Lights Going Out in USA

[Bar Sinister]

"The lights are going out all over America." So states opinion columnist Paul Krugman commenting on the numerous cutbacks to basic infrastructure and social programs in the USA.

It appears that is spite of the so-called "stimulus package" passed by the US congress the US economy continues to languish due to numerous cutbacks at the local and state levels. This is not only preventing a recovery of the US economy, but is handicapping the future of the nation as programs that should be carried out are either cut back or canceled.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/09/opinion/09krugman.html

This is a simple reason for this lack of government foresight, a lack of tax revenue. And there is an even simpler reason for the lack of tax revenue - the US government will not tax the wealthiest two percent of Americans who have more money than they know what to do with. One would expect the Obama administration to enact some sort of legislation to remedy the situation. Why it has not is something of a mystery, but here are a few possible answers: (Mine - not Mr. Kruman's)

1. Obama lacks the guts to push through Clinton-level tax increases on the almighty rich during an election year.
2. Obama never had any intention of increasing taxes on the wealthy, he just said he would.
3. Congress, with its conservative outlook and the fact that most of its members are in the pockets of the ultra-wealthy would block any attempt to raise taxes on those who could easily afford it.
4. There is fear of another Tea-Party type backlash launched by the supporters of the ultra-rich; namely FOX news and the uneducated morons who slavishly support the US right wing.

 

[captain morgan]

I beg to differ Bar. The lights aren't going out 'cause of infrastructure, it has everything to do with going green... You know, saving the planet.

 

[Bar Sinister]

I beg to differ Bar. The lights aren't going out 'cause of infrastructure, it has everything to do with going green... You know, saving the planet.

Did you even bother to read the article? Your reply makes absolutely no sense. Please try an intelligent response next time. I know that working full time for big oil doesn't leave much time for intelligent thought, but please make an effort.

 

[Bcool]

"The lights are going out all over America." So states opinion columnist Paul Krugman commenting on the numerous cutbacks to basic infrastructure and social programs in the USA.

It appears that is spite of the so-called "stimulus package" passed by the US congress the US economy continues to languish due to numerous cutbacks at the local and state levels. This is not only preventing a recovery of the US economy, but is handicapping the future of the nation as programs that should be carried out are either cut back or canceled.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/09/opinion/09krugman.html

Interesting guy, in a way. He worked in the Reagan White House as an economist of course, albeit for just over a year, during the time Reagan's [Bcool: the President who coined the term "welfare queen", an urban legend that won't die, it seems] & Thatcher's disasterous "trickle down economics" debacle was being introduced & inflicted on the UK & US. He's a Keynesian liberal economist with, IMHO, oddly conflicting opinions: "Krugman has advocated free markets in contexts where they are often viewed as controversial. He has written against rent control in favor of supply and demand, argued that "sweatshops" are preferable to unemployment, challenged minimum wage and living wage laws, likened the opposition against free trade and globalization to the opposition against evolution via natural selection, opposed farm subsidies and mandates, subsidies, and tax breaks for ethanol, questioned NASA's manned space flights, and written against some aspects of European labor market regulation. He once famously quipped that, "If there were an Economist’s Creed, it would surely contain the affirmations 'I understand the Principle of Comparative Advantage' and 'I advocate Free Trade'." Paul Krugman - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia However, his Op-Ed in The NYTimes that you cite is indeed spot on, IMO.

1. Obama lacks the guts to push through Clinton-level tax increases on the almighty rich during an election year.
2. Obama never had any intention of increasing taxes on the wealthy, he just said he would.
3. Congress, with its conservative outlook and the fact that most of its members are in the pockets of the ultra-wealthy would block any attempt to raise taxes on those who could easily afford it.
4. There is fear of another Tea-Party type backlash launched by the supporters of the ultra-rich; namely FOX news and the uneducated morons who slavishly support the US right wing.

Well, they finally got a state aid bill for $26 billion passed yesterday that does close tax loopholes for multinationals and is going to go some way to preserving state infrastructures in such things as preventing massive lay-off's of teachers, police & other essential workers and $16 billion more for Medicaid. But there appears to be the all too usual compromise that will be paid for by those who are hurting the most: Reuters: "It also cuts $11.9 billion from the food stamp program, ending part of last year's economic stimulus plan that temporarily increased the aid given to poor families each month to buy groceries. It rescinds advance refunds of the earned income tax credit, a break given to poor families, as well." And $26 billion isn't going to go very far in an economy that has budget gaps for the fifty states that could total as much as $120 billion over the next year!

Which I think proves your points of both the influence of the powerful & wealthy as well as the political manouvering for votes in November creating yet again the all too familiar, not only to the US obviously, barter of ethics and service to the people they represent, not rule, for power and privilege. It has been ever thus for centuries in many forms. :-( History shows that the wealthy & powerful will always fear and go to any lengths to prevent education, reasonable living standards, health and a sense of security from being available to a country's population. Those things create educated, intelligent populations who cannot be ruled by fear and will not hesitate to question and organize to right, profitable to the pampered few, wrongs.

President Obama appears to have good intentions. I think he's getting bad advice and/or may be too idealistic. He stuck with his partizanship approach for far too long, giving the neo-con right wing & outright racists too much time to get a firm foothold & to continue the Bush/Cheney "rule by fear" regime. He should return to the rhythmic fire of his pre-election speeches, the passion that "Yes we can!" inspired; the measured cool "presidential" intonations he uses now do not inspire confidence and distances him more and more IMO.

Even though I get cross with our neighbour at times, often gasping at the appalling rhetoric of racial & ethnic hate that has again arisen there*, I sincerely hope they get through this soon and get back on their feet again. Maybe a little wiser for it too. :smile:

*I emigrated to the US in '58, met some super people and saw a dynamic interesting country, but the racism was intolerable and incomprehensible to a very young me, as it is now. I left in '61 and returned to Canada.