In this weeks Newsweek, Fareed Zakaria makes a great argument that America’s biggest flaw is that we can’t fix something, unless it’s a crisis. For example, when the economy started to burst, we immediately sprang into action and tried to fix it.  Other events such as 9/11 or Pearl Harbor, we went out with alacrity.  But when it comes to crises at a slow pace, we have the attitude of “it’s not broken yet, so we’ll worry about it once it’s broken.”  This is a sad state of thinking.  From the article:

It is demonstrably clear that the U.S. health-care system is on an unsustainable path. If current trends continue—and there is no indication that they won’t—health care will consume 40 percent of the national economy by 2050. The problem is that this is a slow and steady decline, producing no crisis, no Pearl Harbor, no 9/11. As a result, we seem incapable of grappling with it seriously.

Let us come together, Republican or Democrat, Liberal or Conservative and at least admit that the trend of health care is a problem.  If you don’t at least admit that, then you’re not facing reality.  From there, let’s see how we can fix the problem in a rational way.

In other news, Newsweek has also brought out the 25 Things You Should Know.  Unfortunately, their website doesn’t do it collectively, so I’ll just mention some of my favorites below:

Aliens Exist
We are All Hindus Now
Books Aren’t Dead
Elections Aren’t the Answer
Bipartisanship is Bad
Americans Marry Too Much
You Will be a Parent to Your Parents
It’s Too Late to Stop Global Warming
Wiping is Washed Up