Sunday, November 20, 2011

The Echo Chamber

William,

Yes we certainly agree more than not, and I'll wager that if it were up to you and me we could solve the nation's fiscal crisis in a matter of hours. Then we would have to leave the country in fear of our lives. I for one would blitely slash Medicare spending in exchange for closing most tax loopholes and a return to Clinton era marginal rates (i.e Simpson Bowles)

So how to get there? How do we avoid becoming Greece in ten years-that was David Brooks prediction on the Newshour Friday night. From my perspective I find little to dispute that prediction.

Here is yet another measure of just how much trouble we are in. Other than one of my tennis buddies, you are the  only even remotely conservative person I know. That is an increasing fact of life, that we are living in our communal echo chambers having our prejudices confirmed (Brooks again). And the extremes on both sides (think Eric Cantor and Nancy Pelosi) are controlling the argument.

Kindly help me with one idea though. I don't get this notion of economic liberty. My son Gabe, now six months out of college and looking for a job, knows he must work at some point if he is to have any kind of life. He is not free of that powerful constraint. For the folks in our cardiology practice the constraints of economic life even less room for any choice. So I hope you'll be patient and try again. From where I sit this idea of liberty seems restricted to those of us who can afford it


Eli

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