As someone who manages the savings of somebody else, I know it is deathly serious work. We become achingly cynical: believing no news release, no quarterly report, no analyst report and no economic analysis. Still, there are those occasions when we must put aside our cynicism for something more simple, more naive. Today is one of those days! I'm thankful to be an American. Of course, that implies so many things . . .
It is a democracy, an imperfect one but well-intended one. The current President of Turkey once said that democracy is like a train -- when you get to the right stop, you get off. I've thought about that comment a lot. Assuming he is right, how will we know when we get to that stop, and what is the next train we take?
Readers know my frustration with our implementation of republicanism, whereby partisan children are elected to make the most important decisions for us. Readers also know my conviction that this problem cannot be fixed until the problem of re-districting, which is done every ten years, is actually done in a non-partisan manner.
America also means capitalism, which we codified. It is arguably the greatest gift to mankind in history, having lifted hundreds of millions of workers out of poverty. Like anything man-made, it is imperfect . . . but still the greatest gift.
The marriage of the political system of democracy with the economic system is often referred to as the Free Enterprise model. The Chinese model is a marriage between an economic system of capitalism with the political system of totalitarianism or fascism. (The Israeli model was democracy married to socialism, but they have rejected it, in favor of our model.)
Which model will be the best going forward? I hope it is the American model but suspect it will be whichever system is flexible enough to adjust.
But, on the 4th of July, I'm happy to be on this train and will always be both proud and thankful to be an American. There will be no room for cynicism today, only hamburgers, baked beans, and potato salad. Enjoy the day!
