On 11/7/2011 6:04 AM, Christopher Menzel wrote:
> for another, [Hazlitt] uses an example — fixing a broken window — where
> the purchase doesn't have any secondary, long term economic benefits —
> unlike, e.g., repairing infrastructure on which goods are shipped,
> developing sustainable domestic energy sources, building and expanding
> high-speed networks, etc (01)
I would also like to add that "good Republicans" -- the ones I admired
when I was a Republican -- were leaders in building the economy *and*
the infrastructure by huge Keynesian-style expenditures: (02)
- Abraham Lincoln started the project of building the transcontinental
railroad during the Civil War. (03)
- Teddy Roosevelt started the project of building the Panama Canal. (04)
- Dwight Eisenhower started the project of building the Interstate
Highway System. (His inspiration was the German Autobahn, which
was part of Hitler's Keynesian policies.) (05)
- Even Herbert Hoover (who wasn't a Keynesian, but he was a very
good engineer) started the project of building Boulder Dam. That
proved to be a traditional Keynesian response to provide jobs
during the Great Depression. Instead of denouncing it as a lapse
in ideology, the modern Republicans actually renamed it Hoover Dam. (06)
But today, the current crop of ideologues even refuse to provide
disaster relief in response to hurricanes and floods *unless*
Congress continues to destroy the economy by further cuts during
the recession. (07)
Of course, the cuts are for anything that would provide modest help to
the middle class. All the loopholes and subsidies for big collectivist
corporations are sacrosanct. During the past 5 years -- in the deepest
recession since Hoover -- Exxon grew at an average rate of 7.8% per
annum. But Exxon is still the biggest recipient of corporate welfare
-- next to the loopholes that enabled General Electric to avoid all
income tax. Cut social security, medicare, education -- even cut
support for the police and fire departments -- but don't cut welfare
for Exxon and GE. (08)
John (09)
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