Re: these circumstances [was Greenbacks for today and tomorrow]

Walter Hart wrote (on federal-debts@topica.com):
> 
> Dear Curtiss,

> Paul Samuelson's understanding of Social Security as a
> consumption-loan model to one in which it became a
> savings/investment > > cannibalization system in which younger > generations 
>gave up their ability to create, build and
> preserve real economic wealth through saving and investment
> through current resource transfers to allow prior generations
> of elderly persons to enjoy unprepared for excess
> consumption spending.

Dear Walter,

Your comments are always illuminating, thank you.

Regarding Samuelson's view, which I quite respect, I
would love if you would take the above few words and
expand them into a short essay.

... (social security and free speach)

> Why does nobody want to discuss this issue? Is it as simple as saying
> that most people, ostrich-like, want to hide their heads in the sand
> and pretend it will just go away? It will not go away, and will only
> get worse. And we will not "all be dead" before that happens; nor will
> our children and grandchildren.

A Quaker friend would reply:

        "them are the circumstances that prevail"

I (and I think you) believe that this country is
on a precipice.  The visions of the founders of
this country has been lost amidst consumption, debt
and arrogance.

And, those founders were fleeing from the arrogance
of the countries they left.

Irony?  Absolutely.

Will the media speak to this?  Only NOW, with Bill
Moyers, on PBS.

And Moyers is leaving this Spring.  ohmy, what a loss
to someone who understands the underlying abscesses.

I, among many, called my PBS station and made
a donation beyond my annual commitment during the
last airing of NOW (PBS, 8PM EDT Fridays)

But, too much funding for PBS is tied to Congress.
Moyers, by attacking the underbelly of this "fat calf"
has endangered further Congressional funding.

A dilemma?  Absolutely.  Letters to the editor?  Just
keep writing them.  Some do get published.

Regards,

Curtiss
-- 


           W. Curtiss Priest, Director, CITS
   Research Affiliate, Comparative Media Studies, MIT
      Center for Information, Technology & Society
         466 Pleasant St., Melrose, MA  02176
   781-662-4044  BMSLIB@MIT.EDU http://Cybertrails.org