I have written to y’all before about my feelings for FDR, so you can all imagine how mind boggling it was for me to hear the right wing of the Republican Party, through their lackeys denigrating the accomplishments of the New Deal through their paid mouths on Fox News and Hate Radio. The new argument is that the New Deal prolonged the Great Depression. The arguments that they are making are well refuted in an article by David Sirota in Truth Dig, entitled “FDR Prolonged The Depression? Really?”
As the article points out, the policies of FDR and his associates increased economic growth by 9-10% per year, unemployment dropped continually, and the market system was stabilized during the period and for years thereafter. So, if, as Sirota suggests, the conservatives are attempting to put the kibosh on current attempts to correct the problems with our economy, let me suggest several reasons why: Read more »
“There is not in all America a more dangerous trait than the deification of mere smartness unaccompanied by any sense of moral responsibility.”
- Theodore Roosevelt
Now doesn’t that say it all about the geniuses at Citibank, Lehman, WaMu, General Motors, Ford, Chrysler and the other failing organizations?
I don’t think that there is any way to save this economy by giving money to its failing organizations. We must follow the advice of John Maynard Keynes and engage in government spending to repair and improve the infrastructure, develop new modes of energy production, and put people to work at useful employment. We have been in trouble ever since some malignant policy thinker developed the idea that America could become an information society. What bullshit! Read more »
It was one of the most unpleasant surprises that the people of California reversed their state’s position on gay marriage. That state has been on the forefront of changing attitudes towards gays and lesbians. I am greatly disappointed that its citizens let themselves be swayed in the wrong direction by groups pandering to their fears. What was the most unexpected was that so many people were fearful that their children would be taught about homosexuality in school. People who were swayed by such arguments simply don’t understand that children learn everything of their social ideas from their friends. There is no way to prevent the transmission of social information once a child goes to school. Sadly, that information is often skewed and incorrect, whereas when it is taught in school it is usually monitored and correct.
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In a New York Times article reported by William Glaberson, entitled “Judge Orders Five Detainees Freed From Guantanamo,” Mr. Glaberson states that:
Ruling from the bench, Judge Richard J. Leon of Federal District Court in Washington said that the information gathered on the men had been sufficient to hold them for intelligence purposes, but was not strong enough in court.
“To rest on so thin a reed would be inconsistent with this court’s obligation,” he said. He directed that the five men be released “forthwith” and urged the government not to appeal.
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The nice thing about AmericanMadness is that one can speak openly without being censored. Now, do the rest of you think that Henry Paulson has pulled his latest version of the rescue plan out of his ass? The man doesn’t have a clue to what he is doing and the Congress doesn’t have a clue either.
Today I listened to someone on Bloomberg Radio explaining why GM couldn’t go into Chapter 11 and why we had to rescue them. He didn’t convince me. If they go under, three to four million jobs will be lost when the damage to all their suppliers and collateral companies are added in. We will very rapidly be into the Great Depression: Part II. Read more »
