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This is another thought experiment.
Imagine that a Democrat is elected after a Republican President had overseen the the worst economic disaster in US history. The Democrat's campaign was based upon "Hope and Change" - literally, "Happy Days Are Here Again". The Democrat instituted all kinds of new government programs, even creating new government agencies and health programs, instituted significant corporate controls, injected the government in specific market segments to prop up particular industries, and pursued massive stimulus spending to stave off a complete collapse of the US economy amid an economic recession felt the world over. Republicans decried these programs as "Socialism" (some also called them fascism and accused him of being dictatorial), fought them tooth and nail, and even got some victories in court striking down a number of elements of his programs, with a Supreme Court that was both ideologically bent and decidedly conservative.
Nonetheless, over the 8 years of his presidency unemployment dropped considerably (cut in half), income inequality was reduced, the stock markets and banks recovered, even reaching new levels, the GDP (and government debt) grew substantially, yet many economists decried the recovery as "weak". At the same time, climate changes were devastating crops and causing widespread problems in farm country and forests.
The years, are not, as one might have guessed, 2008-2016, but 1932-1940. (History does repeat.) And here's where the experiment begins: What if in 1940 Roosevelt were not reelected, but instead the Republican, one Donald John Trump became President. What would have happened? How would the United States be different today? Instead of "What Would Jesus Do"? What Would Donald J. Trump Have Done?
(Just as I posted this, I saw that there is a similar thread that also started. I guess great minds do think alike.)
Imagine that a Democrat is elected after a Republican President had overseen the the worst economic disaster in US history. The Democrat's campaign was based upon "Hope and Change" - literally, "Happy Days Are Here Again". The Democrat instituted all kinds of new government programs, even creating new government agencies and health programs, instituted significant corporate controls, injected the government in specific market segments to prop up particular industries, and pursued massive stimulus spending to stave off a complete collapse of the US economy amid an economic recession felt the world over. Republicans decried these programs as "Socialism" (some also called them fascism and accused him of being dictatorial), fought them tooth and nail, and even got some victories in court striking down a number of elements of his programs, with a Supreme Court that was both ideologically bent and decidedly conservative.
Nonetheless, over the 8 years of his presidency unemployment dropped considerably (cut in half), income inequality was reduced, the stock markets and banks recovered, even reaching new levels, the GDP (and government debt) grew substantially, yet many economists decried the recovery as "weak". At the same time, climate changes were devastating crops and causing widespread problems in farm country and forests.
The years, are not, as one might have guessed, 2008-2016, but 1932-1940. (History does repeat.) And here's where the experiment begins: What if in 1940 Roosevelt were not reelected, but instead the Republican, one Donald John Trump became President. What would have happened? How would the United States be different today? Instead of "What Would Jesus Do"? What Would Donald J. Trump Have Done?
(Just as I posted this, I saw that there is a similar thread that also started. I guess great minds do think alike.)
