"The Republicans Remain Clueless."
By: John Roth
Issue date: 4/28/09 Section: Opinion
Since 1980, Republicans have enjoyed large-scale levels of control over the White House and Congress. Upon examining the history of Presidents' Ronald Reagan (1980-1988) and George W. Bush (2000 - 2008), both two-term presidents, it is easy to recognize the failures of their administrations.
According to data gathered by the U.S. Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment reached a high of 9.7 percent during Reagan's presidency. Under the leadership of President George W. Bush, the Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics posted seasonally adjusted unemployment rates that climbed to 6.3 percent in June 2003, bottomed out at 4.4 percent in March 2007, and then climbed quickly to a high of 7.2 percent by December of 2008. Throughout their administrations, neither Reagan nor Bush was ever able to stabilize or reduce these rates.
Republicans continue to scoff at the administrations of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Bill Clinton, citing both as ineffective models of tax and spend liberal values. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, President Roosevelt and his New Deal policies put into motion the rebuilding of an ailing American economy. His programs included the Civil Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration; both were successful at putting Americans back to work. Prior to President Roosevelt, President Herbert Hoover's administration did little to stimulate a depressed economy. His inability to grasp the extreme problems within the American financial system gave credence to his laissez-faire attitude.
President Clinton's agenda throughout the 1990s, including his Pay - Go policy and his overall economic strategy, raised tax rates on upper income Americans from 33 percent to 36 percent and in the process gave our economy a needed boost. President Clinton also left a huge monetary surplus of about $500 million that the Bush administration foolishly spent. Consequently, President Obama has been given little choice but to enact spending policies designed to invigorate the economy.
Lofty government spending has become a necessary evil. President Obama and his economic team plan to address the problems of the economy with a wide array of solutions. Significant expenditures intended to stimulate growth and create jobs include the President's budget package for 2010, which incorporates ample funding for health care and education.
The Republican's conduct throughout our country's economic crisis has been irresponsible. They have added nothing new to the debate and have not comprehended our nation's present fiscal troubles. Conservative leaders continue to support policies that greatly favor the wealthy and actually do little for the rest of America. They argue in favor of policies that have failed the American public and still believe that it is they alone who can guide America through the economic hardships they created.
According to data gathered by the U.S. Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment reached a high of 9.7 percent during Reagan's presidency. Under the leadership of President George W. Bush, the Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics posted seasonally adjusted unemployment rates that climbed to 6.3 percent in June 2003, bottomed out at 4.4 percent in March 2007, and then climbed quickly to a high of 7.2 percent by December of 2008. Throughout their administrations, neither Reagan nor Bush was ever able to stabilize or reduce these rates.
Republicans continue to scoff at the administrations of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Bill Clinton, citing both as ineffective models of tax and spend liberal values. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, President Roosevelt and his New Deal policies put into motion the rebuilding of an ailing American economy. His programs included the Civil Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration; both were successful at putting Americans back to work. Prior to President Roosevelt, President Herbert Hoover's administration did little to stimulate a depressed economy. His inability to grasp the extreme problems within the American financial system gave credence to his laissez-faire attitude.
President Clinton's agenda throughout the 1990s, including his Pay - Go policy and his overall economic strategy, raised tax rates on upper income Americans from 33 percent to 36 percent and in the process gave our economy a needed boost. President Clinton also left a huge monetary surplus of about $500 million that the Bush administration foolishly spent. Consequently, President Obama has been given little choice but to enact spending policies designed to invigorate the economy.
Lofty government spending has become a necessary evil. President Obama and his economic team plan to address the problems of the economy with a wide array of solutions. Significant expenditures intended to stimulate growth and create jobs include the President's budget package for 2010, which incorporates ample funding for health care and education.
The Republican's conduct throughout our country's economic crisis has been irresponsible. They have added nothing new to the debate and have not comprehended our nation's present fiscal troubles. Conservative leaders continue to support policies that greatly favor the wealthy and actually do little for the rest of America. They argue in favor of policies that have failed the American public and still believe that it is they alone who can guide America through the economic hardships they created.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
John Daniel
posted 5/14/09 @ 6:14 PM EST
Just telling like it is!
Cherry Hill Movers
posted 6/16/09 @ 12:06 PM EST
Well said, they can be really stubborn about their viewpoints. That can be true of anyone though.
Jersey
posted 9/09/09 @ 8:46 PM EST
This type of economic situation brings out the worst in most people though. Not surprising.
Post a Comment