Conservatives have no ideas what to do about recessions
POSTED BY: kpo
UPDATED: Monday, March 9, 2026 17:30
VIEWED: 29022
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You are trying to assume that government SHOULD do something to control economic cycles
That's not an assumption, that's a moral and intellectual position. The point of the thread was to point out that conservatives don't have a specific policy answer to recessions. Imagine if we were to give total control of government to conservatives for 100 years - so that they could set the tax rate and the size of government and domestic energy production to exactly the levels they wanted. Eventually, at some point, a severe recession would hit. Companies would go under, millions would become unemployed... and what would the conservative government do? Shrug its shoulders.
I just find that interesting, and I wish more people knew that that's how modern conservatives think.
It's not personal. It's just war.
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Quote:
Originally posted by kpo:Quote:
You are trying to assume that government SHOULD do something to control economic cycles
That's not an assumption, that's a moral and intellectual position. The point of the thread was to point out that conservatives don't have a specific policy answer to recessions.
Incorrect. They do have a specific policy, but it is not different from their normal policy. Ignore and do the opposite of their policy, recession occurs. Conform to their policy, recession is resolved. Just because their policy is not followed does not mean the policy is faulty, it means the fault lies in not following the policy.
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Incorrect. They do have a specific policy, but it is not different from their normal policy.
That's not a specific policy then, is it?
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Ignore and do the opposite of their policy, recession occurs. Conform to their policy, recession is resolved.
Funny.
It's not personal. It's just war.
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The problem with the conservative approach to recessions ("stay the course") is that it is contradicted by the foundational assumption of conservative economic philosophy- that the invisible hand will make and keep markets well, and that supply, demand, prices, and employment will all reach a happy equilibrium which maximizes economic activity.
Conservative economic theory doesn't respond to economic depressions because, under conservative economic theory, depressions should never occur. Later economic theories which mathematically demonstrated that an economy could fall into PERMANENT depression... with no "invisible hand" being able to help it up... were greeted with great dread by conservative economists, who then promptly ignored it, because (of course) such a thing could "never occur".
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Originally posted by SIGNYM:
The problem with the conservative approach to recessions ("stay the course") is that it is contradicted by the foundational assumption of conservative economic philosophy- that the invisible hand will make and keep markets well, and that supply, demand, prices, and employment will all reach a happy equilibrium which maximizes economic activity.
Conservative economic theory doesn't respond to economic depressions because, under conservative economic theory, depressions should never occur. Later economic theories which mathematically demonstrated that an economy could fall into PERMANENT depression... with no "invisible hand" being able to help it up... were greeted with great dread by conservative economists, who then promptly ignored it, because (of course) such a thing could "never occur".
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You can't build a nation with bombs. You can't create a society with guns.
Stay the course is not the policy. Go back to the correct course is the policy.
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I'm curious if you're parroting slogans or are speaking from a position of knowledge.
Which particular incorrect course(s) led to the Great Depression?
SAGAN: We are releasing vast quantities of carbon dioxide, increasing the greenhouse effect. It may not take much to destabilize the Earth's climate, to convert this heaven, our only home in the cosmos, into a kind of hell.
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EVEN IF IN THEORY the "correct course" were to be followed all the time, it has been mathematically demonstrated that this particular course can neither prevent nor cure depressions. End of story.
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You can't build a nation with bombs. You can't create a society with guns. 
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it has been mathematically demonstrated that this particular course can neither prevent nor cure depressions.
Or create economic growth in general. Statistically economic growth has been significantly bigger under Democratic presidents than Republicans, and the times when the country has grown the strongest is when wealth distribution has been even, tax rates on the rich high, and opportunities for people to advance themselves have been good.
It's not personal. It's just war.
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Originally posted by Geezer:Quote:
Originally posted by SIGNYM:
Basically, you have doubts that any theory works. That includes yours, correct?
Nope. Not correct.
I don't have a theory about what particular actions to take to end a recession. As I've noted again and again, I am doubtful that any of the actions proposed by various theories can be shown to have been the sole cure for recessions.
Your question is like asking me how many angels I believe can dance on the head of a pin, when I've said I don't believe in angels.
"When your heart breaks, you choose what to fill the cracks with. Love or hate. But hate won't ever heal. Only love can do that."
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Quote:
Originally posted by kpo:Quote:
Originally posted by Signym:
it has been mathematically demonstrated that this particular course can neither prevent nor cure depressions.
Or create economic growth in general. Statistically economic growth has been significantly bigger under Democratic presidents than Republicans, and the times when the country has grown the strongest is when wealth distribution has been even, tax rates on the rich high, and opportunities for people to advance themselves have been good.
Are you talking about Britain again?
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