georgephillip
Diamond Member
Who knew?
Dean Baker, for one:
"Alan Greenspan has been strangely missing from the fierce battle over the future of public sector unions in Wisconsin and other states.
"His absence is strange because he bears more responsibility for the current conflict than anyone else alive."
Baker elaborates by reminding Americans of the incredible "incompetence" Greenspan displayed by allowing an $8 trillion housing bubble to inflate on his watch, and how Wisconsin's share of our current Great Recession has been a direct consequence of that failure.
"There should be zero doubt: this downturn is the reason that Wisconsin has a budget crisis.
"Perhaps Wisconsin's leaders can be blamed for not recognizing that the economy was being managed by complete incompetents - and planning accordingly - but this is the story of the state budget crisis.
"According to the Congressional Budget Office, the economy is operating at more than 6.4 percentage points below its potential level of output.
"If Wisconsin's state economy was 6.4 percent larger, and its revenues increased accordingly, it would have more than $4 billion in additional revenue in its coffers over the next two years.
"This increase in revenue would easily cover the projected deficit.
"This is even before we add in the savings from lower payouts for unemployment insurance and other benefits that would follow from a return to normal levels of unemployment.
"In short, there can be little dispute that Wisconsin's budget crisis is Alan Greenspan's work."
Dean Baker, for one:
"Alan Greenspan has been strangely missing from the fierce battle over the future of public sector unions in Wisconsin and other states.
"His absence is strange because he bears more responsibility for the current conflict than anyone else alive."
Baker elaborates by reminding Americans of the incredible "incompetence" Greenspan displayed by allowing an $8 trillion housing bubble to inflate on his watch, and how Wisconsin's share of our current Great Recession has been a direct consequence of that failure.
"There should be zero doubt: this downturn is the reason that Wisconsin has a budget crisis.
"Perhaps Wisconsin's leaders can be blamed for not recognizing that the economy was being managed by complete incompetents - and planning accordingly - but this is the story of the state budget crisis.
"According to the Congressional Budget Office, the economy is operating at more than 6.4 percentage points below its potential level of output.
"If Wisconsin's state economy was 6.4 percent larger, and its revenues increased accordingly, it would have more than $4 billion in additional revenue in its coffers over the next two years.
"This increase in revenue would easily cover the projected deficit.
"This is even before we add in the savings from lower payouts for unemployment insurance and other benefits that would follow from a return to normal levels of unemployment.
"In short, there can be little dispute that Wisconsin's budget crisis is Alan Greenspan's work."