A million bucks each, eh? Bush would probably demanded that all potential recipients be means-tested, so only people already experienced at spending millions would get the money. Do otherwise, and you screw up the entire program of Trickle Down Economics. Bill Witt Quoting Pam Mackey-Taylor <[log in to unmask]>: > > There is a letter to the editor in the Cedar Rapids Gazette today that said > that the government should give one million dollars to every citizen, to be > used to pay off their house loans, pay bills, buy things, and > otherwise stimulate > the economy. > > That would take care of the debt mess that Congress is trying to deal with, > at a much lower costs than is being discussed, while helping stimulate the > economy. I think the population is around three hundred million. > > I thought that the letter writer had an interesting view of the issue. > > pam > > In a message dated 9/26/2008 9:46:40 AM Central Standard Time, > [log in to unmask] writes: > > The fallacies run deeper than "growth" as the end-all of "prosperity." > The billions being spent on hurricane recovery will register as > positives to our GDP. The millions Iowa farmers have spent on 900,000 > miles of drainage tile also show up as "growth." The cleanup and > reconstruction costs downstream are factored in as "growth." Jack > buys dynamite and blows up Joe's barn. The added profit to the > dynamite company is "growth." The lumber yard's profit for lumber to > rebuild the barn is "growth." > > For economic theorizing only slightly more sophisticated than this, > Milton Friedman got a Nobel Prize. > > > Bill Witt > > > Quoting daryl andersen <[log in to unmask]>: > >> I agree with your comments. A really good read on this is The Last >> Hours of Ancient Sunlight by Thom Hartmann. As he notes, The end of >> oil will be a main factor in adjustment. The earth can sustainably >> accommodate approx 1 billion people living somewhere between our >> lifestyle and an indigenous lifestyle. Another great read is >> Sustainable Operating Systems/ The Post Petrol Paradigm by Michael >> Richards. If all else fails read Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer. >> Daryl Andersen >> On Sep 25, 2008, at 10:56 PM, Thomas Mathews wrote: >> >>> Cindy, >>> >>> You note that ". . . economic prosperity, as we currently define >>> it, depends on growth." >>> >>> This summarizes the problem perfectly. Our mainstream economists >>> define a healthy economy as being a growing economy. A recession is >>> defined as a cessation of economic growth. >>> >>> Yet it occurs even to bright middle school students that on a >>> finite planet endless growth is impossible. But being an "adult" >>> means denying this obvious fact. >>> >>> In an underdeveloped country, economic growth is needed just to >>> provide enough for everyone. But in over-developed regions like the >>> US, growth serves mainly to provide more wealth for the already >>> rich. And despite the events of the past two weeks, it is the rich >>> who run the country, including its media, and who keep alive the >>> myth that growth equals prosperity. >>> >>> We clearly need a new economics, one which defines prosperity as >>> sufficiency, not growth. >>> >>> Richard Douthwaite has written a very good book whose title >>> summarizes these issues. (The Growth Illusion: How economic growth >>> has enriched the few, impoverished the many, and endangered the >>> planet, New Society Publishers, 1992, 1999.) >>> >>> Tom >>> >>> >>> >>> Looking for simple solutions to your real-life financial >>> challenges? Check out WalletPop > > > > > > **************Looking for simple solutions to your real-life financial > challenges? Check out WalletPop for the latest news and > information, tips and > calculators. (http://www.walletpop.com/?NCID=emlcntuswall00000001) > > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: > [log in to unmask] > > Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: > http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp > > Sign up to receive Sierra Club Insider, the flagship > e-newsletter. Sent out twice a month, it features the Club's > latest news and activities. Subscribe and view recent > editions at http://www.sierraclub.org/insider/ > > > > > > > > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp Sign up to receive Sierra Club Insider, the flagship e-newsletter. Sent out twice a month, it features the Club's latest news and activities. Subscribe and view recent editions at http://www.sierraclub.org/insider/