Duh. Did anyone with half a brain expect it to work? I'm sorry, but I don't feel better about the direction of the economy because of new/repaved roads and bridges.
Unfortunately, this administration is more concerned with amateur hour rather than focusing on job creation, strengthening the dollar, and getting the country back on track.
Gee!! It's been almost ten months since this administration took over and we are already angry that a miracle recovery has not happened with all jobs instantly restored, all executives giddy over their big bonuses (WAIT!! That one HAS been accomplished), the stock market back up to about 10,000 (WAIT!! That one has happened too!) but there is still so many things to complain about because Bush isn't still in charge and NOTHING else will make some reactionaries happy.
(10-23-2009 08:15 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote: [ -> ]Gee!! It's been almost ten months since this administration took over and we are already angry that a miracle recovery has not happened with all jobs instantly restored, all executives giddy over their big bonuses (WAIT!! That one HAS been accomplished), the stock market back up to about 10,000 (WAIT!! That one has happened too!) but there is still so many things to complain about because Bush isn't still in charge and NOTHING else will make some reactionaries happy.
They haven't created any jobs and by their own admission nothing will be stimulated next year. Spending money on food stamps and unemployment benefits don't stimulate the economy.
When FDR began the New Deal, he stated the three "Rs" around which it would work. The first was RELIEF- To help those who were suffering most by the Depression to maintain their families when little work was available. The present administration is doing the same by extending unemployment to those looking, but not finding , jobs. In order to qualify for unemployment payments, you must be looking for work and going out on job interviews. To say that there are some who have learned to "game" the system would be as surprising as to say there are businesspersons who have done the same in the "bailout" system begun under Bush.
The next was RECOVERY which was a longer term effort with several programs which also involved government financed jobs like WPA, CCC, PWA (which built the University Hospital in B'ham), REA, TVA, AAA I and II, FHA etc. Most of these programs ended with the beginning of the full employment era of WWII. We can't afford this solution now for many reasons.
The last was REFORM which set up various boards and regulatory bodies that were supposed to prevent another such financial meltdown, but as President Jackson showed the nation in 1832, if the Executive branch doesn't support the regulations or heed the regulators, then the same thing can happen again.
For $800 Billion I would expect to see some improvement in the economy. It's too bad that a bunch of over-eager liberal idiots pushed through a bill filled with pork and economic spending that would/will only have short-term effects in a few industries.
By the way, Obama has been president for 9 months now. It's time to stop making excuses, time to stop looking in the rear view mirror, and it's time for his administration to take ownership of the current situation and take steps to actually improve things, rather than finding someone new to blame.
(10-23-2009 09:50 PM)STLouis Blazer Wrote: [ -> ]For $800 Billion I would expect to see some improvement in the economy. It's too bad that a bunch of over-eager liberal idiots pushed through a bill filled with pork and economic spending that would/will only have short-term effects in a few industries.
By the way, Obama has been president for 9 months now. It's time to stop making excuses, time to stop looking in the rear view mirror, and it's time for his administration to take ownership of the current situation and take steps to actually improve things, rather than finding someone new to blame.
If the country wasn't bankrupt and the stimulus wasn't mostly pork projects, then I think it would probably help the country. As it stands now, I think everyone realizes that it was a mistake and we need to reduce the deficit asap.
I didn't need the benefit of hindsight to know it would be a disaster.
the Government can't 'create' jobs without taking resources from those with jobs.
Government can't create wealth. It can only redistribute resources from those with to those without.
The government can create some jobs since they can go into ventures where private capital "fears to tread" because the time factor for financial return is too great for private investment. Two examples are TVA and the REA which has enabled underdeveloped southeastern regions and rural areas to gain electrical power when private companies showed no interest in the long term investments required. It can also invest in more marginal areas where less returns are expected than in "sure thing" projects. The government generally doesn't go "head to head" with private business unless there is a factor of risk that gives private entities reason to pause. Of course, after they start paying off, then private companies are eager to take them over as they are for TVA (if they can select the parts they will get and leave the rest to TVA) and Visionland (which they were happy to take over but would never have built from scratch).
This just in: the Cost of Living actually went down due to the recession. Back in 1975 some comrade set in place an automatic Social Security COLA. Result: This year, the machine put in place says no pay increase for retirees. Makes sense right? No inflation, no inflation raise.
But wait!
Obama and congress (I think even some jackass senior kissin' Republicans) are going to make this "right" by giving special issue Social Security checks anyway--a compensation for the fact that the cost of living didn't rise!? Wut?
Just pitch this bastard on top of the national debt. No big whoop.
Must be nice drawing Social Security. "Security" indeed...
See also George Will's recent column on the subject.
(10-24-2009 12:36 AM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote: [ -> ]The government can create some jobs since they can go into ventures where private capital "fears to tread" because the time factor for financial return is too great for private investment. Two examples are TVA and the REA which has enabled underdeveloped southeastern regions and rural areas to gain electrical power when private companies showed no interest in the long term investments required. It can also invest in more marginal areas where less returns are expected than in "sure thing" projects. The government generally doesn't go "head to head" with private business unless there is a factor of risk that gives private entities reason to pause. Of course, after they start paying off, then private companies are eager to take them over as they are for TVA (if they can select the parts they will get and leave the rest to TVA) and Visionland (which they were happy to take over but would never have built from scratch).
Did you really just say "after they start paying off" and "Visionland" in the same sentence?
I hope you were very drunk and high when you typed that.
Using the New Deal as a measuring stick by which to measure economic recovery is like usind UAB as the standard of excellence in college football. The New Deal failed. Nine years of governent spending and the nation was still in the depths of the depression in 1942. Liberals have been waving this banner for decades and indoctrinating kids with textbooks hailing FDR as a savior for too long. That lie is now starting to crumble.
ahhh, the TVA and the ill fated REA. Two wonderful collectivist entities brought to us by the [previous]
great socialist president, FDR. And, why am I not surprised BAMANBLAZERFAN would uphold the two as 'model' Federal programs?
Could it be because they have been EPIC FAILURES in fulfilling their 'stated' purposes, just as the entire New Deal extended
the Great Depression and his beloved Government run schools have/are failing their students?
BAMANBLAZERFAN, you're a collectivist and I don't mind indentifying you as such.
REA was created with the intention of providing electric power to rural areas, in an effort to modernize the family farm. It was stated
[by doing so] the family farm would become more competative with larger concerns. It was supposed to save the family farm.
How'd that turn out?
TVA was created for much the same purpose, only on a much larger scale. In addition, TVA was a jobs program
and a regional economic development agency, with the intent of developing and modernizing the regions' economy.
It was intended to be the first of many such Federal Government [socialist] endeavors.
While it did bring additional electric power to the region, and such notable 'rural areas' as Birmingham and Huntsville, AL,
Chattanooga, Nashville, Memphis and Knoxville TN, as well as parts of Jackson, MS, the 'socialist model' has been
much less than anticipated. It didn't save the family farm, nor did it develop and modernize the TVA's footprint economies.
Neither of these socialist Federal programs ever attained its' 'stated' purpose. Just like all socialist undertakings,
they were filled with false/unfulfilled promises, and only extended Governments' reach/control into the private domain.
I don't believe ANY Federal program has ever attained the 'stated' purpose. Comtemporary programs such as CRA of 1977,
No Child Left Behind (chief author, Ted Kennedy), ARRA (stimulus), TARP, and GM/Chrysler bailouts/takeovers have been epic fails, as well.
When will the masses learn this, and rise up against Government intrusion and overreach into the private domain.
I'm hopeful we'll draw the line somewhere BEFORE Nationalized health insurance/care.
There is an abundance of [worldwide] evidence the 'Nanny State' doesn't [and will never] work. I don't care how much taxpayer $$$
we throw at a problem, Government is not and will never be the answer. Check around the world, then get back with me if you can find
any Nation/society that has done [for the World's peoples] what free enterprise America has done for them.
The institutions/values that made this Country great are under daily assault by this administration and the collectivists/socialists.
Wake up AMERICA. We have met the enemy, and the enemy was [and still is] tyranny/socialism, which leads to servitude.
Obama [and his minions] are Marxists and need to be defeated.
Main Entry: Marx·ism
Pronunciation: \ˈmärk-ˌsi-zəm\
Function: noun
Date: 1887
: the political, economic, and social principles and policies advocated by Marx; especially : a theory and practice of socialism including the labor theory of value, dialectical materialism, the class struggle, and dictatorship of the proletariat until the establishment of a classless society
— Marx·ist \-sist\ noun or adjective