The Absurdity of Politics
It is unfortunate that the Republicans are running primarily on two things they really can do little about.
The first is the economy. Economies simply go up and they go down. Yes we have 8% inflation today-and the sentiment is that the government must do something. But, I am sorry but I do not care which party you are, I doubt little can actually be done regarding today’s inflation. Especially, not with the tools available to Congress.
What are they going to do? Cut taxes? Like the English did? Or perhaps cut regulations? Which regulation do we want to gut? Banking law? So, we can have another meltdown like in 2008? Or perhaps the Clean Air and Water regulations? And these will go into effect when? the middle of next year? Maybe? Great.
I am hoping the Federal Reserve beats inflation down by then but then we will be in a recession. Maybe they should just anticipate the recession. Now a good Keynesian would increase spending. . . Probably not.
The economy is very complicated. Yes, I know. . . What a bold and controversial statement to make! But it is true. Considering that fact, the attempt to legislate against a phenomenon such as the inflation we experience today is just not realistic. The complexity of today’s inflation or for that matter any inflation, I suggest betrays legislative solutions. The relation between legislation and inflation is kind of like that elaborate mousetrap game. Tenuous is the word.
Now regarding crime. Crime is always a local matter. It is typically investigated by local police and prosecuted in state courts. So, what exactly is my congressman or senator going to do regarding crime in a particular city or town? Are we going to initiate yet another war on drugs? Is that the answer? The 60s and 70s I guess taught us nothing.
The last time the Feds jumped on the stop crime wagon (And this was largely Joe Biden’s baby back in 1994?), they were kind of late to the party. Crime was already dropping. To this day we do not know why. In NYC, we still do not know if crack cocaine just burned itself out, or whether Giuliani actually solved the problem with a million new police. . . I exaggerate. I wonder if it was just the law of diminishing returns just finally kicking in. Probably was all of the above.
It is interesting that Seinfeld took place in the middle of New York City in the midst of what was a far more serious crime wave. That was a crime wave.
Anyway, the chances are we will have a Republican House and Senate. I hope I am wrong, but history says. . . Anyway, if they do win, I am not really sure what they are going to do regarding the crises they point to. Little. They will most likely work their way through their respective systems like a bad case of indigestion.
In both cases those systems will be much more local. Once again the answer lies much closer to home.
