Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Ask Michael Burke -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Merritt who wrote (53113)	3/23/1999 2:40:00 PM
From: Knighty Tin	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 132070

Merritt, The defense spending hardly ended the cold war. Economic reality did it along with a hard line from the USA since 1947. Reagan gets credit for something that had been evolving for decades. The social programs are absolutely necessary in any nation that calls itself civilized. Dyning people on the streets may appeal to Republican conservatives, but not to human beings. The fact that Ronnie financed all of his spending with debt was the Reagan legacy that Clinton and the "new" Republicans fixed in 1993. MB

To: Merritt who wrote (53113)	3/23/1999 3:55:00 PM
From: BSGrinder	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 132070

A few points to consider: 1. Some recent studies have shown that the Great Society and War on Poverty programs did work. Metrics such as Americans in poverty, infant mortality, and literacy showed marked improvement when the government spent serious money on the problems. 2. Entitlements and means-tested aid programs do much more to promote economic growth than buying weapons. There are several reasons for this, which we can discuss if you want. 3. The amount of money spent on welfare (means-tested anti-poverty programs such as Aid to Families with Dependent Children and Food Stamps) has been only a couple percent of the budget, compared to the 30+% that is typically spent on the military. 4. Entitlements, such as Social Security, Medicare, and military and civilian pensions, which are many times larger than welfare, are not "charity" thrown around by "Dumbocrats" (or Roman emperors) but are in fact money that people are entitled to for defending or otherwise serving our country or because they paid money up front for their entire lives. Just a few things to consider while we exchange our opinions about public policy. /Kit