Laura Bramble

Whether you are in favor of President Obama's economic direction or not, you have to be impressed by the moderate Republican Senators who have come forward and made the commitment to working together with the Democrats to put the best possible package forward. It is not as many Republicans as I would like to see, but I was never under the impression there would be a huge number of them willing to do this. It is encouraging to see that there are some out there who find taking action and moving forward more important then sulking and licking wounds. I think that no matter where you sit on the spectrum, Right or Left,it is clear that something has to be done.

Herbert Hoover, a great man of action, allowed the dire nature of the Great Depression to affect him to the point of indecision; ultimately doing nothing. It is almost never that doing nothing solves a problem, especially a problem of this shape and scope. The degree of action necessary is debatable; indeed that is where the Republican party presently has the chance to fill a vital role and demonstrate their relevance and merit.  They can help bring the debate over fiscal policy to the middle where moderates of both parties can create policies that are practical and workable. 

It has finally become apparent to all but the most stubborn Republicans and Libertarians that supply side, trickle down economics does not work in anything but theory. It, like Communism (another great system in theory), does not take into account a basic human emotion- greed. When corporations become entities unto themselves with their own sets of needs and desires, they become subject to the same emotions as people do. Greed turns into corporate greed and the survival instinct of the corporation as a whole becomes as strong as any individual's. The corporation becomes a living, breathing creature; one that will do whatever it takes to live, committing any act it deems necessary to eliminate any threats to its well being . So when resources that are supposed to "trickle down" to others who need them land in their laps, corporations do what any greedy person who feels threatened will do; it keeps them in house. Hence, nothing trickles down and all the programs that have been put in place to benefit those at the top and eventually make it down the slope never make it down to those who were also supposed to benefit from them.

On the other hand, sending all of our resources to the bottom rung, in the hope that it will raise them and help them to contribute more, to "trickle up", has not been realistic either. Welfare was never meant to be a permanent state; people were supposed to take assistance while they were getting back on their feet as a helping hand in time of trouble. However, a class was created that was born into the welfare state and were never given a taste of the benefit of individual initiative and self sufficiency. They were never taught by their parents how to take care of themselves and why that is so necessary, nor were they ever given a sense of pride and dignity. So they did the only thing they knew how to do; take until there was no more left to take.

The answer to the economic crisis in our country lies somewhere in the middle of these two extremes. That is where bipartisanship and the role of moderates becomes so important. The moderates can lead the way, exercising balance and reason with an understanding and sensitivity toward the two extremes. The fringe, with their passion, can be sure that the ultimate result does not swing too far in either direction. No one side is totally right here, nor totally wrong.

Moderation and cooperation may not be exciting, but it is what can save this country and put it on a solid and stable path for the future.  

Laura Bramble

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