
How to fix the flatline economy - joelhaus
http://blogs.reuters.com/gregg-easterbrook/2011/09/29/how-to-fix-the-flatline-economy/
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joelhaus
Buried in the middle of the article is the main gist, and an astute point by
the author:

    
    
      If more borrowing or more tax cutting aren’t what the economy
      needs, what is? Optimism. Human psychology is a bigger force
      in economics than current policy debate acknowledges.
    

I tend to believe that, at least regarding domestic matters, there is a lot of
FUD being disseminated. Most domestic indicators are trending well and for the
global investor, the U.S. is still the BATNA (i.e. to the potential foreign
economic alternatives).

Thought about differently, if the U.S. were run as a corporation, we would be
utter fools to not take advantage of the historically low interest rates that
investors are offering us.

Don't get me wrong, there are clear fiscal issues with the U.S. over the long-
term, but they have been blown way out of proportion and have instilled a
sense of fear in the public by those whose interests it suits. Provided we
begin addressing these issues and lay out a plan within the next few years, it
is very likely that much of the todays concerns will be looked back on as
being completely over-hyped by a few hysterical and politically driven
interests with a knack for getting disproportional media coverage. Hysterics
aside though, I do believe that they this group has done a service by getting
us to discuss some of the future sacrifices our citizens will have to make; I
just hope they stop before the current political environment is damaged beyond
the point were we are able to effectively deal with and compromise over these
issues.

