Herbert Hoover was a fine and daring engineer. He turned his organizational skills to effective relief efforts after World War I. He was a smart, organized, compassionate man. He is remembered with disdain bordering on revulsion .
Most economic historians remain uncertain about the exact reasons for the market crash of 1929 and the great worldwide depression that followed. Most political historians still argue about what would have been the most effective political response .
No matter. Blame President Hoover, after all it occurred on his watch.
I fear that whoever the next president may be, he or she will face much the same circumstance. Shortly – possibly already – “climate change” will grow into “climate crisis” and shortly afterward “climate catastrophe”. Food supplies and economic networks will be lost or severely affected. Social systems and international relations will become bitterly chaotic. Planning may turn into a hopeless nightmare .
I doubt if it is existential to the human race, although mass depopulation seems likely, unless the crumbling leads to full nuclear war. I do believe it is existential to “civilization as we know it.” Right now will be nostalgically remembered as the “roaring twenties” once were .
And no matter the party or avowed policies, or heroic attempts to overcome the tragedies, it will all be labeled as a fault of President Whoever.
HuntingtonHarborThoughts 