Who's to blame for our current economic situation?

[Dawgs]

[ixion]

1. For those blaming only the rethugs:

You need to wake up. This could not have happened unless all the players signed on.

[JuniperLea]

4. It's all a dog and pony show...

Smoke and mirrors.

I'm leaning toward what my Granddad said... there are three sides to every story. His, hers, and the truth.

I'm tired of being read fairy tales.

That's not to say I'm not supporting Obama. I think he's trying.

[Oregone]

5. Yes. Its a pretty simplistic answer

It also suggests there is nothing inherently wrong or unsustainable about capitalism too...just rather that the wrong people were at the helm. Its a foolish way to look at the situation. Though, the Republican rule may of very well exacerbated the problem.

[Andy823]

8. Well...

I agree they all had a hand in it, but I think that Bush and the republicans did the most damage. I also think that they long before the elections that the republicans didn't stand a chance of winning the whitehouse. Knowing this they did everything they could to make sure the mess that any democrat who won would inherit was "HUGE", and they did everything they could to make that happen. On top of the housing bubble, deregulation and taking the country into record debt, they came up with the bail out plan and forced many banks who didn't want the bailouts to take it so they could further add to the already staggering mess they had made. Now the democrats in congress should have stood up to the republicans when they took over in 2006, but they didn't, and so they helped with this mess also.

[Echo In Light]

26. You can likewise apply that last sentence to a broad range of issues.

[xchrom]

2. isn't it the marriage of corporations and our government?

and the 'wedding' presided over by ronald reagan?

[Oregone]

9. Thats the natural course of capitalism

When but a few members of the Forbes 400 could solve all of California's budget problems for years, their amassed personal wealth begins to equal political power. If any one may can amass the fortune of millions of others at once, naturally, their political reach will grow infinitely, and they will begin to lobby the government for favors.

[sandnsea]

3. For those blaming all of them, wake up

This could not have happened without the constant manipulation of working people by the right wing.

[JuniperLea]

6. The saddest thing is the manipulation of their OWN working people...

I don't get how so many can be suffering lack of jobs, lack of health care, or fighting an insurance company, and still support the hand that holds the knife that is slitting their throats.

[slackmaster]

All of the career politicians, and individuals who have allowed greed to rule their lives

:nuke:

[omega minimo]

7. sheeple

[old mark]

10. The GOP allowed and encouraged various corporations. lobbyists and

big time capitalists to contribute their "expertise" to members of congress, which means that the money people wrote the bils, handed them to congress with a sizable tip and said,"Do your job, boy." The congress thinks it's doing a great job if it stays bought once it's paid off and can stay sober long enough to actually vote.

I know people say there are decent congresspersons, and I'm sure there are - maybe 50 or so out of both houses.
Just my opinion, of course, and I have been wrong before.
mark

[Oregone]

19. Corporations used their money to stack the political landscape with the GOP

And then threw it further at lobbyist and political players (in bribes) to get them in lock-step.

Chicken, or Egg...

[old mark]

29. Money or money, greed or greed.....makes little difference, really -nt

[Arctic Dave]

11. Other: Greed.

[Laelth]

18. +1

Why can't our plutocrats figure out that they get wealthier when the masses are wealthier?

:shrug:

:dem:

-Laelth

[Lone_Star_Dem]

12. Shouldn't some of the responsibility fall on the American population?

Americans were the ones who permitted themselves to be distracted by wedge issues, unreasonable fears and consumption. It feels like passing the buck to lay all the blame on politicians. Granted, the politicians orchestrated the manipulation but unless the population accepts responsibility for their part how is anything going to change?

What I'm trying to say is our system doesn't work if the majority of our population don't take the responsibility of their votes seriously. Which, in my opinion, they haven't been.

[Greyhound]

24. Far more than politicians, it is our childish fantasy that the concept of not

doing anything but "investing" is a viable economic model.

All economic progress begins with resources and labor.

[ben_thayer]

13. Other: Ronnie Ray-Gun NT

:grr:

[Sebastian Doyle]

14. The Republicans

and that includes the ones who hide under the labels "DLC" and "Blue Dog".

[taught_me_patience]

15. The people

for living beyond their means for a long time now.

[BOG PERSON]

16. The government that represents the American consumer-masses n/t

[tama]

17. Dem others n/t

[ThomThom]

20. It is about time we look at the philosophy that republicans profess today.

Their business domination has led people to believe that they know what is best for our economy, when what they preach is the wrong approach. Their philosophy is bankrupt, it is time to admit it and move back to what has worked in the past. Deregulation and the creation of all these vehicles to make great wealth will not make a sound economy as we have seen.

[skillet]

21. My opinion

I blame our (all of us) nature and desire to live outside our means.

[TomCanyon]

22. The Conservative Movement n/t

[Greyhound]

23. All of them plus us for allowing it. n/t

[JVS]

25. Rich people

[TexasObserver]

27. GOP rule caused many of the problems that led to this economy.

They deregulated banking. They didn't regulate Wall Street. They insisted on deficit spending in a good economy. They spent wastefully.

[guitar man]

28. We are

When I say we,I'm talking about the people who voted for the Raygun neoconservative agenda over and over and bought into that pipe dream. The whole mess would have never have happened without the votes that made it possible.

[WeCanWorkItOut]

30. Both parties took too much for their cronies, pushing the rest of the people into...

the casino economy. Too many people were willing to take big risks,
partly from ignorance (no one to tell them, it's a bubble),
partly because both parties have degraded middle class life.

This on one side. On the other side, there was our government's willingness
to pay the price of risk, where others could take the profit.
That describes deregulation, FNMA, a lot of malfeasance.