Comments on: on the GDP… http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/10/on-the-gdp/ Sat, 20 Mar 2010 01:27:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Cascadian http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/10/on-the-gdp/#comment-28279 Cascadian Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:59:59 +0000 http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/?p=10245#comment-28279 I can't quite get to the individual level, if that's what you're reffering to. I think that some sort of State is necessary for infrastructure, defense, what not. Modern city states may be sufficient but I think there has to be some sort of communtiy of size, just not as large and unresponsive as the current formulation of the US. I can’t quite get to the individual level, if that’s what you’re reffering to. I think that some sort of State is necessary for infrastructure, defense, what not. Modern city states may be sufficient but I think there has to be some sort of communtiy of size, just not as large and unresponsive as the current formulation of the US.

]]> By: Jaybird http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/10/on-the-gdp/#comment-28275 Jaybird Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:41:10 +0000 http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/?p=10245#comment-28275 "For example, why should I pay more in fed taxes to support Cal. social spending?" You're almost there. Run with that feeling. Take it to its conclusion. “For example, why should I pay more in fed taxes to support Cal. social spending?”

You’re almost there. Run with that feeling. Take it to its conclusion.

]]> By: Cascadian http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/10/on-the-gdp/#comment-28274 Cascadian Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:35:48 +0000 http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/?p=10245#comment-28274 I can buy that some sort of stimulus was/is necessary. What I question is the one we have. Why would I spend my child's future on a company whose products aren't fit for me to buy (GM)? Why should I want to maintain asset prices that were inflated to begin with (Housing bubble)? Why should I pay for bonuses for execs who argued for tougher bankruptcy laws then ran their own firms into the ground on speculation? It's not that I don't think that surgery was necessary per a previous example, it's that the surgery we got was not only unnecessary but the wrong one. We are worse off than if nothing had been done. I can buy that some sort of stimulus was/is necessary. What I question is the one we have. Why would I spend my child’s future on a company whose products aren’t fit for me to buy (GM)? Why should I want to maintain asset prices that were inflated to begin with (Housing bubble)? Why should I pay for bonuses for execs who argued for tougher bankruptcy laws then ran their own firms into the ground on speculation? It’s not that I don’t think that surgery was necessary per a previous example, it’s that the surgery we got was not only unnecessary but the wrong one. We are worse off than if nothing had been done.

]]> By: Jaybird http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/10/on-the-gdp/#comment-28270 Jaybird Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:21:11 +0000 http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/?p=10245#comment-28270 Back when Clinton was in office, a lot of stuff happened. Like, a lot a lot. Towards the tail end, something weird happened. Clinton pardoned Mark (Marc?) Rich. The righty folks started yelling about this sort of thing and the folks who, to this point, had been such staunch defenders of Clinton (seriously, some of the stuff they were willing to defend made me knit my brow) sort of deflated. I don't think I encountered anybody willing to give a full-throated defense of the pardon. Sure, there were the "it's a presidential power given him in the Constitution" defenses, but the argument wasn't that Clinton didn't have the power to pardon the guy. It's that he shouldn't have pardoned *THIS* guy. As I said, the Clinton defenders visibly deflated. I encountered Republicans who gave full-throated defenses of the bailouts under Bush. They even made references to "the children". Back when Clinton was in office, a lot of stuff happened. Like, a lot a lot.

Towards the tail end, something weird happened. Clinton pardoned Mark (Marc?) Rich.

The righty folks started yelling about this sort of thing and the folks who, to this point, had been such staunch defenders of Clinton (seriously, some of the stuff they were willing to defend made me knit my brow) sort of deflated.

I don’t think I encountered anybody willing to give a full-throated defense of the pardon. Sure, there were the “it’s a presidential power given him in the Constitution” defenses, but the argument wasn’t that Clinton didn’t have the power to pardon the guy. It’s that he shouldn’t have pardoned *THIS* guy. As I said, the Clinton defenders visibly deflated.

I encountered Republicans who gave full-throated defenses of the bailouts under Bush. They even made references to “the children”.

]]> By: Jaybird http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/10/on-the-gdp/#comment-28264 Jaybird Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:14:15 +0000 http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/?p=10245#comment-28264 damn what do the kids say in this situation? Win? damn

what do the kids say in this situation? Win?

]]> By: Dave http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/10/on-the-gdp/#comment-28260 Dave Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:05:51 +0000 http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/?p=10245#comment-28260 Not the gift part but the intervention. Personally, I'd have wiped out the stockholders and given the bondholders a haircut and a half, if not wiped them out too depending on the severity of the situation. Not the gift part but the intervention.

Personally, I’d have wiped out the stockholders and given the bondholders a haircut and a half, if not wiped them out too depending on the severity of the situation.

]]> By: Dave http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/10/on-the-gdp/#comment-28259 Dave Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:04:55 +0000 http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/?p=10245#comment-28259 TARP was a bailout, if not a gift. It was also necessary. TARP was a bailout, if not a gift. It was also necessary.

]]> By: Bo http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/10/on-the-gdp/#comment-28253 Bo Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:37:19 +0000 http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/?p=10245#comment-28253 The skinny Buddha did, but the fat Buddha turned out to be too big to fail. The skinny Buddha did, but the fat Buddha turned out to be too big to fail.

]]> By: Cascadian http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/10/on-the-gdp/#comment-28251 Cascadian Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:35:30 +0000 http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/?p=10245#comment-28251 I like to blame the people that blindly supported him. I like to blame the people that blindly supported him.

]]> By: Scott http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/10/on-the-gdp/#comment-28250 Scott Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:34:10 +0000 http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/?p=10245#comment-28250 Sure, but isn't it more popular to say that everything is Bush's fault? Sure, but isn’t it more popular to say that everything is Bush’s fault?

]]>