Jim Webb, the state of the union, and macacas
I really like that Jim Webb guy... at least what I've seen of him so far.
I mean, in truth, I cannot place a holistic value on the man, especially since he is a relative political newbie (although he has an extensive and impressive military and Washington career, i.e. Secretary of the Navy), and there is very little in terms of action or record by which to evaluate him in the legislative arena. It’s just words.
But sometimes words are all you have to go on; and the ideas that he has voiced so far resonate with me and spark a hope for potential change.
“We should measure the health of our society not at its apex, but at its base.”
I am actually quoting Webb, quoting Andrew Jackson the seventh president, from his response to the current President’s State of the Union address this past week. (which was a brilliant antithesis to a predictably weak speech).
This idea is powerful, but has been so skillfully forgotten amongst the spin and shadowy smoke laid out by those who most benefit from the current path. Yes, the economy is expanding. Yes, the DOW is climbing. Yes, wages are rising.
But as not only Webb, not only other democrats, but also everyday people who do not see or touch these benefits in a real or meaningful way know, prosperity is NOT distributed.
[As a personal aside, I enjoy these sorts of discussions from an analytical and technical perspective. If you were to take broad measures like GDP at face value, absolutely it seems like the Nation has great leadership and things are going splendidly. However, as you slice and dice conclusions and question the assumptions that helped you to arrive there, you discover a much different story. For me, this is where economics meets anthropology, and where quantitative analysis is brought to life in 280-bit color to produce a living image of our world and communities.]
For me, this is a no-brainer. Socio-economic disparity can be stretched only so far before the rubberband snaps, and I feel we’re pushing the limits. Things must be fixed.
And to preempt calls from our more traditionalist or conservative brothers and sisters who might connote this idea of fairer distribution to be socialist (like that is so bad anyways)… I DO believe in markets and entrepreneurism and innovation and individuality. I just think things can be made fairer and better. Maybe the word that we should be using ought to be ‘equity.’
Irregardless, Bravo Mr. Webb. I like I what I hear, and hope I like what I see going forward. Stick with your guns (figurative ones Mr. Marine), and don’t be a macaca.