Time to Rethink Our Economic Priorities?

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from The American Prospect:



Time to Rethink Our Economic Priorities?

Americans and their elected representatives need to start considering the relationship between the economy and quality of life.

Courtney E. Martin | October 5, 2007 | web only


A scan of today's headlines is like viewing a potpourri of economic dissolution. We've got a broken mortgage system, unaffordable health care, skyrocketing consumer and student debt, and inflexible, stressful workplaces.

It is a moment ripe for rethinking the economy. John DeGraff, a filmmaker and activist with that rare gift of 20/20 foresight, has organized a campaign and conference that will take place this weekend at the Washington, D.C., Convention Center entitled "What's the Economy for, Anyway?" As part of the annual Green Festival, Democratic pollster Celinda Lake, Bill McKibben (author of Deep Economy), and other left-leaning thought leaders, authors, and activists will explore questions like: What is the ultimate measure by which our economy should be evaluated? Is it profit for the few or is it health for the many? What would an enlightened workplace look like? How might the federal budget be altered to reflect real American values?

Over 25 individual speeches and 30 workshops are planned, exploring the economy from angles as diverse as consumer debt, national security, work/life balance, and the loss of cohesive community in so many of our fragmented lives. The ultimate goal, as articulated by DeGraff and other organizers, is to get a more enlightened discussion about the economy on the agenda for the 2008 presidential election.

A renewed conversation about basic economic priorities is long overdue, especially in Washington. Too often the public and political debate about this issue operates from the spurious premise that the ultimate goal of all economic decisions is to make more money. The current paradigm for exploring economic policy in this country, then, begins at step two -- the practice -- as opposed to step one -- the purpose.

Take health care. Is the purpose of our current system to increase revenues for private medical providers and pharmaceutical companies, prevent higher national debt or taxes, and extend the length of American's lives no matter what the cost, or is it to make sure every citizen has access to good quality health care today and that we develop a sustainable system for tomorrow?

Too often Americans swallow whole the idea that the economy is only viable if it is making people money and reinforcing America's reputation as a global superpower. This outlook is congruent with our lifestyles of conspicuous consumption. But when was the last time that we -- as citizens -- and our representatives, thought deeply about the relationship between the economy and quality of life? .......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=time_to_rethink_our_economic_priorities

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