Uncle Sam is paralyzed.
Probably the most important realization coming out of the culmination of the debt ceiling debate is that the United States government is hopelessly paralyzed. And, it appears that this paralysis is a long-term condition.
I watched the excruciating House floor debate on C-Span last weekend. I found the speeches given by the newly elected Tea Party members to be particularly painful to watch. Like robots, they would repeat the same “We can’t raise taxes on the job creators”, “Prudent spending reductions must include entitlement cuts”, and “Balancing the budget is the most important economic problem we are currently facing” statements.
None of these statements are true, of course, and all of them have been proven to be false (or misleading) by many economic experts. But, these words kept being repeated, over and over again – like a broken record.
It’s not just the House that is showing signs of complete paralysis. Senate members also realize that they too are faced with gridlock due to rightwing obstructionism. As Senator Durbin stated on Fox News Sunday, the reason the Democrats cannot get any legislation passed is:
“It’s called 60 votes. And what it boils down to is this: we have 53 Democratic senators.”
The President is also “paralyzed” (except he calls it “compromised”). He feels he cannot act on his ideals and, at the same time, hope to be reelected in 2012. Whether it is true or not that he needs the moderate independent vote to regain the White House (a highly debatable assumption) isn’t important. What is important is that he is acting on this belief, and he is refusing to take the critical, tough FDR-type steps that are needed right now to pull us out of this downward spiral.
SCOTUS, the third branch of government, is also paralyzed. The conservative Gang-of-Five on the Roberts court has proven time and time again to be subservient to the needs of the wealthy and the corporations. The voice of “The People” can’t be heard on the Supreme Court as long as these plutocratic puppets control the bench.
Bottom line – The entire U.S. government is systemically paralyzed.
Those who are saying that we are doomed to a Lost Decade, similar to that which Japan experienced, are understating the situation. Due to the size and influence of the U.S. economy, gridlock in this country translates into extensive global economic hardships as well.
So, fasten your seat belts folks. Keep your arms and legs safely inside the vehicle at all times. We’re in for a long and very wild downhill ride.
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Cenk Uygur
Oryoki Bowl
Robert Greenwald
Frank Michels
Kent Pitman
markinjapan
Salon.com
Comments
I see the National Guard Open Salon ad `popups.
Scrotum?
Eat lots of delicate `Purple Cherokee Heirlooms.
Within an hour or less the politician get `Squirts.
But Chinese or Pakistan # 6- toddler diaper Asap.
`
Life does not cease to be funny when people die.
George Bernard Shaw wrote that ` And no any fun
Serious than Life Life ceases to be serious when
People laugh.
Please: No Join
The National Guard
Wall Street uses them
Greedy goons are sick
depraved. That's fact.
Do not concur about one "fact:" entitlements. U.S. debt to GDP is 100 per cent. Current trajectory would be 400 per cent, Bank Of England assessment, which is absurd, and therefore has to change, which means spending cuts where there is money, and entitlements are well over half the budget that cannot be changed without a default. Tax revenue also has to increase, which can be done more or less efficiently, although defining efficiency is not trivial with respect to tax systems.
We cannot have that perception, because it is not correct with respect to Great Power War, and because the perception itself could trigger said war, not in anyone's interest.