June 25th, 2009

(NB: If today's rant is too long to read, skip everything and just go to the last paragraph.)

There's a growing awareness among most people that economic bailouts Do Not Work. Witness the ever-rising tide of consciousness among economists who point out that the Great Depression of the 1930s was extended and made worse by governmental attempts to steer the economy back onto the rails.

The most telling point is that the American people voted in favour of these policies for exactly the same reason you or I (or anyone else) would want to cover our wounds from the doctors' probing eyes and instruments: It is instinct to cover up or superficially treat the injury instead of gritting our teeth and making the right, healing action. History appears, at this juncture, to be repeating itself; the recession we are in could be lengthened by well-meaning but short-sighted governmental intervention.

* * *

This point is near and dear to my heart today, as I am just back from a trip to the United States—Seattle to be more precise. It was Julia's (and Annie's!) first trip to America.

Unfortunately, I picked a bad time in history to show her a mid-sized American city. It was apparent to my eyes that the recession/depression has hit Seattle much harder than Vancouver. I am quite familiar with Seattle, having spent a fair bit of time there over my whole life. I started regularly coming to Seattle with my parents in the early 1970s when Seattle was The Land of Boeing. I watched it grow up into a more cosmopolitan city in the 1980s and become the hipster happening place of the caffeine-charged 1990s and 2000s. So returning just now, I could easily spot the changes.

First thing we did was to stop at Bellis Fair. Half-empty parking lots; not the experience I had the last few times I stopped there. When we got inside we discovered mostly empty stores and cavernous empty food fair. The other thing I noticed was that prices were no longer attractive; everything we looked at (children's toys and clothing) was more expensive than what I could find at my local store in Burnaby. And not as great a selection! Considering that America is/was the Empire of the Consumer, this was an unpleasant shock.

Also, while I was at an ATM there was a group of anorexically-thin teenaged girls, one of them acting flustered and loopy. She suddenly collapsed onto the floor and had to be picked up by her friends and carried to a nearby chair. I finished my banking (I thought maybe they were trying to shake me down on the cash machine, so I finished up first) and then went to see if she was okay. Her friend said, "She's fine, she just needs to eat something." I resisted the urge to tell her, "You all look like you need to eat something!"

We stayed right downtown by the piers, so that we could look at Pike Place and the Space Needle, etc. The hotel was beautiful and exceptionally appointed. I got it for a very good price, considering its 4-star status and luxury appointments, and I also got an upgrade for free (better floor, bigger TV—as if I would waste time watching TV on vacation). But there was a desperation in the staff—more than an earnestness, almost a panic that we were happy with every little detail. Nervous smiles, a politeness that bordered on obsequiousness. Total indulgence of our daughter, Annie. It was really too much. Embarrassing.

Pike Place Market is still the same, but our walk up to it was very revealing: Boarded windows, lots of "Closed" signs above locked doors. Fewer parked cars, even mid-day. A lot more street people than I remember from other visits to Seattle, too, and a different grade: These were not just the winos and rubbies ... some fairly decent out-of-luck types crept into the mix. Roads had more garbage. Definitely a different feel to the downtown core.

We also visited the Space Needle and Science Center, including the monorail. All was expensive, as you'd expect, being tourist attractions. But the extent of the cost of even a bag of popcorn was staggering. Considering the cost of a box of diapers at Bellis Fair, and a package of baby cookies ... or even a "cheap" dinner topping out at more than $10.00 each (US), the idea that economically-repressed Americans are interested in spending $16.00 each (really!) to go to the top of the Space Needle is doubtful. No wonder deflation is on their horizon. It's becoming a case of nobody being able to buy anything.

On the way home we stopped in Shoreline at a small park. They'd planted what they rather optimistically called an "Arboretum" but it was really a dozen or so different types of saplings planted less than a year ago. Nearly all were already dying from neglect and poor planning. A single giant red "X" sculpture sat in the middle of the poorly-kept park. Decay was everywhere, even here in a residential park. The park was ominously deserted.

But:

Half way home on the I5 we stopped at a rest area to discover that free coffee was being served. I asked the old man serving it who I could thank for the free coffee. He said the American Veterans Association (of which he was a member—a Vietnam war veteran). It hit me in a personal way: I felt really bad for these people. Unlike a lot of knee-jerk reactionary Canadians, I have a great liking and fondness for Americans. Many many friends are American or at least living in America. Good people. Forget the crass image or the stereotypes of the ignorant American. Instead remember this Veteran volunteering his time in the middle of nowhere to serve coffee for free to travellers. That is the America that is crumbling. It was sad.

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