" No government plan ever operated better? How about our military -- think that's ran by private industry? How about social security -- it's ran pretty darn well with adjustments along the way for over 50 years, so has Medicare. How about education, roads, bridges, other federally controlled areas? How about the FDA, Homeland defense, CIA, FBI, FCC, they protect us from harmful things - want to get rid of them too?

How about State/Federal pension systems? They run pretty well -- at least they survived for the most part, where as your private stocks and wall street investors went under during this latest recession.

Simply saying that we can take care of ourselves is really easy to say when you've got money or you've got family willing to step in. Most Americans aren't that fortunate.

Most Americans wouldn't bother helping the senior next door by mowing his or her yard for them -- haven't got the time...yet you expect this same person to VOLUNTARILY help others with medical bills and loss of income or a job?

You are in a dream world sir.

Just as we are forced to wear seat belts for the betterment of ALL, we sometimes need to be forced to help others....otherwise nothing would get done to our roads, bridges, schools, senior's and children's health care or our safety or national security.

Nothing is PERFECT....but to step aside and ignore the rest of the GOOD that is done - is plain ignorant. "

" orrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr we stop this want for automatic results and realize that we'll have to ride this out to get results. FDR used the massive programs to prevent "communism" to take over and the massive spending worked. This was before WWII so the idea that it only works during war time is wrong. Plus, wouldn't you think besides the idea of "police action" we are at a state of war. To coin the phrase "War on Terrorism". The core of the issue as I always say is the Elite the ones that control 97% of our economy. "

" Is it just me or does there seem to be alot of letters to the editor from former county board members of late?

These old farts need to stick to things they know more about - like knockin down bank buildings & planting tulips. "

" LOL at twolips er ops I mean tulips "

" " FDR used the massive programs to prevent "communism" to take over and the massive spending worked. This was before WWII so the idea that it only works during war time is wrong. "
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Absolutely False- proletariat.

FDR's Keynesian economics did not provide the intended economic relief they were designed to address.

So says John Maynard Keynes:

In 1940, Keynes concluded that *war* would be the *only* way that politicians in democratic nations could rationalize spending enough to bring about full employment.

Keynes wrote in The New Republic -

"It is, it seems, politically impossible for a capitalistic democracy to organize expenditure on the scale necessary to make the grand experiments which would prove my case except in war conditions,"

The "prosperity" of World War II was something of an illusion.

Real consumption in the middle of the war was lower than it was in 1941, and 15 percent of the working-age population was in the military risking life and limb in foreign lands, while most consumers back home were actually worse off.
People could not buy new autos, tires, or a variety of appliances at any price. Rationing programs sharply limited access to meat, sugar, gasoline, and a wide array of other products.

As diplomat Chester Bowles the Liberal Democrat director of the Office of Economic Stabilization during FDR's Administration, put it:

"One of the first things we must realize is that in the 1930s we never really did find the answer to full employment. Only the defense program in 1940 put our people to work and only the war and the cold war that followed have kept them at work."

Life during World War II was largely a continuation of the deprivation of the Great Depression, with two exceptions: Fighting the war put many in the frame of mind that they were sacrificing for a much larger goal of winning the war, and people accumulated savings because there was not much they could buy at the time.

Keynesian economics didn't work then, it has never worked in any country that has tried it since, and unfortunately it won't work now. "

" Correction: Chester Bowles was the director of the Office of Economic Stabilization under the Truman Administration. Before that he was appointed by FDR in 1943 as administrator of the Office of Price Administration, and also served on the federal boards for War Production and Petroleum. "

" Then look at this at a stand point of a state of war then 7x6z9. Whether you like it or not but when a massive ground, sea and air forces are committed to a
"conflict" it is war. So in this purpose it is effective, plus massive infrastructure programs involved massive amounts of labor. Money from these workers will be pumped back into the economy and the system.... soooo it may not be the explosion of boom that we have seen, massive tax cuts during wartime by the bush admin. did nothing but have 2 years of raising stocks but the income of the lower and middle classes failed. Whose to blame? the capitalist fat cats in wall street. Yet it was only two years of economic growth so proving that continued deregulation of the market place is a mistake. "

" Yes, Coonbug (Connie) the government does, as required by the Constitution, "provide for common defense." But that is what the government should do: provide a military, keep our roads in shape and provide schools. To completely ignore the boondoggle that is Amtrak or the United States Post Office which both lose billions every year, shows just what our government is not capable of in many areas. Let private enterprise take these things over and see what happens. Or gee, look at airlines, UPS, FedEX, all things that provide, in the private sector, the same sort of services and make money at it. And also conveniently ignore that historically money invested in the stock market (by your choice) will, in the long run, turn out to be a good investment while money you are forced to put into social security is going to run out someday soon. Don't believe me? Read what is says on your annual social security statement if you get one. It's disingenuous to ignore what this current administration is doing to this country. The next question needs to be is it being done because of stupidity or deliberately? Either choice is very scary. "

" " Then look at this at a stand point of a state of war then 7x6z9. Whether you like it or not but when a massive ground, sea and air forces are committed to a "conflict" it is war. So in this purpose it is effective, plus massive infrastructure programs involved massive amounts of labor. Money from these workers will be pumped back into the economy and the system.. "
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Uhm....proletariat? If you want to follow the true Keynesian Economics of WWII then we would need to start a draft, ramp up defense production, begin a rationing program of everyday items, including gasoline, (thereby discourage spending and promoting savings) and reduce or cease improvements to infrastructures, and mostly cease housing production and home buying. And you'll really need to sell the public on "winning the war" in order to justify their sacrifice and suffering. Is that what your advocating, proletariat? Because according to Keynes and Bowles- that's the only way massive government spending on "stimulus" programs will work. Oh and, this has never worked for any country that's tried it in peace time. "

" " plus massive infrastructure programs involved massive amounts of labor. Money from these workers will be pumped back into the economy and the system...."
-----------

Putting aside the fact that a true War Economy would effectively kill any spending on massive infrastructure programs; modern technology and construction techniques do not require massive amounts of manual labor anymore. And the manpower that would be used would mostly be Unions working for exorbitant wages. You would effectively be spreading above average earnings among a select few. Not to mention the private companies that produce the equipment and materials. You would be creating your own new set of fat-cats, proletariat. I thought you Commies hated that sort of thing. "

" Good letter Bob. You are right on. Keep those crops growing. "

" How bout this, create more federal jobs programs. Permanent jobs the are for infrastructure. If you look at Ireland, who does have a lot of privatized business, they also have massive amounts of state jobs(the state being the government not a province). Right now they have a 1 to 3 % unemployment rate. Jobs included are: constant updating of roads, bridges, buildings, picking up trash(according to friends that have been there, not a piece of trash around). This way you alleviate the unemployment rate, reducing unemployment benefits and less people vying for jobs in the private sector. Making the private sector raise wages because of the increased demand for labor.

Or a sicker way, have the black death again and kill of 25% of the population. Not advocating this, but that is the only other way for us to crawl out of this spiral towards economic depression. "

" Wait until people start getting real hungry,...you will have too arm yourself just to go fetch groceries. The end is near. "

" hmmm, more federal jobs programs. have everybody work for the 'state.' how do you propose to pay for that? let me guess, soak the rich, they deserve it because they are rich, right? what happens when we run out of 'rich' because they've decided it's not worth it in that kind of society to try to succeed. why bother? just live on the government like the rest of the peons. It's that kind of thinking that has sunk many a society. "

" just watching wrote on Jul 27, 2009 1:47 PM:
" Wait until people start getting real hungry,...you will have too arm yourself just to go fetch groceries. The end is near. """"""


spoken like the wimp of a republican lemming you are. mind games from the right....."they're taking our guns!! they're all socialists!! they're crushing chistianity!!!"

call me when you miss a meal... "

" Ummm red white and blue. state jobs are exactly that jobs! So how can they live off the government? They aren't on welfare, social security(actually putting money back into social security). "

" Also red white and blue, why should people want to "move up the ladder" when its almost impossible to move economic classes. Just like the elite want us too do. Become apathetic and sedated, thats what the government and the elite period want for america. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer thats the result of unregulated capitalism. "

" And those state/federal jobs are revenue generating how? Where does the money come from to pay those people who are working for the government? Oh, I know. Taxes on the rich who of course can afford it because they've gone out and, under a capitalistic system, made something of themselves, earned money, put people to work and contributed to society instead of sitting around complaining how 'the man' keeps them down and that you can't get ahead in this world because we all know that old saw 'the rich get richer while the poor get poorer' is easier to live by than to actually get out and make something of yourself. So of course it's only right to 'punish the rich.' They deserve it after all. Or at least they do in some small minds. "

" F.Bob, I don't do the left wing nut or right wing nut or anything in between, I suggest you come down off your political pulpit and do some traveling,there's things going on in the world besides the news shows you watch and this news paper.Call me when you get hungry or need an armed guard to go fetch your grocieries. "

" So I'm someone lazy? I have a job, pay taxes. The issue is that the rich make their money off of products that we produce so they can sell. without the workers there wouldn't be any rich people. There wouldn't be a functioning economy period. I'm sorry you should be punished when you have the resources to get out of paying taxes, and when your income is 10 million compared to the "slave" that is making 10 dollars an hour. "

" Look the government pays all of this unemployment out each month. have that person work for that money even if its only community service. Just think maybe even Lake Paradise would get mowed. "

" The Obama administration will have increased welfare spending for the poor-which includes cash, food, housing, and medical services, by over $300 billion this year and next year combined. That is six times the rate of increase that has ever occurred in any previous recession. We are in the midst of a kind of welfare-spending madness in which total welfare spending will approach $10 trillion over the next decade. President Obama plans to dramatically ramp up that spending in the years to come. We've never done anything like this as a nation, and we certianly can't afford to do it now. "

" Oh good lord, Right-Wingers, when rampant spending is done in the name of killing off masses of non-christian brown people, you don't blink an eye. When it is done to help your fellow American get through tough times, THAT'S SOCIALISM!

I could care less either which way. BUT if you were for the wars, for the Bush tax cuts, for increased domestic surveillance, you have ZERO room to talk about encroaching big government; you supported it!

Crybabies. "

" ...... you supported it!


Yes, but there is a difference lefty, we now have a Dem in the White House who can do no right and Bush/Cheney could do no wrong. The right wingers oppose Obama just for principle. They would do that even if they agreed with him. Besides that, the unofficial head of the GOP tells them what to say and think. Rush speaks and the ditto heads obey their hero. All too often whatever he says that day gets posted that night. And the best part is that after doing that on a regular basis, most of them deny that they even listen to him. "

" Just in case...
I'm not a "right winger" nor a republican. I didn't agree with half of the decisions Bush made, and I'm not completely anti-Obama. I don't listen to Rush Limbaugh, as a matter fact-I've NEVER listened to Rush Limbaugh in my life ever. Not even once...scout's honor.
I'm only interested in the facts, and the truth of how those facts affect americans. I was under the impression this was a place to post opinions, not a platform for debate. According to the guidelines " Personal attacks, insults, threats..." are prohibted, yet it doesn't really seem to be enforced considering all the insulting, negative banter that is a constant on here.
Now...someone pass the crack...I mean-peace pipe...will ya? "

" 1) we now have a Dem in the White House who can do no right and Bush/Cheney could do no wrong.

AAHHHH...check!

2) The right wingers oppose Obama just for principle. They would do that even if they agreed with him.

AAHHHH...check, check!

3) Besides that, the unofficial head of the GOP tells them what to say and think. Rush speaks and the ditto heads obey their hero. All too often whatever he says that day gets posted that night. And the best part is that after doing that on a regular basis, most of them deny that they even listen to him. "
AAHHHH...check, check, check!

Perfect score, 3/3!

Wow, great score!

And who says socialists are STUPID? Even if they're products of a liberal educational system?

STUPID? Geez...where have we heard that word before? Hee hee hee...

And all as OBAMA-LAMA-DING-DONG's poll numbers continue to nosedive toward the bottomless pits of Hades...LMAO!

Compliments of the vast right-wing conspiracy...PIMP! "

" Just in:

Hollywood stars visit Cuba amid U.S.-Cuba thaw

http://www.reuters.com/article/mediaNews/idUSN3037587920090730

Socialist Hollywood stars visit Cuba!?!?!?

WOW! Now why doesn't that strike anyone as odd?

And who said "Tail Gunner Joe" McCarthy was crazy? 2Funny "

" Connie,

Actually, much of the military is being contracted out to private companies. Having been in the military for 21 years, I can tell you that although it's the best fighting force in the world, it is certainly not efficient. When I was in Iraq, most of the food service, base services and maintenance, and even security were from private contractors. Go to most any base in the states and you will see civilian guards at the gates. If you go inside, you will also see civilians doing much of the services as well. This was not the case when I first enlisted, but private companies are making up a large part of our military.

As for your other examples:

Social security is all but bankrupt. Do the math. It can't survive as it is now.

Medicare gets defrauded out of billions each year.

Municipal pensions survive only because they are taxpayer backed. Do you really believe it was because of savvy investing? They dole out much more than they take in.

As far as Homeland Security, why do we need them? It seems now they are more interested in watching returning vets instead of legitimate threats to our nation. Why do we even need them, isn't "homeland security" the responsibility of the FBI? Homeland security was a knee-jerk reaction by Bush to the 9/11 attacks. Abolish it and consolidate all of our fed police into to one department to alleviate jurisdiction and communication problems that we encounter now.

Mr. Webb is correct in saying the Government seems to think the solution to any problem is to throw money at it, form another committee to study it, create another department or another "czar", and basically just waste our money and come back for more.

The longest and most expensive war in our nations history has been the war on poverty. I read an article a few years ago that tallied up the total money spent on welfare programs from the government in a years time. It also summed up non-reimbursed medical care and a few other freebies that totaled over a trillion dollars per year. This article stated that if that money were dolled out evenly to each person classified as impoverished by the government, a family of three would receive over $80,000. Money well spent, wouldn't you say? Now let's gear up for the war on health care! "