27 replies to this topic

[PrinceVegeta]

So, the US Government just shit itself...again.

 

Thoughts? lolol

[King Biscuit]

Fire Congress... out of a cannon into a brick wall.

[PrinceVegeta]

That'd be nice to do...but as always, most Americans that I've seen commenting on this are only bitching and complaining...and no ones really doing anything to stop the madness. 

 

I personally would do something, but I don't have the assets to round up a good million people to march up to the capital and beat the shit out of every politician. Those who do have that ability are too afraid to use it, or it may not be profitable at this time. 

 

I'm starting to think maybe, on contradiction to how I've previously felt about this country, that it's gonna keep going down hill, and nothings going to stop it. All I know is that I need to get out of this death trap as soon as fucking possible.

 

Canada or bust.

[King Biscuit]

You won't be able to hide from it PV.

'Murica goes down, everyone goes down.

[Manoka]

It's an irony with congress's greatest sin is incompetence.

[King Biscuit]

It's an irony with congress's greatest sin is incompetence.

 

Well like the joke goes...

"If Pro is the opposite of Con, what's the opposite of Progress?"

[Learz]

[PrinceVegeta]

LOL

[Haflinger]

The weirdass thing is what happens in 16 days.

 

Parts of the US government are still functioning. These are mostly parts that are pre-funded, like the military and so on.

 

Obamacare is still rolling out because the legislation that put it through defined it as an entitlement, so its funding works the same as food stamps.

 

However in 16 days the US government debt hits the debt ceiling, and then the practice of borrowing more money to pay down the debt becomes illegal. The Republican-led House is demanding even more concessions to allow the debt ceiling to be increased yet again.

 

So what happens in 16 days if the US government can't borrow money anymore? Does Obama call up the Treasury and say "OK, guys, get the printers rolling, we're now Nazi Germany in 1944. Time to print money."

[King Biscuit]

The weirdass thing is what happens in 16 days.

 

Parts of the US government are still functioning. These are mostly parts that are pre-funded, like the military and so on.

 

Obamacare is still rolling out because the legislation that put it through defined it as an entitlement, so its funding works the same as food stamps.

 

However in 16 days the US government debt hits the debt ceiling, and then the practice of borrowing more money to pay down the debt becomes illegal. The Republican-led House is demanding even more concessions to allow the debt ceiling to be increased yet again.

 

So what happens in 16 days if the US government can't borrow money anymore? Does Obama call up the Treasury and say "OK, guys, get the printers rolling, we're now Nazi Germany in 1944. Time to print money."

 

We've already been printing to the tune of $80B a month buying Treasuries (Thanks Bernanke!).

Inflation is already under way.

 

But you make a great point, the limit is nigh.

With Congress in stalemate over Obamacare and the budget, what'll happen if/when the US goes into bill-lock?

 

 

 

[Haflinger]

Maybe the IMF can help the Americans out.

[ᗅᗺᗷᗅ]

The US won't go into bill-lock.  There's a part of me that kind of wishes it would, because it would be a catalyst for real change, but I don't think it's going to happen, at least not this time.  There will be some eleventh-hour deal.  Most likely that deal will involve Obama making concessions and the other side doing jack shit, since Obama's idea of negotiating is to give in until the other side is satisfied.

 

The people who really suffer in these shutdowns are the lower-level, "nonessential" government employees, like janitors and park rangers and secretaries and such.  The ordinary working people, in other words.  Once again it's the little guy who suffers.

[PrinceVegeta]

I hope it does. Maybe that'll wake some folks up. Although...if there's one thing the fed doesn't want is for anyone to wake up.

[Haflinger]

The US won't go into bill-lock.  There's a part of me that kind of wishes it would, because it would be a catalyst for real change, but I don't think it's going to happen, at least not this time.  There will be some eleventh-hour deal.  Most likely that deal will involve Obama making concessions and the other side doing jack shit, since Obama's idea of negotiating is to give in until the other side is satisfied.

This time, the deadlock isn't Obama vs. Republican legislators, it's Democratic legislators vs. Republican legislators. Obama can't give in on their behalf.

Everyone's voting the way they are because they're worried that if they don't, their own local voters will toss them out next election. On both sides.

 

The people who really suffer in these shutdowns are the lower-level, "nonessential" government employees, like janitors and park rangers and secretaries and such.  The ordinary working people, in other words.  Once again it's the little guy who suffers.

Actually, a lot of the wealthy managers suffer as well. Not as much of course because they have money in the bank (well except for the ones who don't), but they do lose their incomes. The shutdown hits an awful lot of people.

[ᗅᗺᗷᗅ]

With any luck it won't last long.

 

And it's not Democrats vs. Republicans this time, Haf.  It's Democrats and Republicans vs. the Tea Party.  It's really quite fascinating to watch, from a historian's viewpoint.  John Boehner wanted to make a deal, the Tea Party caucus wouldn't have it.  He has lost control of his own party.  But likely he can still muster up enough "sane" Republican votes to go along with Democrats on some kind of deal, but it won't be until the eleventh hour, like I said.

 

The Republican civil war is heating up.

[Thrash]

THANKS OBAMA

[ᗅᗺᗷᗅ]

Lol.

[Learz]

[ᗅᗺᗷᗅ]

The problem is that the Tea Party crazies are just that — crazy.  Politicians have always postured and made ultimatums, but there was also always an understanding of the difference between political theater and political reality.  They would make threats and say they'd never back down, fight the good fight, etc., etc., but at the end of the day they would come together and reach a compromise, and thus did American governance function.  But no more.  These Tea Partiers believe their own rhetoric, and as the events of the last couple of days have shown they are perfectly willing to hold the country and the world hostage to get their way.  They want the government to fail.  They want the system to break down, they welcome chaos, because then, they believe, their own institutions (i.e. churches, militias, etc.) can step in and fill the void.  This is why groups like Erik Prince's Blackwater have formed their own private armies.

 

[Daniel P]

http://www.politifac...-passed-budget/

 

Just remember we still 17 trillion in debt.

 

http://www.forbes.co...vernment-waste/

 

I say we should defund the government WASTE.

Edited by Daniel P, 02 October 2013 - 11:39 AM.