Gorbachev: It's your turn in the barrel, America

Mikhail Gorbachev was right when he recently said in an op-ed piece that Russia Had its Perestroika. It's High Time for Yours (the US). Translation: America, it's your turn in the barrel!

Gorbachev stated:

"But then came the economic crisis of 2008 and 2009, and it became
clear that the new Western model was an illusion that benefited
chiefly the very rich. Statistics show that the poor and the middle
class saw little or no benefit from the economic growth of the past
decades.

The time has come for "creative construction," for striking the right balance between the government and the market, for integrating social and environmental factors and demilitarizing the economy."

The US spends more than five times what the Russians and Chinese spend on defense every year. Is anyone surprised the the US infrastructure has been neglected for 30 years since Ronald Reagan was president.

Reagan cut the top tax rate for the affluent from 50 per cent to 33 per cent. When Clinton was president, he restored the top tax rate to about 39 per cent. Under Bush capital gains taxes which mainly affects the most affluent Americans was cut to under 15 per cent. Bush started a US$700 billion war after he had cut income and capital gains taxes. He was the only president in US history who cut taxes during a war.

Reagan fractured the middle class. About on third became affluent and the remainder treaded water or declined. He also overspent on the military leaving George H. W. Bush a huge national debt and a recession.

The roots of the US financial meltdown started with Ronald Reagan. the 'Bush Ownership Society accelerated the decline. Gorbachev is right, "The time has come for "creative construction," for striking the right balance between the government and the market . . ."

Both the old Soviets and the American conservatives got the balance wrong. It is also possible that the Russians have gone too far in the opposite direction. Russia has more billionaires and millionaires than any other country in Europe. It also has a flat tax.

The question facing America is: Can Obama get the the US rebalanced. One thing is clear: the Republican Party offers no solutions. The deregulation and privatization of the GOP has put us in the dire straits we now find in America in. Of course, the Republicans view any efforts to balance the public and private sectors as socialism.

They can call it whatever they want. Americans needs alternative polices and programs. Name calling won't resolve the dilemma this nation is now in.

www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/05/AR2009060501966_pf.html