Very Carefully

My idea for fixing the economy comes from the brilliant mind of Newt Gingrich. MOON BASES!!!!! As anyone who has seen Avatar would know, space minerals are among the most valuable resources in the world, and would surely satisfy all of our debts with china. You might say establishing a mining base on other planets is impractical, or would cost more than it brings in, but honestly who cares? Other than the enormous amount of wealth created by moon rocks, what better way is there to stimulate the housing market than provide moon houses? The real estate business has always proven to stimulate the economy, and as long as we don't over-speculate on moon land, we will make out like bandits. Now you might be asking, "how will people survive on the moon or even be transported there?" Well do you really think people will think about that kinda stuff before buying? I mean who doesn't want a moon house? This is a foolproof method to quickly and efficiently revitalize the United States Economy and should be put into practice immediately. Gingrich 2012!

if you don't like realizing you suck, don't read this

America, the country that defined the capitalist system, has recently moved further and further away from it, instead straddling the line between it and socialism, a sort of pseudo-socialism. This is one of the biggest reasons our economy has stagnated in recent years: the lower class thinks its entitled to the standard of living of enjoyed by the middle class, who in turn thinks that it deserves the standard of living of the upper class. This belief most likely originated as a result of Europe's experimentation with socialism (which stagnated the European economies as well), which many Americans hope to emulate, as was shown through the widespread support for movements like occupy wall street, which adopted these socialist principles as their main platforms. And while it is a good thing for the lower classes to hope and strive for social mobility, it can lead to devastation of the economy. For example, many Americans felt that they should be able to buy a huge house that they couldn't afford and as a result the housing market exploded. One of the best ways to fix the economy is to limit people's ability to get more than they can afford, which is what leads to recessions and depressions. In the above example of the housing market, the banks were required to give out bad loans that they never would have if the government hadn't required them to. The economy will not function correctly if a government run by people who know they can get votes from the lower class by strangling the economy has so much power. So to summarize, the first step is to limit the government.

The second step is to fix the education system. For a country to get ahead it has to create innovative thinkers who can create the world of the future. Our education has consistently failed to do so for various reasons, the biggest being a lack of accountability for students due to an emphasis on pushing failing kids through without fixing their failure and the teachers union's unwillingness to let awful teachers be held accountable. If we can fix these problems of accountability, we can fix the education system and catch up to countries like China, which currently leave us in the dust. If we can fix the education system our economy will fix itself, as a smarter population will better be able to manage it.

How to fix the Economy

The last time that the United States economy had as bad as spell as this one was the Great Depression. When FDR ended the depression, he added huge governmental policies that pulled the public of out the depression. In his New Deal, FDR created Social Security and founded the WPA, an agency intended to get America back to work. It is clear that letting the economy run its own course will NOT, I repeat NOT, I repeat NOT, stop it from going down the toilet bowl. A huge cycle starts where consumers do not spend, manufacturers do not manufacture, and people do not work. In order to interrupt this viscous cycle, the government has to step in. President Obama attempted to use a stimulus package that would encourage the American public to spend. The problem with Obama's plan was that the stimulus was not high enough. A couple of checks for a few hundred bucks a month is not going to encourage Americans to spend. They are going to put that money straight in the bank. When FDR was president, not only did he install active governmental policies but he was also fortunate to have World War II begin. As we have studied, wars stimulate economies because wars require more products to be made. World War II was such a large war that it required a huge infantry force. The draft was in effect and the men went off to war while the women took over a the manufacturing plants. If the current recession is going to be ended, Americans are going to have to either A)Start spending money and buying products or B)Start a war large enough to stimulate our economy. Obama may be able to develop some huge governmental policy like Social Security that can resuscitate our failing economy but it is not very likely. I have no answer on how to fix the economy.

Pearson Politcal Platform 2012

If I had to fix the current economic situation then I'd first need some major political power; however, achieving the needed political standing would require a great deal of maneuvering. Thus, before fixing the economy I'd build my political career starting at a local level and then moving on to take over the world with my weather dominator! As ruler of the free world I'd have the power and resources to create a giant sentient money man who could then push our financial troubles elsewhere! Such a plan is the textbook definition of brilliance!

No, seriously, if I had to fix our economy then I'd choose the... well... yeah I'd choose the silly 80s cartoon villain approach, but if I had to seriously approach the situation then the less fun and exciting method of bringing back American industry through competive tariffs and by taking down Walmart and other big bussninesses that pressure industries into making their products abroad.

The only plus to this approach is satisfying my dislike of Walmart.

Assignment 19: "We're in recession, but let me take a crack at it"

Inspired by the questioning mind of Jack Totty...

It should be no surprise that that the United States faces a monstrous debt.

Fix it.

Minimum of 150 words - due Sunday, February 19 at 11: 59 pm

Nala

Because she married Simba, who will become king of the Pridelands. Also, because I highly identify with lions. Reasons being:

1. The mane.

2. Queen

3. Top of the food chain.

4. Everything that the light touches belongs to me. Technically Simba inherited it, but that just means that *I* inherited it by marriage. I get to decide which watering hole I feel like dining at, and I get first pick of antelope. I could go on so many adventures, pounce on things, and then sing about it.

Beyond the reasons of wanting to be the animal that is, for one, on top of the food chain, and for two, I am at the top of the food chain within the food chain (LIONCEPTION), I also choose Nala because Lion King is legitimately one of THE best movies Disney ever came out with, probably number one. The music is fantastic, both as a movie and as a Broadway show, and the plot is moving. I cried for hours after Mufasa died (which is PART of the reason I didn't choose Sarabi, his wife, because he would die and I just would lose it. Even though if I was a lion at all, he'd definitely be my first choice of a husband because I mean have you HEARD his voice? It's probably the greatest voice-over voice I've ever heard. But he dies. So...)

Into the stars... To buy candy bars... He's the kid with a knack for inventions...

Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. Now, if you (my peers) have never watched this show then you must have had a terrible youth. Believing that most of you did, I will only give a quick description of ‘Jimbo.’ Jimmy is an 11 year old boy who has an IQ as big, if not greater, than Einstein. He likes to invent things and go on trips to other places like the outer space. His inventions are usually great and work perfectly but then some fluke happens and they end up destroying his town and he has to fix it with his two best friends and the two girls. 

The reason I would want to be Jimmy is not just because he is so smart, he also has a really cool lab. I don’t know how many parents would allow an 11 year old to have a highly technical lab, especially one that occasionally smokes. I would like to build rockets that fly to distant planets without my parents worrying more than the simple, “be back for dinner” that Jimmy receives. It would also be pretty cool to have a lab just for myself of my own design so that I could invent the random things like Jimmy does. 

Not getting in trouble for experiments gone bad would also be a plus. Jimmy never gets in enough trouble that would ruin his weekend plans. When he gets in trouble, it is because his experiments are hurting people in some way, but everyone knows he is the only one who can fix them and that is his only punishment. 

He's practically a boy version of Tony Stark, whom Elliott wrote about, but better because he gets to do all of it in his youth!