which Bush increase federal spending almost 70% (about twice as much as under Clinton), shouldn't our economy be booming? "The free market will determine the winners" - sounds good, but how will that work when the government is choosing winners to give taxpayer money to?FYI, light rail is a boondoggle, everywhere it is tried it end up costing taxpayers more and delivering few riders than promised. If I (as a taxpayer) am forced to become a shareholder in GM, I certainly don't want to force them to get into that business.


Frederick Kardatzke
Today at 9:42am
You nailed it Rick, Obama is merely continuing the failed policies of George W. Bush. answer- The reason for this is how bad of shape the economy is in thanks to the Republican party driving our economy into a huge hole under the ground. Obama feels forced to prop things up, which you are right, is a mistake. More spending on "infrastructure", more grants for "alternative energy", tax "rebates," more money for Medicare and Medicaid without reforming those programs. We tried this "fiscal stimulus" in 2001 and in 2008 - and it failed. Haven't we learned our lesson. If government spending leads to an economic boom, after 8 years in which Bush increase federal spending almost 70% (about twice as much as under Clinton), shouldn't our economy be booming? answer - The problem with Bush spending - it went overseas to destroy Iraq and line the pockets of the rich, who do not spend most of it, but hide increasing quantities of cash in foreign banks, and did not to produce anything in or for America."The free market will determine the winners" - sounds good, but how will that work when the government is choosing winners to give taxpayer money to? Answer - Clearly we are not going to have a completely "free" market in the US under the Republicans of the Democrats. We need to set up a new tax structure that gives incentives for planet and America saving behavior.FYI, light rail is a boondoggle, everywhere it is tried it end up costing taxpayers more and delivering few riders than promised. If I (as a taxpayer) am forced to become a shareholder in GM, I certainly don't want to force them to get into that business.Light rail and CNG bus production have been a profit maker for the companies that produce them (in Wisconsin) You need to look, instead of at the Gross profit of light rail at the net effects of it. Less traffic on the roads (which are subsidized by government) save us fossil fuels and give us alternatives when the foreign oil producers shut off supply. Before the Feds build the Interstate system there were many more thriving light rail companies operating and profiting in the US. But the greatest unrealized benefit (at least by the Republican party) is that it allows the urban poor to search for and hold jobs far from the urban blight which they live in, giving them a way out and the USA a new source of taxpayers instead of additional burdens.

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