news-record.com

Skip to the site menu
Skip to search

OPINION

Let’s find another path for solving problems

Sunday, February 7, 2010
(Updated 3:00 am)

We have already used up about 10 percent of the 21st century. Most observers will agree it is not a great start for Americans by a long shot! The first eight years ended disastrously. This was a humongous missed opportunity. It also showed me that the Republican ideology of across-the-board tax cuts and complete deregulation of the markets — particularly the financial markets — is completely false.
Now that President Obama is sincerely trying to repair the damage done, the same forces that brought us to the cliff keep shoving the same bankrupt ideas on him and the rest of America.
It is time we let our new president have some breathing room, otherwise the 21st century will be lost to the Chinese and others, with America, like Britain of the 19th century, turning into a “has-been” nation. If this were to happen, Republicanism would be squarely responsible for it.
It is time for a new paradigm, for a new pragmatic approach to solving our problems. Neither Democrats nor Republicans have the right answers. We need to look at merging and combining the best ideas from all sides and applying those to the problems we now face.
Nadeem Faizi
High Point

Comments

View Comments

This letter has been closed to new comments. Comments are accepted on select letters to the editor between the hours of 7 AM and 5 PM, EDT, Monday through Friday.

Inappropriate content? Please report abuse.

brian444

February 7, 2010 - 3:17 am EST

Thank you, President Obama, for sincerely trying to repair the tax cuts and the lack of a stimulus-funded luxury hotel in downtown Greensboro that occurred under the Bush administration.

milkman

February 7, 2010 - 6:29 am EST

Nadeem Faizi, of High Point, you are NOT very bright. are you? Seriously!!

xeno10

February 7, 2010 - 7:23 am EST

And milkman, you're not very bright, are YOU -- for saying Mr. Faizi is not very bright? Seriously.

milkman

February 7, 2010 - 8:39 am EST

Why yes Xeno, I am very bright, for saying that Ms Faizi of High Point is not very bright. I know for a fact, that you're not very bright, for saying I wasn't very bright, while telling Ms Faizi of High Point she wasn't very bright, now are you? ------- Seriously!!!

ghost from white oak

February 7, 2010 - 11:23 am EST

milkman, those were two very bright comments. Seriously.

lilbean

February 7, 2010 - 6:33 am EST

"sincerely trying to repair the damage done?" ," let our new president have some breathing room?". nadeem, the only thing that WAS holding back the democrats was in fact the democrats. the party of the party held super majority status in both houses. its getting really pathetic to listen to the whining coming from your side of the aisle.and yet again you lay the blame at bushs feet? how much longer do you leftists think thats gonna fly? you've controlled the congress for 3 years and the whitehouse for 1. time to MAN UP. you promised america you'd fix things and you've made them extremely worse.
so, whats your solution nadeem? a monarchy? extending the "chosen ones" term indefinately? complete communism?? how about a communist chinese oversight panel to monitor our congress? might as well since we owe them trillions. president hu could appoint a czar to watch and control the fed. good no?
you think its bad now nadeem? you ain't seen nothing yet.

Sawdust

February 7, 2010 - 7:15 am EST

Best I remember, the economy was rolling along fairly well until the Democrats took over Congress in '06.

Rufus_T.Firefly

February 7, 2010 - 9:04 am EST

And the Dems of '06 did exactly what to change that?

xeno10

February 7, 2010 - 9:22 am EST

"dusty" sawdust, your "recollection" is faulty -- and I'd like to help you out (which way did you come in?) -- so here are the facts: when Bush ("W") took office in 2001, the federal budget had been in the black for at least three years, and surpluses were projected for the next decade! No doubt about it! Seriously!

And when "W" left office in early 2009, the government had run large deficits for "seven straight years!" No doubt about it! And the nation was on the brink of another "Great Depression!" And CBO issued budget estimates showing a fiscal year 2009 deficit of well over a trillion dollars! Now, that's a fact!

So, in large measure, today's deficits are the direct results of the "W"-era tactics of cuttting taxes deeply, mainly on the wealthy, and borrowing to wage two wars and to enact the Medicare drug benefit, all of which the right-wing Republicans in Congress supported -- wholeheartedly! Seriously!

Accurate facts sweep away most of your arguments / comments on most topics, sawdust! Wise-up, MENSA-man!
(if possible)

Seriously.

JGALT

February 7, 2010 - 9:32 am EST

Did that 10 year surplus projection include the collapse of the internet bubble and 9/11? The surpluses you describe during the end of Clinton's administration were unexpected and unforecast-- he benefitted from a bubble internet economy.

Bush faced a recession when he came into office.

Sawdust

February 7, 2010 - 10:02 am EST

Nobody in the MSM ever mentions that. The economy had begun to improve before Clinton took office, and had begun to deteriorate just before he left. The Republicans took Congrees in 94, and I think that Congress has more effect on things. Even if the President has crazy ideas about what to do with the economy, it's Congress who makes the rules. Or, rather, used to.

I was in business when Clinton took office until shortly before '06 when the Democrats took Congress. I would hate to think about starting a business today, with no one knowing what crazy idea is coming next, or from which political party. I made a decent living, never got rich, never intended to get rich. I never had a day without an opportunity to make some money. Today is different. I wouldn't start a business now, not unless I was forced to.

We need to get a handle on our finances. We have spent too much money, money that we have to borrow or print, and we've been doing it for a long, long time. Barack Obama says that this is a VERY BAD THING, and then proceeds to announce that his plan A is to spend even more money, pile it on, more and more money, even more than the evil and economically stupid Bush. Yes, we can spend our way to prosperity, just as we can take water from the deep end of the swimming pool and pour it into the shallow end. There is no plan B for B-plus. We're gonna get plan A whether we want it or not.

JGALT

February 7, 2010 - 10:22 am EST

I wouldn't expect xeno to get a presidebt issue correct. He's more interested in casting asparagus on Republicans.

xeno10

February 7, 2010 - 11:53 am EST

"dusty" sawdust, let me "clue you in" a bit further: the federal government should not, SHOULD NOT (I'm shouting) slash spending while unemployment remains high (ref FDR-era!) And academic expertise in economics is not required for INTELLIGENT people to make that judgment! Seriously.

Also, to truly tame our nation's deficits will require serious, very serious, health care reform -- not the right-wing Republican variety of "reform!" Unless health care costs are controlled, there is no way (NO WAY) to solve the country's long-term deficit and debt problem! Comprende' MENSA-man?

So, you and your ilk that post here with daily blather aren't really quite bright enough to understand the "accurate facts" of the matter, are y'all? (Nope!) Seriously.

JGALT

February 7, 2010 - 12:11 pm EST

Taming the deficits will require economic growth and the policies of this congress and administration are anti-growth. The Bush tax cuts should be made permanent, and corporate tax rates lowered.

Healthcare costs should be controlled and can be controlled but why did the democrats with control of congress and the presidency not provide legislation that controlled costs? Why did all democrat proposals and legislation INCREASE COSTS?

rahrah

February 7, 2010 - 3:38 pm EST

for the debt to go down, taxes will have to go up and spending down. an economic recession is not a good time for either of these to occur.

Sawdust

February 7, 2010 - 2:33 pm EST

xero; If I ever desire to be clued in on any subject by you, you will be the first to know. Until then, you can confine your asinine comments to "You're not very bright, are you Sawdust" Seriously.

xeno10

February 7, 2010 - 11:55 am EST

Whatever!

dcolin

February 7, 2010 - 1:57 pm EST

"never got rich'?

Never got rich?
Two Cadillac's a Dodge truck and a BMW motorcycle.

You humble yourself.

Sawdust

February 7, 2010 - 2:46 pm EST

See, you thought I was bragging about being rich. To the contrary, I am very middle class. I bought a '95 Eldorado with 68,000 miles on it several years ago, for $7,500, the best automotive deal I ever got. It looked and ran like a new car, plenty of power, comfortable, and economical. I can go to Greensbora and back, about 80 miles round trip, and get 31 mpg. It costs next to nothing to insure and pay the taxes. Most people who want a Cadillac want a new one, so they can show off. I bought it because I like the looks of it, and it is a very good car, with about 135,000 miles on it now.

I liked it so much, that I decided, when I had to give up riding the BMW ('93 RT) when my legs got weak, that I wanted an Allante, and found one in Raleigh for $6,000. It currently has about 193,000 miles on it, gets gas mileage comparable to the Eldorado. I paid cash for the three of them. I make my car payments to myself before I need a car, and buy one when I can pay cash. The Dakota was different, I bought it new because Chrysler had 0%financing, and I needed to depreciate it for business. The bike and the truck are currently for sale. I will invest whatever I get for them, and maybe buy another car some day. I doubt it, I'm fairly confident that one car or the other, hopefully both, will make it until I can no longer drive.

dcolin

February 7, 2010 - 7:57 pm EST

Well,
You were bragging about something. You considered the acquiring of these
items as major accomplishments in your life. Being just a journeyman I have never consider the
acquiring of material thins major accomplishments ( I guess you would call me a true socialist/Marxist) However many highly successful conservative business do think that way. OK.,I assumed you started as a carpenter and became a mega builder.

Just Middle class. Hell you could have succeeded under socialism. Hardly worth all the work was it.

Ah, Thats it you re angry. Well you have my sympathy. I can understand your disappointment

danagain

February 7, 2010 - 10:24 pm EST

Anyone posting during the Superbowl must be bored. Get some hot wings and cold beer next time.

dcolin

February 7, 2010 - 10:45 pm EST

I'm bored.

However you are boring

danagain

February 7, 2010 - 10:59 pm EST

Then please never respond to my posts again. Night night Mr. D Benfield Colin.

dcolin

February 7, 2010 - 11:31 pm EST

Mr. D Benfield Colin.

Your point little man?

dcolin

February 8, 2010 - 12:26 am EST

j

Sawdust

February 8, 2010 - 12:17 am EST

dcolin: This from a man who can't scrape up a thousand bucks to back up his big mouth?

dcolin

February 8, 2010 - 12:27 am EST

Absolutely correct.
Not even middle class.

I conceded.
Just tell us.
and you win.
Can't lose and you are still embarrassed.

Which test
What score
Who monitored
From internet?

Come claim victory
Why are you scared?

neocon

February 7, 2010 - 4:38 pm EST

Excerpt from an e-mail I recieved today. Nailed on the head:

"Budgets do not come from the White House. They come from Congress, and the party that controlled Congress since January 2007 is the Democratic Party. They controlled the budget process for FY 2008 and FY 2009, as well as FY 2010 and FY 2011. In that first year, they had to contend with George Bush, which caused them to compromise on spending, when Bush somewhat belatedly got tough on spending increases. For FY 2009, though, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid bypassed George Bush entirely, passing continuing resolutions to keep government running until Barack Obama could take office. At that time, they passed a massive omnibus spending bill to complete the FY 2009 budgets.

And where was Barack Obama during this time? He was a member of that very Congress that passed all of these massive spending bills, and he signed the omnibus bill as President to complete FY 2009.

left-wing conspiracy theorist

February 7, 2010 - 11:05 am EST

"Bush faced a recession when he came into office."

This is true, I suppose, unless you cared to use facts to support this statement.

rush-palin2012

February 7, 2010 - 12:04 pm EST

No left-wing, it is you who doesn't have the facts. GDP growth was only 2.9 in Q4 2000, and 2.3 in Q1 2001

1234next ›last »

eMail Updates

Learn More
Advertisement | Advertise with Us

Featured Ads

Search

Advertisement | Advertise with Us
Advertisement | Advertise with Us
Advertisement | Advertise with Us

News & Record Network Sites

User Tools

  • Social Networking
  • RSS
  • Share
  • Sign in to MyNR

Search