More and more often I wonder whether it is now me who has assumed the role of 'grumpy old man', the guy who even ten years ago I would dismiss as someone who could not or would not accept change, even change for the better. The eight years of the the GW Bush administration were truly hellish for this country. I am starting to have strong doubts as to whether we will ever leave the current hell. More and more it looks like we are simply moving up a level rather than escaping from the inferno.
Are we really making the world a better place by trying to defeat Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Yemen and who knows where else? Of course, one can define Al Qaeda however one wishes. They are the enemy, the ones who will, once more, attack New York unless our government protects us. Please don't remember that more Americans have been killed in our struggle against Al Qaeda than were killed on 9/11. And whose counting the wounded or the Iraqi and Afghanistan civilians?
That concept of 'the enemy' is permeating our country. This healthcare brouhaha is cast and is playing out as a battle between good and evil rather than as an attempt to solve a national problem. Judging from the talking heads in the media, it is more important whether Democrats or Republicans win than we figure out a better way of managing this country. I'm becoming more and more convinced that selecting our 'leaders' by lottery would not result in a lower quality of leadership. How can any rational person really believe that Sarah Palin is qualified to be president of this country? My state, Massachusetts, is an example of the lobotomized people who claim to lead us. What has Kerry done for the state, the country, the world in his terms of office? Does Stephen Lynch know that Ottawa is the capital of Canada? Other than Jim McGovern, what have the members of our congressional delegation had to say about our wars? Has Barney Frank been part of the cure for our economic ills?
We are still in a parlous economic state. Yet, have any steps been taken to redefine that state? What our leaders are trying to do is return to the financial world as it existed before the great recession. The same world where foolish risks were covered over via computerized models and bullshit. I'm sure that Geithner would approve of the latest panacea: securitizing discounted life insurance policies.
I can't believe that things were worse in the 20th century.
1 comment:
If you've become the 'Grumpy Old Man' then so have I. Perhaps we now realize that our age means we have less and less chance of ever seeing this world improve its lot in our lifetime. Most of those running things are younger than us. We can't trust their superior wisdom and experience anymore because we're old enough to realize they don't have any.
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