A ‘crisis’ a child could understand

Re “Keynes can’t help us now,” Opinion, Feb. 6

A “subprime surprise” followed by a “credit crunch” and a “global financial crisis.”

Sounds like me a few years back. I didn’t do my chores -- I was 11 and had better things to do. This led to a no-allowance surprise, also followed by a “credit crunch”: My dad declined my request for a loan so I could join my friends at Raging Waters. And “crisis”? Oh my, you don’t even want to know.

Do we really need a Harvard economist to tell us the dangers of spending what was never earned? At least my dad knew money doesn’t grow on trees. That’s more than I can say for Congress.

We are governed by a bunch of spoiled children. I was given a “stimulus package” at age 11. It was a very painful and effective stimulus. It was the word “no.” Maybe Harvard could study it.

Bob Warner

Altadena

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I agree that lowering mortgage payments is terrific stimulus. However, Niall Ferguson’s observation that shareholders “should have kept a more vigilant eye” on bank heads doesn’t wash.

Firms are incorporated in Delaware in part because its laws help companies ignore shareholders.

Our problem is ultimately more political than economic. You can’t run a nation via spats between parties.

David Dietrich

Temecula