[Side note: Term paper submitted by Christopher Holtby for his Harvard 2022 Spring semester class.]
Introduction to America's economic lemons and lemonade
Unlike one's first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, America remains mute, unable to admit or even discuss that critical economic problems exist. America's 1% believes everyone wants to take or control their money. The other 99% see various gray and bleak financial futures. Gen Z and millennials do not want to start families because of cost concerns. Most Baby Boomers can afford a certain apathy to America's social and economic challenges because they are economically isolated from them. The most radical elements drive the definitions of Republican and Democratic political beliefs. America's happiness rank (16th out of 146) remains inconsistent against its economic, military, and technological prowess.[1] America spends more on health care with less healthy citizens than other high-income countries.[2] In 2021, the American Society of Civil Engineers report gave America's infrastructure a C-.[3] These are a few examples of America's current basket of economic lemons. And that is okay. America has been here before. Never the same, but America's historical basket of lemon moments somehow finds the path toward collaborative lemonade solutions. And like a successful Alcohol Anonymous member, America will jump "on the wagon" for a few decades, yet again, with a hopeful twist.