Thomas Frank: A Liberal Thanksgiving

We hear much less nonsense about the wisdom of markets these days.

By THOMAS FRANK

The positive psychologists tell us that being thankful makes us healthy and happy. For entirely selfish reasons, it seems, we need to show lots of gratitude as we go through life. And with Thanksgiving coming up, I figure it's time to get with the program.

But what to be thankful for? These are anxious times, with staggering unemployment and record numbers of bank failures.

According to a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture report, the percentage of households that are "food insecure," to use the preferred term, rose to its highest level since 1995, when the current technique for measuring hunger came into use. (Among households with children, the percentage who are "food insecure" is a stunning 21%.)