It’s the Politics, Stupid!
November 23, 2011 2 Comments
Yes, the economy is stagnating again. The do-nothings on capital hill aren’t helping one bit. The reality you and I (I’m assuming you’re in the lower 99%, unless you’re having this read to you by your slaves) live in is just not getting through to our elected officials. But did you or I elect them? Did you bother to vote in the midterms? Slate has a clearer view:
Much has been made of the depth of the economic crisis facing the United States, and it should not be underestimated. But only about 30 percent of the trouble facing the U.S. today is economic — the U.S. economy, compared with all the other developed economies, is in the best structural and demographic shape to weather this storm and ultimately regain its health. But a cancer does exist: The real problem America faces is political, and once again today, it is on stark display.
The warring tribes of Capitol Hill rolled out their carefully prepared talking points over the weekend looking to ensure the other side got the blame for the failure of the congressional super committee on Monday. “The President was AWOL,” cried the GOP, “the Republicans sold their soul to the anti-tax lobby,” counter the Dems.
In fact, blame for the failure of the congressional super committee belongs with every American who failed to vote in the 2010 midterm election. Nothing encapsulates the dysfunction of American democracy better than the fact that we abdicate responsibility for governing our country (and running our economy) to a radical minority every four years out of laziness and, to a smaller extent, deliberate efforts by both parties to depress turnout they know will favor their rivals.
The result: an American economic crisis that is eminently solvable has been trusted to the hands of political hacks representing fringe minority factions within each political parties whose primary incentive is to avoid providing ammunition to the other side. Thus has our political system turned a simple question of accounting into an economic version of the Arab-Israeli conflict – a conflict for which the solution has been clear for 40 years if only either side were willing to deal with reality.
Read the rest: It’s the Politics, Stupid!.
About Jack Jamison
We certainly did not elect them to be intractable and unwavering to a pledge made to Grover Norquist. The comparison to the Arab Israeli conflict is a good one. As time goes on, the traffic jam becomes the status quo and they hope the 99% can be charmed back to sleep. The election next year becomes the next point at which we can decide whether we can willingly walk and work our way out of the current mess. All this for a political ploy that the GOP can make Obama the scapegoat for the current lagging recovery.
http://liberaltalkingpoints.wordpress.com/2011/11/20/poverty-in-america-is-soaring/
In managing the economy in any country, people and their government have to choose between four distinctly different available paths. Let us define them clearly and in simple terms:
Model A:
Maximize production & export; while maximizing consumption & imports. The results are: fast development; environmental degradation; materialistic corporatism.
Model B:
Maximize production & export; while minimizing consumption & imports. The results are: wealth accumulation; social disparities; and international hostility.
Model C:
Low production & export; while maximizing consumption & imports. The results are: sovereign debts; loss of independence; dysfunctional state.
Model D:
Low production & export; while minimizing consumption & imports. The results are: slow development; low qualities; weak defenses.
Only these models are demonstrated in all countries and the citizens can plainly know which way their country is going to, and argue with their governments the wisdom of their path.
So now what do people want? Do they want to be crazy; greedy; irresponsible; or vulnerable?
If people look deep inside their souls the answer will be definitely obvious.