Dow Closes Down 679 Points

I agree that it’s too easy to paint caricatures in this environment, and there are many good people in middle America. But there is a level of responsibility that must be taken, perhaps by all of us to some extent, for engaging in the kind of increasingly frenzied consumerism that has characterized the last few decades. The beacon of easy money (stoked by greed) underlies much of this financial mess. It’s tempting to feel holier-than-thou if one has been frugal, saved responsibility, and tried to make conservative financial decisions (as I have with my family) but everything is relative and I’m sure some would look at me and think what I define as frugal is still wasteful and/or excessive. Where does one draw the line?

At the same time, I do think there is a level of selfishness that I find inexcusable among some Americans. Thomas Friedman summed this up well in his critique of Palin’s statements that paying taxes is not patriotic. Why isn’t it? If Americans don’t all pitch in to help pay the huge bills we are incurring (at war, to clean up the financial mess), how on earth does she think the bills will get paid? At a time when it’s clearer than ever that we need good governance, Palin-McCain’s tone deafness is astonishing.

Anyway, we could all go on for ever railing and venting about how we got here and who’s to blame. And while I think an analysis of the path to this debacle needs to happen (to understand how to get out), the focus does have to be on repairing all the damage has been done, and trying to see through our differences to all get out of the mess together.

Thanks for the perspective Benson.

Lapmax75;

I second DIB’s sentiments. I find that some of the commentary on these posts is approaching the level of Cable TV food-fights. As Warren Buffet has recently said: there’s plenty of blame to go around regarding this mess. The important thing to do at this point is to figure out what to do, and painting an opposing side in caricature does not help.

11217;

I have to say that I find your recent posts which denigrate folks from Middle America to be offensive. It’s one thing to say that these areas are not your cup of tea, and not where you would want to live. It’s another thing to paint the folks in these areas as fat simpletons.

I remind you that when NYC was flat on its back after the 9/11 attacks, it was given a hand by the federal government in the form of $20 Billion dollar grant, which works out to about $300 for a family of 4 from the Midwest. I also remember the outpouring of support that NYC received from folks from all over the country during this period. In particular, I remember reading in the NYT about a group of conservative Baptists from South Carolina who came to NYC as part of their charity work. They slept in cots in a Brooklyn Navy Yard loft for a month, and spent their days cleaning the homes of folks in Battery Park City.

At a time like this, just as 9/11, we need to pull together as AMERICANS,not engage in silly food fights.

lapmax75…thank you for your levelheadedness