Fighting terrorism

[Nathan Newman]

There was a news announcement that Congress is about to approve a $20
billion appropriation to pay for rebuilding after the destruction, which a
number of economists have noted may be a moderate stimulus for the economy.
For New York which is teetering on recession, it would be an irony if this
infusion of money helped pull it back from the brink with new construction
jobs and other services to reinforce the repair and cleanup efforts.

A number of tenants had been cancelling leases for new offices built in
Jersey City, but displaced WTC tenants will likely quickly fill them.  If
this all acts as a jobs program to cut unemployment here, maybe the rest of
the country will get the idea for a stimulus more useful than a capital
gains tax cut or the other measures Bush and the GOP are beginning to push
again.

Nathan Newman
nathan at newman.org
http://www.nathannewman.org
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lawrence" <lawrence at krubner.com>
To: <lbo-talk at lists.panix.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 12, 2001 10:14 PM
Subject: Re: Fighting terrorism


> I heard some wank on TV today claim that if the US really wants to fight
> terrorism, the'll need to open the "lock box" and spend the SS surplus on
> this effort.  Let's hope he was full of hot air....

Who cares if we spend the SS money? Most governments run deficits during
war. America is in reasonably strong financial shape. Total debt at the end
of WWII was 96% of GNP. We'd have to add 6 trillion of debt to get to that
level.