The Difference

It appears that today, the difference between the right or conservative factions and the left or liberal/progressive factions is the following view of America:

• The conservative view is that thing were perfect in the past and any change should revert back to policies that were in place when thing WERE perfect.
• The liberal/progressive view is thing are not perfect now nor were they perfect in the past and change is needed to make things perfect in the future.

Is it possible to resolve this difference?  If so, how? 

It should be obvious from looking at historical economic data that austerity will not reverse economic recession.  Recession is the result of a lack of consumption on the part of consumers and cutting government spending just reduces funds that are used to pay consumers, some of whom work directly for the government and some of whom work for the private sector that provides goods and services ordered and paid for by the government.

It should also be obvious that neither relaxing regulations nor reducing taxes will result in sufficient growth to reverse the economic recession since these were the policies that were in place that resulted in the recession in the first place.

Finally, again looking at historical data, income inequality, when a significantly large proportion of income and wealth is concentrated at the top while over 90 percent of the population remains stagnant or actually falls behind on the income/wealth curve, the economic result always has been recession or depression.  Although the top 10% may experience growth, this is too small a group to influence an economy as large as that of the United States.  When 90 percent of consumers either physically or psychologically cannot afford to spend for anything but essentials demand for products and services becomes insufficient and the overall economy stagnates or declines.  Historically, every economic decline was preceded by a growth in inequality.

So, the question that needs answering is whether we go forward or go back.  I would like to see arguments presented for going back that can be backed up with economic evidence and economic facts.