Global meltdown

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To the Editor:

Portugal, Spain, Greece, UK, Ireland, Jordan, Yemen, Egypt, Libya, Ivory Coast, Syria, and Bahrain, to name a few, are in the midst of a “meltdown.” Of course, we are told that many or all countries in the Middle East are about some type of regime change, a call for democracy. Wow, that’s refreshing, because I thought it was just about money. I just thought they were all becoming so impoverished that they had nothing to lose, so revolt.

I’m feeling a lot better about things because to think that some organization or group would be having a strangle hold on the global economics might be real cause for concern. To think that the same investment industry that brought our country to its knees might have something to do with a pandemic demise of global economics. Now, that could be worrisome. We certainly wouldn’t want those countries in revolt, shouting, “It’s the USA’s fault,” which caused their respective economies to tank. Well, I’m feeling so much better that this is just a geopolitical problem, rather than a geoeconomic sink hole.

But, just for the record, wasn’t the Boston Tea Party about an economic display, which symbolized a financial meltdown that was then blended into a political upheaval? No taxation without representation, wasn’t that the fight song? Well, what would have happened if the Brits hadn’t tried to squeeze US so hard; our cries for independence might never have gained momentum or galvanized the populace. We might all be saying cheerio.

The truth is, there is seldom a political or regime change without being precipitated by economic desperation. A full belly is seldom cause for complaint and, as has been proven throughout history, desperate men take desperate measures.

Ken Lay

Edgartown