Comments for Why Politics? http://whypolitics.com Intellectually Informed Opinions Wed, 10 Aug 2011 11:00:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2 Comment on Keynesian Economics: Is It What We Need? by mini http://whypolitics.com/2011/08/07/keynesian-economics-is-it-what-we-need/#comment-162 mini Wed, 10 Aug 2011 11:00:13 +0000 http://whypolitics.com/2011/08/07/keynesian-economics-is-it-what-we-need/#comment-162 I would say that Keynes was right. The problem is two fold, we didn't bother listening to him even when we tried his economic policies, and we certainly haven't been listening to him since the 1980's. Keynes major argument centered around aggregate demand and that when the economy starts to slow down, the government should start to spend more to increase aggregate demand. Thus, if the economy started to boom and no longer needed government spending, the gov. could slow down, or at least spend within its means. You should only borrow, and borrow, and borrow for very important investments or during the recessionary period of the cycle. Otherwise don't rack up debt, or if anything save for rainy day. We never bothered with that. We thought, hell lets just spend and spend and spend. Then, when we are done. Fuck it. Lets spend some more. And not investments, nah screw that. Lets drop million dollar bombs on mud huts filled with 100 bucks work of AK's . Then lets invade two separate foreign countries whose populations don't even want us there. And then lets bomb them too, bc bombs will someone equal love and freedom. I would say that Keynes was right. The problem is two fold, we didn’t bother listening to him even when we tried his economic policies, and we certainly haven’t been listening to him since the 1980′s.

Keynes major argument centered around aggregate demand and that when the economy starts to slow down, the government should start to spend more to increase aggregate demand. Thus, if the economy started to boom and no longer needed government spending, the gov. could slow down, or at least spend within its means. You should only borrow, and borrow, and borrow for very important investments or during the recessionary period of the cycle. Otherwise don’t rack up debt, or if anything save for rainy day.

We never bothered with that. We thought, hell lets just spend and spend and spend. Then, when we are done. Fuck it. Lets spend some more. And not investments, nah screw that. Lets drop million dollar bombs on mud huts filled with 100 bucks work of AK’s . Then lets invade two separate foreign countries whose populations don’t even want us there. And then lets bomb them too, bc bombs will someone equal love and freedom.

]]> Comment on Toasting Tea to the Death of America! by prayersforrain http://whypolitics.com/2011/07/28/toasting-tea-to-the-death-of-america/#comment-161 prayersforrain Mon, 01 Aug 2011 23:14:41 +0000 http://whypolitics.com/2011/07/28/toasting-tea-to-the-death-of-america/#comment-161 Good luck seperating private interests and government. The ethics commitee would have to be made up of saints, no goverment official would be allowed to have a private bank account, and no government official could ever work after they leave office because of the chance that it was quid pro quo. Good luck seperating private interests and government. The ethics commitee would have to be made up of saints, no goverment official would be allowed to have a private bank account, and no government official could ever work after they leave office because of the chance that it was quid pro quo.

]]> Comment on Toasting Tea to the Death of America! by bd_bannigan http://whypolitics.com/2011/07/28/toasting-tea-to-the-death-of-america/#comment-160 bd_bannigan Fri, 29 Jul 2011 06:25:30 +0000 http://whypolitics.com/2011/07/28/toasting-tea-to-the-death-of-america/#comment-160 I agree a lot with your second point, that we need to elect politicians who are not in the pockets of private interests. On your single term concept, it has potential but it also increases the risk of private interests, as a politicians will have every incentive to help out companies while in office, so they can receive employment once they are out of office. This is already a huge problem. So I think first step is to free our government from private interests. Just as there is a separation of church and state, there should be a seperaton of private interests and state At the end of the day, what the USA needs is a merictocracy, where the best and most morally salient end up in office, and in the bureacracy. I agree a lot with your second point, that we need to elect politicians who are not in the pockets of private interests.

On your single term concept, it has potential but it also increases the risk of private interests, as a politicians will have every incentive to help out companies while in office, so they can receive employment once they are out of office. This is already a huge problem. So I think first step is to free our government from private interests. Just as there is a separation of church and state, there should be a seperaton of private interests and state

At the end of the day, what the USA needs is a merictocracy, where the best and most morally salient end up in office, and in the bureacracy.

]]> Comment on Toasting Tea to the Death of America! by prayersforrain http://whypolitics.com/2011/07/28/toasting-tea-to-the-death-of-america/#comment-159 prayersforrain Fri, 29 Jul 2011 00:32:27 +0000 http://whypolitics.com/2011/07/28/toasting-tea-to-the-death-of-america/#comment-159 There are two simple solutions. Change the congressional term limit to ONE SINGLE TERM and elect politians who want are not in the pocket of these multinational corparations and banking cartels. Every vote in congress boils down to the next election, so take that away so people will make decisions based logic and reason instead of who's filling their coffer. There are two simple solutions. Change the congressional term limit to ONE SINGLE TERM and elect politians who want are not in the pocket of these multinational corparations and banking cartels. Every vote in congress boils down to the next election, so take that away so people will make decisions based logic and reason instead of who’s filling their coffer.

]]> Comment on Hostage Situation by EternallyFleeting http://whypolitics.com/2011/07/23/hostage-situation/#comment-158 EternallyFleeting Mon, 25 Jul 2011 14:33:10 +0000 http://whypolitics.com/2011/07/23/hostage-situation/#comment-158 I like how neither side is serious about cutting spending where it is most prominent: military/defense. The right is obsessed with trying to cut social programs which, if successful, could result in an dramatic increase in crime/theft. The left is wants to keep everything and tax more. The real solution and compromise for both sides is to dramatically decrease defense spending as it will allow the left to keep the social programs, and the right to avoid increases in taxation for the upper 1/3. The reason why the most cogent solution to our fiscal woes is barely on the peripheries of the political debate is due to the girth of our politician's wallets largely thanks to the military/industrial lobbyists. I like how neither side is serious about cutting spending where it is most prominent: military/defense. The right is obsessed with trying to cut social programs which, if successful, could result in an dramatic increase in crime/theft. The left is wants to keep everything and tax more. The real solution and compromise for both sides is to dramatically decrease defense spending as it will allow the left to keep the social programs, and the right to avoid increases in taxation for the upper 1/3. The reason why the most cogent solution to our fiscal woes is barely on the peripheries of the political debate is due to the girth of our politician’s wallets largely thanks to the military/industrial lobbyists.

]]> Comment on Hostage Situation by prayersforrain http://whypolitics.com/2011/07/23/hostage-situation/#comment-156 prayersforrain Mon, 25 Jul 2011 00:11:22 +0000 http://whypolitics.com/2011/07/23/hostage-situation/#comment-156 Who in Washington is even attempting to look out for the American people anymore? I agree with Boehner that we have overspent and there needs to be a correction but in the same token proving a point isn't work bringing on a catastrophe. Letting the U.S. default in insane and unneeded. Who in Washington is even attempting to look out for the American people anymore? I agree with Boehner that we have overspent and there needs to be a correction but in the same token proving a point isn’t work bringing on a catastrophe. Letting the U.S. default in insane and unneeded.

]]> Comment on Hostage Situation by mini http://whypolitics.com/2011/07/23/hostage-situation/#comment-155 mini Sun, 24 Jul 2011 11:58:18 +0000 http://whypolitics.com/2011/07/23/hostage-situation/#comment-155 I know all sides want to politically posture the absolute hell out of this issue. Its obvious, but what they do not understand is that this is crushing our long run reputation. Because of all of the fighting, Interest rates WILL be higher on US bonds in the future, even if we don't recognize it. Governments, rating agencies, and major financial institutions, who have increasingly been raising alarm over our burgeoning debt, will have all the more reason in future to second guess are ability and willingness to repay our loans. I know all sides want to politically posture the absolute hell out of this issue. Its obvious, but what they do not understand is that this is crushing our long run reputation. Because of all of the fighting, Interest rates WILL be higher on US bonds in the future, even if we don’t recognize it. Governments, rating agencies, and major financial institutions, who have increasingly been raising alarm over our burgeoning debt, will have all the more reason in future to second guess are ability and willingness to repay our loans.

]]> Comment on The Euro is DEAD! by prayersforrain http://whypolitics.com/2011/07/17/the-euro-is-dead/#comment-153 prayersforrain Tue, 19 Jul 2011 04:46:56 +0000 http://whypolitics.com/2011/07/17/the-euro-is-dead/#comment-153 If the Euro is to survive, either there must be austerity by all and huge bailouts by the well off or there must be a federalization/ unification of Europe into a single state ruled by a single body capable of distributing funds where they must go without the outcry from individual states. Good luck convincing Germany to join. If the Euro is to survive, either there must be austerity by all and huge bailouts by the well off or there must be a federalization/ unification of Europe into a single state ruled by a single body capable of distributing funds where they must go without the outcry from individual states. Good luck convincing Germany to join.

]]> Comment on Violence Is Obsolete! by bd_bannigan http://whypolitics.com/2011/07/14/violence-is-obsolete/#comment-151 bd_bannigan Sun, 17 Jul 2011 06:46:08 +0000 http://whypolitics.com/?p=93#comment-151 I think you are right, prayers, about the US not being at any short term risk. The masses will only mobilize when they have too. Just make sure people have access to air con, cable tv, and junk food and they will stay at home, eating potato chips, and watching the latest reality TV garbage. That's just how the world works, I guess. I think you are right, prayers, about the US not being at any short term risk. The masses will only mobilize when they have too. Just make sure people have access to air con, cable tv, and junk food and they will stay at home, eating potato chips, and watching the latest reality TV garbage.

That’s just how the world works, I guess.

]]> Comment on Violence Is Obsolete! by EternallyFleeting http://whypolitics.com/2011/07/14/violence-is-obsolete/#comment-149 EternallyFleeting Fri, 15 Jul 2011 14:59:53 +0000 http://whypolitics.com/?p=93#comment-149 In our decadent society no one will be shutting down anything because the common man is too worried about whether or not the NFL will be shutting down, or if their gay neighbors are getting married, or how soon before Brad and Angie get back together. The effeteness of the the people's political participation in America is mirrored by our daily consumption of mindless TV programs. Even when an American decides to become more politically conscientious, he/she turns to CNN only to be informed about the latest white girl gone missing. Until Desperation comes a knocking on America's door, you can find would be protestors slouching about their TVs on a sleepy sunday afternoon clutching onto their guns and religion and watching the Cowboys play the Redskins. And if desperation comes in the mold of an NFL work stoppage, you just might see massive demonstrations spilling onto the streets of the Capitol. In all seriousness until the arrival of true despair, Americans will continue exercising their rights and political voice by voting every two to four years for either twiddle dee or twiddle dumb. In our decadent society no one will be shutting down anything because the common man is too worried about whether or not the NFL will be shutting down, or if their gay neighbors are getting married, or how soon before Brad and Angie get back together. The effeteness of the the people’s political participation in America is mirrored by our daily consumption of mindless TV programs. Even when an American decides to become more politically conscientious, he/she turns to CNN only to be informed about the latest white girl gone missing.

Until Desperation comes a knocking on America’s door, you can find would be protestors slouching about their TVs on a sleepy sunday afternoon clutching onto their guns and religion and watching the Cowboys play the Redskins. And if desperation comes in the mold of an NFL work stoppage, you just might see massive demonstrations spilling onto the streets of the Capitol. In all seriousness until the arrival of true despair, Americans will continue exercising their rights and political voice by voting every two to four years for either twiddle dee or twiddle dumb.

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