Sunday, July 26, 2009
A response to "the government can't run anything" statement
Is there anything run well in this country? Corporations are no better than government, but in a democracy all citizens are responsible. Poor managerial acumen is no excuse for leaving millions without access to health care. Unquestionably, it is a complex issue without simple answers, however, it is not the government that is in trouble but the society that has eroded to such a degree that it would forsake basic human decency for petty squabbling. If we believe in responsibility and accountability we can create a system that will do its job because the people employed to do the job do it right. Checks and balances, anyone? We have the capabilities, the intelligence, and the will, do we not? We call it innovation, creativity, determination! The meaning is defined by its use! If the social climate is so cynical to believe it is not even remotely possible then we are lost. History shows that those who have and don't share don't have for long.
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An interesting point of view, and I feel that I agree with it for the most. Weston was just telling me something Fichte said that maybe relevant. Fichte criticized anyone who claimed to know what human intelligence is capable of (I believe the attack was directed towards Kant and the idea that we can't know a "thing-in-itself"). Fichte believed that we can only know what we are capable of doing if we try to do it, pushing the limits and not solely relying on what has worked or what hasn't.
ReplyDeleteThe point about Fichte might be relevant too, considering the politicians have yet to try anything out with healthcare. We've been arguing and/or talking about it for how long? And what's happened since? Well for one thing, the gov. has managed to pull more money out of education (including our 16% tuition increase). I guess its one of those things where if you stand around long enough without coming to a decision then you're probably going to make matters worse...
Good blog, by the way.
Thank you Nader. Interesting, I just read an article on Fichte, Kant, and Evil. Good stuff!!
ReplyDeleteThe health care issue is for me a moral issue. We are capable of making moral decisions and it seems the answer is to let every person fend for themselves. We can stand around and nothing gets done or put the work in and see if there is something that can be done. Is it mediocrity or indifference or as one historian suggested "asocial individualism"? It seems everyone is about getting "mine" without caring for the other because the implicit assumption is if you don't have it (health care or insurance) is their fault anyway, which I don't think has much merit. I argue from the view of social responsibility and that is an open debate worth having.