[LS]

Er, sorry dude, but those "benefits" of hydroelectric dams were built on the BACKS of millions of Americans stuck in poverty at the time. Some benefit.

Oh yah, tarrifs are great. Like Hawley Smoot, which virtually EVERY economist now agrees basically caused the market crash in 1929 and made the Depression MUCH worse. How much worse? Well, recent studies---TWO of them by different economists---agree that HS probably took a good five percent off GNP. Yah, that is really "creating wealth." With wealth creation like that, we would look like Albania soon. Dream on, bud.

[Willie Green]

Er, sorry dude, but those "benefits" of hydroelectric dams were built on the BACKS of millions of Americans stuck in poverty at the time. Some benefit.

Sounds like you resent the nation presenting the opportunity to perform "an honest day's work for an honest day's pay."

Guess you'd prefer the soup-kitchen & bread-line handouts that were the alternative back then.

[ex-snook]

"Like Hawley Smoot, which virtually EVERY economist now agrees basically caused the market crash in 1929 "

Upon further review - Smoot-Hawley was passed in June 1930, hardly before the market crash.

[Willie Green]

Well, recent studies---TWO of them by different economists---agree that HS probably took a good five percent off GNP.

What completely bass-ackward revisionist poppycock.

Trade only amounted to 6% of GNP to begin with, and it declined to 2% of GNP by 1932. Furthermore, since Smoot-Hawley only applied to 1/3 of imports, you can't even attribute the 4% drop to the tariff. Rather it was the 31% decline in GNP and 25% unemployment rate that more drasticly reduced demand for imports.

And as far as Smoot-Hawley "causing" the Depression, the stock market crashed in 1929, the tariffs weren't enacted until 1930.

Take your convoluted, revisionist and discredited economic theories and peddle them elsewhere.