Tuesday, January 20, 2009

New Start: The beginning and a restatement

Here is a starting point. (originally posted 1/7/2009, but modified on 1/19/09 and 2/6/09, and 9/2/11, and 9/01/16) 

BTW, here's a quote about Herbert Hoover, quoted in the PDF about the first 100 days is described as follows:
. President Hoover had tried to combat the Depression, but he believed in limited government (emphasis added!) and relief through private charity. Though he eventually approved credit assistance for businesses and some public construction spending, Hoover was reluctant to fund massive public works projects, provide federal relief money to the unemployed, or increase government regulation of the economy. By 1933, he was reviled and exhausted.

** 9-29-17** 
Here's an interesting tidbit.
Our current president,#45 (and the entire Republican Congress) also believes the exact same rhetoric.

Reduced government, low taxes, and screw the poor and Hispanic Americans!

SOUNDS like exactly the TEA party (9/2/11 edit)
This blog is dedicated to minimizing the effects of what I now call "The SECOND GREAT DEPRESSION"

The thoughts I discuss in this blog started over ten years ago (2007) as a realization that between the financial markets, and the problems with the Bush (43) Democracy (is that a oxymoron?), the country is/was headed for very hard times, and we needed to start to think about how to minimize these effects.

Thinking about FDR, and how he took control and helped the country got me thinking.


Before I post on the ideas that my 'thinking, thunk', I will review some of FDR's innovations in the first 100/200 days of FDR's first term (review time)

Some key things that happened during FDR's first 100 days... (source: The FDR library's exhibit on the first 100 days...) were:  SOURCE HERE

  1. A banking holiday and more;  -- The Emergency Banking Act was used to help banks that needed federal aid.   The Act permitted the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC)—an agency created under Herbert Hoover—to buy preferred stock in these banks to get them on their feet. (it sounds like THAT's already been done now too!)
  2. Government Economy Act: Simple; The act proposed to balance the federal budget by cutting the salaries of government employees and reducing pensions to veterans by as much as 15 percent.
  3.  No more gold standard: designed to allowed more money to be put in circulation to create a mild inflation.
  4.  HOLA: Its purpose was to refinance homes to prevent foreclosure . Through its work it granted long term mortgages to over a million people facing the loss of their homes.
  5.  the Glass-Stengal act was introduced, separating banks from owning other businesses.
  6. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) put unemployed young men aged 17-24 to work on
  7. Jobs and Relief conservation projects around the nation. Within three months, the Corps enlisted nearly 250,000 young men. Eventually, the CCC would employ nearly three million. They planted over two billion trees, fought forest fires and floods, built trails, campgrounds, and reservoirs, and aided with soil conservation programs.
  8.  The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) provided states and cities with billions of dollars to finance local work projects. From 1933-1935 it completed over 235,000 projects. At its peak, it employed almost 2.5 million people.
  9.  (a Flop!) The National Industrial Recovery Administration (NRA) sought to end cut-throat competition brought on by the Depression that was reducing wages and prices to disastrous levels. It encouraged businesses in hundreds of industries to create codes of “fair competition.” The codes set maximum hours and minimum wages, guaranteed union rights, and prohibited child labor. Companies adopting the codes were exempt from anti-trust laws.  Despite FDR’s hopes, the NRA proved ineffective, and was declared unconstitutional in 1935.
  10.  EMERGENCY RAILROAD TRANSPORTATION ACT. Sought to improve efficiency by reorganization, etc. Reduced overlapping services, etc. Federal Coordinator of Transportation created.
  11.  The Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA). It sought to raise agricultural prices by limiting production. The government paid farmers to reduce their livestock herds and leave some fields unplanted. (ANOTHER flop, and the beginning of farm supports that DONT work today!)
  12.  The Emergency Farm Mortgage Act was intended to help struggling farmers pay their mortgages by refinancing farm loans at lower interest rates and on easier terms.
  13.  The TVA. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) was the first step. It put thousands of people to work building dams and public power plants in the giant Tennessee River Valley. The TVA controlled flooding and erosion, improved agriculture, and developed the Valley’s industry. The TVA was actually quite influential in helping the "Manhattan Project", which developed the Atomic Bomb.
  14.  Farm Credit Act, also helped farmers remain on their farms.
  15.  Roosevelt implemented an executive order, again allowing Beer to be sold (as repeal was being passed by the states...)
Not mentioned on this chart (after first 100 days):

a) Social Security was born (1935).
b) A great number of people were employed (think work projects administration) (also in 1935).

Note: the Works Project Administration both built THINGS, and DID (documented) THINGS.
(i.e., Writers WROTE, photographers Photographed, Builders BUILT things...)



Now, the stuff I came up with (all inter-related, and dependent on each other):

In reviewing the past, and looking where we are today, I surmise that today, we need the following:
  1. A Massive Reconstruction (infrastructure) rebuilding project to repair the "Eisenhower Highway" system (and also make it TRANSIT and FREIGHT Friendly). See Green transit here.
  2. A Massive Job Training Program to ensure full employment and the ability for workers to work for an honest dollar, and learn a trade that will keep them employed.
  3. A new, "Living Wage", not to be confused with today's minimum wage (which should be renamed as an "introductory" or "entry level" wage.
  4. A new federally paid system of day care starting at six months, to make our nation more competitive by enhancing education as well as making our society more competitive.  This day care would  be federally paid, but locally run (think Churches).  It would also have aspects of head start, to help overcome social problems.
  5. Ensure EVERY American has Health Insurance that is NOT tied to an employer. Phase in over 20 years (to over-ride opposition from the insurance lobby). Eventually becomes a 2-3 plan duopoly, overseen by the government.
  6. Just like the "Manhattan Project" that built the Atomic bomb, we need a new, massive ENERGY project (as our New president) stated that will eliminate our country's dependence on OIL within 10 years.
  7. Tax reform. Let's Start Here: I call this the Millionaire's Minimum Tax. (or the MMT) Make over 1 million in GROSS income last year (individuals OR corporations!) You pay a MINIMUM of 1%.
  8. Mandatory Job Training/Conscription/Community Service (whatever we call it EVERYONE will do it, either in Military or NON-Military options!  This would phase in over about 10-15 years, starting at the kindergarden level.
  9. Lobbying Reform. Need to eliminate pay to play.
  10. A Truth and Reconciliation Commission to uncover fraud, lies, and dishonesty in our society.  It would also be a great forum to help us overcome our history of Slavery and abuse.
This is most of it. Some things like education go across project lines.
Education starts at pre-school, and will continue through to high school, and an introduction to the new national training/conscription programs. These programs will be designed to help with job training in someone's chosen field.

We (citizens) ABSOLUTELY need to understand why we need these massive programs.

cheers.

Note: this post edited and updated 9-28-17 for minor edits.

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