Sheik said:
We all know what governing by committee does.... The Libs scare me and the thought of possibly Bob Rae being finance minister is giving me a nervous breakdown.....
Of the 3, Harper has a background in economics, the only one really qualified to understand what's going on. Out of the 3, he is really the only one I'm comfortable with.
Harper may have a background in economics but he's ideologically married to his "hands off" approach to managing our economy. He's so committed to this small government mantra that he's blind to any alternative solutions. This is an open letter signed by over 80 leading economists who think he should be much more interventionist to combat this crisis. Of course Harper is too bull headed to listen.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNe...r_081008/20081008?s_name=election2008&no_ads=
....On Monday some 230 academic economists spoke out in favour of a carbon tax as the best way to address climate change. On Tuesday 120 leading climate scientists urged the public to vote "strategically" to protect the environment.
Both those interventions were welcomed by Liberal Leader Stephane Dion and Green leader Elizabeth May, who took them as helpful to their campaigns.
The economists who signed the latest letter cite a "deepening global financial crisis, the decline in world commodity prices and the growing possibility of global recession" as signals that Canadians can't ignore.
On the domestic front, they note that "macroeconomic performance has weakened dramatically" since the Conservatives took office in 2006.
They point to job losses in the manufacturing sector, stalled economic growth, declining productivity and heavy consumer debt.
Until now those problems have been masked by booming commodity prices and a housing bubble, but both those trends are ending, they say.
"The dramatic events of recent weeks have destroyed the idea that markets are best left to their own, unregulated devices," says the letter. "Government and its financial institutions must now show leadership and play a more active role."
The economists call for measures to stimulate investment and job-creation, including spending on infrastructure and projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as initiatives to spur construction of affordable housing and ease the credit crunch.
They also say Ottawa must strengthen income-support programs, in particular by beefing up employment insurance.
They note the federal budget is barely in balance at this time and say there's a danger it could slip into deficit -- but insist that would be preferable to doing nothing.
"It is far better to maintain public programs to support employment and incomes, even at the cost of a cyclical deficit."
