Robert Reich: Republican Economics as Social Darwinism

[bigtree]

Sep 26, 2010

John Boehner, the Republican House leader who will become Speaker if Democrats lose control of the House in the upcoming midterms, recently offered his solution to the current economic crisis: “Liquidate labor, liquidate stocks, liquidate the farmer, liquidate real estate. It will purge the rottenness out of the system. People will work harder, lead a more moral life.”

Actually, those weren’t Boehner’s words. They were uttered by Herbert Hoover’s treasury secretary, millionaire industrialist Andrew Mellon, after the Great Crash of 1929.

But they might as well have been Boehner’s beause Hoover’s and Mellon’s means of purging the rottenness was by doing exactly what Boehner and his colleagues are now calling for: shrinking government, cutting the federal deficit, reducing the national debt, and balancing the budget.

And we all know what happened after 1929, at least until FDR reversed course . . .

Herbert Hoover and Andrew Mellon thought their economic policies would purge the rottenness out of the system and lead to a more moral life. Instead, it purged morality out of the system and lead to a more rotten life for millions of Americans.


read more: http://wallstreetpit.com/45808-republican-economics-as-social-darwinism

[DJ13]

1. Wrong link

[bigtree]

3. tanks

[geckosfeet]

2. Here is the link --> 'Republican Economics as Social Darwinism'

Republican Economics as Social Darwinism

John Boehner, the Republican House leader who will become Speaker if Democrats lose control of the House in the upcoming midterms, recently offered his solution to the current economic crisis: “Liquidate labor, liquidate stocks, liquidate the farmer, liquidate real estate. It will purge the rottenness out of the system. People will work harder, lead a more moral life.”

Actually, those weren’t Boehner’s words. They were uttered by Herbert Hoover’s treasury secretary, millionaire industrialist Andrew Mellon, after the Great Crash of 1929.

But they might as well have been Boehner’s beause Hoover’s and Mellon’s means of purging the rottenness was by doing exactly what Boehner and his colleagues are now calling for: shrinking government, cutting the federal deficit, reducing the national debt, and balancing the budget.

Herbert Hoover and Andrew Mellon thought their economic policies would purge the rottenness out of the system and lead to a more moral life. Instead, it purged morality out of the system and lead to a more rotten life for millions of Americans.

And that’s exactly what Republicans are offering yet again.

i luv me some robert reich

on edit - spelling and excerpts

[kratos12]

4. Robert Reich

should be hired by Obama imediately to craft his economic policy.

[geckosfeet]

5. I think so as well - but I also think that he is happy right where he is

[kentuck]

6. A great quote:

"Herbert Hoover and Andrew Mellon thought their economic policies would purge the rottenness out of the system and lead to a more moral life. Instead, it purged morality out of the system and lead to a more rotten life for millions of Americans.

And that's exactly what Republicans are offering yet again."

[bigtree]

7. that sounds like you, kentuck

. . . like many of your queries.

[kentuck]

8. Thanks, bigtree, but...

not mine. :-)