http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy Discussion: Is someone to blame for the current state of the economy? http://www.blogcatalog.com/http://www.blogcatalog.com/css/images/logo2.gif Copyright 2005-2007 BlogCatalog.com Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:21:02 -0600 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1019267 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1019267 Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:56:27 -0500 Agit8r also, hoover and coolidge were crony capitalists. Mere coincidence that the same situation repeatedly has occured from the panic of 1837 'til now? I think not :(

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1019194 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1019194 Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:06:28 -0500 anticsrocks So that means that when they state the WHO's own criteria for ranking health care, they are wrong? It isn't a study, its an article explaining the way the WHO ranks the countries in it's report of health systems by country.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1019188 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1019188 Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:01:41 -0500 satijournal Come on, AR. You can't use a study from the Cato Institute for facts. They're funded big business including Philip Morris and American Petroleum Institute and are far from being an unbiased source.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1019183 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1019183 Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:55:43 -0500 anticsrocks Don't get me started on the World Health Organization. The sure fire way to make it high on their list of "Best Health Care," is to have socialized medicine. That is one of their criteria. What a crock.

Tell me this, if the UK has such a GREAT health care system, then why:

* Breast cancer mortality is 88 percent higher in the United Kingdom.
* Prostate cancer mortality is 604 percent higher in the U.K.
* The mortality rate for colorectal cancer among British men and women is about 40 percent higher.
*Canadian and British patients wait about twice as long - sometimes more than a year - to see a specialist, to have elective surgery like hip replacements or to get radiation treatment for cancer.
* All told, 827,429 people are waiting for some type of procedure in Canada.In England, nearly 1.8 million people are waiting for a hospital admission or outpatient treatment.

As for how the WHO ranks countries on their health care services, well just read this.

"The WHO rankings are based on a constructed index of five factors. One factor is "health level," defined as a country's disability-adjusted life expectancy. Another is "health responsiveness," which includes desirable characteristics of healthcare like speed of service, protection of privacy, and quality of amenities.

Both of these are sensible indicators of health quality, but they constitute only 37.5 percent of each country's score. The other 62.5 percent encompasses factors only tenuously connected to the quality of care -- and that can actually punish a country's ranking for superior performance.

Take "Financial Fairness" (FF), worth 25 percent of the total. This factor measures inequality in how much households spend on healthcare as a percentage of their income. The greater the inequality, the worse the country's performance.

Notice that FF necessarily improves when the government shoulders more of the health spending burden, rather than relying on the private sector. To use the existing WHO rankings to justify more government involvement in healthcare is therefore to engage in circular reasoning, because the rankings are designed to favor greater government involvement. (Clinton's plan would attempt to improve the American FF score by capping insurance premiums.)"

http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=9259

You get what you pay for, our system may have its flaws, and it does; but would you want to go to Malta, or Singapore, or Iceland to have that surgery you might need? I sure as hell wouldn't and those countries all made it higher on the list.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1019163 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1019163 Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:25:12 -0500 satijournal Deregulation just doesn't work because private enterprise is often fueled by greed.

That's exactly right. Even Alan Greenspan admitted he was wrong about his understanding of human nature. Greed is the reason regulation is necessary.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1019092 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1019092 Tue, 07 Jul 2009 07:12:18 -0500 eelder1 The Republicans have just about privatized everything including health care. At one time garbage collection, electrical power and water was public. We had one quasi-government company called AT&T that provided phone service all over the US.

We now have banks and insurance companies that are monopolies like AIG that are 'too big to fail." We are the only industrial nation besides South Africa that doesn't have public health care and our system costs twice as much as the folks in Europe. In the UK, it cost $600 per year for health insurance. The UK is rated 18th in the world by the WHO and Canada is 3Oth. We are 37th. Some of the health insurance companies make a 30 per cent profit by denying medical care.

BTW the free market brought us the Great Depression and the Great Recession that started during the last year of the Bush administration.

All countries have a mix of public and private. The invisible hand of free enterprise had to be rapped on it knuckles after the financail meltdown.

Deregulation just doesn't work because private enterprise is often fueled by greed.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1019086 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1019086 Tue, 07 Jul 2009 06:36:06 -0500 eelder1 satijournal: There are at least six schools of thought on the Great Depression. As I recall the Austrian school predicted it. Buying stocks on the margin was a big factor and Hoover didn't spend enough federal money to get the economy restarted. The GOP took the blame for the Great Depression because they had been holding the presidency for at least 10 years between Hoover and Coolidge before it started.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1019085 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1019085 Tue, 07 Jul 2009 06:30:14 -0500 eelder1 Prove that statement. We have a distribution of income and wealth problem in the US. Our Gini index is above .4 which puts us in the danger zone. We have more people below the poverty line. This started when Reagan was president because his tax plan fractured the middle class. Taxes are a function of income, it isn't the other way around.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1019084 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1019084 Tue, 07 Jul 2009 06:26:00 -0500 eelder1 Agit8r: Yes, but most state programs receive federal dollars that they adminster.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018980 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018980 Tue, 07 Jul 2009 01:18:12 -0500 anticsrocks When you say free market you are referring to a free enterprise system with no regulation at all. I am not. That is not practical by any means. YOU are the one that makes it an all or nothing proposal.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018908 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018908 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 23:54:25 -0500 satijournal So the Smoot-Hawley Tariff played no part in the Great Depression? That is prepostorous, sati. Deregulation had nothing to do with it.

What was the impetus for the Smoot-Hawley Tariff? Answer that question and you'll answer your own question. And the idea of a tariff wasn't necessarily a bad thing. It was the implementation that made a bad situation worse.

It is absurd to continually maintain that the free market is not what drives this country. If government market controls are superb, why then did Communist Russia not thrive? They never allowed free markets, so they should have been fine according to your line of thinking, sati.

No, you're just setting up a straw man. It's not an all or nothing proposition. A well regulated economy promotes capitalism while a free market results in monopolies and radical economic sways.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018875 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018875 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 23:22:31 -0500 anticsrocks So the Smoot-Hawley Tariff played no part in the Great Depression? That is prepostorous, sati. Deregulation had nothing to do with it.

"Monetarists, including Milton Friedman and current Federal Reserve System chairman Ben Bernanke, argue that the Great Depression was caused by monetary contraction, the consequence of poor policymaking by the American Federal Reserve System and continuous crisis in the banking system. In this view, the Federal Reserve, by not acting, allowed the money supply as measured by the M2 to shrink by one-third from 1929 to 1933. Friedman argued that the downward turn in the economy, starting with the stock market crash, would have been just another recession. The problem was that some large, public bank failures, particularly that of the New York Bank of the United States, produced panic and widespread runs on local banks, and that the Federal Reserve sat idly by while banks fell. He claimed that, if the Fed had provided emergency lending to these key banks, or simply bought government bonds on the open market to provide liquidity and increase the quantity of money after the key banks fell, all the rest of the banks would not have fallen after the large ones did, and the money supply would not have fallen as far and as fast as it did."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Depression

http://americanhistory.about.com/od/greatdepression/tp/greatdepression.htm

It is absurd to continually maintain that the free market is not what drives this country. If government market controls are superb, why then did Communist Russia not thrive? They never allowed free markets, so they should have been fine according to your line of thinking, sati.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018847 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018847 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 23:09:00 -0500 satijournal Deregulation is what caused the collapse of our economy. History has proven that a true free market always results in disaster: i.e. The Great Depression, the S & L crisis of the 80s, the financial sector meltdown of last year. You're just repeating right wing ideological talking points that have no grounding in reality.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018782 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018782 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 22:33:16 -0500 anticsrocks I agree with you Fred. Free enterprise is the engine that drives our economy and Obama is not letting it run to its full potential.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018762 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018762 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 22:25:38 -0500 FredSr2009 You could be right; depending on bigger and bigger government is the way our learned economist seems to be taking us. However, I totally disagree; I think the only way to go and save our freedom at the same time is to take all burdens off the federal government by privatizing damn near everything.

That would at least save the central government even if everything else was going to hell in a hand basket.

History has proven that a true free market place always work. With the government out of the way entrepreneurs will save this economy.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018743 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018743 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 22:03:30 -0500 satijournal I have news for you. We're in an economic collapse. Whether or not it's total remains to be seen, but the government is the only entity big enough that can stop the free-fall.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018741 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018741 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:57:53 -0500 FredSr2009 The founding fathers designed the USA government to protect and defend the nation both internally and externally and do only the things the citizens couldn’t do for themselves. It is impossible for our government to remain a sugar daddy provider and survive.

We now have a situation where fewer and fewer people are taking care more and more people, which make it impossible to avoid a total economic collapse.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018735 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018735 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:53:55 -0500 anticsrocks "read" meat? I read my newspaper, but I don't read meat. lol

WIC programs are welfare. They offer coupons for low income families to purchase milk, eggs, bread, fresh fruit, cheese and breakfast cereals. They stop when the child is either 3 or 5, I am not sure. I know that is a big gap, but I just can't remember the guidelines. I took a Disability Awareness program as one of my electives while pursuing my Psychology degree and we covered programs like WIC, TANF, etc...

As far as being a tool or weapon wielded by the GOP...I think they have other bigger issues on their plate than using some low income programs to wag the dog. That statement smacks of bitterness.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018729 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018729 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:48:48 -0500 anticsrocks And that is another divisive comment sati. When you say things like that, it stifles honest debate.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018699 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018699 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:20:15 -0500 Agit8r State programs should be defined "by the states respectively" :)

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018691 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018691 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:14:28 -0500 eelder1 Agit8r: I agree with you. There is no welfare state in the US. Many of the state programs are borderline.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018540 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018540 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:37:43 -0500 Agit8r virtually all welfare is dispensed at the state level (by the individual states in the Union as opposed to the State per se) many of those are not even federal mandated programs, but rather programs of the individual state governments.

The term "welfare state" is another matter. I tend to prescribe to F. A. Hayek's definition--that of bestowing a privelege beyond the basic necessities of subsistence and preparation for the work force and civic life--which does not substantively exist here on a national level.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018530 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018530 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:26:33 -0500 eelder1 There is really no long term 'welfare state' in the US anymore. I have been paying into Medicare and Social Security all of my life and I look at as a 'for pay' benefit. Unemployment is an insurance program, not welfare.

The Aid to dependent children Program was replaced by Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)in 1996. Lifetime benefits are 5 years. The only program that provides long term welfare benefits are food stamps and if you make much more than $600 per month, you may not be eligible for them. A part time job can disqualify you for food stamps.

The 'so-called' welfare state is part of a GOP disinformation program to create animosity between the middle class and the poor. The GOP would prefer for the middle class to pay attention the welfare cheats rather than the affluent and corporations who loot America when the Republicans are in power.

More read meat anyone?

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018527 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018527 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:24:33 -0500 satijournal That's just a talking point which is not based on reality.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018450 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018450 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:21:36 -0500 Agit8r That's a rather ambiguous term. Perhaps you could explain how you define "Welfare State"

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018380 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1018380 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:31:54 -0500 FredSr2009 Yes, the someone who created our welfare state.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1015669 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1015669 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:38:17 -0500 anticsrocks No, actually I was asking YOU why YOU always cry for the government to come save you. I would rather fall on my own than be held up by the government.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1015555 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1015555 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:12:46 -0500 Agit8r "If men were angels, no government would be necessary"

James Madison, The Federalist #51

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1015550 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1015550 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:01:31 -0500 satijournal You asked a hypothetical question. If the world was perfect, sure, we wouldn't need the government to regulate, but people are often driven by greed -- thus the need for regulation. People who are responsible need the government to protect them from people who aren't.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1015276 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1015276 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:49:37 -0500 anticsrocks Once again sati, you didn't answer my question.

Why do you always want the government to make things right? Why do you turn to the government, rather than yourself?

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1015026 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1015026 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:18:27 -0500 satijournal If everyone in that neighborhood practiced personal responsibility, then the houses would not become vacant.

Yes, but they don't and they are.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1014939 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1014939 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:51:50 -0500 Agit8r you missed my point. There are many genX and genY voters who would vote for personal resposibility if it didn't come with big-brotherish consequenses (like the PATRIOT Act, repressive social doctrine, nationalization of airport security...)

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1014931 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1014931 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:45:15 -0500 anticsrocks To take your example, sati. If everyone in that neighborhood practiced personal responsibility, then the houses would not become vacant. That is why it is a philosophy that works. The government is not the answer. It cannot swoop in and fix every problem that comes along. At some point, you have stand up and say that you are in control of your own destiny. If you screw up, get knocked down, then you get back up and try again, hopefully a bit wiser.

Why do you always want the government to make things right? Why do you turn to the government, rather than yourself?

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1014927 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1014927 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:42:35 -0500 anticsrocks Hence the reason I didn't answer for the GOP.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1014878 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1014878 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:51:21 -0500 satijournal For one thing, they need to restore the Glass-Steagall Act, which was repealed as part of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Financial Services Modernization Act in 1999. Repealing the Glass-Steagall Act was largely responsible for the housing bubble and ultimately, its collapse, which destroyed our economy.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1014780 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1014780 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:11:51 -0500 thelibertylight In what form do you think the regulation should take, and how invasive do you think it should be? If enacted, how long before you will see improvement within the housing sector?

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1014755 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1014755 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:02:34 -0500 satijournal Personal responsibility sounds good, but it doesn't work as a policy.

Take the housing bubble and bust. Say you're responsible and buy a house that you can afford and you make your payments on time every month, but because of deregulation, a lot of other people in your neighborhood buy houses they can't afford. Their houses are foreclosed on so they trash them and they're left vacant. The crime rate goes up in your neighborhood and property values go down.

So here you are with your house that you keep up nicely and make all the payments on time, but now it's worth less than what you owe. You're screwed because other people aren't responsible. Regulation is needed to force people to be responsible.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1014722 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1014722 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:19:03 -0500 thelibertylight "That's the conservative ideology, which is devoid from reality."

Please explain further.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1014595 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1014595 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:05:34 -0500 satijournal Dunno about the GOP alternative, but the conservative alternative is personal responsibility.

That's the conservative ideology, which is devoid from reality.

]]> http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1014568 http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/is-someone-to-blame-for-the-current-state-of-the-economy#comment_1014568 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:38:28 -0500 eelder1 Antics: The conservative alternative is a platitude? I am not surprised. Most of the GOP agenda has been symbolic and social: anti-flag burning, anti-abortion, anti-gay, pro-gun, pro-religion and so forth. For years the GOP got away with this while running on their one trick pony: low taxes.

Obama took the tax issue away by promising middle class tax cuts. The Washington Post published a comparison of the Obama and McCain tax proposals:www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/06/09/ST2008060900950.html

It was clear the McCain tax plan favored top income earners and did little for the middle class.

You really need to have wake-up about the GOP. It is an elite made up of white businessmen who want to maintain the status quo. The GOP is primarily oriented to keeping taxes low for corporations and the affluent, even if means creating a huge national debt. George W. Bush was the only US president who started a war and also cut taxes.

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