America needs to return to its economic roots

The so called "trickle down" theory of Republican economic,tax and trade policies of the last and present decade is one of the primary reason for the steady, persistent decline in the economy. It's benefits is for the upper class persons of this country..........

The LTE is asking for the impossible. There is no going back now, not ever. So many boring routine jobs gone to China and Mexico and anywhere else where cheap labor is to be found. Automation, I recall, being a huge bugaboo as well.

What needs to be done is for this nation to take over a leadership roll, employ it's people in new industries.

We have the talent, the technology, the creativeness to move this country in a different direction and make this new economy work for us. Isn't this what the free market is all about? People complain about it but in theory, those who promote it may be right. The thing is finding a way to make it work.

This is a turning point in history akin to the challenge of Sputnik. We either rise to the challenge or fall by the wayside. Our choice.

You mean CAPITALISM not this socialistic BullCrap Dems seem to spew like diarrhea of the mouth???

Yes this is what capitalism does uses natural market forces to fix itself WOW no government intervention or bailouts !!! THINK OF THAT

The letter sounds like something you would see in Russia in 1917.

Mr Black wrote:

You mean CAPITALISM not this socialistic BullCrap Dems seem to spew like diarrhea of the mouth???
Yes this is what capitalism does uses natural market forces to fix itself WOW no government intervention or bailouts !!! THINK OF THAT

Call it what you like, I don't agree with the premise that so called liberals would have our economic system replaced. Far too many so called liberals have profited hugely, be kind of like killing the goose, would it not? These liberals you speak of with such disdain do not need help. They think and act out of altruism while conservatives, many of them good Christians, preach a very unchristian attitude of "every man for himself."

Now you speak of bail outs. Best take a look at the current list of bail outs promulgated by the Bush administration. Conservatives don't blink an eye when it's big business getting the handouts, just when it's the working poor people who have no other resources, who are, in effect, victims of the system.

The contradiction in this society is that conservatives seem, on the surface, to be the most religious but as any "real" Christian will tell you, Jesus was a socialist who believed in helping the poor and less fortunate.

Thomas38 wrote:

<quoted text>
Call it what you like, I don't agree with the premise that so called liberals would have our economic system replaced. Far too many so called liberals have profited hugely, be kind of like killing the goose, would it not? These liberals you speak of with such disdain do not need help. They think and act out of altruism while conservatives, many of them good Christians, preach a very unchristian attitude of "every man for himself." Know you speak of bail outs. Best take a look at the current list of bail outs promulgated by the Bush administration. Conservatives don't blink an eye when it's big business getting the handouts, just when it's the working poor people who have no other resources, who are, in effect, victims of the system.
The contradiction in this society is that conservatives seem, on the surface, to be the most religious but as any "real" Christian will tell you, Jesus was a socialist who believed in helping the poor and less fortunate.

I am a republican. I am programed to answer this way. I am a republican. I am programed to answer this way. I am a republican. I am programed to answer this way. I am a republican. I am programed to answer this way. I am a republican. I am programed to answer this way. I am a republican. I am programed to answer this way. I am a republican. I am programed to answer this way.

Maude,

If you want to go back to the 1800's and earlier, feel free. Find an Amish community.

I however like my 21st century living and will remain here.

Thomas38 wrote:

<quoted text>
Far too many so called liberals have profited hugely"
"while conservatives, many of them good Christians, preach a very unchristian attitude of "every man for himself.""
"when it's big business getting the handouts"
"conservatives seem, on the surface, to be the most religious but as any "real" Christian will tell you, Jesus was a socialist."

I dont even know where to begin with you... Starting out hating liberals who profit and ending with Jesus was a socialist...

Im not even going to try and sort this one out... you Sir need help, start perhaps with a little history, well LOTS of history to get your story straight, start With Linen and Stalen and Yes good Ol' Carl Marx, follow that up with a Little WWI and WWII, Maybe toss the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, Definatly need to learn what Capitalism is.

Learn the basics then well talk becasue your just plain ignorant and it shows.

Thomas38 wrote:

<quoted text>
Now you speak of bail outs. Best take a look at the current list of bail outs promulgated by the Bush administration. Conservatives don't blink an eye when it's big business getting the handouts, just when it's the working poor people who have no other resources, who are, in effect, victims of the system.
The contradiction in this society is that conservatives seem, on the surface, to be the most religious but as any "real" Christian will tell you, Jesus was a socialist who believed in helping the poor and less fortunate.

The bail outs of the Fannie Mae etc. is the government bailing itself out of institutions they themselves operate. It is a bail out of the people that took out mortgages they couldn't afford.
According to government figures, we spend $145 billion on welfare in this country already with Obama promising another $874.35 billion over current expenditures which will be the largest single tax increase since the desperate measures taken at the beginning of WWII.

The vote in the fall is not democrat versus republican party, but a vote for a capitalistic or socialistic economic form of government.

I guess the writer of the LTE is waiting for the buggy whip factories to reopen. She might want to watch the following presentation, "Shift Happens" and understand that we live in the 21st century, not the 19th:

http://www.youtube.com/watch...

G-hogg wrote:

<quoted text>
The bail outs of the Fannie Mae etc. is the government bailing itself out of institutions they themselves operate. It is a bail out of the people that took out mortgages they couldn't afford.
According to government figures, we spend $145 billion on welfare in this country already with Obama promising another $874.35 billion over current expenditures which will be the largest single tax increase since the desperate measures taken at the beginning of WWII.
The vote in the fall is not democrat versus republican party, but a vote for a capitalistic or socialistic economic form of government.

You are very correct. I have very little experience in the free trade market but I have served in enough countries to know that capatililazism is far superior to ano other system.
We have made a lot of mistakes and have had a lot of successes. Out society is based upon a premise that everyone works and are rewarded for our toil but we make mistakes is in our political system, instead of making laws that require employees (industry) to provide, we make laws that says the government will provide. Sounds very good because there are certain people that do not care to be regulated as long as some one else is paying thed bills.

The problem we have now is that Wall Street is drunk and it now has a hangover. The question now is how long it will take for Wall Street to sober up. At least that is what Bush said last Friday at a fundraiser in Texas when he thought the cameras were off. Bush should know about hangovers.

America return to its economic roots....

Agrarian economy, mercantilism with high tariffs, and slavery. Those are America's economic roots.

I am Democrat. I hate my country. I am Democrat. I love communism. I am Democrat. I am afraid to think for myself. I am Democrat. The goverment knows how to spend my money better than I do. I am Democrat. I am close minded to all ideas other than the ones I agree with. I am Democrat. No matter how bad the people are that I vote for I will continue to let them run us into the ground because they have a D next to their name. I am Democrat. I will whine, moan and groan about everything the vote to put the same people back in. I am Democrat. I will believe anything they tell me to get elected time and time again. I am Democrat.

What you are saying is that we need another FDR! It was the aftermath of the Depression, wasn't that mostly caused by borrowing money to speculate? The CCC and WPA programs, the ramping up of industrial/manufacturing jobs and Union jobs in the automotive, trucking and other industries. The GI Bill, along with the previously mentioned programs/jobs that helped create the "backbone" of American growth, VA guaranteed loans for houses, the "American Dream", all the things Reagan, Bush Daddy, "W", Phil Gramm and other Republicans despise and want to destroy, especially Social Security, Medicare, etc., the things that help Americans to survive and plan for their future, keep them from being homeless and jobless, not the "Elitist" society of the Reagan/Bush supporters that are only for the Rich, so they can be "special" and rule over the workers, the serfs, the Peons that do the work! All this deregulation that has allowed the Hedge Funders, the speculators, the Corporate CEO's like Ken Lay, and other Bush backers, run unchecked in their greed in the Oil and Banking industries is the problem and NOT really "Free Trade" but has led to monopolistic businesses that have no competition, no controls, sort of like what existed in the days of the "Robber Barons" before regulation "righted" the apple cart and allowed competition with controls on the dictatorial types of "entrepreneurs". People like Romney and T.Boone Pickens that have made millions/billions by flipping businesses/companies but destroyed jobs while they got rich. People like the Ken Lays, Bernie Evers, etc, that deceived and scammed investors, government and the citizens. Those are the types of folks that need regulation so America can return to it's roots of fair and controlled economics. We do not need Phil Gramm and his wife, McCain's financial/economic advisors, that have helped bring about Enron and the current Banking/Mortgage debacle with their deregulation legislation or Gramm's work with SBU, et al, to help rich American's hide their wealth and avoid taxes by parking money overseas in secret accounts, they are not "going back to the roots of America", they are what is wrong with America.

Ghost Dog wrote:

What you are saying is that we need another FDR! It was the aftermath of the Depression, wasn't that mostly caused by borrowing money to speculate? The CCC and WPA programs, the ramping up of industrial/manufacturing jobs and Union jobs in the automotive, trucking and other industries. The GI Bill, along with the previously mentioned programs/jobs that helped create the "backbone" of American growth, VA guaranteed loans for houses, the "American Dream", all the things Reagan, Bush Daddy, "W", Phil Gramm and other Republicans despise and want to destroy, especially Social Security, Medicare, etc., the things that help Americans to survive and plan for their future, keep them from being homeless and jobless, not the "Elitist" society of the Reagan/Bush supporters that are only for the Rich, so they can be "special" and rule over the workers, the serfs, the Peons that do the work! All this deregulation that has allowed the Hedge Funders, the speculators, the Corporate CEO's like Ken Lay, and other Bush backers, run unchecked in their greed in the Oil and Banking industries is the problem and NOT really "Free Trade" but has led to monopolistic businesses that have no competition, no controls, sort of like what existed in the days of the "Robber Barons" before regulation "righted" the apple cart and allowed competition with controls on the dictatorial types of "entrepreneurs". People like Romney and T.Boone Pickens that have made millions/billions by flipping businesses/companies but destroyed jobs while they got rich. People like the Ken Lays, Bernie Evers, etc, that deceived and scammed investors, government and the citizens. Those are the types of folks that need regulation so America can return to it's roots of fair and controlled economics. We do not need Phil Gramm and his wife, McCain's financial/economic advisors, that have helped bring about Enron and the current Banking/Mortgage debacle with their deregulation legislation or Gramm's work with SBU, et al, to help rich American's hide their wealth and avoid taxes by parking money overseas in secret accounts, they are not "going back to the roots of America", they are what is wrong with America.

You're out of luck goatz. FDR and socialism was murdered by LBJ who carried it too far. And also Hitler is gone, and with him, your fervent hope for the fate of the Jews.
FDR's alphabet organizations were to get more money away from government and to the people. "Boondoggling" was rampant as people were paid for make-work projects. It was a valiant effort but it took a World War to get us out of the depression.
The Unions started as a good thing but got greedy and corrupted with organized crime and obscene demands that have brought Trucking and the auto industry to the point of financial collapse. Couple that with the democratic insistence that the 40 miles per gallon edict that should be in place now be dropped, and you have the present problem.
VA loans for homes was a tremendous idea but homes to live in, not to be "flipped".
LBJ put SS in the general fund, Carter made people eligible who never paid into it, and Gore cast the deciding vote to tax the payouts. Medicare/aide has been bankrupted by politicians who pass it out to criminal migrants and otherwise unqualified recipients.
I noticed you left out the real kings of the stock market like Buffet,and anyone else who is a taxicrat. The fact is that federal regulations can't stay on top of business practices and legal loop holes. Just as many dems have profited, with an equal number of millionaires in the Senate and a substantial edge in the house. Your attempt to paint republicans as "elitist" is groundless and doesn't hold up in comparison.

"Make Work Projects"?? Have you been through the Smoky Mountain Park lately or up on the Blue Ridge Parkway? The projects are still intact and still masterful works of stone and wood. The Laurel and other trees they planted and all the other conservation projects are still beautiful. A lot of people learned skills through those "make work projects" that they continued to use throughout their lives. A lot learned the "work ethic", earned money for their families to help through that hard time and some made professions from what they learned. Democrats helped build up and make America what it is, Republicans only tear it down for their personal greed and power!

Ticker wrote:

"Make Work Projects"?? Have you been through the Smoky Mountain Park lately or up on the Blue Ridge Parkway? The projects are still intact and still masterful works of stone and wood. The Laurel and other trees they planted and all the other conservation projects are still beautiful. A lot of people learned skills through those "make work projects" that they continued to use throughout their lives. A lot learned the "work ethic", earned money for their families to help through that hard time and some made professions from what they learned. Democrats helped build up and make America what it is, Republicans only tear it down for their personal greed and power!

I would not go that far. A politician by definition is seeking power and yo can bet once the power is in hand, all will do what they can to keep it. I would agree there is a certain element that hates everything Roosevelt did. Sorry to inform them, their losers. The capstone of his administration, social security, is the most popular government program according to what I heard recently, so popular Bush's attempts at privatization never made it to a vote. The WPA was a genius of a move, no welfare, just honest hard work for pay on projects that have continued to benefit this nation. The investment has paid big dividends and proved a boon to thousands out of work due to the depression. Hate to spring this on these folks but the man was re-elected three times. Most modern day presidents are lucky if they can squeeze two terms out of the electorate.

Ticker wrote:

"Make Work Projects"?? Have you been through the Smoky Mountain Park lately or up on the Blue Ridge Parkway? The projects are still intact and still masterful works of stone and wood. The Laurel and other trees they planted and all the other conservation projects are still beautiful. A lot of people learned skills through those "make work projects" that they continued to use throughout their lives. A lot learned the "work ethic", earned money for their families to help through that hard time and some made professions from what they learned. Democrats helped build up and make America what it is, Republicans only tear it down for their personal greed and power!

You don't read very well, or missed the point. They worked for the pay and I pointed out that LBJ killed that by removing the "work ethic part.
Laurel is an indigenous species.
With EPA and OSHA, not to mention the environmentalists, the Parkway would never be built today.
This last statement about the taxicrats being the builders and the repubs tearing everything down, is just an asinine statement.

Thomas38 wrote:

<quoted text>
I would not go that far. A politician by definition is seeking power and yo can bet once the power is in hand, all will do what they can to keep it. I would agree there is a certain element that hates everything Roosevelt did. Sorry to inform them, their losers. The capstone of his administration, social security, is the most popular government program according to what I heard recently, so popular Bush's attempts at privatization never made it to a vote. The WPA was a genius of a move, no welfare, just honest hard work for pay on projects that have continued to benefit this nation. The investment has paid big dividends and proved a boon to thousands out of work due to the depression. Hate to spring this on these folks but the man was re-elected three times. Most modern day presidents are lucky if they can squeeze two terms out of the electorate.

I certainly don't hate what FDR did and I think it was a brilliant move considering what was happening in the rest of the world. Keep in mind that Mussolini and Hitler also instituted huge civilian projects and Stalin was involved in the Five Year Plans. FDR's objective was, of course, more in line with peaceful pursuits.
Bush's attempt at privatizing SS is to save it from the clutches of congress. Clinton had intended to join forces with Gingrich for the same purpose, but "Monica" got in the way. For the amount of money one puts into SS, the return is less than the lowest bank savings account. LBJ putting SS in the general fund, was disastrous.
I believe Reagan could have continued to be elected but I also believe this isn't a good thing. I would like to see the POTUS limited to one 6 year term, Senators to two terms, Reps., 6 terms. FDR's last two terms were expedited by WWII, and not a careful examination of New Deal successes and failures.