I've been following The Long Now Foundation for some time now and I can't help but wonder if taking a longer view than we've done recently might have helped avert some of the crazy economic events of late. Ironically, the intervention of the US government in the saving of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, AIG and Bear Sterns will cause the US tax payers to take "the long view" through increased national debt. The Trillions of dollars we'll pass onto our kids will serve as a long term reminder of our short sighted ways.