Geoffrey Parker, Professor of History at The Ohio State University, interviewed today on PRI’s The World :
Looking at the outside world, it is just incredulity that the greatest power in the world cannot get its act together. I mean, to link the default on sovereign debt, something which really does tarnish a country, to a particular piece of legislation which was already passed: I don’t think anyone outside the United States can understand that, how we could be holding the economy of the world to ransom, in return for some concessions on a piece of legislation which has already passed. What is there still to discuss? That’s what I think the rest of the world can’t understand. And I think one year, ten years, a hundred years from now, that will still be something which is very hard to understand.*
October 17: Here’s a link to the interview, which was not yet online when I made this post.
comments: 6
Not sure if you are posting this because of his commentary or because the transcription represents what would be some pretty terrible writing....
For the commentary: in other words, the world must think we’re nuts. It struck me as well said when I heard it. The first sentence makes better sense if you hear it as saying that what we see when we look at the rest of the world is incredulity.
Hi Michael - I work with PRI's The World. Here's a link to the text version of the story and full audio: http://pri.org/stories/2013-10-15/when-superpowers-default-history-remembers
Thanks for the link; I’m adding it to the post.
So, today I was operating on a lot more sleep, and I read it with what may well have been the proper emphasis on the right syllables....and it is pretty great. But, you know, the Congressmen from Arkansas aren't going to be able to figure it out on their own. Not even if I try to help them with it.
thanks for making me revisit.
I am slightly relieved to see that the man who (supposedly) represents me in Congress voted yes yesterday. He is probably best known for citing Genesis as a reason not to worry about climate change — because only God can destroy the earth. Sigh.
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