The Question. Henry (your moderator): One of the things Elgin, Joel, and I have discussed regularly over the last few weeks is how to make this discussion work well, be informative, and also be interesting. This discussion in e-mail started producing some interesting comments. So at the suggestion of Joel and Elgin, I’m going to…
The question. I must have hit a cord with my answer, as Watts initial reaction was to launch into an ad hominem attack claiming I was “unable to see the better times for the dour.” He claimed “all right numbers are in place. Layoffs are decreasing, job numbers are increasing, and even Wall Street is…
The question. My good friend cannot deal well with the facts or advance good recommendations, it seems, without attempting to cast blame away from his preferred party. I have dealt with the “in violation of the law” and the “blame the Democrats” spill in my reply, so to save time, I will refer only to…
The Question My first concern with my friend Elgin is that he is too filled with Conservative media’s information that he is unable to see the better times for the dour, an unfounded picture of what is actually taking place. If we do not have a basis of fact I our discussion, how will we…
The Question While Watts and I both seem dissatisfied with the current budget process, I found his suggestions at best unrealistic. He suggests that budgets be done “several years in advance.” Of course one of the current problems is that the Democrats in the Senate have, in violation of the law, refused to even do…
Link to question #2. The 21st century has been marked by economic bubbles. It began with the collapse of the Internet bubble starting in the late spring of 2000 when venture capitalists pulled their money from many fledging internet companies. This sent shock waves throughout the economy during the summer and fall of that year…
Link to question #2. Reshaping must always start with the philosophy of the budget. What is the budget’s use? I would not consider the budget the economic structuring document, free of morality or agendas we’ve come to expect from such a cold rehearsal of the facts. The first thing I would want to see done…
There are three general ways to state one’s approach to budgetary issues: 1) In broad goals, such as budget balanced or not, high or low taxes, etc., 2) In details, as in which programs should be cut or expanded, which taxes or types of taxes should be cut or raised, etc., and 3) As political…
Link back to Question #1. One of the benefits of extended discussion is that it can at times bring more light to a subject than heat. Reading Watts’ second reply was one of those moments, for as he clarified his view, I realized that we actually were in some agreement, and both of us believe…
I am humbled by my friend’s admission that I am right, or nearly right, about everything. If only he had stopped there, at that admission, he would have continued to be right. I believe he disagrees with my assessment of our individualistic society, that we tend to shy away from tackling communal problems lest we…