As I said in my diary I don't see the prospects for much change beyond some tweaking of the marginal tax rates. This will defuse any strong populist movement before it actually gains any momentum.

As we have discussed many times it is the premise of our current economic system that is in need of change. We need to get away from a focus on consumption and growth and redirect our aims towards sustainable activity. At the same time we need to improve the lives of those at the bottom and do something about population growth.

I've been spending a fair amount of time on both liberal and libertarian sites run by economists and neither group will discuss anything besides a market-based economic system. They only differ in how big a role government should have in regulating the markets.

This is not a hopeful sign. Apparently the human race is not yet able to forestall disaster even when the risks are obvious. Just today there is a NY Times article on New Orleans. After about $1 billion in repairs much of the city still can't withstand another strong hurricane. If we can't even get civil engineering right, how are we supposed to manage social engineering?

Policies not Politics
---- Daily Landscape