OT: A history lesson from Amity Shlaes

Hein · Since 08 Mar 2005 1314 Posts Possessed

It's just history.

http://www.hillsdale.edu/news/imprimis.asp

beech · Since 21 Aug 2010 486 Posts Longview, WA Obsessed

one of my favorite Coolidge quotes:

“Don’t expect to build up the weak by pulling down the strong.”

hoarhey · Since 20 Jul 2008 63 Posts the corridor Â

I probably enjoy reading about economics more than the next guy, but this is the wrong forum for this. This forum is a place where we complain about dog poo on the sandbar, futile cleanups before a big rainstorm (which deposite twice the logs that were removed), make outlandish beer bets about the longterm building of new sandbars, and ridicule new kiters who don't get why everybody think board leashes are dangerous. Please take your serious and informed opinion elsewhere.

beech · Since 21 Aug 2010 486 Posts Longview, WA Obsessed

edit:

dont expect to improve the skills of weak kiters by putting ankle weights on strong kiters.

there u go. :-)

Moto · Since 03 Sep 2006 2698 Posts Still a gojo pimp! Moto Mouth

Lurk · Since 04 Apr 2009 355 Posts Obsessed

Yeah Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge, that worked out well.

"Best" part of that kind of thinking was when a young Gen. Douglas Mac Arthur opened fire on the old WW1 Veterans in D.C. for marching for the pay they were promised.

Oh I guess they left that part out.

bulae99 · Since 12 Jul 2006 1692 Posts XTreme Poster

http://www.salon.com/2013/03/10/robert_reich_explains_why_you_wont_get_rich/

sundayfunday · Since 08 Aug 2012 11 Posts United States, FL New Member

bulae99-

Lets just pretend that that video has any sense of sensibility for a second...how then do you explain direct TV satellite dishes in every low-income neighborhood or iphones for people on welfare....or better yet the "average" household maxed out on credit cards to fund their daily obsession with Starbucks?

Taxing the middle class doesn't solve the problem (I agree) however government spending does not either....the problem is the system, the fiat currency system and the bankers/government in bed with each other at the expense of the "middle class" and as we will find out, at the expense of what little real wealth us 99%'ers have accumulated.

Why directly oppress the people if you can silently erode everything they have worked for and make them believe that consuming and accumulating debt is the only way the economy will function..

Savers are punished but those who spend are rewarded??? That's why we won't ever be rich, just my 2 cents (actually 1.55 adjusted for inflation)

bwd · Since 04 Aug 2007 385 Posts Obsessed

There was a take-home point from the column, not that coolidge was a neat guy or a great leader in any sense, just that it was a positive thing that at that time in history, there was still a concept of accountability that applied to the executive branch of government.

Now we have congresses that won't budget, and Presidents promise pie in the sky and blame their predecesssors, congress, external enemies, anybody but themselves and their subordinates.
Not picking favorites here, this applies to all of them.
Might not really matter if the congress took responsibility or the executive, if someone in gov't did we'd be better off than in the last 30-40 years.

Lurk · Since 04 Apr 2009 355 Posts Obsessed

Different time and place, this historian has only looked at a small period in our history and lacks context, to wit George Washington, Jefferson sponsored lotteries and made money on reckless schemes way before Coolidge. The only thing lacking back then were the modern finance practices that would have allowed them to do the same things, Coolidge included.

If you want we could go back to establishing annual Federal budgets that by law must be enforced, as States currently do. Only one problem, we would have lost WW2 if government spending had been limited prior and during the war. FDR was able to "abuse" excecutive authority and est. Lend Lease, increased military spending, etc., prior to the war thus saving the bacon of a very anti- war electorate.

(small problem)

Our real problem is undeclared, unfinanced wars, Vietnam and Iraq.

pjc · Since 06 Mar 2005 649 Posts Addicted

an article titled "why you won't get rich" on a forum that regularly includes pictures of people kiting in Maui/Caribeean/random-exotic-expensive-location is quite odd, I must say.

bulae99 · Since 12 Jul 2006 1692 Posts XTreme Poster

I guess it's picking the lesser of two evils. I don't want to pay taxes, but I do. When a person who makes minimum wage, works full time, and has no access to health care goes to the hospital who pays for it? Answer.........???
Yep, you guessed it, we do.

If we imprison a nonviolent drug offender for using drugs and then he/she gets out and does it again who pays for it? Ding........we do.

The majority of our budget is being spent on military. Our foreign policy during the Bush/Cheney years was not very good. We ended up removing a dictator that we helped to fight Iran. The lack of planning is now leading to an Iran that is supporting, funding and providing refuge to terrorists who's Jihad will continue until we win the war of ideas not weapons. We are going to have to spend money to help not fight.

The neoconservatives that run Fox tv would like you to believe that less red tape is a good idea. I think it's the less government and less regulation idea that leads to people being less empathetic. When I see a person going to the unemployment office I know that they want to work. If I see a person going in and out of jail I know they need some type of help. If you don't provide that they are simple going to repeat offend until they can learn to do something else.

I want to help my community produce workers who are prepared for the world of new jobs in high tech. I like Germany's model, but it's really controversial, but it works. I like creating incentives for companies to stay in the US and not take the jobs overseas.

I also like Slingshot Kites because they are better than best. But Best got two of our team members to jump ship. I'll miss them, but I'll still fly Slinghot kites because they are made in the USA, aren't they?

I guess the forum is made up of different people with different opinions on kites, politics and favorite beers.

Cheers,

beech · Since 21 Aug 2010 486 Posts Longview, WA Obsessed

Weaz · Since 23 May 2012 360 Posts Beaverton Obsessed

the government likes one thing, your money. It will fund programs that the government it self says are producing no effect. 40+% of the free phones for the poor are sent to unqualified people, They don't always bid and take the lowest bid with approved quality. I swear 1/2 the money we send to the Federal government is wasted, either on programs that don't work, insane sentences for non-violent no victim crimes, or government employees that spend 99.95% of their time napping or playing facebook games.

The whole "big spending cuts" aren't cuts, they are a decrease in the increase of spending. I love the math and slang the government uses to look like they are doing the right thing.

I'm still wondering how the press secretary can say that Paul Ryan's budget (no new taxes) that balances in 10 years is not "balanced", where the current democrat's budget calls for 1 trillion in more taxes, besides the tax hikes due to Obamacare that will hit in the next 2 years, that doesn't balance.

I'm not saying Ryan's plan is right, but when you are in debt 6-8 times what you take in a year you gotta do something to get on the fiscally responsible path.

I think most people agree that the poor need assistance and help to get out of poverty, but still they have to want to make it on their own otherwise they will stay where they are. If we just give more money to them they will blow it, as 90% of Americans do with any extra $$ lying around.

Honestly from my point of view government always tries to do good, but when you get people that want more and more power, spin (Washington DC term for LYING YOUR ASS OFF), and don't have anything to loose if there is any wasteful spending a good thing tends to go bad over time.

/end rant

Where's the wind already....

OG · Since 07 Jun 2011 600 Posts Addicted

wow, buzzkill. the winds need to come before some of you start saying weirder shit

Moto · Since 03 Sep 2006 2698 Posts Still a gojo pimp! Moto Mouth

Weaz · Since 23 May 2012 360 Posts Beaverton Obsessed

yah Moto. I know, but some of the Inspector Generals have already found almost as much waste as the Sequester....

I think the government would have less waste if the IG's or some other people were able to find the waste, if congress agrees it's a waste that department not only looses the budget for the "waste" but looses 2-3 times the waste in their budget for the next year. Maybe then the government would work more like a profitable business, cutting the unnecessary, over paid, etc.