The New World Order

If you believe that in the 'new world order' economic recoveries can proceed without jobs; that immortality can be guaranteed by just agreeing to pay an additional tax; that wars can be fought without weapons; that peace can be bought and sold for forty pieces of silver; that competent leadership can be arranged for via Madison Avenue, then I have a bridge I'd like to sell you cheap.

If we on this blog - and anyone else having given these matters an iota of thought - can agree on the folly of what appears to be our president's vision for the future, how long would you think it will take for the Saudis, the Pakistanis, the Taliban, the Pashtuns, the Palestinians (and everyone else with their hands out) to figure out that the dollars we we throw around like confetti aren't worth a plug nickel.

The work that the citizens of a nation do is what gives value to the currency it prints. Devalue work; marginalize achievement; disparage the engine that provides the opportunity for people to reach their full potential, and you're left with nothing of value to trade.

So far, American style capitalism has been able to create enough excess value (but 'value' nonetheless) for us to jump in and contain some of the the wrongs contrived by lazy and ruthless tyrants who want nothing more than to spill their putrid poisons across international borders. We've been able to give a boost to the hapless who by accident of birth have found themselves stranded on barren lands, surrounded by hostile tribes. Often times we've been condemned for doing what we felt was right. Even so, we've jumped in without hesitation in the aftermath of natural disasters, trying to save lives (friend or foe, it never mattered) - not with talk, but with the sweat of our hard-earned dollars.

But none of this was good enough. Now - when it rains too much; when it gets too cold; too warm; when the ground shakes - we have everybody pointing their fingers at us. The demand is that we set ourselves on fire for them; to give up everything we've built and hold dear in the name of ‘Social Justice’. ...and it's come to the point where we feel compelled to oblige.

How long before there's another devastating earthquake in Indonesia; a flood in Bangladesh; a tsunami in Thailand; a wildfire in Greece; a genocide in Uganda - and nobody shows up to help?