over-arching goverment regulation, taxation and mandates in the US? Dont make me laugh.. Your beloved party has held back/cut everything in that direction the last 50 years. (and a lot more).

The problem with your country is the fact you all lived on loans for the last 20 years. There is nothing goverment can do about that. And above that, good old George Bush made sure the government itself also has a very weak position financialy. And instead of making up for it, the republicans are stopping all effort to do something about it. (instead for continuing calling cuts, cuts, cuts, what brought you in this situation)

It's hard to argue with the fact that people overspent. Blame the government all you want for providing the opportunity to fail.

The real one million dollar question is: Where were you shot?

Give me a million dollars and I'll hire someone

42% of the GDP is Government spending in America.

Most economists agree that a healthy economy needs at least 70% of its GDP to be consumer spending. So whats the other -12% keeping in mind that this does not include investments (which make up the other part of the GDP)..

America is not capitalist, and its about time we see it become a capitalist nation.

Outstanding point Fasces,

"America is not capitalist, and it's about time we see it become a capitalist nation."

Author! Author!

If you reduce the influence of government in people's lives what will happen?

Obama, Pelosi, Reid, Socialists, Communists, and all like-minded lovers of Big, overbearing, tax consumer, debt creating government believe------- That people will just blow all their money in Vegas and end up homeless, naked, and starving in the streets because of course people are helpless without government.

The alternative viewpoint is that if you leave people more and more freedom to act in their own self-interest they will figure out how to make money, save money, and get their lives in order, and that the collected efforts of all these individuals will slowly get the economy moving in the right direction, then pick up momentum, and finally reignite vigorous growth. All without government playing any type of meaningful role.

Heck what a radical idea it is that individual Americans could decide where it is best to spend money than the members of some Congressional stimulus committee lobbied to death by special interests.

Who'da thunk!

Obama, Pelosi, Reid, Socialists, Communists, and all like-minded lovers of Big, overbearing, tax consumer, debt creating government believe------ that a relatively small group of bureaucrats in Washington DC know best how to run the economy of the four corners of this vast nation.

The alternative viewpoint follows that old American tradition, all politics are local. All economics are local as well. People want their taxes to stay home where they can use them to improve their communities as they know best, and the thing that escapes everyone is that people actually know what is best for their communities not Washington.

Maybe when Washington gets tired of failing they will finally have faith in the people and give them the freedom to fix the problems in their communities and create jobs.

Hello Tettleton's Chew, i have a little question for you. What do you think is the reason Goverments exists?

Your point of the last two posts is that people with self interests will deal with problems the best. But then you claim those self interest are congruent, in i think thats the part i am thinking fundamentely different about. I think those individual self interests are conflicting in such a way that the net result of those actions alone will give disasterious results

The latest poll numbers demonstrate perfectly what I posted last night.

81% of Americans are fed up with the federal government with only 19% approving.

Americans do not approve of Washington running their lives, but want government brought closer to the governed, and not distant.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/149678/Americans-Express-Historic-Negativity-Toward-Government.aspx

thats not an answer :)

Capitalism is just not working. Capitalists have to be induced with all sorts of goodies from the government to perform, and they still won't perform. This wouldn't be a problem if they were commanded to produce. Get rid of capitalists and replace them with people who care about the public interest.