Austerity

Austertity will never play in America. As the world model of a consumer based economy we are addicted to debt and crap. Our historical reliance on functionality and the fundamentals of supply and demand has exploded into a greed based exercise in the propagation of isolated wealth.

Money, whether it is walled off in gated communities or lying dormant in huge corporate cash reserves serves no purpose. Unemployment is an aberation, there's plenty of work to be done. Perhaps if the government cuts off the sugar tit of insured income individuals will find the resources to invent, rediscover and promote economic options. Perhaps the mob will demand a redistribution of wealth. Wealth cannot serve itself, it must be put to work. Sensible investments in infrastructure, science and education are protrayed as extravagance while personal fortune is admired. Taxation is a fair take away if revenue is used to good purpose. The political crazy talk is about squeezing the working class to pay for unnecessary wars.

This is the political dicodomy. Conservatives want to starve the people into inovation. The mainstream wants to continue the failing model until we reach catharsis. The left has always wanted to redistribute wealth.

The ogre of inflation is on its way. The Fed keeps printing money to benefit the wrong people. The free money is misused. Tim, Barry and Barney continue to suck up to the banks and the ricos keep throwing the dice while demanding the odds always be in their favor.

Juxtaposed to our national affinty for debt is our long standing miserly disposition. We will share to combat troubles but have a strange procilvity to hold dear the resources that might save us. Look at the sacrifices endured during the second world war. My mother's father in Chicago had farm family in Iowa, they were richly provided with beef, pork and chicken throughout the war years. My father's father had developed a test to prove the grades of asphalt, he got wealthy during the war applying his test to the many airfields being paved and later on Eisenhower's national highway system. Everyone is looking for an edge.

Only a poor man is pure. If we think wisely we can pick our way through this mess. Really, this is not difficult, it is something we fail to do. Current models will not sustain us.