25 Jan 2009 Braking the Stimulus

An e-mail from Joe Roche, writing from Operation Iraqi Freedom:

Amy,

I’m reading John Steele Gordon’s book on an economic history of the US. Great book, and fascinating reading. And it strikes me…

What is missing in countering all the massive “stimulus” spending and legislation is perspective. That is what the Obama campaign and the liberal press succeeded most in doing, the single most important impact of the past several months: the perspective of the American people on the economy has been completely distorted.

In doing this, “we” can be fooled into thinking this is the Great Depression and that it is “unprecedented” and all sorts of baloney like that, thus cornering the Republicans and empowering the Democrats.

Thus, it strikes me that restoring perspective is one tool that would be profoundly effective in putting on the brakes to all this “stimulus.” There is no talk about what Reagan faced in 1980, or of how deep the recession was in the ’80s. There is no prespective whatsoever of the economic shocks of the ’70s. And there is complete historical amnesia about the depressions and economic collapses that happened about every 20 years in our nation’s past.

It is very revealing and sobering to re-learn about the economic disasters that hit after Jefferson’s presidency, in 1837, in 1857, in 1873, in 1896, the short depression of 1921, and about how all of these were sparked by gov’t monopolies and bad monetary policies that all had their roots in liberal populist gov’t “solutions.” Also, pointing out that the four mega-packages of the New Deal did nothing to aleviate the Great Depression but instead prolonged it instead, is vital to re-teach. Go back to Charles Murray’s book on the failure of the Great Society and the War On Poverty.

A short fact sheet accompanying a survey, well foot-noted, would be a great resource for all the nerds out there like me who will pick up on such a report to write about it in their college newspapers and argue on it.

Perspective! This is what is missing. Returning perspective to the American people, I think, is the achillees heal to all this liberal “stimulus” crap. Put it into perspective and then hit them w/ the question: will all this “stimulus” restore the economy? And, “what is really happening with all this stimulus?” Perspective perspective perspective. The GOP is completely inept at doing this. Conservative organizations should be jumping all over this.

Ok, I’ll stop ranting.

SGT Joe Roche
BN TOC BTL NCO

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Labels: Economics, Government Spending, History, Joe Roche