Well, there's not much we can do about it the stimulus package now. All I can say is, change is here upon us. And it's a change we had no power on controlling.
Brad, has this EVER happened in a presidency? I mean, something where they take a "Stimulus package" and make it the biggest pork roast with a bunch of new laws and governmental control built in it?
All I can think of for comparison is the Trojan Horse. They must have said then... "Oh, look, a big horse. That's kind of cool." Then they (meaning We) let the gigantic horse in, then BAM, we're taken over. Only it's not another country, it's by our own government.
Here is a little blurb on our president-elect...Way to go voters! Especially you that didn't like Bush-a-nomics with the last bail out bill. Speaking of, read the end of this article on B Obama and his reply to a reporter. The buck is still trying to be passed. When your president, there are NO excuses, just resolutions. Excuses are a sign of weakness. I hope the Saudi's were NOT right about our nation when they commented on how WEAK our nation was after he granted them his first interview. (I'm still bitter that he finds it more important to address them first than the voting citizens of this nation.) For our sake, I sure hope not.
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Richard writes:
"Well, there's not much we can do about it the stimulus package now. All I can say is, change is here upon us. And it's a change we had no power on controlling.
Brad, has this EVER happened in a presidency? I mean, something where they take a "Stimulus package" and make it the biggest pork roast with a bunch of new laws and governmental control built in it?
All I can think of for comparison is the Trojan Horse. They must have said then... "Oh, look, a big horse. That's kind of cool." Then they (meaning We) let the gigantic horse in, then BAM, we're taken over. Only it's not another country, it's by our own government."
Economic stimulus is nothing new in American history. Heck, we can look as far back as to Andrew Jackson for examples of government intervention in economics. However, nothing as large as this has ever been tried, which is why I believe that nobody can make a solid judgment call on this one. Economists for and against this plan have been coming out by the droves as of late with their predications, but I think the best prediction comes from Warren Buffet when he stated, "We simply don't know...and that means all of us allegedly in the know."
As for examples of recent attempts to stimulate the economy, of course W comes to mind. Yet even W isn't alone. Jimmy Carter created federal rebates, cut interest rates, pushed for a stimulus package, etc. when times got tough, as did JFK, Lyndon Johnson, Clinton and even the BELOVED Republican hero, Ronald Reagan (in fact, his was probably the biggest out of those mentioned above, minus W and Obama).
So is this plan a necessity? I think that question is impossible for anyone to answer with any degree of certainty. I certainly hope it will work. If not, it's a helluva BIG mistake.
Your Trojan horse argument was interesting, Richard. It reminds me of another empire; one which our founders looked to for inspiration in forming this one…ROME! There is an EXCELLENT book out entitled, Rubicon: The Final Years of the Roman Republic which discusses some of the astonishing similarities between the latter years of the Roman Republic (prior to becoming an empire) and the U.S. of today. Now, normally I HATE making historical comparisons like this. There are simply too many variables. However, the author presents a very compelling case. He points to factors like Rome's RIDICULOUS defense spending, its immigration problems, a crippling fear of terrorism (the barbarians), a huge deficit, the systematic but slow removal of individual liberties in favor of "security," etc.
My personal feeling is that we need to cut federal defense spending NOW. Our nearest competitors (Russia and China) spend roughly 50 billion a year in defense. And how much do we spend???? ROUGHLY 400 BILLION!!! Why? We aren't even spending that money wisely. A large portion goes to contractors, who work for profit (which, by the way, was another MAJOR problem Rome faced in its final years as a republic).
Immigration is also eating us dry, as it did Rome.
We have sacrificed so many liberties already upon the altars of freedom (The Patriot Act, etc.), which the Romans also did.
Now, I am not saying that George W. or Obama is the next Julius Caesar, but remember that before Caesar came on the stage of Rome several inept, money-driven people-pleasing politicians paved the way! Partisan politics literally choked the Roman Senate to death, along with the voting class within Rome itself.
The book isn't all doom and gloom. After all, the author aptly notes the appearance of CICERO, whose claim to fame was to rise above partisan division and call Rome back to sensibility. He demanded a return to basic republican (not republican in the party sense) virtues of liberty, individual freedom/accountability/minimal government, etc.
Unfortunately, the masses often prefer a dramatic war hero like Julius Caesar to a man of words and conviction like Cicero. And as the saying goes, "the rest is history."
Oh, and of course there is FDR's plans, which most certainly were an economic stimulus...and the WORKED! I guess not all economic stimulus deals are bad, but not all are good either.
Good ol' economics! What a mess! I think Nelson Mandela said it best when he stated, "Under capitalism, mankind is free to take advantage of his fellow man. Under communism/socialism, it's the other way around."
In other words, ALL economics, regardless of nation, government, oversight, or historical era boils down to one common denominator.........GREED!!! Whether it's in the form of peasants being taken adantage of under Feudalism, billions being choked with the chains of Mao's communism, etc., all economics eventually trickle down to greed...even in the land of the free!
I'm just afraid that it is going to be a "hellava BIG mistake".
I did notice that the STATE governments are going to get some money, then they have the responsibility to spend it wisely in creating jobs...so who's the blame going to fall on for not creating "stimulus"? The state governments and not the federal government.
You know, I've been quite frustrated with politics lately. I've done everything I can do, wrote my congressman, senators, voted for those that I agree with (mostly) and now there is nothing I can do, I've already done it. I don't like that feeling. Sometimes I even wish I lived in another country....
In any case, Brian was watching some show that I don't care for, but I caught a snippet of it. Some man asked another (they were in a foreign country) if he was a loyal American. I answered it myself. Absolutely YES! When it all comes down to it, regardless of the way we're being screwed (freedom-wise), I am a loyal, proud American.
That didn't have much to do with this post, Brad pretty said all there is to say and I agree with him.
I've been thinking I want a bumper sticker that says, "Obama's spending us into the Greater Depression." I'm a believer in letting things ride. People can adapt... go back to school, get a new job, whatever. We're always told to have atleast three months of income saved in case of emergencies (like an economic slump, loss of job, etc.) So, I don't understand why it's not supposed to be good policy for the government to operate the same way. If you can't afford to pay for it now, you can't have it. Plain and simple. Sorry all you entitlement geeks out there. Tough Noogies. Bit, I guess that makes me another one of those cold-hearted conservatives.
Not cold hearted. Just realistic. ;)
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