Comments on: Stuck at Zero

By: Forrest Leeson

Forrest Leeson — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 17:01:03 +0000

“…because it feels like a waste of time.”

What was that line from the GOP operative — “we will keep pushing until stopped by a superior force”?

The ability to ignore lack of progress is highly useful.

By: Fred Donaldson

Fred Donaldson — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 15:35:17 +0000

Third World countries have followed the advice of bankers, politicians and other financial wizards to structure their economies as sources of goods and labor for developing nations at low prices. Most advanced countries have promoted national goals for production of best quality goods and services at relatively high labor rates.

Poor nations have privatized what was once owned by the public, and most rich nations have invested in public roads, services, transit, health and education to improve the lives of their citizens.

We were once the premiere developing country, but if present trends continue there will be one more Third World entry, a nation of insular wealth and widespread depression with toll roads and paid toilets from sea to shining sea.

By: Christiaan

Christiaan — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 15:30:04 +0000

You should not stop pointing this out until it’s common wisdom again, because the other side does not stop either.

By: Tom in MN

Tom in MN — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 15:21:10 +0000

What about debt overhang? The President tried a bit in this area recently, but it seems that much more can be done. Without all the underwater mortgages and pending foreclosures, I suspect the recovery would be much stronger.

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 15:08:41 +0000

Never. We should never repair roads or make our schools good. The purpose of the US economy is to create suckers for our financial elites to drain, not widespread prosperity for its citizens.

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 15:08:02 +0000

Sorry, dude, Obama only cares about the economy if it’ll get him reelected. The GOP Presidential candidate is self-immolating, so Obama’s going to go back to making all of our productivity easier for bankers to steal.

By: pjr

pjr — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 01:50:49 +0000

Please do not stop. Your final paragraph points to the reason that the lessons must be repeated and repeated, for a long time. Economists, politicians, students and knowledgeable voters must have this hammered into their heads continuously lest we repeat mistakes. Secondarily, we’re still in trouble and whatever can be done needs to be done–if the pressure from the accurate side of the argument dissipates, the pressure from the wrong side of the argument will win-out.

By: foosion

foosion — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 22:04:51 +0000

We need to repair roads, build schools, etc. We can do more today, when everything is cheap (interest rates are low, plenty of unemployed who would work for less, etc.) or later when things are more expensive. Which would be a better time?