[snip]
As I wrote in a memorable phrase I invented two days ago on FW list but which no-one has commented on, never mind commended me for, America is now in *quintuple* deficit (trade, federal, state, corporate, consumerist). It is difficult to see how anybody -- except perhaps a quintuple Nobel Prizewinner in Economics -- is going to dig America out of this.
From what I read in other postings (and what I seem to see from what seems must be going on), it seems that the rest of the world is getting its surpluses out of "giving" America deficits. How long can this go on before the well goes dry?
Of course "ars longa vita brevis", i.e., in the long run all this stuff will "sort itself out", although perhaps in the formk of a world of neo-feudal/fascist regimes which may have cell phones (or they may not be able to sustain the infrastructure needed for such things!), but, in any case, will be in many ways more "primitive" than what we in the U.S. middle class have experienced since the end of WWII.
I'll lay you a bet -- that in due course Bush Junior will go down as one of
the most ignominious Presidents in American history. And yet he could have
been one of the most constructive -- even keeping to his Republican
principles -- namely cleaning up the stinking Augeian stables of what
passes for the American financial services industry.
[snip]
To what extent does BUsh occupy an Archimedean point (i.e., a place in the network where the application of a small amount of energy can make vast changes)?
I fear the answer is that he does occupy such a point, and Keith has described what some other person could have done in the same position. "Cleaning up the financial services industry" -- isn't that what a *reformer* would do: weed out the corruption?
I'm not sure I know exactly what a reform Republican looks like, but I think they would probably go slow on tax cuts and deregulation, but clean up the Augean stables first, so they could get some idea of the real situation, and also as a *model* for further reform.
I wonder how many recent presidents have had the opportunity to do as much harm as George W Bush? Unfortunately, to repeat myself, I think he is motivated ultimately by trying to please his Mom and Dad (George Sr and Barbara), and, indirectly, his God (his parents mythicized and projected into the universe). These are the motivations of an immature [even if superannuated] child.
I guess the alternative (or perhaps "the rest of the story"...) is that he also is motivated to try to please his "peers" and "betters" in the oil industry and the financial services industry.
Maybe "Bush Junior" will go down as worse than "ignominious", but rather as having brought about terrible social catastrophies that otherwise need not have occurred. Wouldn't it be good if we Americans have a false perspective on things, and see Bush and American power as much bigger than they are -- Wouldn't it be great if we Americans were all upset over this cowboy in our frontier-town saloon threatening to "shoot em up" with his six-shooter, whilest, if we would look through the saloon front door, we would see coming into town a convoy of armored personnel carriers, tanks, etc. headed straight toward us -- flying The United Nations and The European Union flags.
\brad mccormick
--
Let your light so shine before men,
that they may see your good works.... (Matt 5:16)Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (1 Thes 5:21)
<![%THINK;[SGML+APL]]> Brad McCormick, Ed.D. / [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----------------------------------------------------------------- Visit my website ==> http://www.users.cloud9.net/~bradmcc/
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