Here, on this site, I was operating under the mistaken assumption that folk here were of a higher caliber. I'm aware of the temptation to get on one's soapbox (guilty). Also, I've been around long enough to understand the fallacy of thinking a gun will solve a problem. Here's a list of what's affectionately termed gunfailAll the best, Nonoise |
I thought Sharia law was banned in Texas. |
Gun control won't stop ALL criminals but it sure as hell puts a demonstrably huge dent in criminals getting guns. There's so much regulation out there making it nigh impossible to regulate guns that it's having the reverse effect allowing all sorts of criminals to get guns. People tend to forget this is a big industry that uses fear and divisive tactics in order to make a killing (literally and figuratively).
I like and own guns but had no problem having them registered when I bought them. I've got nothing to hide. It's the most dangerous product out there and needs regulation.
All the best,
Nonoise |
Zd542,
There's a silver lining everywhere if you look.
:-) |
Take a look at income disparities worldwide and you'll see a common thread with every one of them. The countries with the smallest income disparities have the greatest levels of satisfaction, education, health outcomes, the lowest incidences of drug use and teenage pregnancies, lower incarceration rates, and an overall higher standard of living for it's citizens. We are no where near the top and if remember, near the bottom of the middle rankings.
The latest congressional budget proposal eliminates the ACA and takes away health care from tens of millions, increases military spending by putting it on a credit card (again) and eliminates the estate tax which only affects the richest 3,700 families (since only they qualify for the tax) and everyone here wonders why we have problems. Get ready for another veto and more obstruction since the status quo is just fine for those already enriched by this mess.
All the best,
Nonoise |
Zd542,
That statement was simply a result from looking at income disparities and then combing through and collating data and lo! Better lifestyles, higher standards of living, lower crime rates, lower abortion rates, less mental illnesses, better health outcomes and better education were all present in the countries with the least income inequality. There was nothing general about it.
Our country is ranked around #42 (and in one survey is ranked as the 5th worst in inequality) but it's large enough and still has that cache of being a place to start over. Conventional wisdom still dominates the minds of the masses, truth be damned.
What other have stated about simply creating more jobs IS the answer. Keynsian macroeconomics has and still works, if you let it. Our economic situation is not a natural occurrence but one of policy, and policy can change if we (or they) want it to. Sometimes I get the impression that some here enjoy the suffering of others.
All the best,
Nonoise |
Keynesian economics brought us out of the great depression and gave rise to the "Golden Age of Capitalism". It was the oil shock of the 70s that gave folk pause and had us scrambling for answers but there will always be something out of left field that comes across as a form of shock. Adjustments are always made.
Marxists didn't like it for fear it would lead to totalitarianism (which it doesn't) and right wingers hate it because it calls for government to step in and stimulate during recessions (which would prove them wrong). It's still in the main and even it's present day detractors come up every now and then with a remodeled version that suits their purposes, only to be exposed.
Paul Krugman details this and many other points on a regular basis. He can come across as snarky but the right wing nut jobs out there just tire the whole argument. How long can their arguments be shot down only to resurface and be shot down again?
A cursory look at it's history and present day use would render your perspective as disingenuous so I chose to think you just don't really know.
All the best,
Nonoise |
Anti Keynesianism is ripe and rampant on the right wing blogosphere and has been for quite some time. Government investment in our economy after the Great Depression and after WWII gave us a foot up and eventually the greatest middle class in history. That was due to Keynes. Even Nixon proclaimed he was "now a Keynesian".
Supply side economics took over after the oil shock of the 70s and how good did that work for you? Give huge tax breaks to the ubber wealthy and they'll piss what's left over on the rest of us. Trickle down? Right.
To categorize Keynes as leftist shows what a remarkably closed mind one has. He was far from being a leftie. Just because FDR adopted his policies and it worked better than anyone expected is no reason to write it off as leftist.
To say that WWII was the stimulus is a bit naive as it, by itself, is not responsible for it. What we did, economically was the answer, and that was government spending on infrastructure, education, housing and business which helped jump start the economy. If we had chosen to not invest there would have been no growth. I just love revisionists.
Why did we start turning back to Keynes in '07? Why is he getting more and more credit in economic circles. Why are his models being tried again? Why is Krugman making the rounds, globally, lending his expertise to help change the ridiculous course of austerity? Why is it having a positive effect when heeded?
You have Laffer and Moore, on the right, as your gurus and they're always reframing their arguments after being discredited. Add Rand and Ryan for your political equivalents. You can set your clock by them. They're right wing hacks. Paid carnival barkers for right wing think tanks. Now there's an oxymoron.
I'll just keep on following Krugman, Piketty, Stiglitz, Mankiw and others who have a more thoroughly nuanced understanding of the man. I'll keep reading up on those who don't conflate economics with political leanings and on just what works.
All the best,
Nonoise
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Zd542,
Calm down. I spoke of the economic steps we took AFTER the war that got us back up and running. You can read a simple sentence or two and not cherry pick stuff out of YOUR ass, can you? Where is your head? Has this been building up for awhile?
You've got to stop reading and listening to your right wing, hate filled gurus and venture out from the dark, damp corners of the internet and get some sunshine which they say has a very antiseptic quality to it. It's not like going to Lourdes but what the hell, you can use some.
Just do a simple and effective thing and goodle Keynesian economics and it's comeback (and while you're at it, it's history) and you'll find a treasure trove of data, not the made up shit your shovel. You''re fingers won't fly off, I promise.
I find it amazing that when it comes to audio, some can wax poetic on the intricacies and nuances of music and it's reproduction to a level that would make Keats blush but when the topic changes to the economy and politics everything turns to black and white and people emulate rabid, barking dogs.
All the best, and the last say I have on this,
Nonoise |
