Long Haul Politics

I was born after the Great Depression which began in 1929 and ended in the early 1940s. That was a real bad time. Up to 25% unemployment. FDR did some things, early in his presidency, and nothing seemed to happen. About midway through his second term, the federal deficit turned into a surplus, and unemployment continued to be about 18%, and it wasn't until 1942 that the country returned to "full employment." http://eh.net/encyclopedia/article/Steindl.GD.Recovery

As I read through the above cited article, I realized one thing, how complicated it is to solve the problems of  a nation, that is in a world of other nations. And then I listen to the current arguments that presidential candidates,  representatives, and senators offer up to get our current economy moving again. Actually, there is very little out there that hasn't been tried. Except perhaps co-operation, patience, and time.

One solution offered today is to lower taxes, cut spending, get the deficit under control, and voila, all the problems will be solved. Full employment, great government (fewer employees, fire fighters, cops, teachers, etc.) but somehow there will be more jobs. I don't get this. Maybe it is too simple an answer to a complicated problem.

The other solution has to do with raising revenue, make government more efficient by enforcing rules and regulations that would stifle fraud, create jobs with a building program that would leave a viable infrastructure for our grandchildren (as opposed to reducing taxes on us now ignoring the infrastructure and leaving our grandchildren with a pile of rubble, and letting them build what they want to and pay for it themselves.) I am glad that someone thought about our generation and left us an interstate road system, some decent bridges, nice parks, and so on. They also made us a fairly safe and secure country with decent educational opportunities.

This was all done with bi-partisan support, over time.

I know if a politician says truthfully that it is complicated, and there is no definite solution, but some things can be (have been ) put in place, and it is necessary to hunker down for the long haul, that person would not be elected to anything, but maybe should be. I also know that anyone who offers a simple solution is naive, just like me, and that person is probably playing to my fears.