Dutch Disease

In economic parlance there are no less than three terms that describe essentially the same condition: "Resource Curse", "Paradox of Plenty" and "Dutch Disease". All these refer to unstable or failed states that, at the same time, can claim to have a wealth of natural resources. The theory goes, that their natural resources are precisely the reason for the failure of such states; that the resources themselves have made these states the targets of exploitation by foreign interests and, to a lesser extent, of corruption domestically. Obvious examples of states suffering from “Dutch Disease” are liberally spread throughout the Middle East, Africa and South America.

The easiest to scapegoat is always the foreigner. In fact, it has almost become obligatory to blame foreigners for any and all domestic difficulties. Foreigners must also meet certain standards of worthiness; that is to say, they must demonstrate sufficiently deep pockets to justify the bother and risk involved in pursuing the protocol of extortion. Foreigners must also exhibit enough sensitivity to be open to severe introspection as to be able to arrive at the entirely narcissistic conclusion that all that has ever happened is one’s own fault.

Future colonizers, exploiters, human and arms traffickers, in order to excel in their chosen craft, will have learned to avoid the pitfalls of circular thinking. They will pick a point along the proverbial arc and stick with it. They will know that the point they picked represents nothing more or less than the position most advantageous to themselves. Thus they will have fully understood the adage, “Take care of yourself (first) and all else will take care of itself.”

Grayson is an oaf who, along with his Democrat colleagues, is also about to squander the precious resource of political power. Predictably, he and the others will blame everyone but themselves. Republicans will have to avoid the illusion of the “big tent” and come to terms with the fact that their fine feathered friends in the press, academe and Hollywood will have to suffer the elements while the work of putting our nation back together proceeds in earnest inside.