RANDOM THOUGHTS @4 A.M.

Three men go to a foreign country on a study mission for a news paper . They are free lancers- think-tank members who may be charitably called moderately inclined—definitely not ideologues. Two of them arrive at one conclusion while the other sees things quite differently------who sees what he wants to see ,who is lying and who is so committed to the status quo ??

How necessary is it to a capitalistic economy to have constant growth---expansion--- an ever-rising stock market---money flow fuels the growth but also blinds the chasers of it to a number of unintended consequences.

Was the rapid expansion of world free trade and open borders, cheap labor , etc., worth the near destruction of the US middle class? The small farmer, home-grown mfg. workers and the small shopkeepers .

Is the destiny of America to end up a country governed by politicians so corrupted by the need to raise inordinate amounts of cash in order to insure their re-election—preyed upon by hordes of special- interest lobbyists so willing to give them the cash in return an ear-mark or two ??---with a stock market that more and more resembles Las Vegas where the multi-million dollar investment of the small investor supplies the the liquidity pool for the big fish to swim-- to make their deals –the buying ,selling, merging and cutting up of companies for short term gain –the sopping up of vast amounts of credit for these deals making it more expensive for legitimate ones that might actually enrich the economy!

The near total destruction of the moral basis for several of the finest professions---the doctor -the teacher -the lawyer – the nurse-- the politician (formally known as the Statesman).

The corruption of the spiritual and philosophical segment by bureaucratic and grab for power ,self- righteousness--- competing for the souls of men ---- and instead of a peaceful ever- expanding search for “truth” -- a vigorous drive of each group to copy-write their early texts as “The Truth.” Of course, this ended the peaceful search ! {see HG Welles , “Tolerance” }

IN the mad rush to mine the inanimate resources {the raw commodities } and the animate { Cheap foreign labor }there was little or no thought to the unforeseen consequences accruing to the middle and lower class workers---they were not helped up but rudely lowered down---! Where are the elder statesmen who could see the the folly of this mad rush to use foreign labor to build so cheaply over-seas ---- import or allow the flow of immigrants {legal and illegal} -- to do the menial jobs here more cheaply ?--- the vast pool of American workers , now without their factory jobs, competing or the low wage jobs with the immigrants ( legal and illegal} ---they or their children , not educated for the higher category of employment making it necessary to import foreign engineers, doctors, nurses etc..

Is there some basic flaw in the un-employment figures—why does it only show 4-5% jobless?? Are some people no longer looking ? Are jobs usually taken by teen-agers now taken by ex- factory workers ? Should a
$20.00 an hr job replaced by a $10.00 an hr job only be counted as one half a job?? We are a great country of consumers but are we still a great country of workers --- How many hamburger-flippers does it take to equal an auto builder ?

I contend that the small farmers, shop- keepers , factory workers nurses , general practican doctors , librarians & teachers are the moral fiber and back bone of this nation –these are the seeds and the yeast that grows the heart of our country---nourishes the youth that might some day may supply the statesmen that we so sorely lack.

GDP is the indicator of economic wealth- it indicates nothing about its distribution or its uses –is the health of its citizens as well as the repair of its infrastructure attended to in proper time or do we wait for tragic news to open the purse strings ??

Capitalism is the great economic spur that drives our GDP growth forward and greatly rewards the winners and even the also-rans do quite well but for the 20%-30% “losers “ -- I know that they don't have any legal rights (welfare just degrades them and makes them lazy)but what about moral rights—rights to a living wage –rights to a proper education --the moral right as a citizen of America to get a little step up toward the middle class??

Norman Arkin