posty 2,802 Posted January 29, 2009 http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123318906638926749.html There's a serious debate in this country as to how best to end the recession. The average recession will last five to 11 months; the average recovery will last six years. Recessions will end on their own if they're left alone. What can make the recession worse is the wrong kind of government intervention. I believe the wrong kind is precisely what President Barack Obama has proposed. I don't believe his is a "stimulus plan" at all -- I don't think it stimulates anything but the Democratic Party. This "porkulus" bill is designed to repair the Democratic Party's power losses from the 1990s forward, and to cement the party's majority power for decades. Keynesian economists believe government spending on "shovel-ready" infrastructure projects -- schools, roads, bridges -- is the best way to stimulate our staggering economy. Supply-side economists make an equally persuasive case that tax cuts are the surest and quickest way to create permanent jobs and cause an economy to rebound. That happened under JFK, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. We know that when tax rates are cut in a recession, it brings an economy back. Recent polling indicates that the American people are in favor of both approaches. Notwithstanding the media blitz in support of the Obama stimulus plan, most Americans, according to a new Rasmussen poll, are skeptical. Rasmussen finds that 59% fear that Congress and the president will increase government spending too much. Only 17% worry they will cut taxes too much. Since the American people are not certain that the Obama stimulus plan is the way to go, it seems to me there's an opportunity for genuine compromise. At the same time, we can garner evidence on how to deal with future recessions, so every occurrence will no longer become a matter of partisan debate. Congress is currently haggling over how to spend $900 billion generated by American taxpayers in the private sector. (It's important to remember that it's the people's money, not Washington's.) In a Jan. 23 meeting between President Obama and Republican leaders, Rep. Eric Cantor (R., Va.) proposed a moderate tax cut plan. President Obama responded, "I won. I'm going to trump you on that." Yes, elections have consequences. But where's the bipartisanship, Mr. Obama? This does not have to be a divisive issue. My proposal is a genuine compromise. Fifty-three percent of American voters voted for Barack Obama; 46% voted for John McCain, and 1% voted for wackos. Give that 1% to President Obama. Let's say the vote was 54% to 46%. As a way to bring the country together and at the same time determine the most effective way to deal with recessions, under the Obama-Limbaugh Stimulus Plan of 2009: 54% of the $900 billion -- $486 billion -- will be spent on infrastructure and pork as defined by Mr. Obama and the Democrats; 46% -- $414 billion -- will be directed toward tax cuts, as determined by me. Then we compare. We see which stimulus actually works. This is bipartisanship! It would satisfy the American people's wishes, as polls currently note; and it would also serve as a measurable test as to which approach best stimulates job growth. I say, cut the U.S. corporate tax rate -- at 35%, among the highest of all industrialized nations -- in half. Suspend the capital gains tax for a year to incentivize new investment, after which it would be reimposed at 10%. Then get out of the way! Once Wall Street starts ticking up 500 points a day, the rest of the private sector will follow. There's no reason to tell the American people their future is bleak. There's no reason, as the administration is doing, to depress their hopes. There's no reason to insist that recovery can't happen quickly, because it can. In this new era of responsibility, let's use both Keynesians and supply-siders to responsibly determine which theory best stimulates our economy -- and if elements of both work, so much the better. The American people are made up of Republicans, Democrats, independents and moderates, but our economy doesn't know the difference. This is about jobs now. The economic crisis is an opportunity to unify people, if we set aside the politics. The leader of the Democrats and the leader of the Republicans (me, according to Mr. Obama) can get it done. This will have the overwhelming support of the American people. Let's stop the acrimony. Let's start solving our problems, together. Why wait one more day? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Greedo 13 Posted January 29, 2009 It'd be a tad difficult to determine which one worked, or what total percentage it worked, or whether it was, in fact, the combination that worked. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
posty 2,802 Posted January 29, 2009 It'd be a tad difficult to determine which one worked, or what total percentage it worked, or whether it was, in fact, the combination that worked. Maybe, but you can't tax a country to prosperity... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheNewGirl 1,632 Posted January 29, 2009 It'd be a tad difficult to determine which one worked, or what total percentage it worked, or whether it was, in fact, the combination that worked. But what would it matter, other than it WORKED? I mean, of course either side is going to say it was their choice that won, and ignore the fact that working TOGETHER is actually what made it work. I don't like the "I won." comments. I have heard a few people say that since the election, and it doesn't make them look very good, IMO. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
posty 2,802 Posted January 29, 2009 But what would it matter, other than it WORKED? I mean, of course either side is going to say it was their choice that won, and ignore the fact that working TOGETHER is actually what made it work. I don't like the "I won." comments. I have heard a few people say that since the election, and it doesn't make them look very good, IMO. Hasn't Obama been saying "We won"? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kilroy69 1,264 Posted January 29, 2009 RUSH LIMBAUGH is a focking moron that wants nothing other than failure of Obama so he can get his precious republican party back in power. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
posty 2,802 Posted January 29, 2009 RUSH LIMBAUGH is a focking moron that wants nothing other than failure of Obama so he can get his precious republican party back in power. He wants his liberal policies to fail... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kilroy69 1,264 Posted January 29, 2009 He wants his liberal policies to fail... Same focking thing. You cant wish that Obama succeeds as president but that all his policies fail. Well I mean I guess you can in limbaughland but like most things there it does not make any sense. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
posty 2,802 Posted January 29, 2009 Same focking thing. You cant wish that Obama succeeds as president but that all his policies fail. Not true... If Obama comes up with a policy that is worth something and would benefit the country, Limbaugh would probably back it... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BunnysBastatrds 2,576 Posted January 29, 2009 He wants his liberal policies to fail... Exactly. But the media tells them otherwise, so they will never "Listen". Every liberal I know wanted Bush to fail on his abortion policies, tax policies, stem cell policies, social security policies, healthcare policies, education policies, medicare and medicaid policies, foreign policies, foreign aid policies, global warming policies, war policies (funny how we weren't really at war until Obama won) and every oyther policy he brought up. Every judge, cabinet member, or appointment he offered was never good enough unless they were liberal. Newsflash- He's a conservative (sort of) that was elected to be conservative. Just as Obama was elected to be a libeal. F*awking idiots!!! I want his liberal ideas to fail also. Come to new Orleans and see what thirty plus years of liberal leadership has done. The dems in the House knew if they opposed these policies, they had a chance to take back control, and they did. They wanted him to FAIL! If Bush said he wanted to add another MLK holiday for his birth, they would have opposed it because it shouldn't be proposed by a republican! It's good when both sides debate the future. It's bad when all they do is fight to stay in power, as has been the case the dems lost in 1994. It's not your God given right to run the show. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kilroy69 1,264 Posted January 29, 2009 Not true... If Obama does what Limbaugh wants he would probably back it... Fixed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rallo 136 Posted January 29, 2009 us vs. them politics is dumb Share this post Link to post Share on other sites