Deflation is worse than inflation. The Federal Reserve needs to print cash and deploy it in the economy to halt a drop in CPI. The government needs to stop bailing out the paper economy and go on some massive infrastructure investment with these newly printed dollars.
one more Et poster who thinks like a third world economist. people are always looking for short cuts. why not coming with up with restructuring solutions that will increase the competitiveness of the US economy
Trouble is with infracstructure is the lead time. Any govt can't say build more bridges and motorways and then start work tomorrow. Assume for example that the Brooklyn Bridge wasn't there and then somebody came up with the idea of building one. Chances are it would take 2 years at least before a signle pile was driven. That's the problem with infracstruture. One alternative which could start tomorrow is the digging of holes and then the filling of them in. don't laugh because as stupid as it sounds it does have some merit.
how about updating the internet broadband infrastructure in the US. down load speed in South Korea are 4X as fast as in the US. how about enduring some pain before accepting a drug high solution by printing money like there is no tomorrow. is that too much too ask of the cuddled masses in the US and Western Europe?
Cuddled masses? I know Obama is supposed to be the answer to everyone's problems but I don't think free cuddles for everyone are also included. Seriously though, I would agree with the sentiment that those in the west are certainly a mollycoddled lot. If there is to be massive spending then lets direct it toward areas that will yield significant growth and national competitive advantage. Lets subsidize the R&D budgets for tech, bio tech and pharma, lets pump money in to science education in this country from middle school to grad school. Stuff like that, not just the unimaginative tired old roads and bridges mantra. Do we want a nation of subsidized laborers or a nation where high value jobs are created due to innovation for the highly educated due to better funding of science education. Growth is the only answer to our problems and technology and innovation is the only way to achieve that growth.