The Sun Also Sets ... Mark Steyn

NRO ^ | 24 March 2012 | Mark Steyn

[Rummyfan]

I was in Australia earlier this month and there, as elsewhere on my recent travels, the consensus among the politicians I met (at least in private) was that Washington lacked the will for meaningful course correction, and that, therefore, the trick was to ensure that, when the behemoth goes over the cliff, you’re not dragged down with it. It is faintly surreal to be sitting in paneled offices lined by formal portraits listening to eminent persons who assume the collapse of the dominant global power is a fait accompli. “I don’t feel America is quite a First World country anymore,” a robustly pro-American Aussie told me, with a sigh of regret.

Well, what does some rinky-dink ’roo-infested didgeridoo mill on the other side of the planet know about anything? Fair enough. But Australia was the only major Western nation not to go into recession after 2008. And in the last decade the U.S. dollar has fallen by half against the Oz buck: That’s to say, in 2002, one greenback bought you a buck-ninety Down Under; now it buys you 95 cents. More of that a bit later.

[Pat4ever]

Right on target! What is it going to take for this message to get through? STOP SPENDING!

[sauropod]

“rinky-dink ’roo-infested didgeridoo mill ...”

LOL!

[Cymbaline]

The reality is, given the dollar’s decline over the last decade, that most Americans can no longer afford to flee to any place worth fleeing to. What’s left is the non-flee option: taking a stand here, stopping the spendaholism, closing federal agencies, privatizing departments, block-granting to the states — not in 2040, but now.

Put this on billboards all across America!

[nathanbedford]

The president doesn’t see this as a problem, nor do his party, and nor do at least fortysomething percent of the American people....

Nor do some ... conservatives.

And this is essentially what the primary battle has been all about. Whether the Republican Party will go to the country as better mechanics for a machine that needs a tuneup or whether we will go to the country as the bomb disposal squad that can disconnect and dismantle before the fatal explosion.

[Dr. Sivana]

What’s left is the non-flee option: taking a stand here, stopping the spendaholism, closing federal agencies, privatizing departments, block-granting to the states — not in 2040, but now.

Or, just ignore the Leviathan and set up an informal state within a state, mostly in rural areas, but also in some smaller population centers.

[TexasSecede79366]

A second-term Obama would roar full throttle to the cliff edge, while a President Romney would be unlikely to do much more than ease off to third gear.

Can't argue with that logic. If Romney wins the nomination you can piss on the fire and call in the dogs. It's over.
Ds and Rs are just window dressing for an oligarchy.

[blueunicorn6]

The sky was going to fall back in the 1970s, too. We elected Reagan and the Republic prospered. Australia wants American Soldiers stationed there so they don’t have to pay for their own defense. They’re scared to death of the Chinese and moslems. The Democrats want to control government because they want to loot the public treasury. Once the treasury gets too low, they’ll back off and let the Republicans fill it up for them again. Even John Dillinger wouldn’t rob an empty bank.

[melsec]

1. The former conservative government of John Howard had us in an enviable position of having savings.
2. Some of the bank regulations we have actually kept Australians from being over exposed to the banking crisis
3. The Labor government (led by Kevin Rudd) gave about half of our stimulus money was given to the tax payer and they spent it on what seemed good to them. Most of the rest was spent on infrastructure.

Some of the money was wasted on Socialist schemes and we spent more than we needed to keep our boat afloat but on the whole it has worked - at least for the moment.

Mel

[Road Glide]

“A second-term Obama would roar full throttle to the cliff edge, while a President Romney would be unlikely to do much more than ease off to third gear.”

Think back to “Thelma & Louise”.

Playing the role of Thelma are the democrats, behind the wheel driving full-speed towards the abyss.

Playing Louise are the Republicans, who, in a moment of their greatest intestinal fortitude, push the rats away from the wheel, step on the brakes a little to slow the car down, and then..... keep driving towards the same cliff, only at 40mph.

Either way, what happens?

[NonValueAdded]

it does fit in a tagline

[P.O.E.]

-The whole country’s on a cocaine binge of borrowing, and won’t stop until it bottoms out. We need a conservative “intervention”.