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View Full Version : How would you fix the economy?



Sharkyland
Nov 6, 2008, 09:57 PM
Our president has been chosen. Now we have a problem to face. The Economy. What do you think that would be a plan to fix the economy? The President probably needs all the help he can get. What would you do to help this country in this dire need?

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MY PLAN TO FIXING THE ECONOMY:
- I'm seriously not good with this type of talk because I suck with economics, but I know the economy is in really, REALLY bad shape (see, I'm okay with economics :P). To be honest, I see this problem after problem that it's going to create. Too many things in the past has caused this incident and now we're stuck with it unless we change the ruling to some of the rules that might take some of our freedom away. A lot of people will not agree with me with the idea of losing freedom, but really do you want less freedom or poverty?

1. Our main problem is we need to stop corruption. If we solve this, everything would be good, but the natural behavior of capitalism is that humans are very greedy. People will do anything to get more power or money. To fix it we need some regulations that need to be placed (and DETAILED receipts needs to be kept (we seriously can't have some money going into so-and-so and later we find out that CEOs are using to do extravagant parties where the money could be used better). Money is something that really needs to be watched. Money that makes the world go 'round really does live to it's statement.

2. Housing crisis. To be honest, I really do NOT know how to solve this. Yeah maybe our 'overspending' has caused this stuff to happen or other things (like losing our jobs which is definitely a big factor coming to this development). If this issue gets out of hand then the people who build houses will find themselves losing jobs to build more houses. We can't stop the building, but we need to advance building in a 'smart' way. I don't know what is smart, but building stuff over things where community debates have been sparked can be something that could be not smart. Maybe a lot of people will find themselves trying to move into townhouses and apartments, but most of us want to live that American Dream (a house, a garage and a backyard) which now seems to becoming distant to some people now.

3. People are spending less which really isn't good for the economy. The more people spend less then the more we find business going out-of-business which then leads to MORE people getting laid off making them spend less which then makes this 'cause' repeat itself over and over again. How do we solve this? This can only be solved by the equal distribution of wealth. The rich will argue that it is not fair to be taxed more. Apparently the standard of living is out of whack. I think if we fix this then the stock market will go up.

4. Lawyers. I really think that is maybe ONE cause leading to our downfall. I sometimes think that there needs to be a little bit more 'general' common sense (COMMON SENSE AS WE ALL KNOW IS THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER which means your common sense is not my common sense, so what we mean by general is something everybody should know... maybe instead of having the Christian's 10 commandments where all other religions have in protest to having that in school, the government needs to make it's own 'commandments'). Stupid stuff like the woman who drank coffee from McDonalds and sued them because the coffee was hot and won is... just fucking ridiculous. Sometimes the more things that we add to certain things like vehicles will cause the manufacturer to spend more on something like a vehicle and sell it at a lower price does not mean profit. Think of this. A company that makes 5 million profit per year then gets sued by some individual for 5 million doesn't make 5 million. It's something probably stupid but if you have no money saved for a rainy day then your screwed. But seriously some stupid things really need to stop. (I'm also getting sick of this pleading 'insanity' thing as well.)

5. Stock market. Help #3. I know a lot of people put a lot of their saving into the stock market especially their retirement and now they are seeing it fall down the drain (but that's what the stock market is... a risk, and because of inflation putting the money in the bank is usually not going to earn you much... though the person on the commercial who talks about turning your money into gold seems reasonable somewhat). In my honest opinion, the stock market kinda died after the World Trade Center collapse. After this incident the government focused on the war with Iraq which then ensued more problems. Analysts (is this the right word) say that the stock market will rebound, but seriously the question is when? If we remove all the stocks from the stock market, then we will find ourselves back during the Great Depression.

6. Government spending. Watching Brian Williams on Nightly News on certain nights, he brings up the topic at the end of broadcast called 'Fleecing of America'. Here we can see things where the government seems to be spending it's money on useless things (well, in my eyes it seems). Sometimes I wonder if the government is trying to spurt out some job openings so some people can work for some x amount of days for x amount of pay, but nothing is said about that, so there could be 'some' hidden meaning to it. I heard there is a some congressional meeting within the Senate and Congress where they vote to raise their salary seriously I think that's pretty unfair since they seem to be treating themselves as CEOs. It could be a rumor, but I dunno, it seems realistic. Apparently, I don't see the point of throwing money at problem will solve any problem. Sometimes I wonder if we should do some kind of thing that Bill Clinton did while going for his 2nd term in office. Each year, the focus of budget needs to be focused on something important. The split of the American dollar and what % seems to be basic and we're kinda used to this thing everyday. What I mean is like spend (lets say there are 6 different categories) like 30% for this, 30% for that, 10% for everything else. Then the next budget year the categories who got the 30%s will change to 2 others. I dunno if this is a smart plan and I know there is way more than 6 categories, so I guess this plan fails from the start. :/

7. Military spending. This is indeed a tough debate. The war in Iraq & subsidiaries is somewhat probably going to be ongoing for a while but definitely something we need to keep in check from time to time. To prevent terrorism, you must stop terrorism, and this I think is what the US wants to do. If we do back down, terrorism will think they will win and keep attacking the US until it's weak enough from power that we will crumble and fall. Simple as that. A lot of people out there hate us now. We would like to spread democracy to other countries, but rebellious factions causes stuff like these tiny wars to happen. The need for people in power is always will be a dispute that will continue over and over again.

8. If companies are taking jobs overseas then the jobs here in the United States will dwindle. I have always seen this as a problem. I can see the companies dealing with unions & teamsters as a bitch because they seem to come to an argument. I seriously cannot see clothes being made in some third world country selling $50 in the US or more (maybe it's due to all the transportation taxes and fees and whatnot). I see stuff from famous brands like and so-so, cotton sweatshirt $55. Made in some third world country. I guess the US is just into fashion, looking nice, and trying to show off but the way things are going with the economy people will stop buying these expensive things; therefore, the company will lose it's sales and more jobs goes bye bye.

Another things on business and companies. I hate business ethics which really needs to change in one way. Stupid management seems to be always getting in the way, but sadly a business cannot survive on a management that cannot make profit.
- If the management sees that the developing team can't make a product that is safe and efficient then the developing team should be fired, but if the management can't provide enough money to supply the developing team to make a product that is safe and efficient then the management should be fired.

9. Car Sales. Economy bad... demand low, supply high = no sales. Basic economic concept. From long time ago, from what I heard about GM, back then it felt like a dream to work with the #1 car industry of US. You would get benefits that seemed so awesome back then, but now... I think the benefits are now catching up to them. Now that's not the same with the other companies, but the demand low and supply high will eventually lead to more loss of jobs. One of our biggest job supplier is definitely finding themselves in a hole. The government is going to help them, but seriously how will they do it?

10. Job creation. How do you create jobs? Well... what needs to be fixed and how are they going to get paid? To be honest, one problem that needs fixing is our transportation system of the US (yay fixing bridges, remember that bridge collapse in Minnesota was it?). How are they going to get paid? I have no fucking clue.

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I know it sucks, but I'm generating ideas. Opinions?

Kylie
Nov 6, 2008, 10:02 PM
I'm just going to be brief with this and say that I think one of the most important things we can do is to limit our dependency on foreign oil as much as we can through more exploration into our own resources and "green" energy; until we can eliminate the need for any oil completely (far off, I know). We'd also benefit by having the war come to a close.

ShinMaruku
Nov 6, 2008, 10:13 PM
My first step would be oversight in these companies and have certain laws in place so they can't run rampant with their crazy crap.

Start a new construction program to help stimulate jobs and keep some jobs in the country I'd tax companies who outsource and give perks to those who keep jobs in the country, I'd also monitor military spending.

Stop the war and arm one strong man there and pull out of Iraq.

I'd also meet with world leader and start on a international project of more efficent enery policies so we can all draw from one another.

Leviathan
Nov 6, 2008, 10:25 PM
9 Step Program

1. Fire all the high execs that have been taking extra money. <Who needs billions in the bank anyways?>

2. Get reliable people to do the job correctly.

3. Have them make no more than a set amount of money as their annual income.

4. Lockbox. All excess money will go in the lockbox. You will not touch this lockbox until something really bad happens, &I mean REALLY bad. Impending doom.

5. Fund more money newer, cleaner, efficient ways of vehicles.

6. Give some more money to fund the Chevy Volt, &find a way to make their Li-Ion battery recyclable.

7. Stop dependency on foreign oil.

8. Build better relations with countries, gain some allies, lose enemies. Go to war with Antarctica. :wacko:

9. Fine ways to not let the economy crash again, if not, then for a very long time.

Sekani
Nov 6, 2008, 10:27 PM
Print more money, give it to me. I'll spend it and keep everyone else employed. Problem solved.

Aisha379
Nov 6, 2008, 10:52 PM
3. Have them make no more than a set amount of money as their annual income.

Although I agree most of them take too much from the company, people really have no right to limit the amount of money someone can take from their own buisness.

Our economy is setup so that, with the right balance of hard work and luck, the sky is the limit of money potential. I think putting a government limit on that is a very bad, bad idea.




I haven't thought about this too indepth at the moment, but I will say one major thing that needs to change is the prison system.

Now, were it up to me, a large number of people in the prisons right now would be six feet under. Since I feel especially strong that rapists and (most) murderers should be killed. But I guess an alternative of that to the sappier people out there would be, instead of having them locked up, to make them do some of the ickier or poorer jobs we have lying around.



Secondly, the whole welfare system requires a huge revamp. If your life choices have left you in such a bad place, you need to go to a homeless shelter and stay there until you can make your own money again. Going out and getting pregnant because you are an idiot is no excuse for the government to have to pay for you and that child the rest of your life. If you are too stupid to run your life correctly and put your child in danger, your child gets taken away from you until you shape up. If you don't, that child gets put into adoption.



Thirdly, people need to learn that credit is for emergencies and not a norm. Whenever my parents buy a new vehicle or add onto our house, they pay in freaking cash, because they take the time to save up their money instead of falling for instant gratification through getting material means NOW and putting your financial future at risk. This goes for the government too, obviously.



Next, every business needs to receive tax benefits from keeping jobs in America, and VERY HIGH tax penalties for shipping them over seas. This opens up job opportunities and saves money for the businesses, this is a win-win.


Also, taxing a business more and lessening it on the middle class is NOT THE CORRECT ANSWER! Rich people, are, obviously, very very money savvy and intelligent. If you make them pay higher taxes, they will find costs to cut, and that cost will, one way or another, come to hurt the employees this plan was supposed to protect. Lower taxes are nice, lowering taxes at the cost of your job, however, is not.

Tis all I can think of right now =(

astuarlen
Nov 7, 2008, 12:20 AM
10000 monkeys, 10000 hammers
If nothing else, they could probably bang out the complete works of William F. Buckley.


Haha, just kidding. I'd use the Invisible Hand of the Free Market.


Gotcha again. I would really use the Invisible Hand to give Aisha a round of applause for the brilliant parody post.

I have scarcely two experiences to rub together, but I doubt the economy can be "fixed" in the sense of restoring it to the way things were. Which isn't to say the, uh, natural movements or workings of the Big World Machine (patent pending) won't bring us back around to some state perceived as normalcy (and, hey, anything and everything becomes normal). I'd be foolish to put money on this, but I think changes in the balance of power, economic and otherwise, are afoot on a global level which won't be readily undone--especially not by some imposed program.

Honestly, though? Lemurs.

Kesubei
Nov 7, 2008, 12:34 AM
Secondly, the whole welfare system requires a huge revamp. If your life choices have left you in such a bad place, you need to go to a homeless shelter and stay there until you can make your own money again. Going out and getting pregnant because you are an idiot is no excuse for the government to have to pay for you and that child the rest of your life. If you are too stupid to run your life correctly and put your child in danger, your child gets taken away from you until you shape up. If you don't, that child gets put into adoption.

O, if only all welfare folks were so wondrously one-dimensional! Reminds me of the story my economics professor once told me: he was receiving welfare while he was finishing his last two weeks teaching at one college, three months before he started work at another.

Many people - seemingly many well-off, non-minorities at that - put down welfare, claiming, with no supporting data, that a majority of the people supported by welfare are simply lazy, or that they just need to "make money again", like it's as easy as starting a lemonade stand. I'm sure there are people mooching off of the system (like my professor), but I doubt the number is high, simply because welfare doesn't pay enough for a comfortable lifestyle.

That said, I will agree that I'm not a big fan of welfare, but I think the less fortunate should be helped. I prefer it were "privitized" but there simply isn't enough interest in helping others in our country. Until a private solution that matches or betters the US welfare system is developed, I think welfare should stay. Some major reform would be nice, though...

To be honest, I don't know how to 'fix' the economy. If you believe we are simply entering the 'recession' section of the business cycle, there's nothing to be fixed.

My biggest pet peeve in the US economy is the fact that rich businessman, who trumpet capitalism and laissez-faire economics, have no problems asking the government for more money when things get tough. Hmm... getting money from the government when your situation gets tough...that's welfare, right?

Monochrome
Nov 7, 2008, 01:48 AM
I would:

Set extremely stiff tariffs on imported goods.

Tax the hell out of large corporations but not so much as the import tariffs, therefore forcing them to stay here instead of outsourcing their manufacturing and other positions, yet still paying a bundle.

Stop the war.

Tax the hell out of the rich.

Secure the border. I believe this will yield long term results beneficial to our economy.

Reduce taxes for small businesses owners (under 100 employees)

Mine the hell out of the coastal waters for oil. Mine the hell out of Alaska with the oversight of some sort of environmental watchdog group so they don't royally f-it all up.

Shattered_weasel
Nov 7, 2008, 01:50 AM
Package all people over the age of 85 as food. There goes those leechers.

Aisha379
Nov 7, 2008, 02:24 AM
@ Kesubei - Actually, your right. I was doing a lot of other things while typing that post and forgot to mention that I'm not truly against welfare per se, just the people who mis-use it (which I personally think is probably a lot more than you think, but thats fine =P)

Just wanted to correct that before someone inevitably tried to jump down my throat over a misunderstanding =S

Dangerous55
Nov 7, 2008, 01:13 PM
Let it collapse first. Really, you should. Then remove income tax, bring back the gold standard, and lower taxes for everyone.

Actually I don't know. I don't think anyone has good idea about this economy. The best idea is to let the people and corporations who acted irresponsibly fail. It may hurt in the short term, but it'll be better long run.

Sharkyland
Nov 7, 2008, 01:15 PM
Welfare and Prison, two topics I really didn't think about. Some valid points and some (the majority wouldn't agree with but it's nice to see some good input).

11. Prisons. If only the law system was as good as what we see on television. How the great detectives and police force and lawyers determine the bad guy, too bad it's not like this in real life where there seems to be somewhat of a happy ending. The delusion of television has always fascinated me on how people can be ignorant sometimes. It would be nice to see the prisoners do the down and dirty jobs that most of us don't want to do, but controlling them seems to be always the issue. If there was to kill people (without the Christian community going on an outrage saying we should not kill) if they kill more than 3 people. (I thought the Bush plan, three strikes then you're out was something like but it wasn't.) I was always thinking that prisoners who would kill people should have to donate organs to the people who need it, but that's just seems so weird if you think about it. I've been always thinking of making them become guinea pigs for certain FDA tests and medicine. I seriously think these things should happen because people threw away or destroyed someone's freedom. Of course, there needs to be an ABSOLUTE truth that they are convicted of that crime.

12. Welfare. Apparently, people who attend school are not following the sex education that we are giving in school, and for the most part, a lot don't seem to care about. I sometimes find parents responsible for these types of actions. I think it's hard to decide. Maybe we need a more stricter education role. What will happen to you if you do this and such.

13. FDA. Probably the most agonizing type of job. The debate of the organic foods (things are seriously getting expensive now-a-days with this on the self). The realization of what works and what doesn't. The number of tests that need to be to regard as 'safe'. Things that are coming out now could be bad 15 years later. The American public is scared to try something that might disable them in the future. If the pain is worsening, then stop taking the medicine and call your doctor immediately. >.> Don't take the stupid medicine and wait for like 2 years. And for petes sake, medicine is NOT perfect.

mizukage
Nov 8, 2008, 03:56 AM
That depends on which country you are referring to. However, I will make the default as the United States. There are many methods to fix the current economy. I will list a few..

-raise taxes of people with a high income
-reduce the salary of high income officials
-propose another bailout plan
-lay off soldiers due to end of unnecessary wars (bad idea; will lose somes votes in the upcoming election 4 years from now)
-cut fundings for space-related projects (there is no point to investigate deep space when the economy is on the verge of collapsing)
-reduce military fundings

And many more, just couldn't add more at the moment.

MetaZedlen
Nov 8, 2008, 01:26 PM
Hmm...

Prisons & jails - We really should tighten the grip on some of these places, such as there only being ONE place instead of two (I'm aiming towards keeping prison), a prison should be more like a torture dungeon instead of a social gathering place, which would help us save money because those piles of shit made their "choices" to do what they did, and they SHOULD be made to suffer for what they did to the point that they will kiss anybody's ass when they get out.

Along with the prisons, I would like to bring up the "all-mighty" Death Penalty. Rapists (I don't care who was the victim, whether it be adult or child) and murderers desire to die the very next day, which would make Death Row nonexistent, saving shit-tons of money for other IMPORTANT things (provided that the two mentioned were truthfully convicted and it wasn't somebody that had nothing to do with it...) All of these people see the tragedy in the murder's family's eyes, when they seem like the victim's family is the murder's... (this is why I hate one-sided people...).

Illegal immigrants (surprised no one has touched this yet...), tax the living hell out of them, and if they don't, kick their asses out with NONE of the money they "earned" because they don't deserve it, which would help out the economy in the sense of jobs in a godly amount (I think the number of illegals was in the 11 millions IIRC).

All I can think of right now, my fellow PSO-worlders have stated what I planned to say, so no sense in typing that much...

Leviathan
Nov 8, 2008, 06:13 PM
Torture? Uhh no, some of those people ARE innocent. Sometimes there is not sufficient DNA evidence to prove someone guilty or not. I believe everyone should have a trial before they are put to jail, or executed in your case.

http://www.innocenceproject.org/Content/323.php

Some illegal immigrants actually HAVE to leave.
Drug wars, wars, poverty, etc...
Some doctors from Colombia come over here &now they are janitors.

They should pay taxes but why should they have to pay even more taxes? Especially with what jobs they have. They should just have to pay the same taxes we pay.

Aisha379
Nov 8, 2008, 07:49 PM
Illegal immigrants (surprised no one has touched this yet...), tax the living hell out of them, and if they don't, kick their asses out with NONE of the money they "earned" because they don't deserve it, which would help out the economy in the sense of jobs in a godly amount (I think the number of illegals was in the 11 millions IIRC).

I agree with this, but on the flipside I'd say speed up the process of becoming a legal American citizen. Many people now complain its too difficult / takes too long, fix this, and there will be no more excuses for not being legal unless you have something to hide.

Sinue_v2
Nov 8, 2008, 08:35 PM
Is there anything we can do to fix the economy? I honestly think the economy is going to do what the economy is going to do - and there's really not a whole hell of a lot we can do to accurately manage it. Much of how the economy reacts is based on speculation, and people's reactions to attempts to direct the economy. It certainly seems as though the FED doesn't know what to do, since the only action they seem to take (or that I hear about) is cutting interest rates - which increases inflation. It doesn't really do anything to solve the problem.

I haven't put a whole lot of thought into it, since I'm not really in a position to make a change, but finding a way to bring back blue collar industry and putting a temporary moratorium on housing foreclosures would be a decent start. I wouldn't bail out the banks directly insomuch as bailing out the home owners under the stipulation that it goes towards paying off their mortgages - in which that money goes right to the banks anyhow.

Also, probably a bit counter-productive in the short-term, but I would try to ensure that gas prices stay ridiculously high - although I'm not a fan of record profits for oil barons when that money could be put to much better use. The way I see it, necessity is the mother of invention. So long as we have access to cheap and plentiful fossil fuels - there is no real incentive to invest in the technology and infrastructure necessary for clean and renewable energy sources. Funding will invariably dry up for this research as the "immediate danger" is out of the way. Once we can get past the birthing pangs of severing our dependency on fossil fuels - we will be in a much better social, economic, and political position.

AC9breaker
Nov 9, 2008, 07:46 AM
Smaller government closely monitoring the financial world and not letting them run wild as they have been for the past few years.

Vanzazikon
Nov 10, 2008, 01:33 PM
I wouldn't because if I try, I would probably mess things up. :disapprove:

Split
Nov 10, 2008, 09:14 PM
I would just take it out back and put it down...then I'd buy a new economy from the stable down the road

BlaizeYES
Nov 15, 2008, 11:37 AM
i would do nothing and let everything collapse