[American in Israel]

Can you imagine how our economy would be roaring now if we threw back the government regulations to 1920’s levels?!

Government is not the solution, it is the problem.

[vbmoneyspender]

both Wilson and “TR” plotted third-term campaigns

I thought Wilson had been incapacitated by stroke in his 2nd term.

[Pontiac]

“What separates today from the leadership and the people of 1920 is that they still possessed a keen sense of arithmetic,” said Peitrusza. “We seem to have lost it. We do not know what a deficit is — or we do not seem to care. We are not ashamed of debt nor fear its consequences enough.”

It may take a dose of deficit-caused galloping inflation to snap voters to attention. The question then will be what remedies will they pursue — neo-normalcy or hyper-progressivism?

The source of the Democrats’ magical power illustrated here.

The Democrats have succeeded in dumbing down their voting base (and maybe even their candidates) to the very basics of how the economy works and the impact of government spending on the economy.

People call in Keynesian economics which is a falsehood or at least a fantastic exaggeration because Keynes did not believe in deficit spending long term. Keynes called for a short run of deficit spending and then a return to balanced budgets.

I don’t see that a round of high inflation wising up the electorate because it does not seem to have that effect in other countries with a generational welfare class. I think unless we can educate the general public to basic economic and stigmatize welfare recipients again we have no chance of returning to a sound economy.

[ClearCase_guy]

I see three possible paths:

Spend less -- I like this idea a lot, but it is clearly difficult for politicians to do.
Raise taxes -- I don't like this idea at all, but it is clearly the only thing the Democrats want.
Grow the economy -- best idea ever because it will increase unemployment, raise revenue, and increase wealth.

Growing the economy will occur when the government decides to get out of the way and regulate less. It is rare for politicians to suggest such blasphemy. Smaller government costs less (nice) but the real benefit will be a growing economy and increasing revenue.

[familyop]

Looking for answers? The food stamp program could be cut. But if the whole thing were axed, that would only cut only about 1/10th or less from the yearly deficit.

Wages could be cut, but the US dollar is artificially propped up with respect to the global economy (thus, far cheaper products from communist countries of slaves). There's a big difference between 10 dollars, for example, and 10 yuan. But go ahead, cut Americans to $1.50 per hour. That'll work.

What about the enormous loads of pork from favored constituents of both political parties to outrageously fat salaries and benefits of state and local government gatekeepers to enforce against building, small manufacturing--property rights in general--and to brainwash kids and indoctrinate adults through government schools and feminist social programs? That's not the way for business to compete, and we don't need any stinkin' 911. But go ahead. Use your local government--porked-up with federal dollars--to enforce against competition. Bust those small shops (zoning) and those families (social services, VAWA, etc.).

There's our contemporary picture of Republicrat politics. Socialism...more specifically, fascism!

America’s Ruling Class — And the Perils of Revolution
http://spectator.org/archives/2010/07/16/americas-ruling-class-and-the/print

The Fragmenting of the New Class Elites, or, Downward Mobility
http://volokh.com/2011/10/31/the-fragmenting-of-the-new-class-elites-or-downward-mobility/

Environmentalism and the Leisure Class
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2835601/posts

The New Upper Class and the Real Reason We Dislike Them
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2843575/posts

Are you a member of the political class?
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2010/08/are_you_a_member_of_the_politi.html