As I contemplated Henry’s smile, my own words were still ringing in my ears. My mind kept jumping back and forth between Henry’s smile and my words. I could find no fault in my words, so I leaned back, put both my hands behind my head, and said, “What do you have to say about that, Henry?”
Without losing the smile, Henry launched his response. He said, “Here again the government spenders have the better of the argument with all those who cannot see beyond the immediate range of their physical eyes. They can see the bridge. But if they have taught themselves to look for indirect as well as direct consequences they can once more see in the eye of imagination the possibilities that have never been allowed to come into existence.”
“Can you be more specific here, Henry?, I said, adding “What are they supposed to see in your so-called ‘eye of imagination?”
“They can see the unbuilt homes, the unmade cars and radios, the unmade dresses and coats, perhaps the unsold and ungrown foodstuffs”, said Henry.
“You know, Henry”, I said, “You’re asking for some pretty tough stuff here. What kind of imagination does it take to see what you are referring to?”
“To see these uncreated things requires a kind of imagination that not many people have”, said Henry. “ We can think of these non-existent objects once, perhaps, but we cannot keep them before our minds as we can the bridge that we pass every working day. What has happened is merely that one thing has been created instead of others.”
“Well, then, Henry, I don’t know how you can you expect most people to understand what you are talking about if they can’t even keep it in their minds”, I snorted. “Not only are they invisible, they don’t exist. But you are expecting people to create those images out of nothing but their mind’s eye. On top of that, what you’re saying is not common knowledge. That’s another obstacle to understanding. Isn’t there any easier way to applying your reasoning to this situation?”
Henry replied, “The same reasoning applies, of course, to every other form of public work.”
“Every form?, I asked. “No exceptions? Can you provide another example?”
“It applies just as well, for example, to the erection with public funds of housing for people of low incomes”, said Henry.
“Now, Henry, how is it that possible? You know, to a lot of people, low income housing is a sacred cow.” Proposals for it come up all the time. What happens?”, I asked. “What’s the logic on this?”
“All that happens is that money is taken away through taxes from families of higher income, and perhaps a little from families of even lower income, to force them to subsidize these selected families with low incomes and enable them to live in better housing for the same rent or for lower rent than previously.”
“Well, yeah, Henry. That’s the basic idea, isn’t it?, I asked.
By this time, I had become accustomed to see that smile show up on Henry’s face. It wasn’t there. “Got him,” I thought.
Henry leaned back and put both his hands behind his head.
Without losing the smile, Henry launched his response. He said, “Here again the government spenders have the better of the argument with all those who cannot see beyond the immediate range of their physical eyes. They can see the bridge. But if they have taught themselves to look for indirect as well as direct consequences they can once more see in the eye of imagination the possibilities that have never been allowed to come into existence.”
“Can you be more specific here, Henry?, I said, adding “What are they supposed to see in your so-called ‘eye of imagination?”
“They can see the unbuilt homes, the unmade cars and radios, the unmade dresses and coats, perhaps the unsold and ungrown foodstuffs”, said Henry.
“You know, Henry”, I said, “You’re asking for some pretty tough stuff here. What kind of imagination does it take to see what you are referring to?”
“To see these uncreated things requires a kind of imagination that not many people have”, said Henry. “ We can think of these non-existent objects once, perhaps, but we cannot keep them before our minds as we can the bridge that we pass every working day. What has happened is merely that one thing has been created instead of others.”
“Well, then, Henry, I don’t know how you can you expect most people to understand what you are talking about if they can’t even keep it in their minds”, I snorted. “Not only are they invisible, they don’t exist. But you are expecting people to create those images out of nothing but their mind’s eye. On top of that, what you’re saying is not common knowledge. That’s another obstacle to understanding. Isn’t there any easier way to applying your reasoning to this situation?”
Henry replied, “The same reasoning applies, of course, to every other form of public work.”
“Every form?, I asked. “No exceptions? Can you provide another example?”
“It applies just as well, for example, to the erection with public funds of housing for people of low incomes”, said Henry.
“Now, Henry, how is it that possible? You know, to a lot of people, low income housing is a sacred cow.” Proposals for it come up all the time. What happens?”, I asked. “What’s the logic on this?”
“All that happens is that money is taken away through taxes from families of higher income, and perhaps a little from families of even lower income, to force them to subsidize these selected families with low incomes and enable them to live in better housing for the same rent or for lower rent than previously.”
“Well, yeah, Henry. That’s the basic idea, isn’t it?, I asked.
By this time, I had become accustomed to see that smile show up on Henry’s face. It wasn’t there. “Got him,” I thought.
Henry leaned back and put both his hands behind his head.
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