Who is to blame for the economic and financial troubles washing over us? I thought it clear that it was too much Capitalism. But the Capitalists have another story. They say it goes back to the New Deal. That is, the goal of home ownership for all was a mistake: the unions have busted American industry; the poor have gotten too demanding; the Socialists have ruined us. Capitalist thinkers love to have it both ways. When times are booming. we clearly don't need socialism; when times are hard, it's all the fault of socialism.

One further note: In discussing his recent book, The Ascent of Money, a Harvard history professor makes much of the fact that home ownership for other than the aristocracy is a somewhat of a new thing and takes that as a kind of proof it is an unnatural thing. I guess the same could be said about any successful progressive movement, such as the end of slavery in the U.S.A..

OBAMA'S TO-DO LIST

It seems everyone wants to talk about a to-do list. I say he should first adopt at least the following two of my essential principles of governance: Realize that you almost always need to select the lesser of evils and you should keep one foot in the ore body.

Among the first tier of items should be the resurrection of a war on poverty. I mean the type of war conducted by FDR and LBJ. Turn the factories over to the workers, under quasi-public control if necessary. Go to court to force corporations to comply with their charters as to the public interest.

Another issue to consider very carefully is this: Where do professional economists fit into the current debacle? Any who were getting paid to forecast and missed the mark should be banished from any public work or testimony.

Aside from satisfying certain administrative needs, the legitimate government has only two missions: See that society is just and provide for the common defense.

The capitalist system can not be allowed to kill itself with its greed, as it is now trying to do. It is set up to take too many innocents with it. It needs to be revived to the point where as many as possible are temporarily safe and then sentenced to permanent banishment.

A GREAT VICTORY! BUT PALIN AND HER FOLLOWERS ARE STILL NOT CONVINCED. I SAY THEY POSE A DANGEROUS THREAT. THEIR NATIONALISM IS ENTIRELY DIFFERENT FROM OBAMA'S CALL FOR UNITY. THEY SEE THEMSELVES AS THE CHOSEN PEOPLE SURROUNDED AND SET UPON BY NON-PATRIOTS, BAD AMERICANS, TERRORISTS, SOCIALISTS, AND PEOPLE FROM SAN FRANSISCO. HITLER FELT MUCH THIS WAY IN HIS EARLY CAREER. I HOPE THE TRADITIONAL REPUBLICAN CAN FIGHT HER OFF.