I am going to focus on what is happening today with regards to America's credit standing and the debates over the debt ceiling increase. It's pretty simple, if we don't raise the debt ceiling, we end up defaulting on payments to organizations spread throughout the world. The result is that we go from having excellent credit to a poor rating literally overnight. We have already been placed under a review for a potential downgrade by Moody's Investors Service. Other credit agencies are sure to follow suit. I guess when it comes to the government, debt knows no boundaries. Yet, in order for people to qualify to purchase a home we cannot have more than a 10 percent debt to income ratio. We, The People, are expected to be on top of our financial situation, but the government is more than welcome to increase the nation's deficit by 35 percent in 3 years time. No, that is not a typo. We had a 10 trillion dollar deficit when the new administration took office. That deficit now stands at over 14 trillion dollars.
I am not going to talk about which side is wrong or right. The problem here is that we have sides to begin with. On one hand you have the Democrats, who believe in big government overseeing everything that happens in this country and playing big brother to failing companies. Democrats also believe in big spending as well and taxing the wealthy. On the other hand, we have the Republicans. They believe in small government, tax cuts across the board, tend to be wealth biased, are pro military, and are against abortion and gay marriage. I'm just stating the obvious points here, but the going trend is that you have to major political parties who absolutely DO NOT agree with one another.
I just want to take a moment and point out a word that I have come to completely loathe because of it's lack of relevance in today's politics: bipartisan. Is this even a legitimate word? Okay, it is a legitimate word, but take a look at the definition from the free dictionary : supported by members of two major political parties. Every politician you see on the news will always say that "it's going to take a bipartisan effort", or "through a bipartisan effort we will rebuild this country." I mentioned in the last entry that politicians are great a selling themselves...on the campaign trail. All of that goes out the window when they are in office. Bipartisan would be such a beautiful word if it actually applied, but that is not the case. No, what actually applies is filibuster. In simple terms it is one party trying to accumulate enough members to prevent the other side from following through with its agenda. Another term is filibuster-proof majority, which is pretty much a political party's dream come true. This is when the majority political party has enough members to the point that the other side cannot block a law from passage. This is especially advantageous if the majority party also happens to be the same side as the President. So, why am I bringing all of this up? BECAUSE THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS BIPARTISANSHIP IN THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT!!! Everyone has it out for everyone else. The Republicans refuse to go with the democrats and vow to block any law from being passed unless they get what they want. The President has already vowed to strike down any Republican motivated proposals because there is nothing in those proposals that benefit democrats.
The politicians are devoting themselves so much to playing the blame game that it's beginning to look like an elementary school classroom! But, these are the same politicians who preached so much about how they all needed to work together to find the solution to Americas economic woes and health care and immigration and education and infrastructure and social security, etc., etc., etc.! BULL FRIGGIN CRAP! Out of the 535 politicians in office today, there are probably between 5-10 who may have genuine intentions. Unfortunately those are going to be the ones to leave office because chances are that they will eventually be implicated in some kind of scandal and forced to resign from their position. They are not wanted because they are searching for a new agenda, which will not profit the government. Weiner, anyone?
So, here we are. We are hoping that the government can do something right, but chances are that they will do something quick and do it wrong which will screw us anyway in the long term. I completely laughed by butt off when I heard Obama start using scare tactics during his televised conferences recently. He seems to be doing them daily now because of the debt negotiations. This man has preached so many times about how he was sooooo against scare tactics and how he would NEVER employ them. Well, if there is one thing I have come to learn is that most politicians are lying hypocrites who oversell themselves in an effort to gain public office and reap the benefits while others suffer at their expense.
Seriously, let's think about this. Who is right? Who is wrong? Democrats are going to point at Republicans. Rebublicans are going to blame the Democrats. Independents are going to point anywhere as long as it isn't themselves. When are you all going to sit down and realize, as a nation, THAT WE ARE ALL WRONG?! If I go to vote, my first thought is not going to be "oh my, I love this candidate because he is a devout Christian and he is a war hero with 2 Purple Hearts and he is opposed to killing unborn children." My thought will also not be "I love this candidate because he wants to be the modern day Robin Hood, steel from the rich and give to the poor; plus he is all for giving all sorts of tax credits and extending welfare benefits." No, no to all of that. I want someone who, regardless of their religion, background, preference, and the like, can show me that they have an actual action plan outlined and exact numbers to prove that it will work. I want politicians that are willing to set aside any differences that exist between them because there are 300 million people who are depending on them to get it right. We elected these officials to get the job done: not sit in a room and argue like a bunch of bickering 5 year olds waiting to be put on time out. i could just see the exchange right now:
Boehner: You're not my friend anymore because you want my rich friend to be poor!
Obama: Well, you're not my friend because you don't let me do whatever I want!!!
Boehner: I'm telling the teacher on you!
Obama: Okay, fine I'll work with you, c'mon....SIKE!!
Boehner: Teacher!!!
Now just fill that in with the actual exchanges and it's pretty much the same thing! What's sad is that 300 million people allowed it to be this way. What's even sadder is that the same 300 million people are not willing to do anything to correct it. If that's the case, then the government succeeded one one key thing: making America's people feel worthless and weak.
America, we need to wake up...
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