Thom Hartmann: Is it Time to Ditch the GDP?

[thomhartmann]

Mitch Jones, Food & Water Watch, joins Thom Hartmann. When talking about the economy - everyone is always GDP this and GDP that. But - is obsessing over our nation's gross domestic product really the best way to talk about the growth and state of the American economy? In 1968 - Kennedy said this of measures like GDP and GNP: "Our Gross National Product, now, is over $800 billion dollars a year...if we judge the United States of America by that - that Gross National Product counts air pollution and cigarette advertising, and ambulances to clear our highways of carnage…

Yet the gross national product does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education or the joy of their play.

It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages, the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of our public officials.

It measures neither our wit nor our courage, neither our wisdom nor our learning, neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country, it measures everything in short, except that which makes life worthwhile. And it can tell us everything about America except why we are proud that we are Americans." So what other way should we measure progress that - as Robert Kennedy said - accounts for that which makes like worthwhile?

The Big Picture with Thom Hartmann on RT TV & FSTV "live" 9pm and 11pm check www.thomhartmann.com/tv for local listings

[limpyhobbler]

1. k/r nt