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Liked It “Not for the status quo lover, this author slays sacred cows by explaining how they got that way and why they don't work now. Then, he poses new ideas that seem downright radical to those who are squeemish about change.” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“Not for the status quo lover, this author slays sacred cows by explaining how they got that way and why they don't work now. Then, he poses new ideas that seem downright radical to those who are squeemish about change.”
Susie Peyton wrote this review Saturday, August 15 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I loved this book and I hated this book. Miller's premise is that America, and its standing in the world, are facing significant challenges from rapid technological changes and ever increasing global competition. He fears America cannot maintain the living standards and economic position it has enjoyed in the past. I'm with him so far. He identifies several ideas he calls dead ideas such as: taxes always pull down the economy; free trade is essential, even if some groups get hurt; and schools should all be managed locally. He explains that these dead ideas, though possibly true in the past, still dominate our national thinking, but must be abandoned if America is to remain relevant in the world. He offers several new ideas all of which have government taking a much larger role in solving problems and establishing a social welfare agenda. Time after time he looks to Europe as the example we should be following. I have two problems with all of this. First, and most importantly, government is very good at initiating programs that, at first, appear helpful, but never live up to the claims. Government perpetuates its programs and competition with government programs is not allowed. Government stifles innovation and creativity. Government does invest billions of tax dollars in research, but I don't want politically motivated bureaucrats deciding what is important to research. Government bureaucracy is notoriously inefficient. Miller himself refers to how gridlocked Washington has become and how politically motivated, for personal interests, our government officials have become. Do we really want to give them more power and control over our lives? Second, Miller always looks to Europe as the example of where good ideas are being incubated. But the good ideas he refers to are social welfare oriented. Even a casual observation of the world at this time shows the greatest competition for technological and economic advances is coming from the Far East and India. If we look anywhere it should be in that direction. This book is important because at least Miller is thinking critically about how America moves forward, but he is far more trusting in government than I am, and clings to the deadest of ideas: that government should have a greater role in solving all our problems. Miller wants to treat symptoms, but ignores the core problem. Wriston's law http://bit.ly/3vM28O helps explain the problem. For those that don't trust free enterprise to solve our problems, and I agree free enterprise is far from perfect, the answer is still: in free markets things that don't work eventually die, when government programs don't work they get more funding to make them work.”
Stan W wrote this review Wednesday, October 21 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“A great economics read. Its info contains the economic meltdown of 2008.
Stanley B wrote this review Friday, July 17 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
There are the dead ideas (for USA) which need to be flipped:
"Only Government Can Save Business"
"Only Business Can Save Liberalism"
"Only Higher Taxes Can Save the economy (and the Planet)"
"Only the (Lower) Upper Class Can Save Us from Inequality", etc”
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