THE BLOG of John Gelles
August 7, 2008
The Day before the Olympics of 8-8-08
CAN WE FIX IT ?
IS IT BROKE ?
All depends on what "IT" is ?
OK-- Clinton's gone. (Bush is too-- nearly.) Quit the "IS," is jokes.
Not yet. "IT" is global peace and prosperity-- as we move ahead with science and technology-- hoping politics and economics will not do us in.
IF global demand for the output of labor collapses, or if global supply-- that is the foundation for the value of money in 'markets' (as we know them)-- collapses, THEN we will know IT's broke. If they BOTH collapse together, we will know IT's broke.
At the moment NEITHER one has collapsed.
Conventional wisdom has it, we can fix either collapse with MORE money-- printed to create demand or, IF demand far exceeds supply, THEN printed as a new and different currency, as the old currency is devalued to a tenth, hundredth or thousandth of what it was.
So let's get on with ENERGY INDEPENDENCE and all the good jobs it will create. If the underlying system ever busts, we know we can fix it!
In reply to the above-- which was posted to the Amazon.com politics forum-- Ann Katsuyoshi wrote a serious comment on the effort it would take by individuals and nations to reduce selfishness, IF the result is to be "fixing it" and not something closer to "ruin" for all concerned.
I replied to her comment-- again on August 7th.
Dear Ann Katsuyoshi,
You wrote the truth about a possible failure of all of us and our nations -- failure that might lead to global depression and/or world war. A harder effort to obey the Golden Rule is certainly called for-- now and for all time.
Your last sentence raises interesting issues: "As far as money goes, the Uncle has basically been broke for the last 40 years. There is no money. There is only the illusion of money. There is not nearly enough in Ft Knox to back up the country's promissory notes. So far we've gotten by on reputation. But we really need to put ourselves on a budget and stick with it. The ironic part is that that's what the government tells citizens to do, but the government never does it."
There are people, like myself, who claim that government CREATES the money we need to reach full employment for labor, capital, entrepreneurial zeal, and the genius of human beings.
Under the law they have a monopoly to create money-- yet the money they create may, in fact, be rejected by people if they think it is worthless. Thus government and the people SHARE the factual power to rise above BARTER and use money for effect.
My optimistic scenario suggests we will always rise above BARTER. BUT--
..... will we rise to full employment (YOU ARE WHAT YOUR DO !) ?
..... will we rise to fair minimum and median wages?
..... will our money bring prosperity or will it prefer winner-take all and the devil take the rest ?I think we have both a choice and a preference. If we want economic democracy -- http://www.ustaxreform.us/2nd-bill.htm -- we made well avoid war. If we want what we've got -- it's a crying shame.