Vespertine
Well-Known Member
Wrote this up for something and wanted to run it past Hyde Park. If you think I'm crazy (well, I know that) or incorrect, please tell me explicitly why and where. You don't have to cite resources just give me something to go on and I'll research it.
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There Is No Problem With Our Economy
There is a problem with our vital industries being outsourced. Repealing free trade agreements will allow manufacturing to become competitive far more effectively than subsidizing their health insurance with a deeply flawed system, in addition to galvanizing our economy.
There is no fundamental problem with our economy, there is a problem with government debt and unemployment. Our economy is a superstar on the world stage, far eclipsing all others. Our army of millionaires and billionaires attest to the fact that America generates an astonishing amount of wealth.
It is in business' best interest to ensure that the economy is stable and predictable, for many years of quiet and comfortable opulence to come. To do that, they have to abandon the practices that destabilize the economy for a quick profit in favor of a long term responsibility. If they won't, I think we should send them to the funny farm for an evaluation, and I mean it seriously. No one except the monstrously cynical or insane wants America to experience a true currency collapse, and they are driving us to it.
We know this unsustainable model brought us the financial industry meltdown and accompanying bailouts. It also gave us the labor crisis.
When all those heartland jobs evaporated under Clinton, we were promised there would be a great profit from doing it, really much more fantastic than people having stable jobs just wait and see. Companies were able to claim outrageous profits by abandoning American workers to enslave the developing world, to the delight of stockholders. Americans were lulled to sleep by thoughts of comfortable retirements. Companies could continue claiming those profits by hiding the debt.
They began hiding the debt of these policies in consumer debt. Yes people bought things they didn't need, some people really overspent, but a large part of consumer debt is from everyday items. Wages in the new service-based economy were too low, and people were trying to juggle the debt in the hope things would get better at work, they'd get a better job. Consumers were extended credit far too liberally, because the economy would have slowed without that consumer spending. They hid the cost of free trade in subsidy to the remaining manufacturers, holding the unions hostage in public opinion for tax money. They hid the cost in the lack of scientists and engineers to populate and grow a world-dominating tech industry, because a middle class is needed to fund public schools and send a kid to college. They hid the cost in a ballooning welfare system, and instead of addressing the root cause of the large ranks, they cut benefits to the bone. Only the mentally ill would choose to remain on welfare when they could realistically rise to the middle class and have control of their life.
In our post debt-hiding bubble, it is in our now rapidly shrinking millionaire pool's best interest to invest in a renewed manufacturing industry and work to repeal free trade agreements. If they choose to invest in their own manufacturing businesses, the minute the free trade agreements are repealed they can dominate an emerging market as consumers return to the malls on payday, and usurp current industry leaders. It's an incredible entrepreneurial opportunity, would create an economic boom. The public would support it because otherwise we're looking at not much job growth for another several cycles of Presidential elections.
Our politicians sweat and moan and say they're going to create jobs through some ponderous tax increases. Really, how are they going to 'create jobs'? How many more nonessential jobs can we realistically support? We cannot afford a large scale public works project right now. Government cannot grow the economy the way it needs to be done, the private sector needs to do it. No reason that America can't compete with Mexico and China with our technology and resources except for free trade agreements. Goods may cost slightly more but the economy will be flooded with cash from the employment. Even if everyone started at minimum wage, it would instantly revitalize the economy by just providing any jobs at all. America needs to get its hands dirty in real work again and make its toasters at home.
It may be a protectionist stance, but it is alarming our sovereignty seems to rest on China not calling in the tab. I'm tempted to think that's exactly why this has not been discussed in the media, it's a clear solution to the unemployment crisis- but it interferes with Chinese interests.
There's nothing wrong with our economy, just our narrative about it.
===
There Is No Problem With Our Economy
There is a problem with our vital industries being outsourced. Repealing free trade agreements will allow manufacturing to become competitive far more effectively than subsidizing their health insurance with a deeply flawed system, in addition to galvanizing our economy.
There is no fundamental problem with our economy, there is a problem with government debt and unemployment. Our economy is a superstar on the world stage, far eclipsing all others. Our army of millionaires and billionaires attest to the fact that America generates an astonishing amount of wealth.
It is in business' best interest to ensure that the economy is stable and predictable, for many years of quiet and comfortable opulence to come. To do that, they have to abandon the practices that destabilize the economy for a quick profit in favor of a long term responsibility. If they won't, I think we should send them to the funny farm for an evaluation, and I mean it seriously. No one except the monstrously cynical or insane wants America to experience a true currency collapse, and they are driving us to it.
We know this unsustainable model brought us the financial industry meltdown and accompanying bailouts. It also gave us the labor crisis.
When all those heartland jobs evaporated under Clinton, we were promised there would be a great profit from doing it, really much more fantastic than people having stable jobs just wait and see. Companies were able to claim outrageous profits by abandoning American workers to enslave the developing world, to the delight of stockholders. Americans were lulled to sleep by thoughts of comfortable retirements. Companies could continue claiming those profits by hiding the debt.
They began hiding the debt of these policies in consumer debt. Yes people bought things they didn't need, some people really overspent, but a large part of consumer debt is from everyday items. Wages in the new service-based economy were too low, and people were trying to juggle the debt in the hope things would get better at work, they'd get a better job. Consumers were extended credit far too liberally, because the economy would have slowed without that consumer spending. They hid the cost of free trade in subsidy to the remaining manufacturers, holding the unions hostage in public opinion for tax money. They hid the cost in the lack of scientists and engineers to populate and grow a world-dominating tech industry, because a middle class is needed to fund public schools and send a kid to college. They hid the cost in a ballooning welfare system, and instead of addressing the root cause of the large ranks, they cut benefits to the bone. Only the mentally ill would choose to remain on welfare when they could realistically rise to the middle class and have control of their life.
In our post debt-hiding bubble, it is in our now rapidly shrinking millionaire pool's best interest to invest in a renewed manufacturing industry and work to repeal free trade agreements. If they choose to invest in their own manufacturing businesses, the minute the free trade agreements are repealed they can dominate an emerging market as consumers return to the malls on payday, and usurp current industry leaders. It's an incredible entrepreneurial opportunity, would create an economic boom. The public would support it because otherwise we're looking at not much job growth for another several cycles of Presidential elections.
Our politicians sweat and moan and say they're going to create jobs through some ponderous tax increases. Really, how are they going to 'create jobs'? How many more nonessential jobs can we realistically support? We cannot afford a large scale public works project right now. Government cannot grow the economy the way it needs to be done, the private sector needs to do it. No reason that America can't compete with Mexico and China with our technology and resources except for free trade agreements. Goods may cost slightly more but the economy will be flooded with cash from the employment. Even if everyone started at minimum wage, it would instantly revitalize the economy by just providing any jobs at all. America needs to get its hands dirty in real work again and make its toasters at home.
It may be a protectionist stance, but it is alarming our sovereignty seems to rest on China not calling in the tab. I'm tempted to think that's exactly why this has not been discussed in the media, it's a clear solution to the unemployment crisis- but it interferes with Chinese interests.
There's nothing wrong with our economy, just our narrative about it.
