How would you fix the economy?

 This was an article from the St. Petersburg Times Newspaper on Sunday. The Business Section asked readers for ideas on “How Would You Fix the Economy?”

 I think this guy nailed it!

 Dear Mr.President,
 Patriotic retirement:
 There are about 40 million people over 50 in the work force; pay them $1 million a piece severance with stipulations:

1) They leave their jobs. Forty million job openings – Unemployment  fixed.
2) They buy NEW American cars. Forty million cars ordered – Auto Industry fixed.
3) They either buy a house or pay off their mortgage- Housing Crisis fixed.

 All this and it’s still cheaper than the “bailout”.

Thanks Bill H

40 thoughts on “How would you fix the economy?”

  1. 40 million times a million is 40 trillion. That is not cheaper than the bailout. He neither nailed it or was funny

  2. The Stutterer-In-Chief is an assh0le.
    Maybe getting Obama’s buddies to just pay their taxes instead of cheating on them would fix the economy. Hey lets get Treasury head man Geithner’s opinion on that…

  3. Hell, I like this…it beats giving several millions ‘with no stipulations’
    to the execs responsible for helping create the train wreck, that is our economy.

  4. Whenever I think about my investments (AKA my retirement)
    the song, *Dust in the wind* comes to mind.

  5. 3 more “stipulations”
    4)deposit the $1M in a bank first, Banking situation fixed.
    5) buy Home insurance, car insurance, health insurance and life insurance, Insurance situation fixed.
    6)Donate $10,000 to a charity, charities healthy again.

  6. Gary – I know we’re in the same field…My current retirement plan is to die on the job. I’ve got an arrangement with the back-hoe driver…

  7. DJ, I know what you’re saying. I asked an old carpenter years ago
    when was he going to retire. He looked at me and said “Son, they ain’t no
    retired carpenters, there’s working ones and dead ones.”

  8. Did anyone actually check the math? That would be a 40 TRILLION dollar bailout … quite a bit more than the “bailout”. Kind of underlines the need to spend more on education doesn’t it?

  9. Are you folks the same right wingers that scream “socialism!” when the government tries a new program. I know math can be hard for republicans, that’s why the economy is a mess right now, but 40,000,000 X 1,000,000 = 40,000,000,000,000 or 40 Trillion Dollars Our country’s GDP is roughly 16 trillion annually.

  10. I hear ya Gary. I’ve heard that too. When I was young, I was trained for a time by a guy who was almost 80. He was so hunched over his backbone looked like a carpenter’s square. “There was a crooked man…” We laughed then; now, with new aches every month, not so funny anymore.

  11. Forgetting the bad math…

    I’m 60. I owe $150,000 on my house, I’ll cheap out and buy a $25,000 car (which means car company may make a couple hundred bucks) $825,000 means I shouldn’t live more than 15 years or I’ll be out of money.

    And what about the people that are making $200,000+? Think they will bail on this forced retirement plan?
    Thinking is hard, but it’s worth it.

    That this is getting so much attention is silly.

  12. Yeah trash, the economy was bad, but totally destroying it for years to come, like PresBO is doing isn’t the fix I had in mind.
    It appears Dr. Obama plans to “fix” the patient to death.

  13. Goinglikesixty –

    Thinking is hard, but it’s worth it.

    You may want to email that statement to the White House. And Treasury Dept .

  14. You “Bushies” had your chance. Now step aside and wait until the man is done to criticize his work. Otherwise you’re just a bunch of seagulls crapping on everything you see in front of you.

  15. Duuude, “Otherwise you’re just a bunch of seagulls crapping on everything you see in front of you.”

    Kinda like you “Pushies” did for the last eight years?

  16. Duude – Get back to us when you come out of your leg-twitching Obasm. Then you’ll be able to see what’s in front of you, too.

  17. yeah, you guys are right… 40 trillion in handouts is WAAAAAAAAAY better than the paltry plan in place now. What are they thinking in DC?

  18. Sounds like a great plan. Take more of my money away and give it free of charge to the elderly.Why not the government already gives them free stuff anyhow. The disadvantage to being young is that no one gives a damn about you. You know I have almost no net assets, almost no savings, almost no portfolio. I dont own a home or property or bonds. I dont have the results of decades of labor stored up, and I never have seen the reason why many elderly dont either. I also dont have a pension, or a job because of seniority, if I get fired tomorrow I wouldn’t have severance pay, I couldnt do consulting, I have no network to tap into. Does anyone in Washington think of this? Hell no there are just interested in listening to AARP.

  19. ROFL!! idea FAIL!! dreidel already mention it but 40 mil X 1 mil is 40 trillion. 40 times the bailout.

  20. Ok, I really should have checked the math on the abacus before being so eager to submit anything, sorry Jonco

  21. He sure nailed it !
    1,600,000,000,000,000 in handouts will definitely fix the economy…
    Ignorance is not always kind..
    Stupid not always = funny…

  22. isiah, there are many reasons why the elderly end up with nothing and it’s called life’s distractions. Sometimes they have to care for sick parents or sick children or both, draining their bank accounts along the way. Then they end up ill in later life and the income stops. One thing is for sure, most have worked hard and paid their taxes along the way. The government does not give them free stuff as most of them have already worked for it and should not be forgotten. They are the backbone of our cultures and deserve respect for their contributions. You shall be there one day as well.

  23. Another Republican plan. This is why we’re in the shape we’re in. Because Republicans can’t do math. $40 Trillion (as stated above). I’m sure we can pay for it with tax cuts on corporations and the wealthy. 🙂

  24. I still like the split the trillion between every man woman and child. about $3300 each. That means Ill get $10,000. However, that means Octomom wil get nearly $50,000.

  25. Below is a letter I have sent to President-elect Obamas’ transition office with regard to our country’s financial crisis.

    President-elect Obama,

    I honestly realize that this note to President-elect Obama’s transition office will likely never reach his eyes, but I feel it imporant enough to at least make an attempt and putting forth a citizens view and thoughts on the terrible economic situation that Americans are being saddled with at this time.

    In addition to the mortgage bubble bursting, the federal government has now splashed some 700-billion dollars around to most of the same people who caused or contributed to the financial mess Americans are being asked to pay for.

    The “sub-prime” ( I prefer to call these Lender Rip-off Loans ) loan fiasco has traumatized most American homeowners who are watching their most expensive possession dwindle to a valueless mausoleum (sp) because of wall street rip-off artists. I don’t think Americans who have honestly worked hard and saved to finally secure a downpayment and buy a home should be so punished while the instigators of this heinous crime retire nightly to their cigars and brandy, leaving families to pace the floors of a building they thought was their home.

    And our great country’s financial debacle is burdening the majority of the population and creating a homeless population that should never exist.
    This poorer…mentally and financially…majority is not deserving of this treatment.
    There I have vented.

    Now, I would like to offer a suggestion. One that I am sure will never be considered, let alone implemented in any fashion.

    Instead of “top down” bailouts that have not worked lets look at the problem another way. I mean we have spent and will soon have to print 700-billion dollars and the lending organizations who received the “bonuses” won’t even tell Congress where or how they used the money…I’m sure many of them don’t even know where or how they used the money. This is certainly a disgrace…as much on the part of the lending institutions as on the Congress that failed to put in some basic requirements before splashing the money around.

    How about we try a “bottom up” bail out. I know, you’re smiling now. I’ll wait until you stop giggling.
    Okay.

    Here’s what I am proposing. For every tax paying American Citizen who earned 250-thousand dollars or less in 2007 ( that dollar figure is one I have heard you(President) use in speeches ) and who filed an income tax return for that year…the Federal Government will give that person ( not household…person) one million dollars.
    Four Stipulations:
    1. The receiver of the money MUST immediately buy at least one American made vehicle and pay cash.
    2. The receiver of the money MUST immediately buy or pay-off a single family dwelling within one year of receipt of the money.
    3. The receiver of the money MUST immediately purchase a health insurance policy for each member of the person’s immediate family and place sufficient funds in a trust account to continue the premiums on said health insurance policy(ies) for at least five continuous years.
    4. Proof of the above committments must be submitted to the Federal Government for payment and/or incumberment of the health insurance monies before the individual is issued a check for the balance of the one million dollars.

    That’s it!
    I know. You’re smiling again.
    It’s TOO simple. You’re right.

    But then again our Congress has proven to the world that their complicated plans don’t work…maybe we need a simple plan that will.
    Think about it.
    The money MUST go directly to the areas of our economy that, we are told, are suffering the most…the auto, home and health care industries.
    Bottom Up!
    Fix the problem where the problem is hurting the most.
    Should, by some act of God, you Mr. President actually read or are told of this email Mr. President I hope you don’t feel I have sent this note without much personal feeling.
    I personally am at retirement age, but cannot. I am not alone.

    Thanks…..

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