A Democrat Wish List
Feb 23, 2009
The case for a huge stimulus -- which I support -- is to prevent a devastating downward economic spiral. Spending is tumbling worldwide. In the fourth quarter of 2008, the U.S. economy contracted at a nearly 4 percent annual rate. In Japan, the economy fell at a nearly 13 percent rate; in Europe, the rate was about 6 percent. These are gruesome declines. If the economic outlook is as bleak as Obama says, there's no reason to dilute the upfront power of the stimulus. But that's what he's done.
That's a big reason to support across the board income rate cuts. That way it's difficult for politicians to pick who gets the money and the policy actually does stimulate the economy. JFK's and Reagan's tax cuts are excellent examples. Going the inept FDR route will only lead to more misery.
An interesting proposal I heard - US federal personal income tax revenue comes out to about 1.3 trillion per annum. That means that instead of this "stimulus" plan, they could have simply got rid of ALL personal income tax for one year, at essentially the same cost. Think of how much more beneficial that could have been.
Posted by: Alex | Feb 23, 2009 at 10:45 PM
I like your commentary on religion but passing off the cuff remarks about things that you dont have an expertise on for the sake of dissing the current president is not cool
Posted by: Kafir | Feb 24, 2009 at 07:17 PM