(Cross-posted from The Buddha Diaries.)
Here's a letter I wrote this morning to the New York Times, with a link to the op-ed piece that it responds to:
The examples that Ross Douthat ("Romney's Mormon Story," Sunday, 8/12/12) offers of Mitt Romney's generosity reinforce the image of a man willing to help those in his immediate circle: he "shut down his business to hunt for a colleague's missing daughter," "helped build a memorial park when a friend's son died of cystic fibrosis," and "lent money to renters to help them buy a house he owned." Without wishing to deprecate the Republican candidate's generosity or his religious faith, I find these examples unconvincing evidence of a broadly humanitarian vision that cares deeply about the vast numbers of today's vulnerable and defenseless, both in this country and abroad. They are evidence, rather, of a narrow, even self-serving view that fails the test of the all-encompassing concern for humanity that is needed in a President of the United States today, in view of the huge challenges that our nation and our planet must imminently address. The economic vision they exemplify is equally parochial in its implications. Does Douthat envision a shining Salt Lake City on the hill?
Given the volume of mail the newspaper receives, I suppose it's doubtful that my letter will see print. Still, worth writing, if only to clarify the thought for myself.
The basic question I would like to ask candidates and voters alike is this: Do you have plans for those less fortunate than yourself? If so, please specify.
1 comment:
What Would J.P.( Morgan or Getty) Do?
Eureka! I’ve been thinking and puzzling and finally I figured out who the founding principles of the Tea/Republican Party were taken from. I couldn’t get rid of the feeling of insincerity in my mind when listening to Boener, Romney, and Ryan. Yesterday, at the convention, when the British sounding reporter at the Convention asked Speaker Boehner why we should trust the Republicans with a trifecta (both houses and the presidency) when the last time they had it, their party got us into the mess we still haven’t been able to get ourselves out of, I understood. His question was not really answered, but his vague reply pointed the way. The economy will get better under the new Republican President in the same way as prices would fall prior to a monopolistic takeover by the oil giant Standard Oil's J. Paul Getty. Things would get better briefly while their power base was strengthened until they had the power to make the country over in their own image. The major oil companies, multinational banks, insurance and pharmaceutical companies have always had the power within their bottomless reserves of money and power to make the economy better. they just needed to destroy Obama first by putting fear in the minds of those middle class pawns who will vote themselves into poverty.
What would J.P. Morgan do? Check your history or wait until the election. Just remember, business is not government because government was never designed to be profitable.
Simple Teacher
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