Middle East wises up

[thedr9wningman]

For a long time, it was just roguish leaders like Hussein and Ahmadinejad who wanted to delink themselves from the US dollar's hegemony.  And when they do it one at a time, the US can react in a predictable, hegemonic military way

Comments

[sop4pcrest]

Reaganomics don't work, and 8 years of any conservative at the helm of America's policy machine usually leads to this sort of issue...
We haven't had a real conservative in the White House for a long time. Bush was conservative on his tax policy (supply side), but spending during his two terms was out of control. I am actually curious as to what the world would be like today if he had cut spending like he promised he would.

The rest of what you said seems spot on.

[thedr9wningman]

Well, then, look 8 years earlier.

Clinton was semi-conservative on tax policy (but did raise the rates on the rich a pinch) and reduced spending. We were economically in a really good spot.

Some of these cycles are natural, but I do think that the government can have a hand in dulling the peaks and valleys and making things a bit more stable... all at a lower cost than dealing with the peaks and valleys and the evaporations of wealth that happens with the valleys.

[sop4pcrest]

Higher taxes and lower spending. Who could have imagined that would lead to surpluses? Makes me wonder why we can't go back to that philosophy.

Part one

[thedr9wningman]

In the scheme of things, taxes aren't the major issue. And I still can't seem to see why that is the number one issue for conservatives.

You benefit plenty from taxation. You have a police, fire, and justice system; you went to public school; your government buys lots of toys and planes and sends people to other countries to 'defend' you. Government funds pay for scientific research, for the space program, for coordination and standards in industry; they keep utilities' monopolies from screwing us over entirely. So, really, what's the complaint