Lie to me

If you've watched the show, "Lie to Me," you have a pretty good sense of the latest motto for most Americans.  Nothing drives me crazier than the unending assault of prevaricators who will offer one theory or another, but never be challenged to back up the assertion.  Consider this map based on U.S. Census data on the uninsured.  The greener the area, the higher the proportion of the uninsured.  The fact is that many of the uninsured are agricultural workers in Texas, California, and Florida.  Given the rhetoric of both parties, you would either believe there are no uninsured at all, or that they are everywhere. 

Then there are those who seem to think that the best way to save the economy is to cut government spending.  I'll be the first to step up and argue that there is a great deal of waste in what government does, but consider the number of private bankruptcies each year.  People just mess up, whether they are in the government or the private sector.

Now let's consider the spending cut idea.  First, short of Iraq and Afghanistan, this is not just money being thrown out the window.  It's money going to businesses for purchases and to pay employees.  So, logic tells you that if you cut spending, there will be fewer purchases and fewer jobs.  Doesn't that make us worse off?  Now if capital was flowing freely into the private sector and cutting spending would boost that, OK, but who are you kidding?  Common sense tells you that cutting spending is just not a good idea in the middle of a recession.  If someone tells you it is, I suggest you watch the show, "Lie to Me," and see if you can pick up the signs.