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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: greenspirit who wrote (15783)	3/19/2000 8:15:00 PM
From: Brian P.	Respond to of 769670

<<You believe that individual Americans making individual choices regarding their transportation and living arrangements are wrong.>> Michael, You can see it that way, or you can see it as a failure to come together coherently as a society and step back and, democratically, with leadership from a President and Congress, act in their best interests. I wasn't talking about a Maoist fifty-year plan. I was talking about getting a dialogue going on issues that are not even on the radar screen for most Americans, but, I think, ought to be. That's where leadership comes in. I do NOT believe that atomistic individuals, acting alone, will always produce the best arrangements. I'm sure you don't either, since as a true conservative you recognize the values of community and social coherence. The free market does not solve every problem on the face of the earth. That's just idol worship to think so. It is surprising how many Americans consider unbridled free-market capitalism to be a primary conservative arrangement. It is not--it is 19th century classical economic liberalism. Conservatives should not be unbridled champions of free-market capitalism, which is an endlessly overturning, change-inducing system that tramples on enduring values and stable social orders and social networks in the service of economic efficiency. Unchecked, unmoderated capitalism can never be the basis for a truly conservative social order. True conservatism and unchecked capitalism is an incoherent combination. You probably think I sound like a flaming socialist, but I am not saying anything of the kind. As far as the auto goes, I do view it as an addiction--people like the drug, it is enjoyable and "convenient"--but the hidden costs and downside catch up with you without you even realizing it. Soon you think you need something you don't really need. There might be a better way to structure a national transportation policy, but people can't imagine it or dare not. Capitalism endlessly manufactures artificial needs in this way. Henry Ford figured out he could sell more cars if he stopped painting them all black. Colors were introduced to stimulate demand. Nothing wrong with color--but, for example, tell me why on earth Detroit needs to come out with a new model every single year? We just assume it has to be that way--but it's just an unexamined assumption--like why is the grass green? Look at the average asinine, utterly juvenile car commercial on TV. It's all part of a system designed to stimulate demand for objects people don't really need as often and in as great a number as they think they do. Yes, I do think that a nation ought to make come collective decisions about things like transportation. Are we not a society? It's all just individuals? What I'm saying is not as way out as you might think.