I hear that the economy is on the brink of collapse and I can't help but ask. Where are the alternatives?? Why can't the government go into emergency mode? Slash the budget and use funds that are appropriated to nonessentials. In WWII we all pitched in as a nation and tightened our belts.
Why is the only option to splurge and spend, print and borrow? That's what got us into this fucking mess... More after the fold. With specifics :P
UPDATE: I guess it is stupid to try and brainstorm alternative solutions. Sorry for trying.
UPDATE #2: Does anyone know about tickets for the debate at Wash U on Thursday? I'm arriving into St. Louis at about 6 local time. The debate is at 8 so maybe I can get there in time. Anyone know what part of the campus the debate takes place on. I'm so fucking excited!
#1- Military relocation- Bring back at least 1/2 of our troops from overseas. Does anyone care about the stability of the Middle East at the expense of our country collapsing? We sell off the bases (I think it's somewhere in the neighborhood of 700 bases in 140 countries) Then we bring the troops home. This is economics, because we'll have all those military paychecks, spending their cash at home in their local communities.
#2- End transfer payments- Can we really ship billions to Pakistan and Israel, Africa and god knows where else... while our markets are imploding? Maybe we can even procure some transfer payments of our own? We have been sending cash out for years, maybe we could score some in return?
#3- Pay cuts for millionaire congressmen/women: That would put America first.
#4- Tariffs: Is China going to stop filling the Wal-Mart shelves if we raise their rates a little?
#5- Re-evaluation of the entire budget. Everyone is shitting their pants about 700 Billion in bailout money. Hello, we spent 235 Billion last year on interest on national debt. Where's the public outrage at that? It's time for emergency re-evaluation, and spending slashes.
Finally- these are famous words I'm about to repeat... "now we can do all the stuff we've wanted to do for a long time."
That's what they said after 9/11 in respect to attacking Iraq.
I say we use that tactic to reverse Iraq. Bring those troops home TODAY. We made the decision to put them in recklessly, let's pull them out just as quickly. Ok.. let's continue to think out of the box on this one...
Please don't fill with comments; like I'm politicizing this. I've got a good friend in Iraq right now. I want him home safe immediately, let's consider all our options. People are really upset about this crisis, but I have to say. I'm relieved. I see an end in sight to what's been ruining my life for the last 7 years. I want to solve this market crisis, but I also want to destroy the mindset that has allowed this President to thrive. We can't do it all, we can't police the world, we can't use the federal reserve and treasury to try and help the economy from recessing. That's really what caused this mess. Interest rate cuts, again and again and again and again... and again and again.
UPDATE: Add Marijuana and Internet legalization to the list. Both could be legalized and taxed to pay for some of this.