I just finished "Ill Fares The Land" written by the historian and political philosopher Tony Judt, shortly before his death this year. A powerhouse polemic on social democracy. "Social democrats beleive that the state can play an enhanced role in our lives without threatening our liberties."  Highly recommended

SIXTY IS THE NEW EIGHTEEN

As I get ready to turn 60 in a few months, it is gratifying to read that this landmark is considered by some sociologists as the new adolescence. If 50 is the new 30, than 60 is the new 18.  We boomers have an added 30 years to our lives compared with our ancestors in 1900.  We don’t feel old and are ready for liberation and growth. Similar to our adolescence, we have cut the ties that bind us.  Free from children, jobs and the other socially constricting realities of middle age, we are ready to kick up our heels and make a difference. 

 Recently I have been reflecting on those events that were most transformative in my life.  The important ones seem to be centered on the time I was a young adult, moving away from my childhood toward career and family.  At 17 I graduated from high school.  That summer I attended Woodstock.  For better or worse, sex, drugs and rock and roll, shared by 500,000 kindred souls over 3 days was transformative. The power of youth to change the world was everywhere.  In college I would attend the DC marches, the Bobby Seale rally in New Haven, campaign for McGovern. The first time I was tear gassed by my government was transformative.  Seeing the father of my high school friends, David Dellinger, put on trial with the Chicago 7 was transformative.  Maybe I could live my life as a social activist.

 The parallels with the recent Arab Spring were overwhelming to me as the power of organized, idealistic youth took to the streets to begin the messy business of democracy.  Let us not forget that the Freedom Riders in Alabama and Mississippi, well before my time, and the students at Kent State, suffered more injuries and deaths than the young protestors on Tahrir Square.

Other adolescent transformations for me were more mundane.  My first day at that small liberal arts college, where every freshman seemed smarter and more self assured, taught me that the world was not only a big place, but a tough place to make your way.  There was much to learn.  The basics of science, history, theology, economics, sociology, political science, philosophy, art history at first seemed so abstract.  Later these disciplines would become clear, overlap and give me transformative ways to see the world.  Lastly, travel as a young student was a transforming experience.  To interact with other cultures, where families sometimes survived on a dollar a day gave me a new prospective.  The American way was not the only way.  The world economy was out of whack.

I know now, that my own transformation was more assured than the transformation of society as a whole.  Liberal boomers in the late 60s and 70s got a lot of things wrong.  Our views on sexual liberation fed the Aids epidemic and encouraged the trend toward single mothers.  Our views on drug experimentation fed the crack epidemic among the poor families we were trying to help.  Our views on communism did not differentiate between the menace of totalitarianism and the promise of social democracy.

            Of course we also got some things right.  I believe that by scrambling some eggs in our youth, the Obama presidency was made possible.  I further believe liberal boomers set the stage for racial, social, gender and sexual equality.

By 1980, the transformation of many liberal boomers, were youthful memories.  The liberal arts educations gave way to focused professional careers in medicine, law, engineering and accounting.  We thought we could argue liberal issues at cocktail parties and vote our conscious to keep the flame alive.  In truth, families and careers became our concern, social climbing rather than social reform our responsibility.  There were few David Dellinger’s among us.

If the pundits are right and 60 is the new 18, bring it on. As long as we are willing to step back, consider the options and take some risks, our remaining years may be as individually transformative as our young adulthoods.  Now we actually have some knowledge and money to go with our exuberance.  We have time to read, learn and rediscover the world. We can live out every liberal boomer’s dream: to change the world a second time.

 Next year, Obama will need help getting reelected and I’ll be 61.  Just give me time to take a nap.

THE LIBRARY MAKES US A BETTER COMMUNITY

It is ironic that Citizens Library is in danger of closing its doors because the Washington and Trinity school districts may not provide their yearly stipend.  The school districts are already under water from the State budget.  This is like asking Social Security to save Medicare, or the City Mission to bail out public housing.

Whether the library closes or not, the fact we are having the discussion is pathetic.  Libraries are essential institutions in a democratic society because they play a non-partisan role in providing the information that allows all of our citizens, including the less fortunate, to make informed decisions.  Citizens Library is the heart of the sick entity known as the City of Washington.  Turn out the lights and the old lady sputters and maybe dies.

Washington County is experiencing an economic revival like few places in our country.  If the County government, private enterprise and our more affluent citizens cannot come up with $50,000.00, there is something wrong with our priorities.

JUSTICE FOR HEDGEHOGS

by Gary Stout

All of our elected officials (and most of the rest of us) should read JUSTICE FOR HEDGEHOGS by Ronald Dworkin. This philosophical essay starts from the premise that while the fox knows many things, the hedgehog knows one really big thing. In this remarkable book, the one big thing is what differentiates right from wrong. Dworkin develops a clear path, by explaining ethics, morality, freedom, liberty and equality. It is possible (actually it is mandatory) to live well and be good. One must know the rules.

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MARCELLUS SHALE, GAME THEORY & THE PUBLIC GOOD

Whenever an environmental issue captures the attention of the public, my thoughts always turn to game theory.  I have come to believe over the years that there is no outcome that will favor the environmentalists when there are politicians, industrialists, economists, emerging economies or farmers with gas in the south forty, on the other side.  No matter how dire the consequences, greed, self interest and simple short term gain always seems to win out over what is best for the long term collective good.

 The oldest principal in game theory “the tragedy of the commons” saw the conservation crowd come up short from the time of sheep herding in the Bible until this year, when the price of your tuna steak doubled.  It explains why every area of common land suffers from overgrazing and why every sea fishery suffers from overfishing.  Individual rational behavior, to take as much as you can as quickly as you can from a common area, deteriorates into collective ruin. Watch out arctic circle, you are the next commons.  Many countries have you in the crosshairs, polar bears and global warming be damned.

More recent game theories like “the prisoner’s dilemma” and “tit for tat” also make me pessimistic when applied to environment issues.  The game scenarios in the former theory, place two prisoners against each other.  If they both confess, they each get 3 years in prison.  If they both stay silent, they each get one year in prison. If one confesses, he goes free, only if the other stays silent.  The silent one now gets the shaft, 5 years in prison.  Over and over again the rational prisoner will chose to confess, because he does not want the other to go free and for himself to serve the longer term.  Once again, individually rational strategies result in a collectively irrational outcome.  Guess what, individual countries and farmers with gas rights think the same way.  Never chose an option where your neighbor may make out better than you.

The “tit for tat” game theory should offer me some consolation, but it doesn’t.  It was developed by social scientists to explain how it is possible for mankind to behave based on cooperation rather than self interest.  It uses examples from the animal world and primitive tribes.  The theory is that once there is conditioning and experience in giving something up to get something back, self interest can be overcome. A cautious exchange of favors enables trust to be built upon a foundation of individual reward.  Now, this line of thinking may work for vampire bats or the Ache people of Paraguay, but certainly not our State government, Congress, or our relations with Brazil, India and China.

So what has all this to do with Marcellus Shale? I suspect that the short term gain of an additional energy supply, given an energy crisis and the recession, not to mention powerful political and corporate interests, will far out match long term environmental concerns.  In the first place, the American people are much more adept at kicking the can down the road than developing strategies based on cooperation. (see the national debt, taxation etc.)  In the second place, unlike our socialist friends in Europe, given our peculiar Andrew Jackson DNA, we do not favor lifting the entire environmental boat, for the collective good, when there is money to be made.  The next drilling rig may be in our own backyard.

The Stock Market

I have a friend who belongs to the Pennsylvania Trappers Association and who is also a card carrying Vegan.  The ying and the yang keep her balanced.  Trap the critters and eat kale for dessert.   It is difficult to argue with her because I practice a similar dichotomy.  I read three financial newspapers, hundreds of financial internet articles a week and play the market like a riverboat gambler. I am also a democratic socialist who believes we need more resource sharing and less capitalism.

            There is something so elemental about the stock market that is hard to resist.  Sell when the herd is greedy and buy when the lemmings are struck with fear and following each other over the cliff.  Besides when your country provides no guarantee of a comfortable retirement and takes away the economic and social compact established by Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson, a little gambling is not a bad idea.  I wonder if they play the stock market in Denmark or Sweden.

WASHINGTON PA BUSINESS DISTRICT

The business district in The City of Washington is truly a conundrum. It does not fit the profile of a dying steel town and yet more storefronts are boarded up than ever.  The factors in place for a thriving area of commerce are almost too good to be true. A vibrant college on its border, situated at the intersection of two interstates, historical and architecturally significant buildings, a growing upper middle class population to draw from and a large group of mid-day employees who work at the court house and county facilities. Other business communities only dream of such possibilities.

            We know a lot more can be done with a lot less.  Take a stroll down Allegheny River Boulevard in Oakmont.  Spend an afternoon in the quaint village of Sewickley. Visit historic Morristown, New Jersey.  Take a trip to Niagara on the Lake in Ontario.  People come and they window shop and they spend money and they tell their friends and more people come…..

            One could argue that these examples have become destination locations because of an excellent bakery, battlefield, specialty shops or regional theater.  This is beside the point.  There is no reason that Washington cannot attract bookstores, cafes and even niche national retailers to fill its spaces.  All it takes is good planning, optimistic municipal officials and patience.  Parking fees and garages should be at the end of the debate.  A master plan that takes advantage of Washington’s many virtues must come first.