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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Emergency Services, Feb. 24 Man critically burned in trailer fire Medford, Ashland districts fall short of anti-bullying standards Pot growers could raise electricity rates in Ashland, official says Medford's second-hand law gets a second look Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency Services, Feb. 24 Man critically burned in trailer fire Medford neighbors take up arms against a sea of graffiti Emergency Services, Feb. 23 Car crashes into new south Medford home Politics and Elections Ballots on Jackson County marijuana tax go out Friday Brown's inauguration brings hope to local lawmakers Kate Brown sworn in as Oregon's 38th governor Gov. Kitzhaber steps down, federal investigation begins Gov. Kitzhaber announces resignation Education Medford, Ashland districts fall short of anti-bullying standards Grace to assume school governance AHS principal up for national award Today is exclusion day for kids who don't have required vaccines A question of punishment Environment Lost Creek Lake logjam could become hazard for boaters Made in the Shade Controlled burn planned for Ashland watershed on Friday Coho salmon road trip Mt. Ashland Ski Area celebrates snow State News Brown says she'll preserve Oregon death penalty moratorium Tentative deal reached in West Coast port labor dispute State Senate votes to dissolve Cover Oregon Psychic gets 8 years for con of timber heir Economists project 'kicker' rebates Nation - World Obituaries Harvey Franklin Bauers Lois Gunsolus Wilson Donald Max Long Betty E. Schmidt Anne Brown Stewart Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable Mars One attracts science fiction geeks and people who hate society This $1 million Mercedes is like an armored private jet for the road Sports Latest Stories LOCAL EVENTS Playoffs could use overhaul A-Rod back, but avoids PED specifics Raiders host Yotes in quarterfinal round Beavers a win away from outright Pac-12 title Varsity 541 College Sports Raiders host Yotes in quarterfinal round Beavers a win away from outright Pac-12 title Comeback in Corvallis Bubble Breaker? Beavers Pac-12 champs with win Pro Sports Playoffs could use overhaul A-Rod back, but avoids PED specifics Grizzlies overcome deficit to beat Blazers Hahn wins Riviera after playoff Wood sets franchise points record in win Community Sports Business Latest Stories Warm winter has fruit growers poised for action People in Business Ride & Drive: 2015 VW Golf R Silvio Calabi: Kia Soul mixes practicality with personality Briefcase: Business briefs for Feb. 21 Real Estate News Housing prices climb 9 percent in Jackson County Big plans on the Butte Homes for the long haul People In Business People in Business People in Business Transportation Medford airport flies past January record Agriculture Warm winter has fruit growers poised for action Briefcase: Business briefs for Feb. 21 1-800-Flowers dumps Harry & David execs Nine companies pitch investment opportunities in Medford Darigold to shutter Medford plant, putting 29 out of work Opinion Latest Mark L. Hopkins: History speaks to us on our present economic situation Feb. 23: Letters to the editor Parker: Cable news twists the 'war on Islam' Our View: Smell of trouble may spark marijuana limits Feb. 22: Letters to the editor Editorials Our View: Smell of trouble may spark marijuana limits Voter bill secures a fundamental right Our view: Will Brown reach out to rural Oregon? Our view: Expulsions hurt students, district, community Our View: Independent Party of Oregon faces obstacles Letters to the Editor Feb. 23: Letters to the editor Feb. 22: Letters to the editor Feb. 20: Letters to the editor Feb. 19: Letters to the editor Letters to the editor, Feb. 18 Columns Parker: Cable news twists the 'war on Islam' Independent Party focuses on the public interest Milbank: Walker's cowardice on view in NY Will: Tweet this: Digital dialogue won't work 'Big' government is not so big after all Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Weed killers should not be sprayed on streams, homes Guest Opinion: Understanding Wes Cooley Guest Opinion: Smokers: Quit before this happens to you Guest Opinion: Our public school system is a stew pot of clashing ingredients Guest Opinion: How long will we look the other way? Lifestyle Latest stories Day Trippin': Mill Creek Falls easy to miss Blog: HAIKU MONDAY: On Sunscreen Steelhead and Flat Earthers Ride & Drive: 2015 VW Golf R Kitchen Call: Baseball, beans and Bob Motley Gail Ciampa: Scrod Francaise fits the bill for Lenten dining Food Kitchen Call: Baseball, beans and Bob Motley Gail Ciampa: Scrod Francaise fits the bill for Lenten dining Restaurant Inspections: Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015 Fire and Smoke Tammy Kelly: Comfort food makes cold weather better Home and Garden Home Help: Low-maintenance landscaping ideas Garden Cameos: Winter is the time to prune How to install energy-efficient windows the right way Dear Monty: Nine downsizing tips for seniors Carol Link: Prime time for pruning blueberries approaches Health Community blog: And if I Die Before I Wake Dr. Murray Feingold: Does a sedentary lifestyle make you prone to disease? Dr. Jeff Hersh: Breathe easy - all about lung function Health Watch: Health improvements you can make today that will pay off for a lifetime Runners’ Corner: Helpful winter running hints Hiking Biking Faith Religion briefs: Friday, Feb. 20 Religion News: Pope makes surprise shantytown visit Religion briefs: Friday, Feb. 13 RELIGION BRIEFS, Feb. 6 Religion News: Church of England consecrates first female bishop Milestones and Achievements Anniversary: Hofer New arrivals: Sunday, Feb. 8 Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories SOU presents 'She Stoops to Conquer' Live Music in Local Clubs OSF kicks off its 2015 season SOU presents 'The Glass Menagerie' Third Fridays showcases local artists Theater SOU presents 'She Stoops to Conquer' 'The Glass Menagerie' is polished and professional OSF kicks off its 2015 season SOU presents 'The Glass Menagerie' Le Cirque presents 'City Walk' Music Professor Gall plays Oberon's Tavern Live Music in Local Clubs The music that made Paris famous Blues Jam at The Little Brown Jug Southern Oregon Jazz Orchestra Community Events Third Fridays showcases local artists Southern Oregon Rod and Custom Show Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhibits by regional artists Jacksonville celebrates Chinese New Year Comedian Susan Westenhoefer pulls no punches Dining Restaurant Inspections: Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015 Saigon Xich Lo Vietnamese cuisine The zwickels shall flow Soo Rah Korean Cuisine Stylish shareables are the feature at Brickroom Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines/Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW Man critically burned in trailer fire ... Medford, Ashland districts fall short of anti-bullying standards ... Medford's second-hand law gets a second look ... Man critically burned in trailer fire ... Medford, Ashland districts fall short of anti-bullying standards ... Medford's second-hand law gets a second look ... Mark L. Hopkins: History speaks to us on our present economic situation Comment By Mark L. Hopkins More Content Now MailTribune.com By Mark L. Hopkins More Content Now Posted Feb. 23, 2015 at 7:18 AM By Mark L. Hopkins More Content Now Posted Feb. 23, 2015 at 7:18 AM » Social News By all modern measures the recession is over. Unfortunately, some segments of our economy are still feeling the effects. Unemployment is still an issue, especially among lower-skilled jobs. And growth in the manufacturing sector lags well behind the ideal. Most of the political-speak from Washington, D.C., these days ignores both the reality of our situation and our history. I believe in history. History is the only reality available to us for future planning. We must study history, as they say, or we are doomed to repeat it. Some say that we can solve our problems by cutting taxes and slashing government spending. However, taxes in the United States as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) are at their lowest level since 1950. The countries of today’s world with lower unemployment and higher rates of economic growth all have much higher taxes than the USA. Germany and Denmark are good examples. Others espouse that the government should withdraw from various aspects of the economy to create a “free market.” Yet the fastest-growing economy in the world is China, which has almost total governmental control of its economy. Governments are the only entities with the capability to “position” countries in the international marketplace. Both Sudan and Brazil are good examples of countries with little government involvement, and they have runaway economies and very high inflation. Most would identify the “cut taxes” and “free market” solutions to our current problem as based on “conservative” thinking. Conservative theorists Edmund Burke and writers William Buckley and George Will would disagree, based on knowledge of the history of our economy and that of the rest of the world Both the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Tax Policy Center show that for the past 60 years, whenever tax rates were the highest, more jobs were created than when the tax rates were the lowest, as they are now. In a time of previous economic difficulty, with multiple Republicans (Eisenhower, Nixon, Ford and Reagan) in the White House, the response from Washington was very different. From 1957, the year of Sputnik, to the early 1980s when U.S. taxes were significantly higher than now, the government created the interstate highway system, made massive investments in education and science, created small-business incubators and built bridges to the rest of the world for trade. The result was major development in science and business, major improvements in the education and health industries, 50 years of economic growth, and the highest living standard in the world. Getting control of government spending may be helpful in solving our current crisis, but cutting taxes is not the route to a healthy economy. Every time we have cut taxes in recent history we have moved further from a healthy economy and deeper into debt. History speaks to us. We should listen. Dr. Mark L. Hopkins writes for More Content Now and Scripps Newspapers. He is past president of colleges and universities in four states and currently serves as executive director of a higher-education consulting service. Hopkins’ latest book, “Journey to Gettysburg,” is now available at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble. Contact him at [email protected]. By Mark L. Hopkins More Content Now MailTribune.com By Mark L. 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