Short Bursts of Sanity         January 18, 2013

            It seems our ECONOMIC history is one of long periods of self-centered excess punctuated by short bursts of sanity.  For example the industrial revolution in this country, that long ascendancy of the robber barons, culminating in the Great Depression.  Then we had a burst of sanity when we realized that there needed to be a safety net for those who fell or got thrown off the train.  We created Social Security, a cost effective way to protect against the economic decimation of our unfortunate fellows.  It was a path to recovery.  We realized that by taking care of them at a subsistence level, we were actually taking care of ourselves too.  We taxed ourselves and became more prosperous as a country. 

            Some corollaries can be found today in tax policy, and health and climate care.  We are still on our selfish journeys, but people are starting to realize that the healthier we can make the least of these, our fellow humans, the richer we become as a society.  The more equality of income opportunity we provide ourselves, the more stable we remain as a country.  And all but the very selfish or uninformed admit that our environmental burst of sanity is overdue.

            When you hear the next Draconian argument that claims we should abandon others and exist in a free-for-all world, don’t be discouraged.  It’s a sign that change is threatening someone’s journey of callous disregard.  It is the harbinger of another burst of sanity.