On a recent visit to Boston, and with time on my hands, I visited Quincy Market, Faneuil Hall and the Old State House. It was here that our nation was forged, was created as Margaret Thatcher said "by philosophy". An idea, bold and noble shaped a new kind of nation that would grow up to be America. Patriots here lit the spark, took the risks, shaped the debate and began the fight that led to the Declaration of Independence and Constitution.
We've had our ups and downs - but mostly triumph, often at great sacrifice. Our fathers and grandfathers saved the world from a dark and powerful tyranny. Now we seem about to squander it all.
Adults often make self-assessments; honest appraisals to reset our compass. Our country needs a serious reassessment - not by the bickering political class, not by the craven punditry that dominates our flaccid media. By the citizens. Now.
Serious adults, even if they want smaller government, do not hold government in contempt. The need for political structure has been recognized throughout history as essential. Only the adolescents who seized the great edifice of our founders hold it in contempt, and look at the result: gridlocked Congress, Katrina, preemptive war, US Attorney mess, FISA violations, etc. We have even tortured people. Worst of all, we have factionalism, that which many of our founders regarded as the greatest threat to their new system of government.
We lack the will and cooperative spirit to do the real work of government. Bridges are not built across the broad, ideologically imposed divide. Government for too long has been hijacked by a bunch of adolescents riding the curve of their economic mythology. We have a mountain of debt that hobbles our ability to deal with real challenges. Their absolute belief that markets will behave rationally to right themselves has been exposed as a fraud. At least 2 examples: mortgage products that even promoters didn't understand and the recent panic in stock markets. How ironic the stampede to get taxpayer help to bail them out.
Maybe now we'll have some long overdue outrage. Does it have to hit our pocketbooks before we stop the squandering of our great inheritance? Lots of people have gotten rich, and, let's be honest, a lot of middle class people benefited from low rates and rising home values. But our savings rate is zero and our national debt is $10 trillion. The cost is too great, now the piper wants his payment.
The neocons who hijacked the great conservative tradition have gotten it all wrong. Time for accountability, one of their incessant mantras. David Brooks, an estimable conservative, pronounced the Reagan revolution dead. Good riddance.
Time to banish them from influence over our institutions. Shake up the political class. Shun the pundits. Let's get back on track and send the adolescent worshippers of the disastrous, discredited fiscal policies into exile. As Sam Adams said, " If you love wealth more than liberty ... go home from us in peace. May posterity forget that you were our countrymen".
Pat Moore
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