Honestly, I expect history will record my generation as the worst stewards since the Gilded Age. No vision, little thought, and, for chrissakes, no responsibility. My first political science professor, Keith Shirey (probably paraphrasing C. Wright Mill), used to say that American Conservatism is based on an "I got mine, up yours" philosophy. He was right. But that was then. Our generation has succeeded in making greed and selfishness into a national obsession.
Take just these three, juxtaposed in my morning's local paper:
"UnitedHealth Moves to Stop Exec Options" A local hero and "philanthropist" has decided that his company should stop awarding stock options, now that he's accumulated $1.5 billion worth of them. Of course he "added shareholder value," (while health care costs became a national embarrassment and crisis) and has given tens of millions to charity (nearly 1%!), so that's the end of it.
"Stadium debate also puts Dome's fate up in the air" The legislature is changing the state tax code so that the sales tax can be increased without a public vote in order to finance three new sports stadia to the tune of a billion dollars. Vikings, Twins, and Gophers will all get new while county social workers have to tell foster parents there's no money to help them care for crack babies.
And, finally, "Editorial: Tobacco fee ruling is needed very soon" Timmy the Boy Governor signed a "no new taxes" pledge and so insisted that we call the new $0.75/pack cigarette tax a "health impact fee" rather than a tax. Big Tobacco (who had previously paid the state billions of dollars (which Timmy spent in his first term in order to avoid raising taxes)) said, "Whoa! We've got a settlement that says that MN will never charge a fee to offset the impact of our product." And, of course, BT is right. They've already won in the lower courts and will again, putting a $400MM/year hole in the state's budget. But not to worry, Timmy is running for VP.
Like Van Morrison, each morning I get my daily brief and stare out at the world in complete disbelief. It's not righteous indignation that makes me complain, it's the fact that I always have to explain.
Do you think it's possible to hide from one's own children? Sooner or later they're going to tire of my playful demeanor and old jokes. First they'll humor me, but when they figure out what a mess I've made--and that it's all going to be left for them to clean up--they'll turn on me for sure.
