by Gene Lyons
No wonder people are cynical. The nation increasingly appears to be governed by cheap political theater: made-for-TV melodrama more like professional wrestling than actual combat. As I write, the United States allegedly hovers on the edge of a fiscal crisis.
Should Congress fail to raise the National Debt limit between today and Aug. 2, the government will default on its debt for the first time in U.S. history -- a cataclysmic event, should it happen.
Dressed in his big boy suit, Republican House Speaker John Boehner put it this way on CBS News' "Face the Nation" back on May 15:
"I understand what the President was saying about jeopardizing the 'full faith and credit of the United States.' That's why I've said in every public and private utterance that our obligation is to raise the debt ceiling ... We could see the end of our economy if we don't act."
True, Boehner reads from a different script sometimes. Meanwhile, President Obama has made similar noises all along. Never mind that debt default by the world's largest economy could trigger a worldwide depression. Last week he told CBS that a failure to raise the debt limit might mean he couldn't guarantee Grandpa’s Social Security checks. In keeping with the time-honored precepts of Washington theater, Republicans cried foul.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette columnist Gene Lyons is a National Magazine Award winner and co-author of "The Hunting of the President" (St. Martin's Press, 2000). You can e-mail Lyons at eugenelyons2@yahoo.com.
9 comments:
No one wants to see our nation go down in flames. What we want is fiscal responsibility and we want it now. We must have it now. We don't have faith that the government will follow through with a long term slow reduction of debt. It never has. It has always been a lip service and we the people know it. We see the attempt to scare the people into fearing a total economic apocalypse as a last ditch effort by the political parties to retain the power they need to stay in the majority. We are tired of politics. We are tired of lip service. The most clear example of this is the local election that put the reigns on spending here in Wicomico County with the property tax revenue cap. The people were tired of unchecked spending and it motivated them to action. We are motivated now on a national level. We must now, as a nation, endure the pain necessary to bring our government back in check. We must de-fund the thousands of unconstitutional socialist programs and government entities that exist due entirely to politicians buying votes on the backs of the American people. Yes it will hurt. But as Americans we must rely on friends and family to help us get through this. Remember that family is the smallest social unit. Many families make up the community. Look to local community groups for support. Support local businesses rather than nationl chains that support overseas manufacturers. Give generously to local charities. Local business needs to cut costs to the extent possible to make it possible for local consumers to buy your products. Become as self sufficient as possible. This is how we will weather this storm. DO NOT LET THEM RAISE THE DEBT CEILING. The time to stop the wasteful spending is NOW. This is likely the last chance we'll have to bring our nation back to it's constitutional foundings and we have to do it by starving the beaurocracy to death. This can be the wake up call needed by our elected representatives that they work for us.
"We must de-fund the thousands of unconstitutional socialist programs and government entities that exist due entirely to politicians buying votes on the backs of the American people. Yes it will hurt. But as Americans we must rely on friends and family to help us get through this."
I hope you're friends with a doctor.
This grandpa and great grandpa will fight again , we cannot go deeper into debt.. He may try to make an ajustment to our checks or even stop it , if he does many will die for his foolish mistake.
It will be the beginning of the end.
There ain't enough jails or police or even the military. 200 million gun ownwers and hunters will help.
So , having said that , get back in your 85 cadilac obama , or go pick some cotton.
And a paramedic, and a fireman, and a police officer, and a teacher, and a roads worker, and a bridge builder,and.......
And a paramedic, and a fireman, and a police officer, and a teacher, and a roads worker, and a bridge builder,and.......
Thats right 3:30 replace them all and pay them what they are really worth.
4:32
And how much would that be?
Assign a dollar value to each:
Average Teacher salary
Average Cop salary
Average Paramedic salary
Average Firefighter salary
Average Factory Worker salary
Average CEO Wall Street
Average Small Business Owner
Average Doctor
Average Lawyer
Average Politician
Average Professional Athlete
Average Banker
Average Soldier
Average Farmer
A free market would decide what they are worth. When the government gets involved it twists and bends the free market.
Some would earn more some less in a free market
so....what do funding these positions have with my comment? (the first one) These positions, with the exception of the soldier, are paid with local dollars. The funding that assists from the federal government with the remaining positions are unconstitutional. Plain and simple.
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