Years ago, Ned made me watch "It's a Wonderful Life" with him. As a Jew I have to say my taste in Christmas movies ran more to the comedic than the sentimentalm, but I watched it to please him.
Well, turned out that "It's a Wonderful Life" isn't about Christianity at all, it's about the (Eisenhower era) American Dream. A struggling everyday kind of guy, makes good despite hardship. In the style of the era he doesn't just make himself a success. He improves the lives of his townsfolk, his family and the world in general. More to the point, the struggle in It's Wonderful Life, is not spiritual, it's economic.
The hero of the film, George Bailey makes the biggest contributions to his hometown by keeping a building and loan society afloat during the depression, and starting Bailey Park, an affordable housing projects for the towns residents that opposes his arch-nemesis Potter's plans to exploit the town. Baileys crisis of faith comes when he loses the Building society's principle and becomes suicidal. His redemption - excepting the presence of the angel Clarence, arrives in the form of an economic reprieve. The townspeople, still overwhelmed with gratitude for Bailey's communitarian efforts raise enough money to keep his building society and his housing project afloat.
So the banks are failing stateside and unlike "It's a Wonderful Life" it looks like no-one is going to pull together and help each other through this one. Well, unless one counts government and insurance agency bail-outs, which is not exactly what "It's A Wonderful Life" suggests is the way that communities grow and prosper.
In reading the comments that followed the article on IndyMac from the LA Times, people are suggesting that the senator, who rather stupidly put his concerns for the banks health on public record, is part of of a Democratic plot to overthrow the Republicans and let the USA spiral into rampant debt and high taxes.
It's a bit like re-writing history and a bit (if you'll allow me to engage in a very broad metaphor) like a family with a history of addiction, blaming the first person to suggest a trip to AA for causing the problem.
I know. It's crazy, there isn't very much of a downward spiral left in terms of debt, and taxes, well they can be exceptionally helpful as far as creating an infrastructure that reduces the impact or even prevents, uhh ... oh right bank failures, and depressions. (Which is actually the hidden lesson of Capra's film - thta if we all chip in an help each other, everyone prospers.)
Then again, if I had a government as patently ridiculous as the Bush administration I would probably be unwilling to give them any of my dollahs whatsoever. However, if Obama takes office, and his first action is to raise taxes, will people support him or will they expect that CHANGE can happen without any well, 'change' on their parts.
Okay but in other news
If the world is getting you down (And to be honest,it is getting me down these days, really it is.) then go and spend a few minutes playing This is Sand it's occupational therapy and sand art all rolled into one, and you will not have to step away from your computer. Not even for one second. If you feel less like making and more like viewing There is a gallery.
This is a picture I made of the mountains in Whitehorse during the early evening. See, how relaxing.
