Professor J,
It isn't necessarily the system that is responsible for advances in the things I mentioned, but capitalism and freedom seem to go hand in hand and it's in countries where freedom flourishes that we see new discoveries most often take place. Other nations with various systems then implement those things that are beneficial to their citizens as a whole but rarely have we seen in the past great new advances come out of totalitarian regimes (which in the past haven't favored capitalism). Like this quote from an article on China and green energy points out: "While the U.S. is known for radical innovation, China is better at tweak-ovation." Your point about capitalism being dominant during times of great progress is valid but there still seems to me to be a connection between the creative producer and an atmosphere where individuality/freedom is revered. Stifling conformity rarely leads to new ways of thinking about things, which is naturally a first step in problem solving and inventiveness.
It's easy for them to "seed the discussions" because few people have the time or the inclination to move beyond the information dished out by our sound bite driven media. The nightly incendiary shouting matches that pass for discussion these days, are likely to hold inordinate sway in a culture where 58% of people never read another book after high school (42% after college). It is sometimes interesting (and unnerving) to switch between several news channels and hear EXACTLY the same words and phrases used by different pundits and commentators .
I'd agree with you about the "cut taxes" crowd except that a lot of those people are willing to see some massive and painful changes take place. It isn't so much about cutting the taxes as it is not wanting to pay any more money into a mind numbingly wasteful system and many now see starvation of the monster we have let run away from us as the only real power they have left. In addition many times it feels as if we are funding our own destruction instead of making a contribution that is going to improve anything.
I agree that we have let things get too big. In his book How Good People Make Tough Choices, Rushworth Kidder has this to say: "What's new then, is not simply our knowledge. It's the sheer scale and power of our systems- scientific, technological, financial, governmental, educational, and so forth." Incredibly difficult to rein in the giant systems we are lumbering under.
As for cutting spending far more than anything imagined, well that depends on who is doing the imagining. I can imagine doing away with the first three of your Big Four over time and as for "Defense", abiding by the Constitution (HEY, there's an idea) would eliminate a large unnecessary portion of it. I can also imagine abolishing Dept. of Education and the IRS. Do all that and deal with the Federal Reserve and we'd be far along the right track. I like your idea of a budget voucher system for Medicare. Knowing there was a LIMITED amount of money might encourage people to be more responsible for their health and promote healthier lifestyles.
Howling? Well, yes. Loudly. People have become so accustomed to these gargantuan government entities they cannot imagine how the country would operate without them. Talk of dismantling the current failing education system is met with "What would all those teachers (and administrators, bureaucrats, and union leaders) do?" Notice how the objective has shifted from education to employment, a massively ineffective jobs program.
People do feel discouraged, (and the more truth you see the more discouraging it is) you are right. It is more than many people can bear to imagine that the entire thing, the way that they have thought about the world and what they thought they believed in, is little more than stage setting. That somewhere, disguised and out of the public view, the whole thing is being directed by a powerful few.
I think for the first time in a long time people are angry in a way that (if they are thoughtful and pay careful attention) could bring about some real change instead of what we have seen for decades; the same people in power behind the scenes watching gleefully as we trade the donkey and elephant masks back and forth every so often. The pendulum swings back and forth but the problem is that the clock is on a train traveling at breakneck speed toward destruction. Next stop: Rome.
Part of me can't help but be encouraged though. Over 20 years ago when anyone discussed abolishing the IRS and instituting a new tax system, or asked questions about the Federal Reserve ala Ron Paul, few people took it seriously. But now, those things are at least part of what is considered a reasonable line of thought and are often up for discussion.
Many are waking from their party politic stupor, rubbing their eyes, and getting a good look around for the first time. And asking, "How the hell did we get HERE?" A good question to start, but the real one is going to be where are we trying to go and how painful is the journey going to be? It may be true that doing the things you mention and finding real solutions isn't on the public mind, but recognizing the problems and the fact that the remedies will be painful is at least a first step. The person pointing out that the building is on fire is serving a useful purpose even if he doesn't know at the start which fire extinguisher is going to work best.
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