Alvin Lee Message & Discussion Board
Thanks for joining in the conversation!
One of the most important lessons I teach my U.S. Government classes is how little the president can actually affect our economy opposed to how much Americans THINK the president can affect our economy.
Take in consdieration the following:
1. Almost all meaningful economic action requires an act of Congress - presidential economic policy is important, but means very little without Congressional approval.
2. Economic measures generally take years to show effects. The president of the U.S. has only 8 years in office - at best - and 4 years in the case of a one-term president.
3. Consequently, many presidents get the credit and/or blame for the results of economic policies they had nothing to do with and, in some cases, don't even agree with.
4. Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was president longer than any other president (and always will be, barring a consititutional amendment), and had both unparalleled support for economic reform in Congress and a popular mandate to deal with the great Depression, wasn't able to completely pull the country out of the Great Depression before the U.S. entry into World War II.
History and a close examination of the American system of government shows any meaningful economic reform will take cooperation between Congress and the president, bipartisan cooperation, tough economic and spending measures most Americans won't stand for, and coming up with the right plan - upon which even highly respected economists can't reach a consensus.
In short, the American public, if they truly want economic reform, are going to have to dig deeper into their collective attention spans than focusing solely on a presidential election, presidential policy, and quick-fix solutions that are neither effective or painless. It just isn't that simple.
Hi Don, it seems to be so elementary and easy to understand, the way you put it, so why do even otherwise intelligent adults have such difficulty remembering this? I guess people need someone to blame and the president is an easy target.
I agree Eric. Switzerland should be a role model for the rest of us. Politicians seem to have lost the art of compromise. When I was in the collectible poster business, we often traded posters with other dealers - and we used to say that you knew it was a good trade if you both walked away equally unhappy. I think politics should follow that philosophy. It's better to find a middle ground than to do nothing because you try to be all one way or the other.
Hi Eric, for some reason I thought you were in France. ooops.
Yah, i hear Switzerland has it together.
I imagine it must be easier in some ways for smaller countries to build concensus possibly due to the realization that if you let your country get out of control -- like we did -- it is too hard to pick up the pieces and repair the damage.
I find it ludicrous that so many people in our country on the left and on the right appear to prefer our country go down the drain rather than to compromise.
These folks have taken a personal stance that their ideology is the only "good American" way to be so they have convinced themselves that they are standing up "for the good of the country". It is impossible to make them see that "standing up" for what they believe in is all about them, not about our country.
Those who really care about this country know that all sides have to give up something in order for good policies to go forward.
ok. I deactivated my FaceBook account because I was spending too much time on this very subject, so I am going to shut up. Starting........ NOW!
To change the subject 
Robin I'm from Geneva leaved in Oregon for about 10 years, worked in Paris and somes diverses city in Switzerland (still)
I love American people like you guys, my son leave in Hawaii and my daughter in Geneva, Jane is from South Africa well great cultural exchange 
Very happy for you
Come to Geneva visit us maybe Alvin will be around