Ocassional Thoughts of an Independent Progressive Atheistic Humanist
Big thanks goes out to the Tea Party and Republicans for being big babies on taxes that led to the US to experience its first credit downgrade in history from credit agency Standard & Poor’s. Of course you might not hear that from those in the main stream media who like their false equivalencies. They will try to cover up the Tea Party involvement and to blame Democrats too. The truth is out there.
Just like during the budget fight last December, the ruling oligarchy took it to the last moment to agree on a deal on raising the debt ceiling. “Good” for them. The deal though is a solution looking for a problem.
As I have written before, cutting the budget now is stupid. It was stupid when it was done back at the end of last year.
As the Republicans drive us closer to the cliff of financial ruin, the fact is that the debt ceiling needs to be raised to pay for what has already been budgeted. Remember the government shut down crisis in December? Not only is this crisis a Tea Party wet dream, but the Democrats don’t get off the hook. Who’s bright idea came up with the need to cut the deficit while the economy wobbles after the gut punch in 2008 that led to 9%+ unemployment, tanked the housing market, and the largest income gap since 1928. What we are seeing isn’t just a GOP vs. Democrat battle, it’s the tyranny of the money majority.
The debt ceiling has to be raised to pay for the budget that was passed in December. This is similar to paying your credit car bill a month after using it to buy something. If you don’t pay your credit card bill on time or at all you get socked with a massive interest rate increase. That will happen for a start if the ceiling isn’t raised. It could also lead to grandma not getting her social security check and the weak recovery we have been under will bottom out. Then 9% unemployment would be seen as the good old days.
I admit I’m a liberal and have been for most of my life. David Mamet is a well known and loved screen and play writer who I have admired for his creative work. In 2008 he wrote an essay in the Village Voice that gave the big kiss off to being a liberal. His essay was titled “Why I Am No Longer a ‘Brain-Dead Liberal'” where he explains how he changed from a liberal to libertarian. I feel sad that a smart and well-respected person can come to a conclusion based on wrong information. I want to explain how one can be a liberal and not be “brain-dead”.
This is just in case Dave Barton, Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann and other thick heads need a refresher on American History. I recommend the entire School House Rock series. Those short videos helped me through school at times. Lucky for us these were made before the fans of anti-intellectualism got a chance to rewrite history. Happy 4th of July!
School House Rock – Shot Heard ‘Round the World (America Rock)