CRAP! I am finding myself still agreeing (somewhat)

I have written a page or so rebutting some finer points of your argument but I have found that I have lost heart in it.  Why? because taken overall- you are correct (don’t tell ANYONE).  So, what happens now?   How exactly do we get out of this mess?  Because, despite the Democrats screaming and ranting and crying about the Bush spending, they have taken the credit card and are out at the mall going on a binge.   I actually think that they simply cannot help themselves.  Yes, we are in for pain ahead, yes people are going to hurt, ( not sure I am with you on the tax increases though)  But I can certainly attest to the fact that increasing entitlements, reducing the amount of people with ‘skin in the game’ and increasing government size and power are not the way to go.

Jobs?  yea, they haven’t done well on that huh? Jobs are critical now, and the government does not seem to be finding policy that is working, well ,if you do not buy the “saved or created” phrase they like to tout.  People are in trouble and the Democrats are focused on Healthcare. They need to be looking at supporting and  increasing private sector jobs, not growing government, or pushing union positions.   California here we come.

Both parties need to focus on this, and I wish they would be having a real deficit or rather debt summit instead of this healthcare summit farce they are forcing on us.  Its time to get serious. 

(and I am pleased to hear you are tuning into Beck, I think he brings up some very interesting points and asks some tough questions)

(Oh one more thing- hypocrisy?  from the republicans on spending money they voted against? I must say, that if a HUGE pot of money is made available to spend, after being passed into law by the Democratic Majority, do you really expect the Republicans to stand aside and say, “Oh no, we are not going to take any money, we do not agree with the spending.  Yes, all our constituents, and their children will have to pay the bill, but we are not going to apply or ask for any money, we will simply let all the Dems use it up and spend it on all their pet projects. Now, that said, I believe they ought to be more honest about it and say that they hate the spending but are gonna get theirs.  Ideally, they might be able to get the money and simply hand it out to their constituents as a protest against the spending and allow the constituents use it to pay their taxes.

For hypocrisy, here is a much better play:  Biden taking credit for success in Iraq (after voting AGAINST the surge)?  or even better, how about this gem I stumbled upon today:

http://www.breitbart.tv/obama-dems-in-2005-51-vote-nuclear-option-is-arrogant-power-grab-against-the-founders-intent/

 

Hypocrisy is rampant and everywhere so much so that it is a useless charge either way.

Ocean of debt and delusion

It's shockingly ironic, but I disagree. It seems like we stopped talking the moment we found (gasp) common ground.  Whaddya know?  Maybe there is a way to shut us up!

It's obvious that fiscal realism is lacking in both parties.  Democrats, well I don't have to preach to you about their fiscal pipe dreams (that's your role in this blog).  My criticism of Republican economic stances are as varied as their stances. Some pretend to be fiscally conservative in Washington but come back to their state to brag about how much stimulus they dragged back with them, and yet can look us in the camera and claim they aren't hypocrites?  Others truly are fiscally conservative but will never come straight out and admit that lower spending WILL increase hardship for many (short term pain for long term gain, a la Reagan in early 80's, or so the story goes for those that believe it).  That short term pain may well ruin an already tenuous recovery (still without jobs). Are Americans really ready to take that chance today? Let's be brutally honest and admit the risk, OK!  Fiscal conservatism applied at this stage in the game could cause real economic dislocation, more than we've already seen in the last couple of years. Not saying it may not be worth the cost in the long run, but don't underestimate how hard the medicine might go down.

I think we all have seen this graph and know it's unsustainable.  But I believe most Americans have not internalized how much sacrifice is required to undo this level of debt. And I do mean debt. The current defecit is admittedly a large drop in the ocean, but the debt IS the ocean we're drowning in. There will likely have to be both huge spending cuts AND higher taxes to avoid massive inflation.  Who believes that we're gonna have a huge stimulus package recovery (D-Dreaming), or spend our way out of this through lower taxes and business stimulus (R-Dreaming) ? Ain't gonna happen. We both know that Dem & Republican parties lack the backbone to be honest with us about this.  It's far easier for them to claim obstructionism from the other party than to work together to fish us out of the ocean of debt we're in.

Funny, I caught Beck the other day riffin' on the similarities between the state of America today and the USS Titanic.  I guess the whole ocean theme must have sunk in (get it?).

At any rate, I share your frustration.  Not that it's any consolation...

Not much more to say

Well I will take your recent silence as an indication that we have done too much too soon.  Perhaps we have become to heated, too partisan?  too…. angry?  I dunno, I can personally attest to the fact that I have just been feeling rather overwhelmed with all the insanity I am hearing.  Like the health care summit; the jobs bill ( aka stimulus 2);, raising the debt ceiling; spinning the rising unpopularity of this administrations positions; and the overall stagnant economy. Things seem out of control with no end in sight.

I am looking forward to the November elections and can only hope that there are some significant changes.  WE need some new blood in there. ( There would be nothing that would feed my small and petty side than to see Nancy hand over her Speaker’s gavel and brand new plane) However, I must make a very serious comment here: The Republicans MUST get their sh*t together and make sure they are being fiscally conservative and take this deficit spending seriously. Everything needs to be scrutinized and entitlements need to be examined and we need to make some serious changes.  No matter what people want this is unsustainable:

Something needs to be done. The spending needs to be reigned in, this is insanity.