The Arizona Republic has, for as long as I have read it, touted a capitalist system which it believes is most suited to accumulating wealth and ensuring the prosperity of Arizona's citizens. If everyone earns a decent wage, everyone can afford healthcare, a decent house, and a decent education for their children. The system of free enterprise is the bedrock of such a belief. That's been the idea at least. Unfortunately it does not always work out like that as the present crisis reflects. Disasters can happen and then the proponents of the free market economy get panicky. Now that the tide has gone out, the idea of laissez-faire economics does not look quite so good.
Massive unemployment will mean massive pain. Families will suffer. Government will have to hold the line. Tax revenues will have to be reallocated to prevent the worst effects of the economic downturn. Everyone except the rich will suffer. The poor, the disenfranchised, illegal immigrants, those who live from paycheck to paycheck will suffer without much hope of relief for quite a while. Germany suffered a similar experience after WW1 with all its attendant consequences. We know that poverty, despair, frustration can easily be exploited by leaders willing to support grievances. Civil disorder can be fomented, passions exploited. Hunger breeds anger and despair.
The present crisis in Arizona has revealed a remarkable degree of social cohesiveness, a willingness to co-operate despite political differences. Sacrifices have and are being made. We are reaching out to each other whatever our social backgrounds, or religion, or ethnicities. Hopefully this will continue and we eventually will be the stronger for it. We have the opportunity to heal what divides us by our compassion, tolerance and love. Hatred, exclusion, division, can only destroy us. If good is to emerge from this suffering, whatever our political views, we must build bridges rather than destroy them and we will all be the stronger for it. It may take time but Arizonans are patient. We know that eventually, hopefully, the rains will come. Won't they?