6 Small Steps Toward a More Normal Economy

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clevefeele of 8:30PM November 27, 2009

As far as the Tarp loans (bailouts as some try to depict them) are concerned, they filled the neccessary function of stabilizing the economy of this country when a complete collapse was certain by providing liquidity when private money headed for the hills in the form of a electronic run on our finacial Institutions. It will almost certainly break even at worst and even thats not bad for not allowing everybodys assets falling to zero with the crushing deflation that threatened home prices falling far more and a dollars that would have been worth zilch with the failure of 60 trillion dollars worth of derivitives. Where was everybody planning to move to when all this happened? Its hard to find a country that taxes its citizens less with a reasonable chance of safety with law and order and a opportunity to work, but the yo-yo protesters of the steps government has taken to stabilize a collapsing economy are just fearfull that they might see a Tax increase in the future. If these whiners were alive during the eisenhower administration they would have 3 times the tax burden of today. Most sane people would rather pay a few more dollars in taxes to assure themself that there countrys economy doesn't collapse but these idiots would see their country and all their assets destroyed before acknowledging that private money ran for the hills in total fear and the government saved our collective rearends by becoming the lender of last resort and instituting programs that have put some of this "easily spooked" private money back to work. If the price of this is a few more taxes, take heart because its better than complete collapse.

Mike of VA 6:32AM October 06, 2009

Why is it that Henry Paulson purposefuly let Bear & Steans & Lehmon Brothers fail? Why did we not bail them out what made them not qualify for TARP Money that was given under the Bush Admin.? Wait a minute I know why he did it Henry was once employed with Goldman Sachs. It was just the good ole boy system looking after them. Now Goldman sachs has no competiveness with the comp. I wonder what kind of kick back or how much money he stand to gain from their profits that were made in the second quarter. I know many people who need jobs so now let's see if they can get hired by Goldman Sachs? I am a teacher and as a result of lowere tax revenues we have had to increase our classroom sizes in order to layoff teachers. The state of Calif. is also faced with this as well as other states. What are we doing with our studens future. As a teacher I know what it is like to work for less. As far as the bail out goes. Who is going to bail out the American people when our government fails to pay back all of the money that they have borrowed. We are breaking the back of many american tax payers now. I agree with having a fair tax in which it is a flat tax - then everybody pays their fair share of taxes. I don't agree with a national sales tax - because people are not buying anything from a lot of retailers. Many of our retailers are going out of business - so how would that raise money? I am not an economist by no means. I will say what started the decline of America is by having a corporate tax too high not to encourage businesses to create jobs. Greed is a word that comes to mind in corporate America. Finally enough is enough an a little will do. I don't know if many of you have seen it at the grocery store - but less is in the bags and you still pay the same amount or more for the product. This is all I have to say. Why not hire moms across America to work on auditing budgets across America and live within the means. You can't spend more than you have. Credit is a wonderful thing but it is something that must be used wisely.

Kandi Cooper of GA 6:57AM July 21, 2009

good comments

jeak of AL 9:03AM July 20, 2009

This great country if gets healthy can handle and incorporate 10 times more immigrants then now. The main problem is the destruction of economy and further lack of jobs. The economic structure looks like a pyramid, the more successful small businesses we will have at the bottom, the more stronger and taller will be the pyramid consisting of:
1. Top investors/Clans/Banks/Masons
2. Large Corporations (Suppliers of products to small resellers)
3. Medium size corporations (Suppliers of products to small resellers)
4. Small corporations (Suppliers of products to small resellers)
5. Upper class workers
6. Middle class workers.
7. Small family size businesses and freelancers
8. Government workers and Union administration workers
9. People on government assistance (future workforce for small businesses)
10. People living on the street (future workforce for small businesses)
Just think about this pyramid and mason pyramid before you dig for facts.
It ‘s drawn on every dollar. And mason pyramid it the very top part with the eye.
The question is, why the masons became so blind? Why everybody and they allow to destroy themselves
and foundation they based upon too. Let’s build you Builderbergs and other members of the great pyramid and not destroy.

AC of NY 9:08PM July 19, 2009

I recommend the following steps:
1. to control prices on imports and local products at warehouse level by right pricing structures rewarding the best, most talented in sales businesses, & best performing ones. You can only receive lower price, if you can sell more, & there is has to be no wholesale to public stupidity anymore. It has to be illegal.
2. Do not allow illegal advertisings by comparing prices, like Microsoft does to Mac now with Laptop Hunters. We need more creative ads, not just Chinese-style price beating stupidity.
3. To split giant monopolies like Microsoft, Google, Intel, Costco into smaller companies
according to anti-monopoly laws. Turn Costco, Walmart, etc. into wholesale-to-business only chains. Do not allow them to sell wholesale to public anymore.
Otherwise split them into small ones and start regulating their pricing by making them to buy from
Government controlled warehouses.
4. to control minimum wages for visa workers at border level.

AC of NY 4:53PM July 19, 2009

During past 10-15 years of "global economic" reform and "free trade" our Feds and financial clans have been successfully working on conversion of our system into monopolistic body with socialistic engine. They wanted to give birth to an ugly mutant and they did it. I call the new system Mastrubism, or you give it your name. It's partly socialism due to high spending on people at the bottom and free huge money for selected by government leading giants/companies in their industries. This reminds me Soviet Union/USSR a lot. We used to have full government control of all industries starting with manufacturing, then distribution to warehouses and ending with large government controlled chains of small and large stores/retailers. That basically what's going on now slowly but surely here in USA. Government taking over large giants by borrowing them fresh printed money which costs government almost nothing. This is hidden type of step-by-step privatization of these formerly privately own chains. This is why government was demolishing our normal capitalistic economy starting from 1970 by almost uncontrolled import of import cars and other products and making local manufacturers go out of business. It started with manufacturers, then professionals such as programmers and engineers in 2000 and up. Then the most deadly hit was introducing and empowering by credits and patronage "small business killer chains" like Walmart, Kmart, HomeDepot, Lowe's, Staples, Target, BestBuy, Sears, Marshals, Liquidator, Ikea, etc. They all say to us "Save More, Live Better" or "More Saving, More Doing". Oh yes! However what they not telling us, that we eventually will close most of our small businesses operated by us, our family members, friends, neighbors, etc. Who will benefit from buying from these stores? Mostly people in need who are on government assistance, people with stable jobs with stable companies, government employees, and similar individuals. If you have more money then you can spend per month you will survive without going to this kind of large stores which are basically working for government now. The goal here is to socialize the retail industry by slowly and surely killing small independent retailers with "price beating"/ "wholesale to public" concepts and tools. Who is wining here? Nobody, but government and its direct investors/clans. What it does to our Capitalism and USA market? It kills it. The first rule of Capitalism is to protect small businesses and local manufacturers from monopolists in their industries. There are has to be no blood sucking giants, if we want to preserve healthy capitalism and its creative spirit. Government was created to protect small businesses from giant monopolies and uncontrolled imports. It failed to do so and sold its soul to clans. Every smart and talented small business owner knows that it's impossible to fight a wholesale to public giant, and most of businesses give up to fight or just not being given new births anymore.

AC of NY 3:31AM July 19, 2009

With chatterboxes like Rick to talk up the pump and dump, times have never been better! All hail the glorious convergence of jobless recovery, failed domestic policy, and blank checks for predatory lending.

Bubba of TN 7:14PM July 18, 2009

I have 6 other steps we could take to get back to a more normal economy.
Get rid of Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Barney Fife (oops, Frank), Chris Dodd and also the vice-president, old what's his name.

Jim Proud of CO 6:15PM July 18, 2009

that we saved Goldman-Sachs (a firm doing little to nothing for small business) via the $13 billion of counter-party money they got from the bailout of AIG----but we apparently are going to let the smaller borrowers from CIT suddenly lose their source of business credit.
Meanwhile, though, Jim Cramer (CNBC) said yesterday that "the worst is behind us", because he heard that from statements by JP Morgan, accompanying their hefty profits.
Big will recover. Little will wait a while longer---some forever.

Muser of NM 3:09PM July 17, 2009