Worst economic crisis since the Great Depression? By a long shot.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

The middle ground is Australia and Canada. Guess which two countries are not crying in this global recession..

I live in New England but I'm the best because the Saint's won the Super Bowl.

[Ali G. 37]

By your logic, then big sh!t what you claim you own and make too. Why is he less credible than you?

I am not the one hating on "clock punchers" but never actually mentioning what industry this highly successful business of his is in.

I live in New England but I'm the best because the Saint's won the Super Bowl.

More illogical rubbish. You're starting to make Marc look smart.

Edited February 21, 2010 by Booyah

[spookyturtle 9,466]

I am not the one hating on "clock punchers" but never actually mentioning what industry this highly successful business of his is in.

More illogical rubbish.

I live in the US, but Australia is the best at everything and the US sucks. That's your logic.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Fair enough Bill. We salute the engine of job-creation which the nation's small businesses represent.

And in general I would agree that decreasing regulation and administrative burdens on small businesses would be a good thing. Though, regulations for things like workplace discrimination and health and safety I believe are not only the right thing to do, they're ultimately better for business too.

However, you really don't think the excesses of large industries - financial firms that endanger the entire economic system, big industrial polluters, etc. require regulation and oversight? For that matter, you don't see a role for government to provide a level playing field for new innovators to enter the market against established monopolists? Think Microsoft, for example. If the antitrust trial of the 1990s had succeeded in breaking up MS, you don't think we'd have had more innovation in the software industry than we've seen? I do.

I don't think it's black and white - markets or regulation. I think you can have both and ought to have both. It's tricky to strike the right balance, and we go through jerky motions as we ratchet up regulation and then deregulate in cycles.

Governments permit corporations to form, and it that sense the government has the right to regulate them. However, remember, most of the corporate abuses of the last five centuries, were done in the name of the government that formed them. In America alone, you need only to look at the Railroad Moguls of the 19th century, to see such examples. In the twentieth century, oil companies, power companies, and defense contractors were too much in bed together, to even consider that as any form of laissez-faire capitalism.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Not sure you understood my comment. Once all the blood is lost, there's no turning back to life.

[scandal 951]

Governments permit corporations to form, and it that sense the government has the right to regulate them. However, remember, most of the corporate abuses of the last five centuries, were done in the name of the government that formed them. In America alone, you need only to look at the Railroad Moguls of the 19th century, to see such examples. In the twentieth century, oil companies, power companies, and defense contractors were too much in bed together, to even consider that as any form of laissez-faire capitalism.

Right.... so we are agreeing.... the oligarchs are not laissez-faire capitalism. And to give the 'green shoots' of new businesses a chance to succeed, don't we need to cut down these powermongers to size? What are we arguing about? I think we're saying the same things. It seems your beef is not with government, or regulation, or regulation of huge businesses. Your beef is with excessive regulation strangling small businesses. I agree with you on that. I think if you listen to Obama's speeches on the subject he agrees with you too. Now, to get Congress to do something about it....

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Not sure you understood my comment. Once all the blood is lost, there's no turning back to life.

[Ali G. 37]

I live in the US, but Australia is the best at everything and the US sucks. That's your logic.

To the contrary, your every and only answer to anything is 'why do you live here' or that it is some sort of lie; better yet irrelevant.

Find me where I said the US sucks and Australia is the best. Actually it is you who created a US is the best thread, which you still add to. You seem to have an issue accepting reality that others do various things better than you. Your only response to this realty is to ridicule or attempt to downplay it.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Oh, okay. You wanted to see the bottom of the abyss. Make that a single trip if you like. I'd rather not accompany you on that one.

[Ali G. 37]

Not sure you understood my comment. Once all the blood is lost, there's no turning back to life.

But the blood had not gone, hence the intervention. If the blood had gone, America would be looking at a 17% unemployment rate now and houses worth less than Enron shares.

Edited February 21, 2010 by Booyah

[scandal 951]

Oh, okay. You wanted to see the bottom of the abyss. Make that a single trip if you like. I'd rather not accompany you on that one.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

But the blood had not gone, hence the intervention. If the blood had gone, America would be looking at a 17% unemployment rate now.

I understand that. I'm not part of the crowd that believes that things would be the same or better now had we not had the Recovery Act.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

To the contrary, your every and only answer to anything is 'why do you live here' or that it is some sort of lie; better yet irrelevant.

Find me where I said the US sucks and Australia is the best. Actually it is you who created a US is the best thread, which you still add to. You seem to have an issue accepting reality that others do various things better than you. Your only response to this realty is to ridicule or attempt to downplay it.

You're wrong, oh wise one. I didn't start that thread. And it wasn't a US is best thread either. Your logic is just like me bragging about the Saints winning the Super Bowl and I live in MA. Oh, how many medals has Australia won so far in Vancouver?

[Ali G. 37]

I understand that. I'm not part of the crowd that believes that things would be the same or better now had we not had the Recovery Act.

The intervention did what it was supposed to do, and that was stabilize the economy, which it has done.

You're wrong, oh wise one. I didn't start that thread. And it wasn't a US is best thread either. Your logic is just like me bragging about the Saints winning the Super Bowl and I live in MA. Oh, how many medals has Australia won so far in Vancouver?

Winning medals means squat for the average Joe's quality of life, it's a sport after all. Rather than trying in vain to discredit a multitude of studies, why not just accept the fact that Boston is not ranked highly.

Edited February 21, 2010 by Booyah

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

The intervention did what it was supposed to do, and that was stabilize the economy, which it has done.

You're preaching to the choir here.