Extending payroll tax cut won’t fix broken economy Re: “Washington sickness seen in payroll tax fiasco,” Dec. 22
There are enough real instances of dysfunctionality in government, but Josh Barro criticized Congress for the wrong reasons. His idea that cutting the payroll tax is needed to stimulate the economy is based on Keynesian ideas, not sound economics.
Giving households more money to spend this way means borrowing the money, so people lend money to the government instead of spending it themselves or investing it productively. The resulting anti-stimulus cancels out the supposed stimulus.
Fixing our problems will require an understanding of the real causes of unemployment and recessions.
Nicholas D. Rosen
Arlington
Solar industry has been a resounding success
Re: “Grants for renewable energy test party principles,” Dec. 21
Timothy Carney fails to account for economic growth spurred by the Section 1603 Treasury program. Since enactment in mid-2009, it has leveraged $22.8 billion in private investment for more than 22,000 new energy generation projects nationwide from a wide range of technologies.
By any objective measure, it’s been a resounding success. Today, solar employs more than 100,000 Americans at 5,000 companies and is poised to create 37,000 more if Congress extends this simple, effective policy.
We have a long history of incentivizing energy because it helped make the U.S. the strongest economy in the world. With America’s need for energy still growing, a responsible “all of the above” approach should encourage development of all resources.
Abundant, domestic solar energy must be part of the solution. Congress needs to extend the Section 1603 Treasury program to keep solar and a dozen other energy technologies working for our economy.
Rhone Resch
President and CEO,
Solar Energy Industries Association
Washington
Roemer’s candidacy appeals to disaffected middle
After being regularly excluded from media coverage and all the Republican presidential debates, Buddy Roemer may soon find himself the fortunate beneficiary of time, fate and convergence. One small yet galvanizing act on the part of this decent, sincere America could reinvigorate the mission to clean up both Washington and Wall Street.
All Buddy did was compassionately visit an Occupy encampment and eloquently connect its complaints to his core mission of getting money out of politics. But this time, the media recorded — and reported — what he said.
The Occupy movement, widely considered a scruffy rabble, would gain tons of respectability if it backed Buddy. And if he keeps endorsing Occupy’s contentions, he could gain millions of supporters who fervently despise corruption in politics.
This felicitous development brings new hope to many. With Gary keep-your-hands-off-my-body Johnson as Roemer’s running mate, this duo could form a centrist team that gives voice to the great disaffected middle that labored so hard to get Ross Perot elected.
Cary Hoagland
Silver Spring
