Consider science: since "the people" are anti-science (not just neutral), we spend a helluvalot more money on the military than research. Forced to cut costs, old white scientists "insource" cheap science labor from China et. al. In the short run "we" save, but in the long run we will pay when we don't have enough scientists to drive the American economy (we certianly will have enough lawyers to divy up the spoils for some reason, maybe pay).

This is similar to The Loss of New Orleans. We didn't have the money to pay for an ounce of prevention because of war and tax-cuts. That penny-wisdom will now cost additional billions.

Personally, I blame the Boomers, the most rapacious generation the world has ever known. When they were young they were afforded the very best the Welfare State had to offer. When they became young adults, they demanded even more money be devoted to themselves. When they became stolid taxpayers, then, lo and behold! Reaganite tax cuts were all the rage! Borrowing from the future became the status quo! As they approach retirement they are rushing to cut social security except for, you guessed it, the Boomers and above! When my generation becomes stolid taxpayers and the Boomers are retired, I predict that Boomers will "rediscover" the virtues of extortionate taxes. They will "rediscover" compassion for the weak, since they themselves will be the weak ones.

All the while the environment will be busy being destroyed. Oil will be busy being turned into Greenhouse gasses. Glaciers will be busy melting and seas will be busy reclaiming land currently being used by pesky cities. Forests will be busy being chopped down and turned into McMansions and Wall Street Journals for self-satisfied Boomers. Prices will be busy rising as demand for raw materials grows exponentially, while the supply diminishes exponentially. People will be busy scrambling to feed and clothe  billions more people on a world that can sustainably support less and less.

I encourage people to take the gloves off, (many here already have) when dealing with their fellow citizen. Challenge them whenever they want to argue, vote, or govern with their instincts rather than their intelligence. We can no longer wax romantic about the inherent goodness of "the people." We don't have time for that anymore. We need the people to put up or shut up. We need the people to deliver.

Poll Being in favor of spending billions cleaning up preventable messes abvsolves one for responsibility in making the mess in the first place because after all it's a popular sentiment and it feels good. Agree Disagree Votes: 7 Results : Vote Link : Polls