Is this country headed toward another depression?

[BushKenya]

I heard this being floated around at work.  With several major financial institutions biting the dust the past week, my co-workers are comparing this to what happened in late 1929 into 1930 at the onset of the Great Depression.  They are tossing around the idea that this is looking eerily similar to the events 78 years ago.  What say you?  I don't necessarily agree with the idea that we're headed to a depression.  One reason is, the American Economy of 2008, while in a recession, is much stronger than the American Economy of 1929-1930.  80 years has made our economy very strong.  Plus, with several "recessions" in those 80 years, those events have made our economy very resilient and we have been able to bounce back nicely from all the recessions we've had in the past 70-80 years.  I want to get your honest, non-partisan, opinion, though.

[Senator Ben]

No; certainly not anything nearly as severe.  We may hit a fairly bad recession, but it won't be nearly as bad as the Depression was.

[Keystone Phil]

No

[??????????]

No and if we did we'd better hope we don't get a president who extends it (like FDR).

[DownWithTheLeft]

No and if we did we'd better hope we don't get a president who extends it (like FDR).

Perhaps that president would end it by declaring an unnecessary war even sooner than FDR did

[Snowguy716]

YES WE'RE ALL DOOMED AND ITS THE RETHUGLICANTS FAULT!!!!!!!!!! LOLZ!!!!

[Daniel Adams]

Nope, unless we repeat the same mistakes Hoover and FDR committed.

[Prez Duke]

Obama raising taxes in the middle of this al la FDR is a good way to cause one. We know he's rooting for it right now.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

It's looking like the worst since the Great Depression,but there's no evidence that it'd be as bad as the Depression. Bush did screw things up pretty bad, so you never know.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Obama raising taxes in the middle of this al la FDR is a good way to cause one. We know he's rooting for it right now.

Most people would get a tax cut, at least if they still have jobs after the Bush economy.

[Prez Duke]

Obama raising taxes in the middle of this al la FDR is a good way to cause one. We know he's rooting for it right now.

Most people would get a tax cut, at least if they still have jobs after the Bush economy.

Okay. Let's raise taxes on the wealthy, capital gains, payroll, and social security and see how the economy responds. I bet it would turn around!

[NDN]

Obama raising taxes in the middle of this al la FDR is a good way to cause one. We know he's rooting for it right now.

Most people would get a tax cut, at least if they still have jobs after the Bush economy.

Okay. Let's raise taxes on the wealthy, capital gains, payroll, and social security and see how the economy responds. I bet it would turn around!

I highly doubt Obama is going to attempt to do all of that at once. That said the immense costs of what he seems to be advocating make me extremely nervous. We have enough unfunded liabilities as it stands without him promising to use government to practically part the seas.

[CARLHAYDEN]

Depression, probably not.  Severe and lengthy recession, probably.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Obama raising taxes in the middle of this al la FDR is a good way to cause one. We know he's rooting for it right now.

Most people would get a tax cut, at least if they still have jobs after the Bush economy.

Okay. Let's raise taxes on the wealthy, capital gains, payroll, and social security and see how the economy responds. I bet it would turn around!

I highly doubt Obama is going to attempt to do all of that at once. That said the immense costs of what he seems to be advocating make me extremely nervous. We have enough unfunded liabilities as it stands without him promising to use government to practically part the seas.

His tax cut is much cheaper than McCain's.

[??????????]

Obama raising taxes in the middle of this al la FDR is a good way to cause one. We know he's rooting for it right now.

Most people would get a tax cut, at least if they still have jobs after the Bush economy.

Okay. Let's raise taxes on the wealthy, capital gains, payroll, and social security and see how the economy responds. I bet it would turn around!

I highly doubt Obama is going to attempt to do all of that at once. That said the immense costs of what he seems to be advocating make me extremely nervous. We have enough unfunded liabilities as it stands without him promising to use government to practically part the seas.

His tax cut is much cheaper than McCain's.

How will he pay for his 500 Billion in new spending?

[A18]

There is, of course, no formal economic definition of a "depression." The question is meaningless.

[Smid]

JFern, your signature line proves FDR's failures in improving the economy - despite the fact that there was a 9% rise in unemployment under Hoover, in all his years as President, FDR was only able to grow the economy enough to bring back half the jobs. So despite the fact he's at the top of your list, he was probably the least successful in improving the unemployment rate of all the presidents on there.

[memphis]

No and if we did we'd better hope we don't get a president who extends it (like FDR).

Perhaps that president would end it by declaring an unnecessary war even sooner than FDR did

What would you do after Pearl Harbor? Stick your head in the sand? Invade Iraq?

[??????????]

What would you do after Pearl Harbor?

Go to war with Germany of course, duh.

[memphis]

What would you do after Pearl Harbor?

Go to war with Germany of course, duh.

They were allied with Japan, duh.

[Prez Duke]

Obama raising taxes in the middle of this al la FDR is a good way to cause one. We know he's rooting for it right now.

Most people would get a tax cut, at least if they still have jobs after the Bush economy.

Okay. Let's raise taxes on the wealthy, capital gains, payroll, and social security and see how the economy responds. I bet it would turn around!

I highly doubt Obama is going to attempt to do all of that at once. That said the immense costs of what he seems to be advocating make me extremely nervous. We have enough unfunded liabilities as it stands without him promising to use government to practically part the seas.

His tax cut is much cheaper than McCain's.

Well, Obama is calling for billions more in spending. Last time I checked, McCain wanted to cut spending, something his record has shown for a long time. Cutting taxes and increasing spending makes little sense, and this is what Bush did that got him in so much trouble.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Well, Obama is calling for billions more in spending. Last time I checked, McCain wanted to cut spending, something his record has shown for a long time. Cutting taxes and increasing spending makes little sense, and this is what Bush did that got him in so much trouble.

McCain isn't going to cut spending. He will continue wasting money on this Iraq war and corporate bailouts. Palin will push for some more Bridge to Nowheres in Alaska.

[Prez Duke]

Well, Obama is calling for billions more in spending. Last time I checked, McCain wanted to cut spending, something his record has shown for a long time. Cutting taxes and increasing spending makes little sense, and this is what Bush did that got him in so much trouble.

McCain isn't going to cut spending. He will continue wasting money on this Iraq war and corporate bailouts. Palin will push for some more Bridge to Nowheres in Alaska.

Goodness. It's kind of impossible to win with you. The war in Iraq is drawing to a close and both candidates will begin to draw down troops fairly soon. Obama wants to delay it so he can win the Presidency first. Statements like Palin pushing for a bridge to nowhere is pretty silly to say.

And what would Obama have done with the financial crisis? He wouldn't have supported the bailouts?

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Well, Obama is calling for billions more in spending. Last time I checked, McCain wanted to cut spending, something his record has shown for a long time. Cutting taxes and increasing spending makes little sense, and this is what Bush did that got him in so much trouble.

McCain isn't going to cut spending. He will continue wasting money on this Iraq war and corporate bailouts. Palin will push for some more Bridge to Nowheres in Alaska.

Goodness. It's kind of impossible to win with you. The war in Iraq is drawing to a close and both candidates will begin to draw down troops fairly soon. Obama wants to delay it so he can win the Presidency first. Statements like Palin pushing for a bridge to nowhere is pretty silly to say.

And what would Obama have done with the financial crisis? He wouldn't have supported the bailouts?

You claimed McCain wanted to cut spending. Obama is irrelevant to that claim. Do you really think that McCain plans on leaving Iraq soon? He was strongly against any sort of timetable before.

[Prez Duke]

Well, Obama is calling for billions more in spending. Last time I checked, McCain wanted to cut spending, something his record has shown for a long time. Cutting taxes and increasing spending makes little sense, and this is what Bush did that got him in so much trouble.

McCain isn't going to cut spending. He will continue wasting money on this Iraq war and corporate bailouts. Palin will push for some more Bridge to Nowheres in Alaska.

Goodness. It's kind of impossible to win with you. The war in Iraq is drawing to a close and both candidates will begin to draw down troops fairly soon. Obama wants to delay it so he can win the Presidency first. Statements like Palin pushing for a bridge to nowhere is pretty silly to say.

And what would Obama have done with the financial crisis? He wouldn't have supported the bailouts?

You claimed McCain wanted to cut spending. Obama is irrelevant to that claim. Do you really think that McCain plans on leaving Iraq soon? He was strongly against any sort of timetable before.

He was against cutting and running, but now that the Iraqi government is calling for a timetable, I would surely hope he isn't for overriding their wishes and staying in. And I don't think he is.