Monday, December 28, 2009

Wrong focus for stimulus money?

From the Wall Street Journal:

The House has passed a $154 billion jobs bill, and the administration has announced a plan to spend $50 billion of repaid TARP money to "create" jobs—this time its green jobs, "shovel ready" infrastructure projects ($27.5 billion for highway construction and repair) and a tax credit for small businesses.

More infrastructure? Recycling Great Depression-era projects is lame. My advice? Put down that shovel! It's time to try something else.

We're in a knowledge economy now; we use high-tech tools to efficiently and effectively design, make, market and sell. Building roads and bridges willy-nilly won't make us more productive; and without increases in productivity and the associated corporate profits, there can be no sustainable job creation, no increase in standards of living, and no real economic recovery.

Given that real tax cuts are off the table and a new stimulus (even if it isn't called that) is inevitable, the best we can hope for is to use the power of the government to clear a path that private enterprise can't, via one-off projects that end and disband. Stop thinking concrete and massive construction projects. Think small—photons, electrons and proteins.


(Click link to read the suggestions.)

42 comments:

Anonymous said...

reduce personal income and property taxes. reduce corporate taxes,and stop gov.overregulation of small business. that is how employment will increase.

stop the outrageous spending by government.vote these liberal socialists out,so government over employment is reduced. gov. does not produce anything.when private sector workers can not pay taxes,the U.S.A. will go broke.
after CARTER'S failure in 1977(19% interest rates,14% inflation,11% unemployment) he lost 49 states in the 1980 election, to PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN.
HISTORY WILL PROBABLY BE REPEATED,but the U.S.Treasury will have been already robbed.

georgetheatheist said...

Jimmy Carter. The worst President in the history of our nation.

Anonymous said...

Amen to that! Carter was the worst president ever!! He still puts his two cents in when it comes to global affairs. Time to put him in a nursing home.

Snake Plissskin said...

Reagan? Bush? Bush II? Clinton?

We could be so lucky to have Carter.

The problem is taxpayer money is being pissed away on projects that help developers.

Anonymous said...

"Lower taxes! Lower taxes!" That seems to be the only words you people know how to say. But look at the effect of your "trickle down" theories on the nation's debt: Debt as % of GDP (1940-2010). LBJ doubled the size of government, but managed to pay off debt. Even the much derided Jimmy Carter was more fiscally responsible than your God Reagan. The truth is tax cuts are SPENDING of the "unfunded mandate" variety that "conservatives" love to decry at every opportunity. The most successful president economically has been Bill Clinton. He kept unemployment low, paid down the debt, and left office with a budget surplus. His tax policy was FAIR. The rich weren't hosed, but they didn't get off easy like they did under Reagan and Bush II. Keep spouting your disproved economic theories, but history shows that Democrats are better shepherds of the economy than Republicans.

Queens Crapper said...

Wow! I didn't realize the budget was left up to the president only! Now that's some revisionist history.

Anonymous said...

did not BUBBA CLINTON get impeached for his lies
about getting LEWINSKY'D in the oval office,while Al Queda was killing Americans all over the world ?

he subverted the Constitution by not protecting the Nation. but he balanced the budget. i believe the bi-partisan congress helped .

when there are no CHECKS AND BALANCES IN FEDERAL
GOV.,there is only CHAOS. and CHAOS is what the OBAMA GOV. is forcing on the nation now.

Klink Cannoli said...

Another brave cloaker, Anon said...
"But look at the effect of your "trickle down" theories on the nation's debt: Debt as % of GDP (1940-2010)."
===============================

You might have better results stifling partisan rhetoric by using factual data relationships rather than relying on humorists like Will Rogers to make your economic points. The effects of "trickle down theory", or supply-side economics, to debt as a percentage of GDP bears little relationship to understanding economic health. As far as the tax cut mantra goes... The point is this empowers "the people" to make their own fiscal decisions and not the government. It's the basic laissez-faire capitalist theorem.

John Maynard Keynes versus Dr. Milton Freidman.
Someone like you, a communist ( ;@) ), sees the Keynes model as pleasant. Me, I prefer Uncle Milty. But what the US has been roughly practicing since about WWII is basically the Keynesian model of economics.

Back on topic:
I've said this before, the House is filled with buffoons. Passing legislation such as this is proof. Even a laymen like myself can understand it's bogus. I mean look at Pelosi. You can actually see the horns underneath her helmet. Heh.

Anonymous said...

The Clinton years were really bi-partisan: Not a single Republican voted for Clinton's 1994 budget that set the wheels in motion for a sound national economic policy: Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993. Presidents aren't the only ones who determine budgetary matters, but they are the ones who submit the proposal to congress. They set policy and the congress either follows or resists it. This isn't revisionist history.

Anonymous said...

Supply side economics has proven to be a failure. If you didn't realize that when our entire financial system imploded last year there's no use arguing with you.

Anonymous said...

And if you don't realize that the subprime mortgages that helped destroy our economy started under Bill Clinton's reign (with Andrew Cuomo as HUD secretary), then I wonder if your name might not be Rumpelstiltskin.

Anonymous said...

Bill Clinton did a lot to hurt our economy. Look at the mortgage crisis -- brought to you by his HUD Director Andrew Cuomo. We also have Clinton to thank for his little communications deal that changed our television signal from analog to digital. If you don't have cable, you can't get all the channels. Everyone had to dig into their pockets to buy a new television set or pay for a box to attach to their old set, plus an antenna. I'm back to rabbit ears on my TV and I can't get all the channels. Yeah, Clinton was great! NOT!!!!!!

Klink Cannoli said...

Speaking of Clinton and bankruptcy...

Clinton single handedly morally bankrupted an entire generation of our youth. Blow jobs are not sex!

And these sentiments need to be repeated...
Carter is a self-loathing closet white supremacist. He can ask for Al Het all he wants, but no righteous Jew will ever forgive.
And he's an asshat.


Sorry, couldn't resist.

Anonymous said...

There's plenty of blame to go around for the economic meltdown. Sure Cuomo encouraged Fannie and Freddie to lend to more people. But this didn't become a real problem until the FED, under Alan Greenspan, inflated the housing bubble. Bush's "Ownership Society" only fanned the flames.

Anonymous said...

Aww. Bill Clinton was a bad president because you're too stupid to work your television set.

Some facts:
1. The converter boxes were FREE with the FCC rebate.
2. If you were using rabbit ears before, the same ones work for DTV.
3. The spectrum freed up by the analog shut off will be used for EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION. I'd rather have valuable bandwidth used for improved police radios than reruns of "America's Next Top Model."
4. The only people that couldn't deal with the transition were old. But they won't be watching TV for much longer.

Anonymous said...

More facts:

They ran out of rebates early on.

People who don't make a hell of a lot but don't qualify or are too proud for handouts pass up cable to buy things like food and medicine. They will be around for a long time.

What good is having bandwidth cleared up for police radios if they don't bother to show up when you call them?

Knott A. Dumbfuck said...

1. The converter boxes were FREE with the FCC rebate.


BULL! The coupons were $40 and the stores were selling the boxes for around $59.95. Also, the coupons had expiration dates. I saw 2 people at the cash register of Targets who learned about the expiration date the hard way.

2. If you were using rabbit ears before, the same ones work for DTV.

Not really.

3. The spectrum freed up by the analog shut off will be used for EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION.

I guess you'd believe anything "they" tell you to. How do you know "they" aren't using the frequency to zap your brain to make you believe anything "they" want you to? Just sayin'...

4. The only people that couldn't deal with the transition were old. But they won't be watching TV for much longer.

Do you ever read what you are writing, TROLL?!!!??!!!!

Helen said...

Those $40 coupons were paid for by taxpayers. Nothing the government "provides" is "free".

georgetheatheist said...

I got one of those converter boxes. Now the picture on the TV is about 75% of the screen. I also get captions which I don't know how to get rid of, and there's a constant buzzing sound on the audio. Help!!!

Anonymous said...

Aww. Bill Clinton was a bad president because you're too stupid to work your television set.
________________________________________________

Spoken like a true moron!

Anonymous said...

re;not a dumbf--k, ditto,ditto.
i am 75 years young and installed the converter box on a little used tv. all channels function except ch 4.i was a radar operator in the U.S.N and computer salesman .it has to be the inferior converter.

i paid $25.00,plus coupon.

the rumors were that scammers were selling the coupons,causing the shortage ?

to the senior basher: your time will come ,sooner than you think. show some respect. our generation
kept you free from totalitarianism . lets see if yours can keep up the battle.

Queens Crapper said...

I'd rather hang out with the WWII generation than the Me generation any day of the week. They can teach you A LOT.

- Member of Generation X

Lino Democrat-Realist said...

Warning: Repudiation of above mis-info follows, you Reaganites might want to turn away...

Job growth under Carter (1977-1980) was 3.1% annually. It DROPPED to 2.1% in the Reagan years, dropped to .6% in Bush I, increased back to 2.4% during Clinton's eight years and during the first three years of Bush II, it fell to -.7% (and I'm sure is much worse now.)

From Harding in 1921 to Bush II in 2003 (I only have figures until then), average job growth was .51% with Republicans in the White House and 3.6% with Democrats in the White House.

So looking at the numbers, I think it's obvious that supply-side economics does NOT work, at least insofar as job growth is concerned. Roosevelt averaged 5.3% annual job growth over 13 years. I know all the conservatives out there are frightened to death of a so-called "socialist" society, but at least it put people to work.

If the last few years has proved anything, it's that the rich have made much more while the middle-class and lower-classes suffered with not only no job growth, but no increase in wages and losses in buying power.

Since corporations no longer seem to have any moral imperative to actually employ people at living wages, we're quickly becoming a third-world country. I don't know who they think are actually going to buy the products and services they produce if no one has a decent job, but since corporations are only concerned with the next quarter, they don't give a damn.

In summing, the Republicans have always fronted with a "churchy" appeal to morality, but never let it interfere with serving their real masters.

Anonymous said...

Of course there was more "job growth". Because Dems love expanding the government.

georgetheatheist said...

Hey Lino Democrat-Realist, now my TV is buzzing more than ever.

Anonymous said...

The government did a disservice to both young and old television viewers. They want everyone to have cable for the television to work. Lots of people are out of work and can't afford cable. Seniors are on fixed incomes and can't afford it. Many of these converter boxes don't work and if they do, you do need an antenna (rabbit ears) in addition to the box. Many people are going without television. Why must the average person have to pay for everything? Years ago, television was free. It's just not fair and many people are going without it. Use the stimulus money to remedy this problem. For some people, the television is their link to the outside world.

Anonymous said...

re:Lino the lying liberal.
in 1977 the unemployment rate was 11%. how do you arrive at a job growth of 3.1 % ?

there you go again,lie,lie,lie.

you prove again that LIBERALISM IS AN ILLNESS .

inflation=14 %, interest rates =19 %

gasoline rose from $.30 per gallon to $1.10.
home heating oil rose from $.30 to $1.00 per gallon.
small business could not borrow at the 19% rate,so they closed. most family earners had to accept lower paying jobs to survive. 1976-1980 was a democratic nosedive and the electorate punished them in 1980.

Lino w/FCC 1st said...

"georgetheatheist said...

Hey Lino Democrat-Realist, now my TV is buzzing more than ever."

I see from your previous post that you have some problems w/your DTV converter.

"the picture on the TV is about 75% of the screen. I also get captions which I don't know how to get rid of..."

These are menu items. The captions are easily removed by going to your setup menu and selecting the category that will be seen as "CC' or "Captions"

The aspect ratio of DTV is different than traditional NTSC (4:3 NTSC vs 16:9DTV) So Far -all- of the converters I have seen and set up have an option for filling the screen. They are usually named "Wide" vs "normal" Be aware that filling a 4:3 screen will chop off the extremities of the image because the method simply "zooms" the display to fill the older TV screen. This is also how my cable provider does it for their analog signal..at least with a converter you can select to get the full image albeit smaller.

I have not run into buzzing on audio on a properly set up system.

Some things to check: How is your tv connected? Is it via an RF connection where the converter box takes the place of an antenna or cables box? In this case there is only ONE coax cable between to TWO units.

If you have a buzz or hum in this instance it may indicate that the tv is set for "Antenna" instead of "Cable" in it's set up menu Try both settings or you may try using a different RF channel say ch 4 instead of 3 which is the default here in the NE. MAke sure that you RF cable is fully connected at both ends and that it is in good condition, try another cable just to be sure.

You should also try connecting the "audio" outputs on back of the box directly to you stereo's AUX, VIDEO, or even TAPE PLAYBACK inputs..see if that improves things.

Several friends out there in Queens have had trouble just getting reliable DTV reception, if you are getting all your original channels you are in better shape than most..the antenna bandwidth issue has been a problem for many w/older installations.

Lino

Lino said...

"re:Lino the lying liberal.
in 1977 the unemployment rate was 11%. how do you arrive at a job growth of 3.1 % ?

there you go again,lie,lie,lie."

Man Mr Exclamation Mark..you really are as stupid as you write.

Pry yourself away from AM radio and FUX "news" do some research...I know..the truth will kill you...

http://www.uspolicy.com/ch3empl.htm

Scroll down to the graphs..it's a lot like a cartoon, just different.

BTW: That smarming asshole Reagan had a peak U.E. rate of 10.7% Carter's peak was the fallout from the 1975- recession and later peaked again due to the oil shock of late 1979-80.

"you prove again that LIBERALISM IS AN ILLNESS"

HA-HA! You again prove how Am radio kills brain cells.

Greed,bigotry and mean-spiritedness are the real illnesses in a civilized society..but as long as they exist..there will always be a republican party to serve them.

Lino

Anonymous said...

Oh what a surprise theres people on here defending Reagan without any information referenced at all or mentioning how Bush Sr. raised taxes which had to be done from Reagan's horrid economic management for eight years. Old Ronnie lost jobs for many and I saw many stop voting Republican for those who like Reagan let Wall St run with deregulation.

Reagan's approval rating two years into his presidency was 35 percent. Reagan also never submitted a balanced budget.
Twelve years of Reagan and Bush saw job creation for war contractors like Lockhead Martin and no one else. Lets not forget too that 138 Reagan cabinet members had been convicted,had been indicted, and under official investigation for criminal activity.
Oh and thanks for the Savings and Loan scandal Reagan, Bush, and Neil Bush which cost taxpayers billions.
HUD was real wonderful too Reagan which we learned about about in congressional hearings in 1989.
At least Carter has some diplomacy skills.

And for the last time people Ron Paul does not approve of these failed Republican policies and much of the democrats either. Watch what he has to say in his many videos.
Ive had that censored before on here because he said the Tea Party was hijacked by republicans and they skewed the original intent of those protests.

Queens Crapper said...

No you had that censored because you were posting it on threads that had absolutely nothing to do with it along with some Sarah Palin nonsense. If you can't stay on topic, you're getting bounced.

Klink Cannoli said...

For those not just venting but want to understand...

You can't look at this from a microscopic and myopic point of view, ie. unemployment versus employment rates over a specific presidencies. Nor state partisan stats willy-nilly without context. Economics are very complex for a dynamic State such as ours.

If you want to educate yourself about economic ideologies, learn from the professionals and scholars debating the opposing viewpoints and draw your own conclusions. Let me suggest viewing the debates at the end of each section of Dr. Milton Friedman's series, Free To Choose. Specifically the '80s version. Each debate/discussion holds a panel for and mainly against laissez-faire capitalism. It touches most aspects of living in a society.

http://ideachannel.tv/

Bookmark the webpage and check back when its operable.

Missing Foundation said...

Lino Democrat-Realist said...


Since corporations no longer seem to have any moral imperative to actually employ people at living wages, we're quickly becoming a third-world country. I don't know who they think are actually going to buy the products and services they produce if no one has a decent job, but since corporations are only concerned with the next quarter, they don't give a damn.

----
Sir your are 100% correct!

Now lets go after Blumturd and his off-shore tax-haven crooks.

Anonymous said...

What a cheesy smile!

Anonymous said...

What a cheesy smile!

She's thinking about using the shovel handle after the event.

Anonymous said...

What a cheesy smile!

She's thinking about using the shovel handle after the event.

Anonymous said...

Its common if theres some conservative on here spouting about the Greens referring Rev Billy which is a very small person in the Greens\left and the post had nothing to do with him or anything at all remotely about him. Not that I care for Rev Billy I just see often people go off topic and thats fine I see as long as its still blaming everything on the left.

Queens Crapper said...

Rev. Billy was a NYC mayoral candidate. And he was a joke.

Anonymous said...

Exactly as I said that post previously initially had a person bring up the greens and vaguely progressives in a post that nothing to do with them. They said in a sweeping generalization were a joke which is fine so I reminded them that the rightwing extremist Palin is a joke who as well as a good portion of Fox news creates disinformation and lies left and right. Watch the moves Murdoch makes soon with all his news outlets making people pay for them twice as hes in dispute now with the BBC.
Palin cares about her pockets being lined by oil companies in Alaska, teaming up with Rove to ruin opponents lives who point out her corruption, and self serving promotion.

If the commenter stays on topic I do too but its every other post on here that veers off in undocumented points about democrats being responsible for everything and no accountability for 8 years of Bush\Cheney and 12 years of Reagan\Bush. My job reminds me to check your information carefully.

Theres plenty of blame for both sides which some on here dont get at all. But divided keeps the people at the surface fighting amongst themselves.

Queens Crapper said...

And I've said it before and will say it again...

In typical moronic Queens fashion, the debate always devolves into the various past presidents and Sarah Palin - the ex-governor of Alaska, as the main sources of our woe, instead of Bloomturd and his merry band of thieves on the City Council.

Congratulations, you've all fallen into the trap!

georgetheatheist said...

Lino w/FCC 1st. Thanks for the info. Tried everything but there's still the buzz.

Klink Cannoli said...

Heh, the trap. We all have our favorite devils incarnate, QC. Yours is undoubtably Bloomberg and the Council. I have mine and others have theirs, yet they all seem to be interrelated.

Debating on the internet never gave me an inch of satisfaction. Or anything lasting besides letting off some steam, which has its merits. However, on occasion some poster would point me in some direction and I would rediscover something with new eyes.

* * * *
Till or if the Milton Friedman videos ever become viewable again, I leave you all with this YouTube video on the same subject. Perhaps a better pick as it takes our country's history and social events into consideration instead of pure Friedman social-economics.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6813529239937418232#docid=8483043749360519713