My perception is that this long paralyzing decession has sapped much of the animal spirits out of the entrepreneurial class in America - a class whom with each passing year, methinks, is growing smaller as a percentage of population and who is becoming increasingly discouraged about their future prospects. We've more Americans that want to make a difference, but fewer with the intellectual autonomy, character and drive to do so. President Obama mirrors this new emerging, less competitive, individualistic and independent national character. The majority of people now either want or need to be taken care of to some greater or lesser degree. The people who drive our economy, the people who create jobs and aspire to make life better for the many, the people who pay 40% of the taxes, the people who end recessions see an America, the bulk of whose citizens are shunning responsibility and in respect to fixing the country's most serious problems, have no sense of practicality whatsoever: they see an America that is made up of more people looking to procure aid from the system than not, who care more about being green and narcissisticaly feeling good about themselves than working long hours*, doing what free markets dictate needs to be done, or getting materially ahead and raising a family.
There are now two generations of Americans most of whom don't even desire the American Dream as it has been known in the past; a house in a good neighborhood, two or three beautiful kids, a job with a solid and respected company ( not many of those left by their measure! ) Virtually all of their scarce disposable dollars are being spent on $4 coffees, the next generation of smart phones, Netflix subscriptions, video games, gym memberships and sun glasses. They have been conditioned to be deeply suspicious about the profit motive. They believe greed is the primary economic mal de force. An America with nominal economic growth is OK by them. Materialism just ain't chic. Better no economic growth than driving more carbon-fueled cars around, fracking our beloved terra firma, increasing the population, suppressing anti-democratic uprisings around the world, bio-engineering our food supply, having uninsured citizens, consuming a greater share of the world's resources, or increasing inequality. These are our new national values. These are the values Obama mirrors. These are not the values required to build a new and prosperous America. These are the values of national economic decline.
The only thing sustainable about sustainability is stagnation...
*Speaking of working long hours have we ever had a President that works less than this one?
M.D.T.
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Beautifully put. "President Obama mirrors this new emerging, less competitive, individualistic and independent national character." The truth among truths for this new era, as we move past all tipping points - form now, where we have a choice, ascent into light or descent into night -- is to dismantle the American ideal, the ultimate magnet and center of all modern progress --by desecrating and destroying the Individual with the collective Everyone.
ReplyDeleteMark, I wish I could say you are wrong. Our nation's divide is exacerbated with the financial engineering taking place through bond buyback programs, discount windows to investment banks, and zero interest repayment plans that only go to benefit the financial institutions that--with force from our government--got us into this mess. Currency debasement through money printing does not create more goods and services no matter what GDP indicates. It only makes the services and goods cost more. For the shrinking majority of America that does not have a retirement plan or wage tied to inflation--any one not working for government--quality of life is reduced because things cost more; thus creating incentive to work for government. It is baffling how many people do not see that everything this administration has done has the primary purpose of growing government on the backs of the entrepreneur and small/medium size private business. What this country needs is a major liquidation to cleanse itself of business practices and mentalities founded deep in socialism. Common sense tells us that we can’t fix a spending problem by spending more. Only when large businesses and individuals are allowed to completely fail, I feel, will we make that turn.
ReplyDeleteI hope there is another option other than clearing the books through ultimate collapse and absolute failure. That tragic model although an apparent "economic fix" (national insolvency, then bankruptcy)is not a solution - but simply a result. The stand out model is the Weimar Republic and the abandonment of the Reichsmark for the Rentenmark, deep depression and the entrance of a dictator. When a nation fails - someone gets blamed - and it will always be the wrong people. Yes, we can hyper-inflate (and I believe that this is where we are going), ruin savings, eliminate all wealth and then reinvent our currency and call it a new day; however,the next set of consequences call for a Brave New World that no one living today would ever expect or want.
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