Comments on: Does Britain’s austerity hold lessons for the United States?

By: Nojer

Nojer — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 13:34:05 +0000

Sydenham’s Law: Increases in public expenditure decrease private sector growth.

This is a simple law of economics. See:

http://pol-check.blogspot.com/2013/01/sy denhams-law-of-public-expenditure-and.ht ml

Even lowering the rate of increase of public sector spending can relatively stimulate the private sector (see link above).

By: GA_Chris

GA_Chris — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 23:58:38 +0000

To be crude, the UK has the balls to face the problem and the US (not people, but the dimwits in DC) do not.

I think much of it might have to do with different campaign financing and lobbying laws

By: Samrch

Samrch — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 23:37:41 +0000

America is one of few nations big enough to produce most of things it needs if wanted to and is separated by oceans form it’s competitors. Cheap transportation limited the effect of the oceans of late. China and Canada are the chief trading partners. The US has been ignoring trade failure for decades.

Britain in much smaller and very close to Europe. The rest of Europe is it’s trading partners. Trade is a much bigger portion GDP than in the US. Bad trade must be corrected faster.

From the size, isolation and nature of trade the two are not alike.

By: PseudoTurtle

PseudoTurtle — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 17:18:30 +0000

Only increased tax revenues will bring this nation out of its economic problems.

Two articles from the UK Guardian might expand this article into the tax evasion and prosecution efforts that need to be stepped up, as well.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jan /04/swiss-bank-wegelin-close-tax-evasio n

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/ jan/04/hmrc-flickr-gallery-tax-criminals

When the US begins to get serious about US wealthy tax cheats, we will begin to make progress in saving this nation.

The American people need to understand that when the wealthy-driven US government talks about getting rid of “fraud, waste and abuse” in government spending, they are really talking about their own activities, but using the poor as a red herring to distract people.

By: asrinath3

asrinath3 — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 07:12:28 +0000

There was nothing slow about Britain’s deficit reduction. America will need to make huge spending cuts especially in defense and income transfer programmes but it needs to increase spending on infrastructure, education, R&D and energy development (particularly sustainable energy). All available American oil will only cater to a little over 10% of America’s energy needs.

By: JimLosAltos

JimLosAltos — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 20:16:07 +0000

Mr. Salam, you do realize that there is no “Bowles-Simpson commission report” since about the only bi-paritisan action of the prior year was the rejection, by both parties, of the slideshow from the commission chairs?

Again, the Bowles-Simpson commission never submitted a report. The Bowles-Simpson commission did not support any proposals.

And, while we’re at it, most people that quote the Bowles-Simpson commission report, don’t really support it.

By: Shamizar

Shamizar — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 16:43:26 +0000

It doesn’t matter whether or not Britain’s austerity holds a lesson for the United States, the dimwits in Washington never seem to catch the message.