America

[ZenLunatic]

Strengthening or Weakening the Economy?

 

by Ron Paul

 

The economic situation continues to deteriorate this week as past and future bailouts were discussed on Capitol Hill. The debate was over the accountability of already disbursed TARP money, and on whether or not to release remaining funds. Banks that had already been bailed out before are looking for more money to fill the black holes that are their balance sheets, warning that they are simply too big to fail. However, whatever

[mfwahl]

The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

[ZenLunatic]

"The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government."

 

This quote is why our government doesnt get it and why we will continue on the same road we've been on. It's the same generic mentality.

[ikol]

The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, we will increase funding ad infinitum. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

 

Fixed it.

[bleedorange]

Can someone please tell me where I need to get in line for my next government check?

 

Thanks.

[Guest Jules]

Can someone please tell me where I need to get in line for my next government check?

 

Thanks.

[bleedorange]

 

 

Dammit! I knew there was a reason I should have headed up to D.C.

[dondoboy]

"The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government."

 

This quote is why our government doesnt get it and why we will continue on the same road we've been on. It's the same generic mentality.

I don't think Ol' Paulie's quote is any more specific or offers anything more than the same, tired, Libertarian pablum.

[John Smith]

I like Ron Paul and I know that he was not a 100% backer of the president, but he spent eight years siding with his party more often than not as this whole mess brewed up.

[MrRain422]

I admire Paul's sense of independence from his party, his ability to build a campaign on genuine grass roots enthusiasm and his apparent sincerity, and I think he's right about a lot of our nations problems but his solutions don't often really make much sense in most areas.

[John Smith]

Can someone please tell me where I need to get in line for my next government check?

 

Thanks.

 

I would suggest become a farmer or go to work on Wall Street in the markets or investment banking. Those guys are getting the big bucks.

[bleedorange]

I would suggest become a farmer or go to work on Wall Street in the markets or investment banking. Those guys are getting the big bucks.

 

Actually, I got a big one a few months ago just for being me. I figure more are to follow with the proliferation of stimulus plans to "fix" everything.

[John Smith]

Actually, I got a big one a few months ago just for being me. I figure more are to follow with the proliferation of stimulus plans to "fix" everything.

 

 

Ah so you are part of the problem? Suckling at the teat of big government all the while complaining about big government. I hear it all the time from farmers where I live. I guarantee you they resent the money you got and will argue for days about deservign the money they recieve. Funny how that works.

[MattZ]

I am so tired of Ron Paul. The guy has gotten very good at being contrarian knowing all the while that he can continue to call for policies that he will never have to answer for and will never be tested in the light of day. We are in the midst of a recession that is bad, and will likely get worse, no matter what this Administration does. There's no way that we will ever know what these bailouts have prevented, but it's entirely possible that they prevented the virtual collapse of our financial system. And yet, because we are still suffering through a recession, we get to listen to Ron Paul tell us how terrible these bailouts are.

 

Ron Paul seems unable to understand the interconnectedness of our financial system. And how, if one bank goes down, many will go down. And what happens when the average Joe wakes up and his life savings is gone. It's not that one bank is too big to fail. It's that they could all go down.

 

I have news for Mr. Paul. If the FDIC has to reimburse everyone who loses their money when our banks go under, the FDIC does NOT have the money to do it. The treasury will have to start printing money to pay everyone back. And this will have the same impact on our currency that he thinks these bailouts will have.

[bleedorange]

Ah so you are part of the problem? Suckling at the teat of big government all the while complaining about big government. I hear it all the time from farmers where I live. I guarantee you they resent the money you got and will argue for days about deservign the money they recieve. Funny how that works.

 

I thought everyone got a rebate check.

[John Smith]

I thought everyone got a rebate check.

 

 

Ahh thhat's different, it was advertised and sold as a tax rebate not necessairly a hand out, though it turned into that for many. I thought you were referring how to get soemthing for nothing like the welfare farmers who surround me.

[dondoboy]

The proposition that the people are the best keepers of their own liberties is not true. They are the worst conceivable, they are no keepers at all; they can neither judge, act, think, or will, as a political body.

John Adams

 

He only started the country.

[bjorn_skurj]

Libertarians lost the argument about how this country should be run more than 200 years ago. It's kind of like belonging to the gym - if you don't want to pay the gym fees, you don't get to work out at the gym. If you don't want to pay taxes, please stay off the roads and don't breathe any of the air or drink any of the water protected by government regulations.

[bleedorange]

Ahh thhat's different, it was advertised and sold as a tax rebate not necessairly a hand out, though it turned into that for many. I thought you were referring how to get soemthing for nothing like the welfare farmers who surround me.

 

Sorry, I should have been clearer. You're right, though, there are certainly plenty of people who bitch about everyone else getting government money, who then turn right around and have no problem cashing their own "deserved" check.

 

I don't think Ron Paul has all the answers, but I like where his mind is.

 

The thing about Obama and how he keeps talking about people needing to sacrifice, etc....shouldn't that start with many of these people giving up these government checks in order to cut government spending and the deficit?

 

How does our individual sacrifice result in a larger government? Unless he really is a socialist. Which I would like to think he really isn't.

[Winston Legthigh]

I thought everyone got a rebate check.

Nope.

 

The only rebate check I ever received was from Jesse the Body when I lived in MN. Thanks Jesse. I guess that could have gone towards strengthening shitty bridges?

[cryptique]

Rep. Paul conveniently omits from his screed any mention of what happened when the government (starting with Reagan, leading up to Bush 43) stepped back and allowed "freedom" in the financial markets.

 

I'm all for limiting the size and scope of government, but strong, sensible, enforceable regulations are necessary for keeping those greedy assholes on Wall Street in check (along with all the other greedy assholes ... that's one thing this country will never see a shortage of). Those regulations must come from government, because the self-regulation thing's been tried, and boy did it ever fail.

[Winston Legthigh]

(along with all the other greedy assholes ... that's one thing this country will never see a shortage of).

Capitalism's backbone IS greedy assholes.

[John Smith]

Rep. Paul conveniently omits from his screed any mention of what happened when the government (starting with Reagan, leading up to Bush 43) stepped back and allowed "freedom" in the financial markets.

 

I'm all for limiting the size and scope of government, but strong, sensible, enforceable regulations are necessary for keeping those greedy assholes on Wall Street in check (along with all the other greedy assholes ... that's one thing this country will never see a shortage of). Those regulations must come from government, because the self-regulation thing's been tried, and boy did it ever fail.

 

I get the impression that the consequences of deregulation are irrellevant to the notion of deregualtion it's self.

[Good Old Neon]

Capitalism's backbone and ongoing demise IS greedy assholes.

 

 

Rep. Paul conveniently omits from his screed any mention of what happened when the government (starting with Reagan, leading up to Bush 43) stepped back and allowed "freedom" in the financial markets.

 

I'm all for limiting the size and scope of government, but strong, sensible, enforceable regulations are necessary for keeping those greedy assholes on Wall Street in check (along with all the other greedy assholes ... that's one thing this country will never see a shortage of). Those regulations must come from government, because the self-regulation thing's been tried, and boy did it ever fail.

 

Well said.

[MrRain422]

I get the impression that the consequences of deregulation are irrellevant to the notion of deregualtion it's self.

 

I think this is true of some free marketers. Certainly some of them aren't concerned with the consequences. There is another group of them for whom those consequences are exactly the point.