>|> |> >|> Foreign policy and economic stimulus aside, the best possible thing the
>|> |> >|> Clinton administration could do would be to cut the budget deficit. If
>|> |> >|> that means dropping every single campaign promise to get the job done, he
>|> |> >|> will have proven himself a great President.
>|> |> >|>
>|> |> >|> Really now, we should all know buy now that government intervention in
>|> |> >|> the market place means increased inefficiency.
>|> |> >
>|> |> >This is a point that conservatives like to "presume" has been proved. If
>|> |> >anything the contrary is true - The Japanise, Korean and German governments
>|> |> >all take a very active government intervention policy. Countrys that don't-
>|> |> >e.g Britain + America have less successful economys.
>|> |>
>|> |> Less successful economies by what standard? The US has the highest GDP
>|> |> per capita of any industrial economy and the highest productivity in
>|> |> the world. Europe has been practicing state intervention (like industrial
>|> |> policy) for the last 20 years and it hasn't worked.
>|> |>
>|> |>
>|> |>
>|> |> Mike.
>|>
>What definition of "hasn't worked" are you using? If we compare the best example
>of a "free market laissez-faire" economy, ie America with the best example of a hands-on mixed social democratic ecomomy like Germany I think you get a different result. Pre-unification Germany has far higher growth, standard of living and a stronger soc|> ial fabric than America in the last ten years. Mesurements of GDP per capita is a very difficult statistic to quantify - what currency is it measured in ? Usually American Dollars which when measuring American GDP are not subject to currency flut
>
> Barry
>
>
I don't understand your objection (maybe because I'm having trouble
reading your posts). What do you base standard of living on? I admit
GDP per capita is an imperfect measure of wealth, but it is the best we
have, and on this measure the US is roughly 20% higher than Germany
(according to the Economist). More importantly, the US has a higher
level of productivity---a strong measure of competitiveness---than any
other nation. In recent years, Germany's productivity has been catching