Quote:
Originally posted by onetime2
The impact of large prolonged wars have had economic impact. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are not even close to equivalent to wars of the past. If you'd like to debate the impacts of Afghanistan and Iraq both long term and short term, I think it would be interesting.
Long term, in my grade book, he has the potential for an "A" if he can get the government cutting programs along with making the tax cuts permanent. The government does not need more money to achieve fiscal responsibility but, in fact, less money. There's far too much fat in the budget and there's no motivation for our wonderful representatives to cut it. The only way this will happen is if the government is forced to make do on less rather than simply pass off their inefficient spending habits to the consumers/taxpayers.
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I was not trying to say that Afganistan and Iraq are going to have the same economic impact as other wars. In fact, extended war can have a positive long term economic results. But what I was referring to was that the President does have a significant influence on the economy. Going to war is just an example of how presidential policy decisions can effect the economy.
And I won't agrue that many people believe that giving the government less money is the way to achieve fiscal responsibility. The question you need to be asking is why we are spending more money as our revenues decrease.
If the concept is that the only way we are going to get the public to accept governmental fiscal responsibility is to create such a huge debt that they will feel obligated to reduce spending, I can think of better ways. We balanced the budget under Clinton with the help and leadership of a Republican congress. We had surplusses which could have helped shore up Social Security and Medicare or been used to provide funding for the numerous unfunded federal mandates which are bankrupting the states. I am not say that trimming the fat is bad, in fact, it is essential. I just don't see the Bush Administration doing this.
And frankly I don't think I have the energy to debate the long term effects of Iraq and Afganistan but if you start a thread I am sure I will chime in.
