From: Grlygrl201@aol.com
Date: Wed Oct 11 2000 - 00:16:06 PDT
In a message dated 10/10/00 7:09:09 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
ejw@cse.ucsc.edu writes:
<< Again, I will assert that the Federal Reserve, a non-partisan institution,
has had far greater impact on the economy over the past 20 years than either
the Executive or Legislative branches. As a result, I tend not to focus too
heavily on economic issues in elections, and instead focus on their
environmental records, and their intentions for foreign policy, areas where
the Executive does have significant power.
- Jim
>>
A large part of the economic expansion of the last 20 years is due to the
burgeoning of two-income families, which began with the Reagan
administration. As did credit card debt, which thrives thru today, and as
does the (l)awful remedy of bankruptcy. The wages of instant gratification,
credit card debt.
(These are the tangible debits
The towering pine and the hemlock . . .)
Expansion is rooted in the Consumers' Manifesto: Conspicuous consumption is
its own reward. Is expansion threatened if collective consciousness reverses
- short of a thoreau-back to the unhygienic sixties, please - and urges us to
consume less? As Guru Nader recycles himself as the voice in the
wilderness*, who will harken? Besides Eddie Vedder? Zealots are spurned,
always, eventually. Too bad.
Anyway, I'm with you: less tangible quality-of-life issues are VERY important
- though many of this list have argued that money is access to/guarantor of
even those issues.
* mixed metaphor contendor, 2000
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