Author Topic: Just Discovered the Bush/Neo-Con Doctrine For Economics  (Read 4544 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Brassmask

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2600
    • View Profile
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Just Discovered the Bush/Neo-Con Doctrine For Economics
« on: December 19, 2008, 03:58:14 PM »
This is probably very old news to most of you but, if I had ever heard of it, I don't remember it at all.

Bush (and the Neo-Cons) have been encouraging the economy from the wrong side of the Parable of the Broken Window.

From Wiki:
Quote
Parable story

The parable describes a shopkeeper whose window is broken by a little boy. Everyone sympathizes with the man whose window was broken, but pretty soon they start to suggest that the broken window makes work for the glazier, who will then buy bread, benefiting the baker, who will then buy shoes, benefiting the cobbler, etc. Finally, the onlookers conclude that the little boy was not guilty of vandalism; instead he was a public benefactor, creating economic benefits for everyone in town.

Bastiat's original parable of the broken window went like this:

    Have you ever witnessed the anger of the good shopkeeper, James Goodfellow, when his careless son happened to break a pane of glass? If you have been present at such a scene, you will most assuredly bear witness to the fact, that every one of the spectators, were there even thirty of them, by common consent apparently, offered the unfortunate owner this invariable consolation—"It is an ill wind that blows nobody good. Everybody must live, and what would become of the glaziers if panes of glass were never broken?"

    Now, this form of condolence contains an entire theory, which it will be well to show up in this simple case, seeing that it is precisely the same as that which, unhappily, regulates the greater part of our economical institutions.

    Suppose it cost six francs to repair the damage, and you say that the accident brings six francs to the glazier's trade—that it encourages that trade to the amount of six francs—I grant it; I have not a word to say against it; you reason justly. The glazier comes, performs his task, receives his six francs, rubs his hands, and, in his heart, blesses the careless child. All this is that which is seen.

    But if, on the other hand, you come to the conclusion, as is too often the case, that it is a good thing to break windows, that it causes money to circulate, and that the encouragement of industry in general will be the result of it, you will oblige me to call out, "Stop there! Your theory is confined to that which is seen; it takes no account of that which is not seen."

    It is not seen that as our shopkeeper has spent six francs upon one thing, he cannot spend them upon another. It is not seen that if he had not had a window to replace, he would, perhaps, have replaced his old shoes, or added another book to his library. In short, he would have employed his six francs in some way, which this accident has prevented.

I submit that they have been wanting everyone to spend money to prop up industries that have to do with all the major corporations who have gained power, maintained power and mortally depend on their being in a position to make billions by repairing their versions of "broken windows" i.e. illness, construction, defense, etc.

In short, the Bush "administration" has all about making sure that glaziers stay in business.  They basically been going around breaking windows for 8 years.

richpo64

  • Guest
Re: Just Discovered the Bush/Neo-Con Doctrine For Economics
« Reply #1 on: December 19, 2008, 04:10:49 PM »
ppppffftttt.

Plane

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 26993
    • View Profile
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Just Discovered the Bush/Neo-Con Doctrine For Economics
« Reply #2 on: December 19, 2008, 05:17:34 PM »
This is probably very old news to most of you but, if I had ever heard of it, I don't remember it at all.

Bush (and the Neo-Cons) have been encouraging the economy from the wrong side of the Parable of the Broken Window.

From Wiki:
Quote
Parable story

The parable describes a shopkeeper whose window is broken by a little boy. Everyone sympathizes with the man whose window was broken, but pretty soon they start to suggest that the broken window makes work for the glazier, who will then buy bread, benefiting the baker, who will then buy shoes, benefiting the cobbler, etc. Finally, the onlookers conclude that the little boy was not guilty of vandalism; instead he was a public benefactor, creating economic benefits for everyone in town.

Bastiat's original parable of the broken window went like this:

    Have you ever witnessed the anger of the good shopkeeper, James Goodfellow, when his careless son happened to break a pane of glass? If you have been present at such a scene, you will most assuredly bear witness to the fact, that every one of the spectators, were there even thirty of them, by common consent apparently, offered the unfortunate owner this invariable consolation—"It is an ill wind that blows nobody good. Everybody must live, and what would become of the glaziers if panes of glass were never broken?"

    Now, this form of condolence contains an entire theory, which it will be well to show up in this simple case, seeing that it is precisely the same as that which, unhappily, regulates the greater part of our economical institutions.

    Suppose it cost six francs to repair the damage, and you say that the accident brings six francs to the glazier's trade—that it encourages that trade to the amount of six francs—I grant it; I have not a word to say against it; you reason justly. The glazier comes, performs his task, receives his six francs, rubs his hands, and, in his heart, blesses the careless child. All this is that which is seen.

    But if, on the other hand, you come to the conclusion, as is too often the case, that it is a good thing to break windows, that it causes money to circulate, and that the encouragement of industry in general will be the result of it, you will oblige me to call out, "Stop there! Your theory is confined to that which is seen; it takes no account of that which is not seen."

    It is not seen that as our shopkeeper has spent six francs upon one thing, he cannot spend them upon another. It is not seen that if he had not had a window to replace, he would, perhaps, have replaced his old shoes, or added another book to his library. In short, he would have employed his six francs in some way, which this accident has prevented.

I submit that they have been wanting everyone to spend money to prop up industries that have to do with all the major corporations who have gained power, maintained power and mortally depend on their being in a position to make billions by repairing their versions of "broken windows" i.e. illness, construction, defense, etc.

In short, the Bush "administration" has all about making sure that glaziers stay in business.  They basically been going around breaking windows for 8 years.


I get the theroy , but specificly what were the windows ?

BT

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 16141
    • View Profile
    • DebateGate
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 3
Re: Just Discovered the Bush/Neo-Con Doctrine For Economics
« Reply #3 on: December 19, 2008, 07:24:05 PM »
Quote
Bush (and the Neo-Cons)

I don't see anything Neo-connish about the story at all.




Xavier_Onassis

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 27916
    • View Profile
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Just Discovered the Bush/Neo-Con Doctrine For Economics
« Reply #4 on: December 19, 2008, 10:05:59 PM »
Mongering a war to stimulate the economy, perhaps, is like breaking windows.
"Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana."

richpo64

  • Guest
Re: Just Discovered the Bush/Neo-Con Doctrine For Economics
« Reply #5 on: December 19, 2008, 10:11:47 PM »
Treason to regain power would be more like breaking windows.

Lanya

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3300
    • View Profile
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Just Discovered the Bush/Neo-Con Doctrine For Economics
« Reply #6 on: December 20, 2008, 04:58:40 AM »
Mongering a war to stimulate the economy, perhaps, is like breaking windows.

That hugely enriched Blackwater, Haliburton, and so on.  It has cost us dearly and will continue to cost us. 
Planned Parenthood is America’s most trusted provider of reproductive health care.

BT

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 16141
    • View Profile
    • DebateGate
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 3
Re: Just Discovered the Bush/Neo-Con Doctrine For Economics
« Reply #7 on: December 20, 2008, 05:16:28 AM »
Quote
Mongering a war to stimulate the economy, perhaps, is like breaking windows.

That isn't a Bush invention.It could feasibly go back to FDR.

And Halliburton and it's subsidiaries were getting rich 40 years ago in Nam so let's not perpetuate the fiction that they are also a Bush invention.

Just like Biden is the Senator from the great state of Credit Cards, LBJ was Brown Brothers Root's boy in DC.


Xavier_Onassis

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 27916
    • View Profile
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Just Discovered the Bush/Neo-Con Doctrine For Economics
« Reply #8 on: December 20, 2008, 11:11:42 AM »
And therefore it is okay to monger wars? What is your point here?

Starting wars is always a bad idea. Wars benefit only a small minority.

Credit cards are immaterial to this discussion totally.
"Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana."

BT

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 16141
    • View Profile
    • DebateGate
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 3
Re: Just Discovered the Bush/Neo-Con Doctrine For Economics
« Reply #9 on: December 20, 2008, 12:57:26 PM »
And therefore it is okay to monger wars? What is your point here?

Starting wars is always a bad idea. Wars benefit only a small minority.

Credit cards are immaterial to this discussion totally.

My point is that Brass made his little parable about Bush.

You too.

Ignoring or ignorant of historical precedence.

Glaziers, credit card companies , construction conglomerates.

Politicians aren't elected geographically, they are elected by their allegiance to particular SIC codes.
 

richpo64

  • Guest
Re: Just Discovered the Bush/Neo-Con Doctrine For Economics
« Reply #10 on: December 20, 2008, 01:44:57 PM »
>>Wars benefit only a small minority.<<

Except of course the billion or so people who remain free because of them.

In a perfect world war will be unknown and every human on the planet would be better off because of it. As Americans we are in a unique position to be able to say we want to end all war. We are strong enough to say it. There might be a handful of countries who would say the same thing. There are many more who will not. If America actually did refrain forever from participating in any war, these countries would feel free to do as they wish, and most certainly would. There would be more war than prior to American pacifism. Eventually war would come to us and we too would fall.

I'm waiting for the perfect world too. Until then we have to remain vigilant and strong.

Plane

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 26993
    • View Profile
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Just Discovered the Bush/Neo-Con Doctrine For Economics
« Reply #11 on: December 20, 2008, 04:01:02 PM »
>>Wars benefit only a small minority.<<

Except of course the billion or so people who remain free because of them.

In a perfect world war will be unknown and every human on the planet would be better off because of it. As Americans we are in a unique position to be able to say we want to end all war. We are strong enough to say it. There might be a handful of countries who would say the same thing. There are many more who will not. If America actually did refrain forever from participating in any war, these countries would feel free to do as they wish, and most certainly would. There would be more war than prior to American pacifism. Eventually war would come to us and we too would fall.

I'm waiting for the perfect world too. Until then we have to remain vigilant and strong.


Well said.

Xavier_Onassis

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 27916
    • View Profile
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Just Discovered the Bush/Neo-Con Doctrine For Economics
« Reply #12 on: December 20, 2008, 05:50:22 PM »
The war in Iraq has benefited very, very few, and in Iraq, fewer still.

We need to vigilant not to allow our country to be led by warmongers.
"Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana."

BT

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 16141
    • View Profile
    • DebateGate
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 3
Re: Just Discovered the Bush/Neo-Con Doctrine For Economics
« Reply #13 on: December 20, 2008, 08:04:53 PM »
Quote
We need to vigilant not to allow our country to be led by warmongers

Then why did you vote for Obama?

Did he not say he would invade Pakistan in pursuit of Bin Laden?

Xavier_Onassis

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 27916
    • View Profile
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Just Discovered the Bush/Neo-Con Doctrine For Economics
« Reply #14 on: December 20, 2008, 10:27:12 PM »
Obama was a far better choice than McCain. He did not say he was going to start a war with Pakistan, and I doubt very seriously that he will.

McCain was gung-ho on this dumbass war from the git-go. Obama opposed it.
"Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana."