Crisis happens. There's really never a time in human history when it hasn't. Sometimes it is accepted as something to overcome, and other times people get caught up in it, begin pointing fingers and giving into to chaotic behaviors. I would even say that some types of crisis have a tendancy elicit only one of those responses. An economic crisis, such as the one now, brings out the latter.Amazing how much more a country can lose trust in a government when money, and financial well being is on the line. For example: In yester-presidency the nation allows George Bush to remain president for a second term though he started a war that many had doubted from the start. Today Obama loses credibility with everyone because the financial crisis has consumed the thoughts and television screens of America.
Agree or disagree, one thing I declare unassailable is the distrust of our government in this time, to make the right decisions. One article from the New Yorker discusses the Tea Party activists from yesterdays news in the Times. It reads:
[T]he real danger to any democracy comes when military conflict or economic dislocation swells the ranks of the permanently alienated with legions of people who are temporarily disadvantaged or angry. And that, I think, is what is happening now.
taken from: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/johncassidy/2010/02/tea-party-usa.html#ixzz0g2yCQemO
This is what gets people angry. The Economy, this is what heats us up the most, what has fueled our major political and wartime decisions, what has lead to the greatness of this nation. Our wealth. So why is it, that we cannot trust our government to handle these affairs anymore? In this blog, greed is something that has been touched on time and time again. Why does it seem that economy has such close correlation to this primal and destructive characteristic?
I feel that it is only natural that greed be closely tied in with the economy. After all, couldn't the argument be made that the rational self-interest seen as the driving force behind the economy by many economists is really just a form of greed?
ReplyDeleteI think crisis makes us aware of our basic values and also puts stress on our basic ways of operating in light of those values. Work hard and you will be rewarded is a good value but may not hold in an economic downturn, for instance. I think this economic crisis is hitting us particularly badly because it has been decades since anything like this has affected the US.
ReplyDeleteI feel like when thinking about either the economy or the governement, greed is a term that is bound to be brought up. I think that a lot of individuals believe that politicans, who comprimise the government, who makes the nation's economic decisions are extrememly greedy. In fact, I think that in some instances it is accurate to say that without greed politics would not operate at all like it does today.
ReplyDeleteGreed happens and while in American's ideal government this wouldn't exists we all know that it does. It is to no surprise that the percentages are so high for Americans who lack trust in government regulations of the economy. As the people we don't know what is going on behind the scene. All we see is the end product. We see when taxes are cut and when they rise. We the people have the right to be skeptical about what government is doing with our tax dollars because lately it has been questionable.
ReplyDeleteWe put so much critisizm into the private sector, the companies that make up the finiacial markets are the devil, they take cash from main street to fuel private jets. More recently however its been that the companies that make up those markets are to big, they've become to large, and hold close assets that could cripple the country. So now i ask you why does the same thing not apply to The U.S. government? what happens when this absolutely massive beauracracy comes tumbling down? it would do more damage than any kind of private firm. Not that im saying that any kind of civil conflict would arise but how long util these tea parties become a little more?
ReplyDeleteI definitely feel that the politicians in our government are extremely greedy. This can also be said about the people in our economy. This recession and economic downturn can result in bringing out the worst in people.
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