David Korten: America’s Deficit Attention Disorder

[marmar]

from YES! Magazine:



America’s Deficit Attention Disorder
Money is the least of our problems. It’s time to pay attention to the real deficits that are killing us.

by David Korten
posted Aug 10, 2012


The political debate in the United States and Europe has focused attention on public financial deficits and how best to resolve them. Tragically, the debate largely ignores the deficits that most endanger our future.

In the United States, as Republican deficit hawks tell the story, “America is broke. We must cut government spending on social programs we cannot afford. And we must lower taxes on Wall Street job creators so they can invest to get the economy growing, create new jobs, increase total tax revenues, and eliminate the deficit.”

Democrats respond, “Yes, we’re pretty broke, but the answer is to raise taxes on Wall Street looters to pay for government spending that primes the economic pump by putting people to work building critical infrastructure and performing essential public services. This puts money in people’s pockets to spend on private sector goods and services and is our best hope to grow the economy.”

Democrats have the better side of the argument, but both sides have it wrong on two key points.

* First, both focus on growing GDP, ignoring the reality that under the regime of Wall Street rule, the benefits of GDP growth over the past several decades have gone almost exclusively to the 1 percent—with dire consequences for democracy and the health of the social and natural capital on which true prosperity depends.
* Second, both focus on financial deficits, which can be resolved with relative ease if we are truly serious about it; and ignore far more dangerous and difficult-to-resolve social and environmental deficits. I call it a case of deficit attention disorder.

To achieve the ideal of a world that secures health and prosperity for all people for generations to come, we must reframe the public debate about the choices we face as a nation and as a species. We must measure economic performance against the outcomes we really want, give life priority over money, and recognize that money is a means, not an end. ................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.yesmagazine.org/blogs/david-korten/americas-deficit-attention-disorder

[Jackpine Radical]

1. The deficit was created by giveaways to the rich.

Now they're using it as the excuse for the next era of ripoffs.

Ya gotta admire chutzpah like that.

[Mosaic]

2. What to do about that nerve?

That is the question for people looking for solutions.

[just1voice]

3. Outstanding article, which is why very few here will ever read it

and here's exactly why; most here buy into the political propaganda and never consider these points from the article:

"Democrats have the better side of the argument, but both sides have it wrong on two key points.

* First, both focus on growing GDP, ignoring the reality that under the regime of Wall Street rule, the benefits of GDP growth over the past several decades have gone almost exclusively to the 1 percent—with dire consequences for democracy and the health of the social and natural capital on which true prosperity depends.
* Second, both focus on financial deficits, which can be resolved with relative ease if we are truly serious about it; and ignore far more dangerous and difficult-to-resolve social and environmental deficits. I call it a case of deficit attention disorder."


I read very few posts in my total time here that suggested people actually get that the entire system is broken and so they continually refuse to even look at re-framing the public debate.

[tama]

4. DU attention

gets mostly yanked from the very real issues mostly by the bi-partisan tribal rivalry, together with the "cultural wars" that go together with the divide. As the bi-partisan smokescreen of two wings of Wall Street "let's destroy the Earth for corporate profit" party is supposed to do, to divide and conquer.

Peak Oil and related issues have been discussed on DU for more than a decade, but for many people the - quite understandable - psychological wall of denial is impossible to break. But as the PO is now long past, the issue has ceased to be a big talking point. Post PO attention has moved mainly to following and analysing the financial and economic collapse of global capitalism (dependent from continuous growth) predicted by PO analysts.

It's not useless, there are many people present who have done their reality check and have ability to share their well informed and wise views with those willing to listen. I consider GliderGuider a DU hero who has touched many lives in positive way with his words. Quite likely more than he can imagine.