what? us? can't be

There’s an op-ed by Martin Neil Baily in the Sunday Times that’s an attempt to separate the economic issues in America from the war in Iraq. The opening paragraphs put forth his theory that global demand for all commodities is driving increased in prices and cost-of-living – particularly oil and metals. The global demand for resources combined with our mortgage and construction felonies are the primary contributors to the economic mess. He debunks the war, the actions of the Fed, government borrowing, budget deficits, or foreign investment temptation (?). I could sit together with Bialy at a table that disassociates the economic mess from the war – but not fully. I think there are quite a few out there who would think that the distraction of the war, the blinkered focus on the ‘global war’, has either allowed the American economy to slip out the backdoor or it represents the only activity our government (which includes both the executive and the legislative) is capable of participating in – no multi-tasking in Washington. Bialy’s point-of-view seems shallow if the only real suspect in our economic problems is global demand and the mortgage crisis. In fact, if I take him at value then our inability to deal with shrinking supply (or at least recognize that it was coming) and the housing market is a little embarrassing. How about if we just imagine there was no war – now what’s the excuse? Hey, China and India have a whole lot of people? We shouldn’t necessarily leave the housing market unregulated? One man’s opinon.

Speaking of the Administration…remember the “bring it on” quote from the President? I think Sec. Rice might want to consider issuing challenges to those who control and affect events in Iraq. According the an AP article in the Washington Post, Sec. Rice decided it was best to call out Al-Sadr during her visit to Iraq. In fact, her saying “I guess it’s all-out war for anybody but him. I guess that’s the message: His followers can go to their deaths and he’s in Iran.” I won’t even attempt to break that message down into it’s ironic components.