Hysterical Blindness

Early in my practice I was consulted in the case of a 40 year old woman who was "blind" and no physician had been able to discover an organic cause. She was brought into my office, on the second floor of a no-elevator building in a small town in upstate N.Y., assisted by her mother. They came to me in some desperation
because they had heard of a young doctor who had recently started practice and was
reputed to be up on the latest developments.
I used every test I knew, plus some improvising, including psychological tests
using other sensory stimulation, testing for malingering. Throughout a long day the patient rarely spoke, answering only specific questions. The mother did all the talking, in a tone suitable for addressing a naughty child. I learned the patient was unmarried, had only one brief relationship with a man, of whom the mother disapproved. None of that was solicited by me.
In the end I told them I could find no physical reason for the blindness and recommended a psychiatrist as well as a therapist.
When they left I discreetly observed their movements. The daughter handled a stairway, exit to the street, crossing a busy main thoroughfare, with no hesitation.
I concluded the daughter had withdrawn from a very unpleasant and negative situation.

This morning I encountered another case of such blindness. I read Cal Thomas' column,
in which he blames the state of the nation on excessive liberalism and compassionate
government. He longs to return to the days of the 13 colonies, when everyone was
self sufficient and independant and government had to deal only with foreign affairs.
He takes no account that we were a huge country with a tiny population, largely
seperated in the countryside, with little that a big, central government could,
or needed, to do. The policies which brought us to our present precarious state
were fashioned as much by conservatives as liberals---lessaiz faire on the
financial institutions, rewards for exporting jobs, reckless real estate speculation
and generally hands off big business, and senseless wars financed by tax cuts.
He wants the bad old days of George Bush back! What makes him think repeating the
same policies will lead to a different result?

Post Thanksgiving

The festivities are over, but the left-overs will go on---for days.
One of the required exercises of the Thanksgiving celebration is to review the events since the last one, and give huzzahs for our good fortune, friends, and survival. In many homes, yesterday evoked few huzzahs--more likely gratitude for that survival, mixed with apprehension about the days to come.
In my ripeness I can recall other difficult times--depressions, recessions,
wars, disease epidemics. Each such period made it difficult for the nation to find
much for which to be thankful. But America survived, and grew better and stronger
to cope with the next setback. And so it will be again, if we can return to the
altruism and unselfish ideals which made us "that shining city on the hill" to
the world.
For that to return we will need to abandon identity as Republican, or Democrat, and become just people sharing a common destiny, with shared ideals and aspirations. That will require an understanding that bettering ones lot does not have to result
in beggaring our neighbor.

Time to burn a Witch!

Today one of the most amazing achievements in human history was introduced on the
CBS TV program "60 Minutes". A brilliant, famous scientist has synthetically created
a living bacteria, using only man-made chemical compounds. The bacterium exhibits
all of the functions of life, including growth, mitosis and replication, which are
triggered by man made compounds. The implications for the God/Religion industry are
enormous. The threat this development represents to the fundamentalist minds is so
grave they will be unable and unwilling to accept it as fact, and the scientist needs
to fear for his life. After all, in the span of human history it is not so long ago we in America burned witches. The creation of the bacterium was based on knowledge acquired during the decoding of the human genome double helix and the analyses of
the complex proteins making up the genes.
The doors opened by this breakthrough lead to miraculous possibilities in medicine,
surgery and human development; assuming the Luddites among us don't stifle them.

It is crunch time!

The time for some hard decisions in the financial life of our nation has arrived.
We will choose between bankruptcy at worst, or second tier international status at
best. Ireland faces a similar problem but the scale of the two nations makes the problem in Ireland more manageable and within the capacity of the European Union.
For a graphic illustration of what ails us, examine some paper money
in your wallet. It is
named "Federal Reserve Note" and carries the assurance that it is Legal Tender for
all debts, private and public. It does not say it can be redeemed for gold, silver, wheat, corn, petroleum or anything else than another Federal Reserve Note. What stands behind its value is the full faith and confidence that it will be accepted
in exchange for goods or services provided by someone else.
If our budget is in increasing deficit our credit becomes questionable, countries and people who invest in our debt paper become unwilling to do so unless we pay
exorbitant interest rates, which exacerbates the deficits. At some point they will
refuse to buy our paper, or worse ask us to redeem it. We would have to give them
the hard assets which underlie our power and standard of living, thus becoming a colony of our creditors. Would that be better than taking the difficult measures to
keep us free, powerful and with our high quality of life--a significant player on the world stage? Ask our children!!

Joyful tidings!

A just posted news flash reports that Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski became the first write-in senator since 1954, recapturing the senate seat that Sara Palin had
attempted to donate to lightweight Joe Miller. This triumph of good sense over nonsense indicates that there is still a survival instinct among some voters, and that even Sara couldn't sell an empty suit as Alaska's savior. A little humble pie is now in order for Sara and might salvage some credibilty for her.

Doom the Gloom--Let the sun shine in.

A week or so ago I was the beneficiary of a random act of kindness, and I have waited for a gloomy moment to counteract by posting it. When the Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell states boldly that the prime goal of the Republicans for the next two years is to assure that Obama will not have a second term I knew it was time
to give out some cheery news to cover the stench of that cynical statement.

I was in Bloomingdales to purchase a gift for my new born niece. I selected a silver cup and looked for one of the several clerks standing around to come and complete my purchase. None bothered to stir themselves despite my obvious signals, so I left the item, to return later. After a 45 minute stroll I returned to find the same situation, so I collected the sample from the shelf and went looking for a cashier.
I found one, with a trainee at her elbow leisurely checking out one purchase return. Neither bothered to speak to me. Two young ladies wearing Bloomies badges were nearby and I asked if they could accept my money. No such luck, they were temporary assistants for shoppers and not authorized to use the register. I blew my top, whereupon the lovely lady who was at the moment dealing with the confused cashier asked her to stop her transaction and attend to me. She got everyone scurrying around completing the purchase, getting it gift wrapped so I could be on my way. That lovely lady, Meryl Deutsch, by her act of kindness made
my day, and spread sunshine all over the place. She also made a lifetime friend and admirer. Meryl, I salute you.

Will the American public grow up?

The initial revelations about the recommendations of the Deficit Reduction Commission
drew the expected response from all sides and revealed that the public is unwilling to accept any solution to the ballooning deficits if they require any present discomfort. The need to raise taxes drew howls of rage from the right. The need to rein in welfare type benefits, Social Security, Medicare caused the Left to go
ballistic. Each constituency was saying "tax him,not me", and "cut his benefits, not mine". It is highly unlikely that the bunch of "Cowardly Lions, Congress", led
by "compromiser in chief, President Obama" will summon the courage to move the public
toward the unpleasant choices that must be made. But the choice will be made, by events, the bankruptcy of the nation.
For example The Social Security deficit could be eliminated for many decades if
eligibility for benefits were to be means tested. Does anyone see this as likely?

In coming days, as the arguments surface, I will have more to say on the subject.
This should start the dialogue.

Musings Redux

Shakespeare said so aptly "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players". That set me to wondering who were the playwrights, the librettists, the
composers and directors? In my long, inquiring life I have witnessed, and participated in countless performances, the vast majority innocuous and forgotten.
But at times there was a HIT, that changed lives, even the path of history. Each of
us bit players can remember some on both a personal scale, and as well as societal.

If we all had labeled a bean for each such HIT, and put it in a lifetime jar, how
informative it would be, from time to time, to compare the contents of our jars.
Would they agree in the majority, or disclose differences in importance, values and
circumstances? What a fascinating exercise to relate the relationships of our varied life experiences to the differences between the contents of the jars.
How much we would learn of the human condition. This could be a subject for a book,
which I have too little time left to write. Perhaps one of you among my readers would give it a thought?

Exports: Our jobs or our products?

Americans love the good life, and for good reasons. Up until the 1970's our
productive machines of goods, foods, services, were the world's best and
highest qualities. We had an efficient and prosperous middle class matched nowhere
in the world. That also made us the largest market---for our own, and imported,
goods. But we became a fat, comfortable and complacent consumer society. We didn't notice that others were catching up and passing us in education, and modernized production capacity, and government subsidies to manufacturers. With vast reserves of workers they were also able to keep wages and benefits under tight control and at very low levels. Suddenly the disparity between the cost to produce
our products at home vs. in low wage venues grew too great to ignore. Our industrial
base looked abroad as the place to produce at lower cost and still continue to sell
in the American market. That is an unsustainable strategy. The outsourced jobs have
eroded our middle class consumer economy. Trying to work our way out of this deep recession solely within the American economy is a recipe for a steep decline in our
standard of living. We must again become a leading exporter. To do so, will require a number of actions:
All subsidies to job exporters must end.
Tariffs must be imposed on imports which enjoy government subsidies abroad.
Labor must accept restraints in work rules, benefits, wage increases to reduce
domestic production costs, until exports reach relative equilibrium with imports.
That certainly is preferable to permanent unemployment.
The federal government should be willing to offer incentives to firms which recall
jobs from abroad.
American entrepreneurs should be incentivized to go into manufacturing for the
coming green energy explosion, creating new jobs instead of abandoning this enormous emerging market to Asia.
We are a resourceful and courageous people when called to action. Now is the time for
the new congress to sound the clarion call. The nation will respond!

Where now brown cow?

I used a nursery rhyme title because we are entering a political never-never land
post election, in which little of real worth will occur in congress. All will likely
be maneuvering with nothing solved. The Republicans have not put forth any agenda
that will lead to solutions to the deficit, the Democrats are demoralized and frightened and will play defense. What is required to make significant change for the better would ask sacrifices by all segments of society. The very wealthy have clearly
indicated in this election that sacrifice is not an option. They will not permit the
Bush income tax cuts to expire despite the fact that they were designed to end after a decade because they were not payed for and added to the horrendous deficit.
The original purpose for the cuts was to stimulate private investment to create jobs. Can anyone prove they accomplished their purpose? If not, why expect them to do so now?
The Obamacare law will not be substantially repealed or changed because the public
will realize that despite the barrage of negative propaganda, there are significant benefits that they will not surrender when the light of reason turns on.
Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and Veterans benefits, all of which are and will be drivers of annually increasing deficits, are sacred cows. Any politico who
attempts real cost controls will end up working for lobbies instead of Congress. But these are the areas where the largest deficit reductions would be found. That would require courage, and hard work to educate the voters. Does anyone see that happening?

Most amazing in the campaign was the total absence of attention to our two wars! Those are the major consumers of revenue, growing exponentially while the prospects of successful outcomes for us grow increasingly unlikely. And as our defeat becomes more apparent our international prestige and influence shrinks. America is becoming irrelevant on the international stage. The Republican glee of victory may soon tarnish as they assume the greater responsibility that comes with greater power.

The morning after

After the dust has settled, and the window to the future is again clear, permit your
humble servant a few observations about the election just completed.

It was first and foremost an admonishment to the sizable majority who had the temerity to administer a defeat to the ultimate establishment candidate, John McCain
and elect a totally non-establishment figure as President.

The Republicans vowed from the moment the election results were official that they
would destroy the Obama presidency. That such a goal might also inflict almost
irremediable damage on the nation was considered an acceptable risk in the drive to
regain power. "We will fix it once we are back in control" was the mantra. So began their "just say no" agenda, and sure enough the damage occurred. That then gave them
the perfect second ploy. Everyone should know that economic catastrophes can occur
in the blink of an eye, but to repair a broken economy, particularly one damaged in
such massive areas as the financial and real estate segments, will take years. After
about 18 months into the new administration, the laboriously slow recovery
gives the obstructive opposition the opportunity to blame the catastrophe on the administration.

The anger and fear that accompanies unemployment, loss of homes and security can then be exploited to oust the party in control at the next mid-term election. The victors are usually demagogues who were elected on a tide of anger and
extremism and usually have no viable governing philosophy or agenda. The nation becomes starkly polarized and the parties incapable of the necessary compromises.
The nation loses more of its economic vitality and continues its decline.

Only statesmanship at the top of both parties can avert that decline. I have
not observed such statesmanlike conduct in the past two years. I don't expect to see it in our present perilous state. I would be delighted to be proven wrong.