How would you fix the economy?

[Sharkyland]

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]

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]

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]

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.

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

[Sekani]

Print more money, give it to me. I'll spend it and keep everyone else employed. Problem solved.

[Aisha379]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Package all people over the age of 85 as food. There goes those leechers.