The economy from a gardener's point of view...

I've been listening to a lot of dialogue on the proposed stimulus package while on the computer or getting cleaned up. (The joys of talk radio.) I am not a person who loves politics or economics and don't claim to have any expertise in either. It did strike me yesterday that what we are experiencing could be expressed in a gardening metaphor. It may be simplistic, but I think the principles are much the same.

Our current inflated economy is not unlike a tree, that has grown to majestic proportions, not because it has over time, developed a deep and strong root system, but because it has been receiving regular doses of water and fertilizer from its caregivers. My mental image would be a tree that has been grown in a container, roots confined to their allotted space. With the gardener providing regular waterings and doses of fertilizer, the tree can sustain a beautiful top growth without increasing its root system... as long as the gardener is there to provide daily watering and regular feeding. It's a bit of an illusion. If left on its own and forced to survive on the natural rainfall and nutrients supplied by its limited root system, this tree will be in big trouble. There is an equilibrium for any plant. What you see above the surface under normal circumstances will be somewhat reflective of what is going on underground. Some root systems are shallow and widespread, some may be a deep taproot with side feeders... but the root system can only support so much top growth.

When the root system is injured, reduced or compromised, something is going to go on the top side. The wise gardener when seeing this, will often intercede and remove some of the top growth to a point the remainder can be supported by the plant's compromised root system. If this step is ignored, the plant will reduce its own top growth through die-back. Often this can weaken it to the point of death, but sometimes it will slowly come back over time and send out some feeble new growth. If the gardener removes some of the top before natural die-back occurs and provides essential care for the tree, it will go through an "ugly stage" but recover more quickly than when left on its own. This can take some time.

I fear our approach to the economy is to keep loading on the fertilizer (chemical, at that!) to keep the illusion alive. It really was an illusion. This economy we now "enjoy" was not based on a deep and strong root system... just way too much inflation from overfertilizing. The time has come to face certain realities and allow for the natural consequence ... instead of continuing the poor principles that got us here in the first place. This will make a lot of people miserable or unhappy... but is likely a consequence that cannot be sidestepped. We have to change some of our ways.

I'm not suggesting the government should be totally hands off in dealing with our current economic crisis... but in the world of gardening, it's not helpful to load up a struggling plant with a lot of fertilizer. The first order of business is to establish equilibrium.

But... I'm not an economist ... just a lazy gardener. :-)

... Well, to be fair... I'm not really a lazy gardener as much as a "low maintenance" one. ;-)