Decisions, decisions

Fork It

Decision is a risk rooted in the courage of being free.

                             Paul Tillich

World-renowned philosopher and former Yankee catcher Yogi Berra infamously advised, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” 

International recon based on current events confirms our choices are grim. Economists – other than NY Times  Paul “Spendalot” Krugman – are unanimous in their general assessment  the unholy alliance between the Fed’s printing presses and politicians’ profligate spending has brought us to the fork  from which there is no turning back; the brakes on this bus were blown out several trillion “miles” back; the steering wheel is stuck, too.

So where are we headed? Which way should we go?

The incessant saber rattling coming from the capitals of the important parts of the world indicate the Middle East will be getting hotter – and not due to sprinklings from Global Warming Fairy. Add to that volatile mix, the soap opera, “Eurozone”, starring PIIGS, BRICS, ECBs and a cast of spoiled brats raised on the specious promises of Socialism any spark will ignite the wrong kind of Boom. 

Regardless, Obama/Clinton/Putin/Merkel appear to be on a collision course to do something messy to Syria. Iran, Israel and the rest of the Sandlot Gang have their own appurtenant issues exacerbated by itchy trigger fingers. Granted, touching off a Middle East firestorm might only result in some cloudy weather over Washington, but the precedent and consequences (intended and “un”) are as unpredictable as they are scary. By any measure: Not Good For Mankind.

Now consider the other “tine” in Yogi’s fork. Pretend None of the Above takes place and all hostile parties return to their neutral corners. Now what? Well, there is that inconvenient matter of all those fiat dollars sloshing around the financial universe. The Grinning Beard of the Great Bernanke lulls us into solace with gently lapping sounds of Instant FRNs rolling off the virtual presses, conjuring images of personal indulgence aboard the QE3, frolicking to the Twist, riding the Dow Jones Roller Coaster all the way to the Hamptons. As the say on Wall Street: “WOW! What a deal!” Sadly, the QE3 bears an eerie resemblance to the Titanic, Chubby ain’t Twistin’ Like We Did Last Summer and the roller coaster track is out dead ahead. Once the Fed Auction House shows up empty and the FRNs meet De Basement of De Dollar, obligations go unfulfilled and Greece breaks out in America and beyond. This just might be the bumpy ride Bette Davis mentioned. Or worse.

As someone famous recently noted, “There is no longer an orderly political mechanism by which the Founding values can be restored because the culture has been lost to identity groups who think of themselves as entitled victims. Reminding statist zealots of this hard, cold fact is like speaking in tongues to the deaf.” Politicians operate on the philosophy “It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how you place the blame.”

 Just last evening, a friend wrote: “It really is time we combine our efforts and treasure to fight this criminal government. Our kids will have no future.” How? “We need to form a group of resourceful, like-minded people to unite behind candidates who will go to Washington, replacing Pelosi, Reid, Schumer – and get this country back on the right track”. Really? Seriously? Do you actually believe there are supermen and Wonder Women immune to the toxic fumes of corruption that waft through Washington’s Halls of Power? Why do you think I call it the Logic Free Zone? Because “Den of thieves”, “Happy Dale” and “sewer” were already over-used.

Fortunately, another famous Sayer of Sooth, Woody Allan, offers this timely encouragement: "More than any time in history, mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness, the other to total extinction. Let us pray that we have the wisdom to choose correctly."

Indeed.

As posted at  Lew Rockwell.com