It's hard to watch the scenes from Boston. Hard to imagine why. What one or more people wanted to accomplish by setting the bombs. Them against everyone else.
But in Boston we see the antidote at work: people rushing into the face of danger to help others. People who don't stop to think about it - they know: we're all in this together!
Think about it! It isn't rational. It's human!
Thank God for humans!
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Monday, April 15, 2013
What Is To Be Done?
A lovely day for a marathon. A lovely place for a race.
When Donald Rumsfeld explained that "the purpose of terrorists is to terrorize," he failed to identify where the words came from. They are the words of Lenin.
If Lenin is right, the best response to terrorists is to refuse to be terrorized.
I think that's what the people of Boston will do.
Patriot's Day, 2013.
When Donald Rumsfeld explained that "the purpose of terrorists is to terrorize," he failed to identify where the words came from. They are the words of Lenin.
If Lenin is right, the best response to terrorists is to refuse to be terrorized.
I think that's what the people of Boston will do.
Patriot's Day, 2013.
April Is The Cruelest Month
Who Benefits - Who Pays?
As I have said before, this is the central question of politics. It is also a central question of economics. The issue is not "is the system fair?" it is "does the system work for the prosperity of everyone?"
The answer right now is "no."
In fact, that has been the answer for about four decades.
Economist Joe Stiglitz has some ideas about how to make it better.
The central purpose of our national economy should not be to make the already wealthy wealthier or to replicate Downton Abbey.
The answer right now is "no."
In fact, that has been the answer for about four decades.
Economist Joe Stiglitz has some ideas about how to make it better.
The central purpose of our national economy should not be to make the already wealthy wealthier or to replicate Downton Abbey.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Seventy Years Ago: Jefferson Memorial
President Franklin Roosevelt had a few words to say about Thomas Jefferson at the opening of the Jefferson Memorial, April 13, 1943. The full statement is here.
Roosevelt on Jefferson:
"He faced the fact that men who will not fight for liberty can lose it. We, too, have faced that fact.
"He lived in a world in which freedom of conscience and freedom of mind were battles still to be fought through—not principles already accepted of all men. We, too, have lived in such a world.
"He loved peace and loved liberty—yet on more than one occasion he was forced to choose between them. We, too, have been compelled to make that choice.
"Jefferson was no dreamer-for half a century he led his State and his Nation in fact and in deed. I like to think that this was so because he thought in terms of the morrow as well as the day—and this was why he was hated or feared by those who thought in terms of the day and the yesterday.
"The words which we have chosen for this Memorial speak Jefferson's noblest and most urgent meaning; and we are proud indeed to understand it and share it:
"I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man."
Roosevelt on Jefferson:
"He faced the fact that men who will not fight for liberty can lose it. We, too, have faced that fact.
"He lived in a world in which freedom of conscience and freedom of mind were battles still to be fought through—not principles already accepted of all men. We, too, have lived in such a world.
"He loved peace and loved liberty—yet on more than one occasion he was forced to choose between them. We, too, have been compelled to make that choice.
"Jefferson was no dreamer-for half a century he led his State and his Nation in fact and in deed. I like to think that this was so because he thought in terms of the morrow as well as the day—and this was why he was hated or feared by those who thought in terms of the day and the yesterday.
"The words which we have chosen for this Memorial speak Jefferson's noblest and most urgent meaning; and we are proud indeed to understand it and share it:
"I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man."
The Anecdote Gap
Brad DeLong posts a comment by economist Evan Soltas from this week's conference of economic bloggers.
Soltas bemoans the fact that politicians extol anecdotes, often untrue anecdotes, in preference to data. He is right, but there may be no way to fix the problem.
Humans seem favorably disposed to storytelling. In every sense of the word. Many, if not most, on the other hand, have difficulty getting their head around statistics. Even when the statistics are graphically displayed.
Not even Presidential Candidate Ross Perot succeeded in combining the two skills.
Unfortunately, skill with anecdote leads to bad policy.
As we used to say in the Pentagon: "figures don't lie, but liars figure." Even worse, if a problem can't be described by anecdote, it all too often isn't addressed at all.
Soltas bemoans the fact that politicians extol anecdotes, often untrue anecdotes, in preference to data. He is right, but there may be no way to fix the problem.
Humans seem favorably disposed to storytelling. In every sense of the word. Many, if not most, on the other hand, have difficulty getting their head around statistics. Even when the statistics are graphically displayed.
Not even Presidential Candidate Ross Perot succeeded in combining the two skills.
Unfortunately, skill with anecdote leads to bad policy.
As we used to say in the Pentagon: "figures don't lie, but liars figure." Even worse, if a problem can't be described by anecdote, it all too often isn't addressed at all.
Friday, April 12, 2013
My Great Grandfather Rode With Billy The Kid*
My grandparents never told me about my Great Grandfather. What little I know I have had to dig out from scattered records and stories passed down through other branches of the family.
His name was John Scroggins. He was born in Georgia in 1852. In 1872 he travelled to St. Louis and enlisted in the U.S. Cavalry. He served in the 4th Cavalry Regiment, mostly in Texas. He was in the Regiment during the epic raid into Mexico fictionalized in John Ford's movie Rio Grande, starring John Wayne. After the Battle of Little Big Horn in 1876, the Regiment went north to round up Chief Dull Knife's band of Cheyenne warriors in late 1876. He was discharged in 1877.
The next appearance of John Scroggins in available records was in the census of 1880. He and his wife Kate (Wampler) Scroggins were living in Palo Pinto County, Texas with two small children, next door to John's father in law, Roderick Wampler, who was also working on the railroad.
So what happened between 1877 and 1880?
It turns out that on April 4, 1878, John Scroggins rode into Blazer's Mill, New Mexico, with Billy the Kid and a large posse (the Regulators) seeking the assassins of John Tunstall. Not long after the shootout at Blazer's Mill, John Scroggins disappeared from New Mexico.
In Texas, he is said to have worked as an Indian Scout, disappearing for months at a time and on one occasion turning up with an Indian woman and a small child. The woman died and is supposed to have been buried outside the fence of the cemetery in Strawn, Texas. He and his wife had about thirteen children, ran a store for miners at nearby Thurber, Texas and eventually a rooming house in Mineral Wells.
John Scroggins is said by some descendents to have been a hard drinker and a gambler, allegedly drinking up much of the family's profits.
In other words, a typical westerner of the day.
My grandfather, Valentine Scroggins (named for a maternal uncle and a maternal great grandfather) was born in Palo Pinto County April 2, 1886, eight years almost to the day after the shootout at Blazer's Mill.
*Maybe. It fits. So far I can't disprove it.
His name was John Scroggins. He was born in Georgia in 1852. In 1872 he travelled to St. Louis and enlisted in the U.S. Cavalry. He served in the 4th Cavalry Regiment, mostly in Texas. He was in the Regiment during the epic raid into Mexico fictionalized in John Ford's movie Rio Grande, starring John Wayne. After the Battle of Little Big Horn in 1876, the Regiment went north to round up Chief Dull Knife's band of Cheyenne warriors in late 1876. He was discharged in 1877.
The next appearance of John Scroggins in available records was in the census of 1880. He and his wife Kate (Wampler) Scroggins were living in Palo Pinto County, Texas with two small children, next door to John's father in law, Roderick Wampler, who was also working on the railroad.
So what happened between 1877 and 1880?
It turns out that on April 4, 1878, John Scroggins rode into Blazer's Mill, New Mexico, with Billy the Kid and a large posse (the Regulators) seeking the assassins of John Tunstall. Not long after the shootout at Blazer's Mill, John Scroggins disappeared from New Mexico.
In Texas, he is said to have worked as an Indian Scout, disappearing for months at a time and on one occasion turning up with an Indian woman and a small child. The woman died and is supposed to have been buried outside the fence of the cemetery in Strawn, Texas. He and his wife had about thirteen children, ran a store for miners at nearby Thurber, Texas and eventually a rooming house in Mineral Wells.
John Scroggins is said by some descendents to have been a hard drinker and a gambler, allegedly drinking up much of the family's profits.
In other words, a typical westerner of the day.
My grandfather, Valentine Scroggins (named for a maternal uncle and a maternal great grandfather) was born in Palo Pinto County April 2, 1886, eight years almost to the day after the shootout at Blazer's Mill.
*Maybe. It fits. So far I can't disprove it.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
News from Goldman Sachs: Federal Deficit Rapidly Shrinking
It turns out that on a twelve-month average basis, federal outlays in nominal (constant) dollars have fallen for the first time since rapid demobilization after the Korean War. Here's the story.
Bottom line: there is no federal debt crisis. There is still a jobs crisis.
Our political leadership continues to worry about the wrong thing.
By the way, putting people back to work will bring the deficit down even further and faster.
Bottom line: there is no federal debt crisis. There is still a jobs crisis.
Our political leadership continues to worry about the wrong thing.
By the way, putting people back to work will bring the deficit down even further and faster.
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