I think it is the mystery of a debt ceiling that has me so puzzled. I know, for instance, what a debt ceiling would mean for me and that once it is reached, I’m back to Ramen Noodles and tap water. Of course, with honest management, ahead of time, I boil up them Noodles once or twice a week and I maybe avoid hitting that Ceiling and being forced to sip at that swill coming out the faucet. Theoretics, of course, of course…
So, in such a scenario, a Debt Ceiling is an honest and real concept. There is a Limit, and to break through that Limit means Consequences. But we’re discussing the Federal Government, where Consequences are as real as the Tooth Fairy, long as you’re keeping your junk off Twitter…
The Debt Ceiling has been “raised” nearly seventy-five times in the last fifty years, and has been raised ten times in the last ten. This means that seventy-five times in the last fifty years, the Government saw that they did not have enough money to do their Business and, instead of adjusting their spending or coming up with honest ways to make money, they just decide to raise the level of spending allowance they have. Why make changes when all you have to do is say you’re allowed to spend more money?
This Debt Ceiling, this borrowing, counts for upward of fifty percent of Government Spending. Okay. This concept makes sense Or, at least, more sense. Everyone has credit cards to increase their spending allowance (well, not everyone, I know, and I know I am not the only one staying away from those slices of devilry…), so that more things can be purchased at times when the wallet is a little thinner. And part of that agreement is that you pay back onto that credit card so that the debt is managed, if not always manageable. Most credit cards, they have a limit of spending allowance granted: i.e. a debt ceiling. You know what it takes for the Debt Ceiling for you and me to be raised? Consistent and honest repayment. Steady positive interaction. Commitment to the deal we signed on for.
Hmm…
Switching channels, why is Barry showing his face on this? Why is he announcing that a deal has been agreed upon between the Dems and the Repubs? This ball is not on his court just yet. He just needs to put his face out there because, hey, guess what’s around the corner…? Which is the same reason why he nixed an earlier proposal that was pointed at raising that ceiling so that negotiations could be continued on how to lower all this spending and spending. Because the timeline for anything suggested clashes with his Re-Election Tour coming up. It’s the same for all these Politicians, of course; once that Big Red Box starts looming on the Calendar, there is actual caution practiced, because no one wants mud on their shoes right before the Dance…
No one wants to buckle down either.
The Debt Ceiling is 14.29 TRILLION DOLLARS. You heard that, right? And it needs to be raised. An added stipulation to the current agreement is a trillion in cuts. Now, even talking about these numbers becomes only concept talk, something beyond imagination for the you’s and me’s. How is it we get to a point where we are spending that much money that no one has and have to ask for more? Is that not indicative of a serious problem?
But, really, this isn’t all about the money. Maybe even more so, it is about power and stepping on the other guy and not backing down. It is about Party Politics, rather than America, and that should come as no surprise. Here is one idea that will never real a reality: a wage freeze for any elected politician in Congress, Senate, or the White House till there is no deficit. Because, really, what are paying them for? If I go into work tomorrow and I can’t get the job done, guess where I will be? If I spend all my money, guess what I will get? Maybe it is necessary time that the People we put in place to steer the boat are held to actual Standards, are held Responsible for the actions that truly blight our Country. Maybe more worry needs to be paid to getting the Job done, and nevermind the sexting or junk-shots or infidelities. Maybe it’s time to hold our Leaders to their Word?
Tag Archive: Washington
Ongoing coverage for the day’s March on Washington, depending on what news station you turn on, as tens of thousands (reportedly a hundred thousand) have made their way to the Capitol to protest, or speak out, or just wave really big signs, the Government’s intended direction on Health Reform (health care? health insurance?).
Health reform, in whatever phrasing is most effective, is the big showboat right now. Debates all over, name-calling and incomplete facts being repeated by every newscaster with a crooked mouth, and I hear they will be casting for a mascot later this week. Is the “Help! I’ve Fallen and Can’t Get Up!” lady still working?
The March on Washington is the culmination of “Tea Parties” across the Nation in opposition of the Democratic and Presidential Health Reform ideas. The “Tea Parties” stem from the idea of town hall meetings, which have been used in the debate on Health Reform but only so much that the President controlled the proceedings and any opposition was made to look like half-crazed, backhill trash. The March on Washington is Glenn Beck’s puppy, something he’s promoted and advertised through his television and radio shows.
Glenn Beck is a scary man. Not because he speaks up on ideas that frighten me, not because he has become is influential in the opinions of thousands of people, not because he has no political or legal background or training, not because of his past with drug and alcohol recovery and the Church of Latter-Day Saints. No, what scares me is his large, pasty-white face and pudgy fingers as he gets all het up. He is like a sweaty preacher yelling down fire and brimstone. And, honestly, he is only yelling out opinions and second-hand facts. He is not educated in government or politics, he admits as much, but he still wants to point fingers.
If anyone could use a March on Washington, it is Glenn Beck…
Bad humor aside, the march is not just in protest of the current Health Reform, but also in protest of Big Government getting any bigger, in protest of corrupt government, and in protest of unchecked government spending of Americans’ tax dollars.
Unfortunately, I can’t see the whole sha-bang becoming an effective medium. There is no strong political leader behind the event, and many political figures are staying as far away from the event. Mainstream media will poke their fun and concentrate on angles that make everyone present look like LSD-swilling Bible thumpers. The reality that these are thousands upon thousands of American citizens, of American voters, won’t matter a whit.
Unrelated to the March, but significant, Obama is in Minneapolis this day. Like that isn’t planned out. “Hey, I’m the President and there are thousands and thousands of American voters heading towards my house today… I better get the plane ready…” He is saying that he will accept responsibility for the success or failure of his Health Bill. Very noble of him; is that why the Bill is not slated go actually go in effect until 2013, after the next Presidential Election? In fact, negative repercussions will not be prominent for at least two years after the placement of the Bill. What responsibility is he actually accepting? What is he going to do to make it better? Retract the Bill and make things the way they used to be, back in 2009? Resign?
Why, if his Bill is such a good idea, why is it to be voted on this year and then left in the closet for four years? Why wait? Why not fix the problem now? Maybe because implememntation of the Bill’s laws will severely hurt his re-election chances?
Some states are pushing for legislation that will try to counter Barry’s Bill in one way or another, but it is said that such state actions is useless because the Bill is the trump card and will renege State laws which counter its directive. That is a very interesting fact. The country was set up to be local government to state government to federal government. In fact, there are instances where the federal government has told state and local governments “deal with it, it’s your problem.” But this issue is to be commanded solely by federal government. What’s next in the aspects that federal government wishes to control?
Barry’s numbers still do not add up. In his comments on taking responsibility for the effectiveness of the Bill (and, from what I’ve seen, any time any politician says they will “take responsibility,” the smartest thing to do is vote the other way…), he is saying nearly 50 million Americans are without health insurance. Nearly 50 million, while other reports say that it is closer to 30 million actual American Citizens which don’t have health insurance. And these numbers are not a constant. How many are without health insurance but will have health insurance next month? How many don’t have health insurance but are under Medicare/Medicaid? How many don’t have health insurance because they chose not to? How many Americans lost their health insurance because they lost their jobs under Barry’s Presidency? “Nearly half of all Americans will lose their health coverage over the next ten years” is a quote from his Minneapolis rally. A new Treasury report, but based on old numbers, spread out over the last ten years, for “a month or longer”? A complete scare tactic? How many of these Americans will lose their insurance because of his own Bill? He is putting out these phrases and numbers in public addresses which do not delve into the complete facts of what is completely true, only using the phrases and numbers which have the most impact. He will not set down and go into the complete facts.
Why, if health insurance companies are the problem, does the government just lift the ban on an open market for health insurance? Barry’s pointed out that there are states where three or four health insurance companies are doing the majority of the business, and Alabama (is that the right state? I think so) has only one predominant health insurance provider. But is is a government control which prevents multiple health insurance companies from servicing the market, which would lower costs and raise benefits through competition. If the government is disallowing open competition now, when their baby isn’t even in the race, how fair will it be once they have a stake in it?
I am surprised that Barry decided to leave Washington today. He knew the March was on its way, it’s been in the works since sometime in April. Aren’t these the people he wants to persuade? Aren’t these people American enough for him to address? Or is it only okay to talk to those people that already agree with him? The trip to Minneapolis seems a bit formulated. Why go halfway across the country to talk about health insurance reform when tens of thousands of people are coming to your front lawn?
I am not against any reform which benefits the people. It is needed. But government control has led to how many pains for the American people? The saying “you can’t please all the people all the time” is certainly true, but is it crooked if you are only trying to please the people that will vote for you?
You ever wonder maybe the attention given to health reform is to cover something else up?
There’s a lot of news bouncing through the air: the progress of this government-run health care plan based on models that “seem to run well” in countries half the size of Texas, the omission of Fannie and Freddie from the newest federal financial regulations because they are not that impactive in federal finances, and a new health bill gets ready to be marked with the big O that will give the FDA unprecidented control over the tobacco industry without outright banning cigarettes, which is going to turn around and raise the price of smokes one way or the other – getting to be a shame when it’s cheaper to smoke drugs than it is to smoke a Camel.
Oh, and apparently Barry likes toasty nuts in his custard. Than you CNN for that wonderful coverage!
And this is all important news, facts that the public should be aware about – well, maybe not about Barry and his daughters going out for custard, though the way that press coverage for that event was arranged is telling in its own way – and there are dozens more newstories which should be paid attention to.
Amidst all this important news, one instance of what kind of thug now sits in that big, white house is being overlooked. The firing of Inspector General Gerald Walpin because Barry “does not have the fullest confidence” in Walpin. Which may be perhaps well-founded, but the swiftness in which Barry pulled Walpin out of office and how he over-stepped regulations in how dismissals are to be handled (regulations he signed just a year ago) is indicative of the need to silence Walpin quickly. For some reason…
The letter to Congress that Barry delivered gave no concrete reason for why Walpin should be fired, beyond that loss of confidence, and the thirty day notice of intent was not observed. What could Walpin have done to set the O to such action to swiftly?
Hmm? His job? Uncovering misuse of government funds for personal use? Investigating how government-funded social programs are ran and bringing to light possible fraud in those appointed to run those programs?
Walpin most recently uncovered evidence against Kevin Johnson, current mayor of Sacramento and some ex-basketball player. Apparently – allegedly – KJ used the money intended for Americorps programs to have personal services done instead. Petty things, perhaps, but that’s where it all starts, isn’t it?
Does Kevin Johnson’s political support of Obama have anything to do with Walpin’s swift dismissal? KJ has agreed to pay back half of the federal funds, which could be appropriate; I’m sure he let some money slip by into its proper place. So, KJ gets a slap on the wrist and Walpin gets an unexplained termination?
Sounds like good government to me.
The Sacramento U.S. Attorney was not happy with how Walpin conducted the investigation there. Apparently, Walpin’s employment history as Inspector General is lined with oddities such as this. Um… the man investigates fraud of government servants and that is going to be liked by those servants? Does anybody like someone nosing around when they know they been fucking around?
This investigation occurred in 2008, not last week. That Sacramento U.S. Attorney’s office was informed of the possibility of the fraud at that time, but they wanted Walpin’s office to supply more evidence before they pursued the matter themselves. That sounds like they preferred to have Walpin do the digging so they didn’t get their hands dirty, especially when such a high-profile individual is running for Mayor…
If you look at who’s doing the talking, you get a different image of Walpin. Throughout his career, he has uncovered the misuse of millions of dollars. That is fact, on record. That is his job. Unfortunately, the people that get investigated don’t much like that, or like how Walpin conducts his investigations – meaning they don’t like the guy told on them?
Barry claims that Walpin’s dismissal is not politically-fueled, that the man has long been considered for removal (for finding out who’s wasting money we keep giving them?). Is anyone looking into who is behind Americorps, who benefits from Americorps, and what their connection to Barry is, either now he wears the big hat or when he was in Chicago? KJ was a definite Obama supporter, and many of the other Americorps officials who got nailed under Walpin’s investigations are sure to be as toasty as Barry’s nuts with Walpin getting the hammer.
So, the bottom line, coming out of the White House, is: when investigating Obama’s friends who might be guilty of stealing America’s moneys, the course of action is to look the other way? Is that what the message is? You’re not allowed to hurt the feelings of Barry’s buddies when they get caught ripping off the nation?
I’ll have to keep an eye on this story. Its ramifications run deeper than just KJ’s sparkling-clean car.
