Letters to the President #1018: 'The Greek crisis'

Reporter's Note: Every day President Obama gets a letter from me. Sometimes I wonder what he thinks of that.

Dear Mr. President,

Well, I'm still in Canada, just in case you are wondering. Right now I am in a lovely spot called Kelowna. The sun is shining. It is cool but not cold. Nice mountains clustered around a beautiful lake. Makes me wish I were not working at the moment, but then I might think that on any given day. And you too, I'll bet. Ha!

This business with Greece is certainly a mess, isn't it? I have to admit that I really don't entirely understand how such a calamity can visit chaos on the entire globe, but that seems to be the case.

This is one of those ugly offshoots of a truly globalized economy. Sure, maybe once we could have ignored events on the other side of the planet (although Vietnam suggests we weren't always so good at that) but not anymore.

These days, it seems, an earthquake in Japan, or unemployment in Egypt, or a drought in Russia all strike much closer to our homes than we might like.

I suppose that's a good thing; you know, making us feel more connected with other cultures and all. But sometimes I wonder.

I'm no isolationist, and I like Greece despite an unfortunate discussion with a cab driver once in Athens. But I wish their problems could stay in their yard a tad more, and we could keep ours in our own, too.

Back tomorrow. Call if you can.

Regards,
Tom