In two admirably concise paragraphs, Daniel Larison explains the root of the current economic crisis. Awesome. Basically, it's all about the near-metaphysical denial of limits, and the lengths to which we will go to live in a fantasy world
Larison's brilliant brevity
Wednesday September 17, 2008
Categories: Culture, Decline and fall
Filed Under: Daniel Larison, economics
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Rod Dreher is an editorial columnist for the Dallas Morning News, and author of "Crunchy Cons" (Crown Forum), a nonfiction book about conservatives, most of them religious, whose faith and political convictions sometimes put them at odds with mainstream conservatives. The views expressed in this blog are his own.
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Larison hits the nail on the head. FYI I don't personally know any liberals who I think would disagree with his post. It's conservatism in the very best sense of the word - a recognition of the need for limits and humility.
"Limits are jumping off points." Newt Gingrich
An excellent point, but what does it mean to a fallen world? Men covet. Should the public policy response be "be virtuous" (in the traditional sense of the word, as we are already virtuous in the post-Machiavellian sense of the word) or should government impose hurdles on issuing credit to poor people (and those made poor by too much credit)?
As Alicia says, the concept of limits on American affluence, might, and selfishness is a well-established truism among most leftists and many Democrats. The twist that Larison and Andrew Bacevich brings to this analysis is the tight focus on how Bush and the GOP have substituted American military might for old-fashioned influence, be it economic, political, or cultural.
We have beggared our ability to encourage and inspire around the world for a ponderous military ability to intimidate: it's a lousy trade.
On a more mundane level, the idea that offshore drilling will be able to reduce gas prices significantly or solve any of our myriad economic problems is the latest example of the Republican refusal to face fact.
Instead of the long rant I typed, I'll just provide a simple translation of Dineen, Dreher and Larison: "The financial markets: I don't celebrate that sh*t. I'm crunchy."
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