Bailout money would be better used by investing directly in the people
Joshua Delano
To steal the famous words of my mentor James Carville, "It’s the economy, stupid." What else†could be of more importance than getting this nation out of recession?
Did you know it would’ve cost less to give every man, woman, boy and girl in America $10,000 than to give the†mortgage industry the $700 billion bailout? Think about†that for a moment.
Forget about that little†measly†$600 economic stimulus check the federal government gave to people earning less than†$80,000 a year. Talk about economic stimulus! $10,000 would allow people to not only catch up on their mortgages, but likely†allow†many lower and middle class Americans to open investment accounts, help pay for college and eliminate credit card debt.
To all of you flat-tax proponents out there, how about that for a†proposal? If you want to stop this country from continuing in the downward spiral†of this recession into something even worse, let’s share the wealth. If you want progressive economic policies you should either vote for†Sen. Barack Obama, or vote for me. Obama won’t even propose what I am proposing. If every household had $10,000 in the bank, then our economy would be reinvigorated and you would see home buying increase and investor confidence rise.
To echo the words of another hero of mine, Louisiana Gov. Huey Long, "Every man a king,†but no†one†wears a crown!"
Delano, a political science and history senior, can be reached via [email protected]
Leadership about guts and capability, not just political rhetoric
Shai Mohammed
It’s not the economy. It’s not the war. It’s not the domestic agenda. The single-most important issue in the coming election is statesmanship.
It’s a muddy word to define, but somewhere in there are words like "consensus," "global citizenship," "integrity" and an assessment of critical-thinking skills. We don’t need an everyman at the helm of this country right now. We need someone who will dare to be exceptional. That’s unlikely to happen for a first-term president – all this election rhetoric is likely so much sound and fury, signifying compromised versions of a glittering future.
Past administrations have been lined with gross and petty corruption, incompetence and scandal. Our moral imperative wanes in the world’s eyes without integrity to back it up. Integrity is not a soundbite for Christian values, but the adherence to an ethical standard of rule without tyranny and is fundamental to what this country was founded on.
The presidency is ultimately a test of the integrity of human vision and what happens when ambition, ideology and power collide with reality. It requires the building of consensus among groups of inherently opposed people when no one has all pertinent information, and all details are crucial. One can dodge responsibility or understand that in a job where there are no complete successes and many levels of failure, the job is to ensure as few casualties as possible. Regret is ultimately the most expensive thing in the White House.
Mohammed, an anthropology freshman, can be reached via [email protected]
Bush’s legacy will pose major challenge for next presidential inheritor
Alana MousaviDin
Our economy is heading downhill faster than an Olympic snow-skier, and there are no trees in sight to hold on to. This election is about our economy and what should be done to rectify the damage done by President George W. Bush.
Ending the war is one of the first ways to stimulate our economy. Sen. Barack Obama promises to bring our troops home within two years, and Sen. John McCain wants to keep them and increase the number.
Our tax policies under Bush’s authority have led us into an economic downfall. Tax cuts for the wealthy, tax breaks for large companies and tax credits for middle to low-income workers have become so muddied that the promised outcome has become impossible to see.
Government spending must be restructured, and our deficit and borrowing trends must be broken. We are too strong a country to rely on other nations to support our habits.
Bush tried to stimulate the economy, but instead of spending them, we saved the money. The program, like most, was set forth with good intentions, but as in all good things, there must be a first draft before having a final edition. It needs to be worked on before it can work well.
Getting our economy into shape will take a lot of time and energy, something McCain may possess only in limited quantity. We need a fresh, energetic mind to get our nation back.
Both presidential candidates still have a lot of convincing to do before Election Day, and even so, they will have a huge economic mess to clean up.
MousaviDin, a communication junior, can be reached via [email protected]
