Only the ignorant believe that the gov't has fixed anything or can fix anything.
There is a lot of criticism of corporations because the managers there seem to conduct their plans to achieve the results each quarter and each year. If they don't their shareholders may punish them by dumping their stock. But sometimes these plans are at the expense of longer term growth. Our government is like that too. Politicians feel that they must fix something or "solve" something during their term in office so that they can continue in office. If they don't they have the constant anxiety that the voters will dump them from their office. (Great case for term limits don't you think?)
What does this lead to? Only actions that have immediate impact. "If the only tool you have is a hammer, all problems look like nails." - unknown. The government really has only 2 tools, regulation and spending. Regulation is the slow tool but often the wiser of the 2 tools. But when congress or the people perceive a crisis, the most commonly used tool is spending. "Make the people happy today." "Relieve the people's suffering today". "We'll leave the fixing of the problems arising from making the people happy to another day or another administration or the next Congress."
Of course the wise among us, (who aren't in Congress), realize that a formula of spending today without regard to income and debt levels is a recipe for much worse crisis later. This administration and this Congress are not the first to mortgage future generations to pay for the comfort of the current one but they have raised this to new heights.
Frankly, the people need to take some of the blame here. We know that there are huge numbers of slackers among us who want the government to relieve their perceived suffering now and tomorrow be damned. However, even conservative radio and TV are blasting this administration because unemployment is still above 10%. They are talking out both sides of their mouths. The government has already interfered too much in the economy. Do they want the government to do more to solve unemployment? That just begs them to spend more.
Our country is headed for an economic crisis. Each time we try to fix short term suffering by spending we are adding to the balloon payment that is coming due on our children and grandchildren. That balloon will burst at sometime in the future. The administration has already admitted that the interest only on the national debt will reach $700 b every by 2019 (only 10 years away). That's nearly the amount of the stimulus package from last year and you can bet there won't be anything stimulative about that interest payment. A valid question here for future comment and debate might be, "Are there those in gov't who would choose to ruin our economy to create a greater crisis and appeal for greater gov't control?"
I feel bad for each person who wins the Presidency from here on out. It will be like playing Russian Roulette. Will their's be the watch when the balloon pops?
We the people must consider taking our lumps now. Save and conserve because a raining day is coming.
