Confirmation Hearing: Bono (Secretary of the Treasury)

[WMS]

I'm right in the middle now on this confirmation. I'm not sure if Bono is the right person to try and get the economy up and reduce unemployment.

If the senator wants to get the economy up, I sugest he starts looking for ways to cut the budget and cut taxes.

This is a bit of a meta-question, but...given several past Senates that have done just this, and the continuing weakness of the economy in spite of that (and the fact that, somehow, tax revenues never increased ), is this really the problem, or is there some other factor involved?

[WMS]

I'm right in the middle now on this confirmation. I'm not sure if Bono is the right person to try and get the economy up and reduce unemployment.

If the senator wants to get the economy up, I sugest he starts looking for ways to cut the budget and cut taxes.

This is a bit of a meta-question, but...given several past Senates that have done just this, and the continuing weakness of the economy in spite of that (and the fact that, somehow, tax revenues never increased ), is this really the problem, or is there some other factor involved?

There were several external and some internal problems. First, do I really have to mention all the rebellions? They can't have a good effect on the economy, methinks.
Anyways, the budget cuts have been very small and irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. No actual functions of the federal government have been really removed. Plus, where are these tax cuts you speak of? I see no cuts, and I see some new taxes created, like that horrible social engereering sin taxes.

The external problems are, quite frankly, a weakness in the simulation - anybody can, at whim, start a rebellion, and suffer next to no consequences, whereas those people in the government have to deal with all the negative aftereffects. This is not your fault

Well, before I entered office the Senate was dominated by libertarians - are you saying that even they didn't make any real cuts in spending or in taxes? Hmm...

*edit*
And no, I'm not blaming him for the rise in unemployment caused by Al's 2 factors. I'm not certain I like all of his solutions or his view on what is needed, but I ain't gonna tar him with unfair charges.

[WMS]

Well, before I entered office the Senate was dominated by libertarians - are you saying that even they didn't make any real cuts in spending or in taxes? Hmm...

When the libertarians dominated the Senate, most of the cuts we passed were fairly minor, and we ended up removing the balanced budget requirement through constitutional amendment.  Bono is right that there have not been any truly serious budget cuts (i.e. DanielX's chainsaw budget slash proposal never made it through).

Yup. The most serious reform was actually made by this senate with the medicare reform bill.

Thanks for the replies and I shall savor the irony.

[WMS]

Nay - I'm not convinced his policies are what is needed in the current economic situation. And I shall jump into another pot of hot water with this one, but what's life without some risk?