On Dec 9, 12:08 am, Fred Weiss wrote: >> On Dec 9, 12:13 am, Les Cargill wrote: >> >>> > The postwar boom was over. He provided a vision >>> > that spun things in a positive way for a lot of people. >> >>> > I've made my peace with it. >> >> Still, whatever its failings, the bull market of the 90's started with >> Reagan - and he almost completely reversed Carter's "stagflation". It >> is also debated how much he directly contributed but it is >> incontestable that he presided over the implosion of communism. >> >> As for the "service economy", the left speaks from both sides of their >> mouths on that one, too - even apart from the fact that they have >> absolutely no idea what a service economy means. >> >> But for one thing, a service economy doesn't produce smog or pollute >> rivers - and it was in fact leftist labor and environmental policies >> which significantly contributed to shutting down a large chunk of >> America's industrial, mining, and timber base (and motivated its >> remnants to flee overseas). >> >> One glaring example: why aren't we drilling in ANWR or off our coasts >> - along with the extremely high-paying jobs that would involve, not to >> mention the billions in equipment that would be required? Thanks, >> Obama, for promising billions on "infrastructure", but how about >> starting there (and which would cost the taxpayers nothing while >> offering us an increased domestic fuel supply). >> >> Now watch the leftist complainers about our "service economy" shriek >> in protest! >> >> Fred Weiss What most forget about the Wall Street successes is that rarely does it benefit main street. Starting with Reagan, wealth started falling mainly in the hands of the few. Salaries for the working classes either stagnated or declined while those at the top saw their incomes double and triple. Some saw their wealth increase by a hundred fold. The difference in pay between managers and the working class went from a 20 to 1 ratio to 200 to 1.