Better Than a Stick in the Eye

“Better than a stick in the eye” means an outcome is not very good but it is better than getting something much worse. No one wants to get a stick in the eye. Logic dictates that we try to do better than the stick but right now it appears that we’d rather have the stick. 

No I have not emptied another bottle of JD. I am thinking about economic policy and the coming presidential election. Now that Hillary Clinton seems even more likely to be the Democratic candidate the barbs are flying between her and Donald Trump. He is dangerous and incoherent; she is immoral and corrupt. Your mother wears combat boots. Your father is dumber than Papa Q. Bear (of the Berenstain Bears).  

I am hoping that somewhere down the line these two candidates will actually talk about policy but I am also hoping that the JD genie delivers a case to my front door. The question is not why these two people prefer to shout at each other. The question is why we voters put up with it.

Why are we so entertained or enamored by rude, colorful language in the people who say they want to be President of the USA? Will they continue this when in office? Will Hillary decry that her pecs are bigger than Putin’s? Will the Donald say his hands are larger than Dolly Parton’s?

The last time I looked US economic growth was lackluster, capital spending is literally falling, and the Fed decided to put off returning to a normal policy regime because the economy appears too fragile to withstand a 0.15 increase in the federal funds rate. You would think that these candidates would be seriously debating what to do about falling labor productivity, workers leaving the labor force, soaring national debt, and Jason’s new addiction to smoking meats.

Doing all that hard work would be better than a stick in the eye yet we prefer the stick. Why? I guess because we have gotten to the point where answering the real questions is either boring or just too hard. What to do about productivity? Wow, talk about a sleeper. Go down Main Street of your town and ask 50 people what they would do about declining US productivity. Then ask those same people to name 7 types of weed or all the members of the SF Warriors including the names of the managers. I think you see what I mean.

But I think there are enough of us who really care enough to want some real debate. I am going to get in trouble with just about everyone I know for saying the following but I think it is true.

·      Monetary policy might be much too expansionary right now but that policy will always be used by politicians to stimulate a weak economy. Can't we find something in between?

·       Fiscal policy is leading to unsustainable national debts but again, deficit spending is ingrained in national thinking for a weak economy. Is there no middle ground? 

·       Legal abortion is here to stay. We might argue about making it a little easier or harder to get. But it is not going away.

·       China might not abide by all agreed trade rules but it cannot be ignored.

·       Immigrants – legal are not – who have been in this country for decades might deserve a sympathetic ear even as we realize that a country has to protect its borders.

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I could go on and on but you get the drift. We have serious policy issues and they are not going to be resolved by sticking things in our adversary’s eyes.   We have had enough of that already. For two years the Democrats held a majority and used it. Ever since Republicans have tried to counter everything Democrats did. There is much shouting and accusing and little in the way of governing. If we keep that up for another 8 years, what is going  to happen with all our issues?

Some Democrats say that when they are restored to power they are going to ram all their stuff down our throats. Some Republicans say the same. Finally back in power we Republicans are going to undo everything Obama did.

Really? Is that what governing is supposed to be all about? I don’t think so. I think there are enough of us who think that way so we need to be heard. We can begin by stuffing a bunch of $100 bills in a pillow case and mailing them to me. Okay nevermind that one. But for a start we should stop supporting candidates who won’t debate real issues. We should stop supporting candidates who continue to call each other names. Having real debates about issues is not a lot of fun but it is definitely better than a stick in the eye. 

Perhaps we should threaten a voter's strike. If our current crop of candidates knows that they are going to lose votes from moderates, perhaps they will moderate. Let them fight for moderates by explaining what they are going to do to solve our current economic mess. If they won't and they continue to feed the polar frenzy, then we should make it very clear that we won't vote for the jerks.  Don't they have something to gain by retaining and attracting moderates?  What happens if the moderates organize a revolt?  

Do you have a better idea? Naw. You Ds fear Trump so much that you'll stick with candidates who appear more reasonable yet haven't said one sensible thing about solving our economic problems. You Rs will let Trump say anything because you think Hillary will name the wrong people to the Supreme Court or will be pushed to support liberal causes. And while you do all that people drop out of the labor force, banks and firms sit on their resources, and productivity gets lower than a limbo stick in Nassau. If we don't demand sensible policies then the polar extremes will continue to destroy this country. Whew, I need a large ice cube and a cold glass.