The poor would benefit most from 0% unemployment and 10% inflation. It reduces the value of their debt while giving them a job.
The rich would benefit most from 10% unemployment and 0% inflation. It preserves the value of their wealth, and they don’t need a job.
Experimental evidence shows that the country is run for the benefit of the rich.
Our economy is suffering from too much savings and too little consumption. It will take years for that imbalance to subside.
Poor people consume most of their income. Congress failed to extend unemployment benefits to the poor, which reduces consumption even further.
Rich people save most of their income. Congress is fighting to pass tax breaks for them, which increases savings even further.
It’s exactly backwards from what we need right now to escape this depression. This hurts the economy as a whole, but the rich benefit.
Again, who really runs this country?
I really wish our politicians would rule the country for the benefit of every American, not just so brazenly for the ones that give the largest campaign contributions.
And I wish people would stop letting them. These morons didn’t elect themselves. But people prefer seductive lies to ugly truths. Not that they would know the truth if it slapped them in the face. Our fathers took bullets and spilled blood to give us this democracy, but this generation won’t even read a book and educate themselves to defend it. They’re too busy watching Kim Kardashian on Entertainment Tonight.
The universe has laws that do not submit to personal whims. You can no more impose your personal beliefs about the laws of economics on the universe than you can your personal beliefs on the laws of physics. And if you believe otherwise, I invite you to run off a cliff and hover like Wile E. Coyote. But that kind of stupidity is rampant in our country today.
Democrats say unemployment benefits are always good. Republican say unemployment benefits are always bad. The truth is, *IT DEPENDS ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES*. If it’s 1997 and the economy is moving like a freight train and you can’t get a job, it’s your fault. If it’s 2010, there’s almost 10% unemployment, and the entire world is caught in the largest financial crisis since the Great Depression and you can’t get a job, there’s a good chance it’s not your fault and a helping hand is warranted.
Democrats say we need to accept short-term deficits in order to escape this depression. Despite the fact that most mainstream economists agree with that assessment, the Republican party is coming out strong for austerity. Even in the face of some pretty substantial proof showing that austerity is *very bad news*. Look how well it’s working for Ireland. And unfortunately, it looks like they are going to win the battle, and we’re going to lose the war. Because we *must* have austerity, because it’s the opposite of what the other side wants.
And that, in a nutshell, is the problem with our political system. Too many idiots demanding that complex problems *must* have simple answers. Too many idiots treating politics like a football game, us against them. If they believe something, it must be wrong. If we believe something, it must be right. Compromise is weakness, and stubbornness is a virtue. Politicians putting party above country. The Republicans own most of the stupid this time around, but I’ve no doubt that in a few short years the Democrats will claim their fair share too.
I have no rhyme or reason in this post other than venting disgust and sadness. I’m just watching the news and getting angrier/sadder every day as I see what this country could be, but isn’t.