The Reason for the Economic Decline of America

Here’s the deal folks:
What we can call: The Raw Deal

The American economy in the 50’s 60’s and 70's, because of FDR policies from the new deal, unionism, sane trade policies, and the burgeoning economy fueled by a 90 percent tax rate on the rich, caused a great movement into the middle class by millions of Americans.

This middle class produced the radicalism and liberalism of the 60’s that for a time increased the wealth being shared and further enhanced the raising of poverty. This was primarily done by what is mentioned above, President Johnson’s civil rights initiatives, and other Great society programs that helped the poor.

Then what happened was a backlash by the reactionary classes of the conservative rich.

What they realized ( some big shot conservative wrote a book) was that the bigger the middle class became the more progressivism and liberalism came about that raised the poor into the middle class and was responsible for the economic fairness that existed in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.

They understood that revolutions, great economic changes, and society uplift come about NOT BY THE POOR CLASS rebelling against their poverty but by the middle class.

Something had to be done to halt this growth…

They reacted to this by deliberately creating the new conservative movement that was ultimately responsible (Ronald Reagan type policies of severely cutting taxes for the rich) for the economic decline we see today: TRICKLE DOWN ECONOMICS.

IT WAS A DELIBERATE POLICY!

If one follows the great economic growth of America after WWII they will clearly see that it was the tax rates, the trade policy (protectionism) and what unionism did for the middle class that fueled this great growth that no longer exists.

The idea that it can happen again through MORE severe trickle down policies (the GOP will surely try to do) is a pipe dream.

The only way back is to do three things immediately (something neither the Democrats of GOP will ever do now because they are ALL bought and paid for by the elite wealthy) amongst other thing of course:

First: Get the trade policy back to the protectionism is was( protecting US jobs) in past years

Two: Raise the tax rate of the rich to where it was in the 50’s and 60’s.

Three: Bring back the Glass–Steagall act that separated investment banking from ordinary savings and loan commercial banks.

Only then will the economy start returning to growth.

Nice OP Willtell, Trickle Down Economics, aka (Voodoo Economics) as per George H W Bush in The 1980 Republican Primaries One of The few really sensible things this Toad ever said. Peace and S&F for you Arjunanda. a reply to: Willtell

a reply to: Willtell

Fantastic post. You really hit the nail on the head. Well written and ringing with truth.

a reply to: Willtell

I think you can add to your list at least one more reason. Post WWII the US was basically the only intact industrial nation left. Everyone else had been bombed to smithereens. No one else had any real productive capacity. This left the whole world open to US products and US center capitalism. There was basically no competition from the rest of the world. The US flourished, workers and industrialists.

a reply to: Willtell

How do you propose to do all that, by voting?

Those issues aren't on the ballot.

Only the incumbents that brought us here. George Bush senior was vice president under Reagan when those polices you mentioned were enacted. Now another lil' Bush may be running?

If the 90% tax rate was so effective, where did the "rich" get the money to "fight back"?

What went wrong?

a reply to: TinfoilTP

Restoring the middle class is for hippies?

originally posted by: tavi45
a reply to: TinfoilTP

Restoring the middle class is for hippies?

A middle class needs middle class jobs. There aren't any, just burger flippers.

a reply to: xuenchen

90 percent came in after the first few million

a reply to: TinfoilTP

That’s because of the tax and trade policies

The law NO LONGER PROTECTS AMERICAN JOBS.

Every time the congress tries to correct this the GOP stops it

a reply to: TinfoilTP

Where'd they all go?

a reply to: TinfoilTP

That's right... were talking about good high-paying union jobs on the railroad, steel industry, car industry, apparel industry, IT field ( all going overseas) and millions and millions of manufacturing jobs,

All lost forever

a reply to: TinfoilTP

I believe the OP gave the answer to that on number 1.

First: Get the trade policy back to the protectionism is was( protecting US jobs) in past years

This government is definitely for the rich and corporations.

originally posted by: Willtell
Here’s the deal folks:
What we can call: The Raw Deal

The American economy in the 50’s 60’s and 70's, because of FDR policies from the new deal, unionism, sane trade policies, and the burgeoning economy fueled by a 90 percent tax rate on the rich, caused a great movement into the middle class by millions of Americans.

This middle class produced the radicalism and liberalism of the 60’s that for a time increased the wealth being shared and further enhanced the raising of poverty. This was primarily done by what is mentioned above, President Johnson’s civil rights initiatives, and other Great society programs that helped the poor.

Then what happened was a backlash by the reactionary classes of the conservative rich.

What they realized ( some big shot conservative wrote a book) was that the bigger the middle class became the more progressivism and liberalism came about that raised the poor into the middle class and was responsible for the economic fairness that existed in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.

They understood that revolutions, great economic changes, and society uplift come about NOT BY THE POOR CLASS rebelling against their poverty but by the middle class.

Something had to be done to halt this growth…

They reacted to this by deliberately creating the new conservative movement that was ultimately responsible (Ronald Reagan type policies of severely cutting taxes for the rich) for the economic decline we see today: TRICKLE DOWN ECONOMICS.

IT WAS A DELIBERATE POLICY!

If one follows the great economic growth of America after WWII they will clearly see that it was the tax rates, the trade policy (protectionism) and what unionism did for the middle class that fueled this great growth that no longer exists.

The idea that it can happen again through MORE severe trickle down policies (the GOP will surely try to do) is a pipe dream.

The only way back is to do three things immediately (something neither the Democrats of GOP will ever do now because they are ALL bought and paid for by the elite wealthy) amongst other thing of course:

First: Get the trade policy back to the protectionism is was( protecting US jobs) in past years

Two: Raise the tax rate of the rich to where it was in the 50’s and 60’s.

Three: Bring back the Glass–Steagall act that separated investment banking from ordinary savings and loan commercial banks.

Only then will the economy start returning to growth.

I'm with you until something can convince me otherwise. Snf

I'd also like to see your response to Terry's perspective.

a reply to: Willtell

I concur with alot of what you suggested...the trickle down effect won't ever work as we've seen...it just stays in the riches pockets. Yearly bonuses keep rising while layoffs do too. I was part of those layoffs in the financial industry while bonuses were being handed out and jobs were being outsourced.

Issue isn't with immigration as the conservative party would have you believe. It's all smoke screens and mirrors...a diversion as they keep lining their pockets and sending jobs overseas. Only trickle down affect I've seen is this image...

best quick image of how Corp America works

originally posted by: Willtell
a reply to: TinfoilTP

That's right... were talking about good high-paying union jobs on the railroad, steel industry, car industry, apparel industry, IT field ( all going overseas) and millions and millions of manufacturing jobs,

All lost forever

Yup.

originally posted by: Dimithae
a reply to: TinfoilTP

I believe the OP gave the answer to that on number 1.

First: Get the trade policy back to the protectionism is was( protecting US jobs) in past years

This government is definitely for the rich and corporations.

Too late now there are no jobs left to protect, unless you count pizza box folder.

a reply to: Jenisiz

That's not true. Illegals are having a massive impact on the construction market devaluing the labor pool tremendously. They work for a lot less. Jobs that were guaranteed at least 20$ an hour in some areas of the country your lucky to get 10$ for and you can't win a damn bid against them because you can't afford to pay guys to do the work and make money off of it. You have to run skeleton crews and you can't hire guys that don't have experience.