One of the reasons we, as a nation, can’t agree on the answers is we’re not even clear on the questions. Is the economy for the 1% or should it work for 100%?
The Center for Communication and Civic Engagement at the University of Washington has an interesting project called “What’s the Economy for Anyway?” which asks:
Is it about having the biggest GDP or the highest stock market average?
Is it about producing a healthy, happy, fair and sustainable society?
Or is it about something else all together?
Wouldn’t it be nice to have a sincere national conversation about real issues instead of just talking past each other.
– Iron Filing
7 Comments
I’ve heard similar arguments and asked similar questions during the health care discussions. “Our health care system is top of the line,” they say.
It might be top of the line, in that the services we provide here are better than most. However, if the services can only be used by a fraction of the country, then is that really “top of the line”?
I would argue that a health care system (and an economic system) (and most other systems) that phenomenally serves a fraction of the population is far, far worse than one which even marginally serves almost all of the population.
I do think that if there is one impact that the Occupy movement is having, it is that people and the media are now talking about inequality in a way they weren’t before.
Now it just needs to be sustained.
“…promote the general welfare, … for ourselves and our posterity…”
That’s what our economy is for. Us. All of us.
I know we don’t exactly agree on many issues, but I think (in the PC world) we can find common ground in the utter absurdity of this article about AIG stakeholders suing the Government because they bailed them out.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/11/21/former-aig-chief-sues-government-over-bailout/?test=latestnews
Yes, I also know it came from FOX, but it’s a good read none the less. To top it all off they’ll probably win and all who got bailouts will line up for the same.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SIMPSON_SUPERCOMMITTEE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-11-22-18-45-52
PatriotSgt,
Wow, that is indeed obnoxious. But I wonder if it’s misleading to say it was AIG stakeholders or shareholders. As soon as the article mentioned Hank Greenberg, it was clear we are dealing with a first class a-hole.
But if this set a precedent for other shareholders to sue for being bailed out, that would definitely “top it off”.
In another universe Hank might have to answer for his role in the financial crisis.
Dan – your probably correct on the stakeholder vs shareholder. I think the government ought to charge them with a frivolous lawsuit. On the other hand perhaps we should just ask for all our money back plus interest and if they don’t pay up seize the corp and all its assets to pay back the loan. Similar to what the IRS would do.