Brilliant idea! Let's spend our way out of the problem.
 

President-elect Barack Obama said Thursday the recession could "linger for years" unless Congress pumps unprecedented sums from Washington into the economy, making his highest-profile case yet on an issue certain to define and dominate his early presidency.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090108/D95J1HDG0.html

LabGuy,
No expert or economist here, but having read my skinny azz off on these
topics lately, I have not come across good alt ideas...
maybe you have one or some.

Who do you think would spend your tax dollars more wisely; you or the government?

Instead of the dysfunctional government taking OUR current tax dollars and future tax dollars just to have them "redistribute" that money how they see fit why not put a freeze on taxes and let us spend our own money to stimulate the economy? The government can help by streamlining and cutting wasteful spending.

Do you really think we are seeing the maximum benefit from that 700 Billion giveaway to the banking system? What makes you think the same people who mismanaged the economy for decades can do a better job spending our way out of debt. The American people have been doing this for years. What do you think lead us through the economic boom between the years 1995 and 2005? OVERSPENDING by the American public!

;)

LabGuy,
I'm on your side; my regard for Congress and admittedly, most areas of
"gov't", is slim to none and Slim's on the bus.

I thought you might have an angle that we/us had missed...

When I read Obama's remarks about the dire need to cut wasteful gov't
spending, (a registered redundancy, imo), I laughed out loud.

Every new Prez that I can recall, (going back to Ike), has bascially spouted
the same bs.

If I were King for a year, I'd have my band of auditors go through the "systems"
with a fine tooth lice comb. Then, I would send 25% of the "gov't" packing and
see if anyone really missed them.

Unemployement would be 10%+ by end of that year, so I suppose we would end
up spending tons anyway...no easy fix that I know of,
but there is little regard for gov't of any level, from my corner.
BR,mD

If they actually followed the money the first time so that it would have been invested wisely, and not in the pockets of the super-rich, then we wouldn't be dealing with this clusterfook right now. I'm no Obama Groupie, but he did mention that there would be serious oversight, and the money would be invested in worthwile stuff, not pet projects.... But then again, who knows whats gonna happen. I'm moving to Canada.

It's easy to be critical of people in Government
that are the same people who mismanaged the
economy for decades. But the average Joe who
got himself into this mess is no better than the
Govt. spenders they complain about.

If it was so easy to solve then why don't we see
all the armchair economist coming up
with and submitting brilliant plans that will
trump the status quo?

Problem is we're talking about humans again.
Humans who for the most part that are more concerned
with their own opinion, Their own powerful position,
their own constituency, their own pocketbook, their
own glory. But they are not interested in coming to an
agreement about anything that requires the sacrifice
of their own ideology.

If any of these people ever get to the point where
they can overcome their own ego something might
get accomplished. But try as they may, they will keep
fighting against the goads to defend their pride to the
detriment of us all.

My usual suggestion is that after the healthy debate is
over let's see how many people can actually come up with
a solution and a plann that all can agree with.
Then submit that plan to the government for inspection.

Sorry if I'm misunderstanding you, but aren't you suggesting that we do what we have already been doing for the past 8 years? I'm pretty sure that we have had no federal tax increases in the last 8 years, and we were able to spend our own money to stimulate the economy. Obviously that worked out so well.....

Just remember who told you this first, but there is not going to be a recovery from this regardless of what they do. These problems are here to stay, and the only way to fix them is a major overhaul of our basic economic structure. These little tiny bits of socialism they have discussed so far are not even close to what needs to be done to fix the problems.

Something needs to be done to put money in the hands of the poor and middle class, and lowering taxes will not help these people as they barely pay taxes anyway. Something needs to be done to increase wages by a very significant amount for the average person. Tell me a policy that will do that, and you may have a winner.

Anything short of that is not going to fix anything, and as soon as the banks and large corporations blow through the hundreds of billions of bailout money, we are going to see a major colapse of the economy unlike anything seen since the great depression. If you think 6% unemployment is tough, wait until you see 25 and 30% unemployment.

Wow Eric, brilliant.

Let's have the Democrats and Socialists in Government take the LARGE amounts of taxes paid by corporations and the wealthy in America and funnel it to the poor and middle class to stimulate the economy.

Forget the fact that the corporations and wealthy create jobs in America. I guess you think the guy on the corner with a cardboard sign that says Hungry Please Help will turn America around. I'm betting cigarette and alcohol sales would go through the roof.

Your plan penalizes success and rewards failure. The only ones holding jobs would be those working for the government.

Doesn't matter what you think is fair. The economy is going to colapse, and no capitalist policy is going to stop that. Just stay tuned...

:rofl:

Yup Chicken Little then the sky will fall.... ;)