Stan Gudmundson’s recent commentary stumbled around the term “socialism,” and included a general vilification of government and cooperatives. His arguments were often nonsensical and outright falsehoods. I’ve dealt with cooperatives as farmer and rural citizen. I think most rural folks around here are pleased with their cooperative experiences. I believe Mr. Gudmundson owes cooperatives and their employees an apology. Mr. Gudmundson’s most ludicrous statement proclaimed that government cannot fix recessions or depressions. On the contrary, it’s practically the only way. Most often, including the Great Depression and Great Recession, these problems start with some type of calamity or panic due to inadequate government regulations. With unemployment and worry, demand for products plummets. Businesses have no incentive to add production or hire workers. Thus, government must get money in people’s hands. Tax cuts, direct payments to citizens, or best of all, job creation are necessary, and the best jobs to create are infrastructure building. With truly serious financial calamities, governments tend to find it difficult to push enough money and jobs into the economy. Unfortunately, legislators start to overly worry about deficit spending. It took tremendous government spending at the beginning of WW2 to finally end the Great Depression. We have learned a lot from the history of the Great Depression although Mr. Gudmundson has learned virtually nothing. Yes, Hoover’s tax increases were stupid, but FDR’s bank holiday was a success, and we now understand that the Federal Reserve’s contraction of the money supply was a mistake. Mr. Gudmundson seems to relate and worship the richest .1% for job creation, when in fact, most jobs are created by small businesses. His argument relating capitalism’s constructs to “eliminating the world’s drug problem” is incomprehensible garbage. As a nation, we will suffer if factual knowledge is drowned amidst ideological claptrap.
Greg Rendahl
Ostrander, Minn.
Kim says
It is hard to type when laughing hard. Apology??? That’s funny. Government CANT creat jobs. FDR extended the depression because of his policies. Capitalism insures small companys have the chance to grow. Any time something is ” guaranteed” by big gov simply means someone is paying, someone losing. Here is a great point. Bernie is running around talking about socialism. My question: Who was GREASTEST socialist of 20th century??.. adolph hitler. I so much DARE a debate on that 😃
Aaron Bishop says
Greetings Kim,
I’ll debate on that. In fact, I referred to that in my last article. Paying lop-service to the idea of socialism is not the same thing as being a socialist.
http://fillmorecountyjournal.com/devils-advocateequivocating-socialism/
Aaron Bishop says
*lip-service
Herb Panko says
Great rebuttal, Greg!! Keep on writing. The clarity and logic in your writing is refreshing amidst an abundance of idiocy seen so frequently here.