We're NOT Broke!
We’re not broke. Yes, nearly all levels of government face fiscal problems because of the economic downturn. But there is no crisis. There are many different paths open to fixing public budgets. And we will come up with wiser and more sustainable solutions if we approach fiscal problems calmly, realizing that we’re still a very rich country and that the wealthiest among us are doing exceptionally well.
Those words appear in this morning's Washington Post, in an op ed by E. J. Dionne titled What if we're not broke? As Dionne puts it succinctly,
A phony metaphor is being used to hijack the nation’s political conversation and skew public policies to benefit better-off Americans and hurt most others.
This is a must-read column. And before I explore it more, I want to offer a few remarks about Dionne.