George Will's Questions for Obama

[volinbham]

Enjoy.

George F. Will: Questions for Obama | Newsweek Voices - George F. Will | Newsweek.com

2 of my favorites...

You say John McCain is content to "watch [Americans'] home prices decline." So, government should prop up housing prices generally? How? Why? Were prices ideal before the bubble popped? How does a senator know ideal prices? Have you explained to young couples straining to buy their first house that declining prices are a misfortune?

During the ABC debate, you acknowledged that when the capital gains rate was dropped first to 20 percent, then to 15 percent, government revenues from the tax increased and they declined in the 1980s when it was increased to 28 percent. Nevertheless, you said you would consider raising the rate "for purposes of fairness." How does decreasing the government's financial resources and punishing investors promote fairness? Are you aware that 20 percent of taxpayers reporting capital gains in 2006 had incomes of less than $50,000?

 

[BigPapaVol]

Will's my man. Smartest conservative commentator out there, for my money.

 

[MG1968]

too bad he won't get within 1000 yards of Obama.

the question I'd like asked is how Obama's proposed tax increases on individuals earning 250k/year, WPT on Oil companies, increases in capital gains taxes, and other corporate tax increases will stimulate the economy and create private sector jobs?

I've asked TennNC that question numerous times, and he's yet to answer it, so I don't hold out much hope that I'll get my answer.

 

[VolunteerHillbilly]

The people who are voting for "social justice" are, by and large, too young to remember what life was like in the 1970s. Whoever the next president is, he will be a one-term goat IMO because things are headed south and our government lacks the total control needed to turn it around while it does have just enough control to make things worse.

 

[Headed For Home]

The people who are voting for "social justice" are, by and large, too young to remember what life was like in the 1970s. Whoever the next president is, he will be a one-term goat IMO because things are headed south and our government lacks the total control needed to turn it around while it does have just enough control to make things worse.

Sad but very true

 

[BigPapaVol]

The people who are voting for "social justice" are, by and large, too young to remember what life was like in the 1970s.

I don't understand this, but I don't remember life in the 70's, as I missed the early years and was a tyke for the rest of them.

 

[KB5252]

I don't understand this, but I don't remember life in the 70's, as I missed the early years and was a tyke for the rest of them.

Same here.

 

[VolunteerHillbilly]

I don't understand this, but I don't remember life in the 70's, as I missed the early years and was a tyke for the rest of them.

We had a liberal controlled congress and a liberal president who were going to save all us poor working folks from the effects of the recession by taxing the rich and spreading the wealth back around in the form of government programs. What we wound up with was stagflation, the death of the manufactuing sector in this country, the homeless problem, the abolishment of the two-parent household in the welfare community, etc. It was really bad times. Right now, things may seem a bit tough but if you are willing to swallow your pride, and perhaps relocate, you can support yourself and a family. In the late 1970s there just weren't jobs for many people. Once the unemployment checks ran dry they were screwed.

 

[BigPapaVol]

We had a liberal controlled congress and a liberal president who were going to save all us poor working folks from the effects of the recession by taxing the rich and spreading the wealth back around in the form of government programs. What we wound up with was stagflation, the death of the manufactuing sector in this country, the homeless problem, the abolishment of the two-parent household in the welfare community, etc. It was really bad times. Right now, things may seem a bit tough but if you are willing to swallow your pride, and perhaps relocate, you can support yourself and a family. In the late 1970s there just weren't jobs for many people. Once the unemployment checks ran dry they were screwed.

gotcha and no debate. Worse economic period since the mid 30s in America.

 

[VolunteerHillbilly]

gotcha and no debate. Worse economic period since the mid 30s in America.

And I'm not saying it was Carter's or anyone else's fault that it happened, but it was the negative effects of the tinkering they did to try and end it that they can and should be blamed for. I thought the stimulus checks were a silly gimmick, BTW. It just seems like these guys cannot help but do something. Why do we have to cut or raise taxes right now? Why not just leave things be for awhile and see if we can ride this thing out without slipping into negative growth?

 

[KB5252]

And I'm not saying it was Carter's or anyone else's fault that it happened, but it was the negative effects of the tinkering they did to try and end it that they can and should be blamed for. I thought the stimulus checks were a silly gimmick, BTW. It just seems like these guys cannot help but do something. Why do we have to cut or raise taxes right now? Why not just leave things be for awhile and see if we can ride this thing out without slipping into negative growth?

Think of the economy as a planet (earth for example) We rotate and wobble on an axis. If you were to alter that axis just a degree or two it would throw everything into chaos. Our weather patterns would vary and the human race would be set back thousands of years.

This is totally off topic but just goes to illustrate that when you have a weak economy tinkering with it too much will effect it negatively and could take it past the point of return.

 

[BigPapaVol]

Think of the economy as a planet (earth for example) We rotate and wobble on an axis. If you were to alter that axis just a degree or two it would throw everything into chaos. Our weather patterns would vary and the human race would be set back thousands of years.

This is totally off topic but just goes to illustrate that when you have a weak economy tinkering with it too much will effect it negatively and could take it past the point of return.

or inaction could just as easily allow a death spiral

 

[KB5252]

or inaction could just as easily allow a death spiral

There is no reason to believe the economy will not rebound given time. And there is a huge difference between "adjusting" the economy and imposing UHC and raising taxes on corp. and those who invest, which would stiffle the growth we need to pay for those programs.

 

[BigPapaVol]

no argument that frictional expense is death to the economy, but I don't buy the argument that an activist Fed can't be as effective or more effective than a passive Fed.