Is it possible to create a recession?

[CDRM]

Is it even remotely possible for the powers that be to create a recession. Why or why not?

 

[Oliver]

Is it even remotely possible for the powers that be to create a recession. Why or why not?

Uhm, aren't we in a recession? So unless you meant to include the term "intentionally", the answer obviously is a big "yes".

 

[Fiona]

Nah. A recession is an Act of God

 

[leftysergeant]

Is it even remotely possible for the powers that be to create a recession. Why or why not?

Sure. They just did it.

The Republicans spent all of the money that should have gone to infrastructure and alternative energy on a war in Iraq, cut the flow of revenue into the treasury by handing their corporate sponsors huge tax breaks, encouraged the removal of our indsustrial base to parts distant and unknown and sold of big chunks of our government to people who have no clue how to run it.

This leaves a very few people with most of the actual wealth available and a growing number of people without work, thus willing to work for even less once things get a little better.

I don't believe it was entirely accidental. The GOP has long wanted to break government so that industry would have more control over the life of the country, and there is no way they copuld have done it more effectively.

Under GOP principles, such as those advocated on this forum by such persons as mhaze, those who enter the recession with the most in their pockets will begin filling them more abundantly once recovery starts, because they will be more easily to buy control of resources in the fire sale liquidation of public assets by cash-strapped local governments.

 

[kevinquinnyo]

I don't believe it was entirely accidental. The GOP has long wanted to break government so that industry would have more control over the life of the country, and there is no way they copuld have done it more effectively.

Under GOP principles, such as those advocated on this forum by such persons as mhaze, those who enter the recession with the most in their pockets will begin filling them more abundantly once recovery starts, because they will be more easily to buy control of resources in the fire sale liquidation of public assets by cash-strapped local governments.

That's not GOP principles, that's purchasing power, or i don't know, Reality.

OP- don't listen to lefty sergeant's beat poetry partisan nonsense. It has no place in the economics forum.

 

[Almo]

While I don't think the GOP's plan was to sell government off, I do think Lefty is right that the Bush administration did entirely the wrong thing with large amounts of cash.

 

[The Atheist]

Is it even remotely possible for the powers that be to create a recession. Why or why not?

Of course they can. Changing monetary policy to cause a recession is simple.

I don't imagine there are circumstances it would happen.

Sure. They just did it.

Wow, I've seen some socialist bleating in my time, but that takes the biscuit.

The current recession was caused by lax governance by Greenspan et al, as Greenspan himself has admitted.

This is classic:

I don't believe it was entirely accidental. The GOP has long wanted to break government so that industry would have more control over the life of the country, and there is no way they copuld have done it more effectively.

Weakest conspiracy theory ever.

How is sacking the GM of a car company giving power to industry? How is nationalising banks giving power to industry.

If the intent was to remove power from government, it seems to have gone badly wrong.

 

[drkitten]

Weakest conspiracy theory ever.

How is sacking the GM of a car company giving power to industry? How is nationalising banks giving power to industry.

You'll notice that neither of those were GOP actions.

If the intent was to remove power from government, it seems to have gone badly wrong.

Yeah. That pesky little thing about the intervening election that removed the GOP from power before it could complete the job.

 

[cheat3]

who knows if it was intentionally started, but now its here you can be sure the central banks will use it their advantage, one world currency anyone?

 

[The_Animus]

I don't know about the GOP being the one to put this into play, but the result of the recession is exactly as lefty said. More wealth and power into the hands of even fewer.

 

[drkitten]

I don't know about the GOP being the one to put this into play,

Well, the GOP put the recession into play (deliberately or not).

The actions TheAtheist was talking about, however, were Democrat-led actions designed to correct the effects of the recession or end the recession itself.

 

[The Atheist]

The actions TheAtheist was talking about, however, were Democrat-led actions designed to correct the effects of the recession or end the recession itself.

Yes, but the point of it was to show that the conspiracy's pretty worthless if they can't even hold the reins of government. Isn't Obama supposed to be a Bush/Clinton/Reagan/Bohemian Grove shill, or are ******s not allowed in?

I get so confused by which conspiracy is which.

 

[The_Animus]

Yes, but the point of it was to show that the conspiracy's pretty worthless if they can't even hold the reins of government. Isn't Obama supposed to be a Bush/Clinton/Reagan/Bohemian Grove shill, or are ******s not allowed in?

I get so confused by which conspiracy is which.

Completely aside from any NWO talk, I'm disappointed in Obama. I certainly feel he is better than McCain, but nonetheless he, like every other politician, is not a leader with a vision. His 'vision' is whatever is the most popular course of action at the time, and whatever will get him and keep him elected. He already broke, abandonded, or watered down many of his campaign promises and earlier beliefs. Not that he is terrible or anything. I just think he could have been so much more.

 

[The Atheist]

I just think he could have been so much more.

You might be right, but he inherited one hell of a poisoned chalice and when he won the Dem nomination, probably didn't expect to be neck-deep in broken banks. 3 months? Give him time.

 

[Puppycow]

Is it even remotely possible for the powers that be to create a recession. Why or why not?

"Remotely"

It's not only possible, I think it would be easy. If "the powers that be" actually wanted to create a recession.

Look at North Korea for example. They keep their people malnourished because that makes them easier to control.

 

[george26]

its very easy to create a recession.it as been done in the past,especially by certain people,[e.g Waterloo war],who gained greatly from creating false information that crashed the stock market.this enabled them to purchase stock and become immensely wealthy.

 

[ponderingturtle]

While I don't think the GOP's plan was to sell government off, I do think Lefty is right that the Bush administration did entirely the wrong thing with large amounts of cash.

It is not selling the goverment off it is privatizing it so that your cronies can make lots of money.

 

[ponderingturtle]

You might be right, but he inherited one hell of a poisoned chalice and when he won the Dem nomination, probably didn't expect to be neck-deep in broken banks. 3 months? Give him time.

Well many many banks have failed, in record numbers. It is just a language trick really, when a large bank fails it is called nationalization when a small bank fails it is not. Same process though.

The better solution seems to be throw money at them and hope they start acting responcibly.

 

[drkitten]

It is just a language trick really, when a large bank fails it is called nationalization when a small bank fails it is not. Same process though.

Er,... no.

When a small bank fails, it's merged with another (private) bank. Indeed, until recently, when a large bank failed, it was merged with another (private) bank. The problem is that we're running out of healthy banks that are capable of buying and runing BoA or Citi.

 

[ponderingturtle]

Er,... no.

When a small bank fails, it's merged with another (private) bank. Indeed, until recently, when a large bank failed, it was merged with another (private) bank. The problem is that we're running out of healthy banks that are capable of buying and runing BoA or Citi.

It is the same process, they audit the whole bank, keep the toxic assets and sell off the rest. There is just no one willing to buy the whole financial system.