We think we've got it figured out. At least with a little help from the e-mail system and some pretty sharp readers out there. The problem, as we see it, is that our idea of good economics and the government's idea of good economics aren't even on the same page. The same holds true for the super-sharp reasoning philosophy of the financial community, the so-called movers and shakers of American business. And - we must admit - the ability to understand and to explain in 10,000 words or less the intricate ins and outs of Wall Street and Washington is not an easy thing to convey. So, like our forefathers before us, we turn to allegory and parable to cite our point.
Below are two examples of post millennium economics as seen through the eyes of both the government - Washington - and the big business financial community in Near York. Read the parables below and make the connection. What a strange world in which we live...
STORY ONE: How Wall Street Failed, or "HOW DOES A BAILOUT WORK?"
Young Chuck in Montana bought a horse from a farmer for $100.00. The farmer agreed to deliver the horse the next day. The next day he drove up and said, 'Sorry son, but I have some bad news, the horse died.'
Chuck replied, 'Well, then just give me my money back.'
The farmer said, 'Can't do that. I went and spent it already'
Chuck said, 'Ok, then, just bring me the dead horse.'
The farmer asked, 'What ya gonna do with him?
Chuck said, 'I'm going to raffle him off.'
The farmer said, 'You can't raffle off a dead horse!'
Chuck said, 'Sure I can, Watch me. I just won't tell any body he's dead.'
A month later, the farmer met up with Chuck and asked, 'What happened with that dead horse?'
Chuck said, 'I raffled him off. I sold 500 tickets at two dollars a piece and made a profit of $898.00.'
The farmer said, 'Didn't anyone complain?'
Chuck said, 'Just the guy who won. So I gave him his two dollars back.'
Chuck grew up and now works for the government. He was the financial adviser who figured out how to "bail out " Wall Street and the house of cards our financial system is currently built on..
Now it is perfectly clear.
STORY TWO: HOW THE GOVERNMENT WORKS
It's late fall and the Indians on a remote reservation in South Dakota asked their new chief if the coming winter was going to be cold or mild. Since he was a chief in a modern society, he had never been taught the old secrets.
When he looked at the sky, he couldn't tell what the winter was going to be like. Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, he told his tribe that the winter was indeed going to be cold and that the members of the village should collect firewood to be prepared. But, being a practical leader, after several days, he got an idea. He went to the phone booth, called the National Weather Service and asked, "Is the coming winter going to be cold ?' 'It looks like this winter is going to be quite cold,' the meteorologist at the weather service responded.
So the chief went back to his people and told them to collect even more firewood in order to be prepared A week later, he called the National Weather Service again. 'Does it still look like it is going to be a very cold winter?' 'Yes,' the man at National Weather Service again replied, 'it's going to be a very cold winter.' The chief again went back to his people and ordered them to collect every scrap of firewood they could find.
Two weeks later, the chief called the National Weather Service again. 'Are you absolutely sure that the winter is going to be very cold?' 'Absolutely,' the man replied. 'It's looking more and more like it is going to be one of the coldest winters we've ever seen.' 'How can you be so sure?' the chief asked. The weatherman replied, 'The Indians are collecting firewood like crazy.' Always remember this whenever you get advice from a government official!
|
Rio Grande Valley