Posted on 07/23/2011 9:44:42 AM PDT by upchuck
As America lurches toward new and unfamiliar status as a nation that defaults on its debts, commentators around the world are wondering how the democratic government that was once the most admired in the world -- for many reasons -- is now so "dysfunctional," to use the polite term. But the truth is that the entire U.S. government is not dysfunctional. Much of the government functions well enough or better, and even the members of the troubled U.S. Senate seem to be trying, a little late, to deal with the problem before us.
No, dysfunctional is the too-polite term for the House of Representatives, specifically its dominant tea party Republicans, who can be described in far less dainty psychological terms. Even the most extreme Republican partisans in the Senate seem to realize that their House colleagues, seized by some combination of ideology, madness and pig ignorance, are propelling the country and the world toward economic chaos.
Of course, the tea party Republicans insist that no such thing will ever happen -- the warnings from economists, business leaders, financiers and public officials are merely so much "scare talk."
When President Obama says that he won't be able to send out Social Security and Veterans Administration checks or meet the nation's obligations on Treasury debt come Aug. 2, he is just trying to frighten his opponents into giving up their principles. They don't accept the idea that we have to pay for financial obligations already incurred -- or that the rising interest rates caused by default will make future deficits much deeper.
But they don't have to believe the president to understand that the threat posed by default is real. They could listen to ultra-conservative senators like Tom Coburn, R-Okla., and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga. -- members of the Gang of Six/Seven whose own profound ideological hostility to Obama and the Democrats still leaves space for prudence.
Or they could listen to more than 60 business groups, from the National Association of Manufacturers and the Chamber of Commerce to the Telecommunications Industry Association and the American Gas Association, all fearful of the consequences of default. Now those business lobbyists may find out why it isn't so smart to fund any bozo running for office who claims to support "free enterprise."
It is revealing to listen to the congressional freshmen affiliated with the tea party as the debt clock ticks down and panic begins to set in. Many of them have repeatedly vowed to vote down any bill to increase the debt limit, but somehow they're sure that if those checks don't go out and that debt doesn't get paid, it will be the president's fault and not theirs. Some say there is no reason why the Treasury should miss any of its bond payments. Others have sent a letter to the White House, urging Obama to "prioritize" those Social Security checks if worse comes to worst.
Such outbursts prove that the tea party is not only against taxes and spending, but is strictly opposed to arithmetic, which like climate science is probably just another socialist plot. They also prove the utter insincerity of these characters, who just voted this week for the "Cut, Cap and Balance" bill that would gut Social Security, along with Medicare, while erecting a constitutional wall around tax breaks for society's wealthiest individuals and corporations. They want to pose as defenders of the middle-class and the American dream, even as they promote legislation that would destroy the programs and institutions that are the foundation of that way of life.
There is no need to look too far to find the source of our discontent -- our "dysfunction," if you must. It is in the Congress, which the American people mistakenly turned over to fakers and fools last November. Every poll shows that most voters regret that error now, and wish that Congress would tax the wealthy and preserve social insurance. Now those voter had better make their remorse heard, and loudly, if they hope to avert catastrophe.
Joe Conason: proud lifetime member of Bizzaro World.
Joe Conason....
Meh, I don't feel like casting pearls before swine today :)
“No, dysfunctional is the too-polite term for the House of Representatives”
Yeah, how DARE those filthy conservatives in the House pass a bill that raises the debt ceiling like Obama wants! How DARE they put poor Harry Reid on the spot and have to set aside that bill! Don’t they know that compromise means they give the Dems everything and then go home and explain to their dense, undereducated, ignorant fools of supporters how that is “victory?” How dare they?
sarcasm off
The same Tea Party members AMERICANS voted in to restore our once great country?
Is that their "polite" way of stating WE THE PEOPLE are beyond dysfunctional?
It seems to me that there’s nothing at all dysfunctional about the government at the moment - it’s doing exactly what it was designed to do. We had one party rule up until last year, when the people got angry, and put in place a new House to create divided government and stop the imminent bankruptcy of our nation.
What is that leftwing kook, Joe Conason, doing writing for Rasmussen? I thought they locked up Conason many, many moons ago. The boy is crazy. He should be in a loony bin somewhere.
Saxby Chambliss, ultra conservative republican.
I think Joe’s Lithium hasn’t kicked in yet.
Gang-of-six = “Ultra Conservative” lol
Democracy’s a bitch to the MSM elite.
It's not dysfunctional, its spot on target.
They need to keep it up and hold their feet to the fire. The American people showed in 2010 that they know what's going on, and they are going to do so again in 2012, in spite of all of this babble.
Few writers out there that actually appear to be more stupid than an Obama speechwriter.
When Rassmussen polls first appeared, I thought them to be politically neutral and there for our edification.
The more I see of them, the more I realize how wrong that first impression was.
Definitely slanted.
>>Now those business lobbyists may find out why it isn’t so smart to fund any bozo running for office who claims to support “free enterprise.”
Lobbyists make a very good living by finding ways for organizations to suck off the government teat. We can’t fix this problem as long as we allow lobbyists to breathe our precious oxygen.
To start with, Pigs are far from ignorant and Mr. Conason is far from correct about the Tea Party.
The TpCaucus has growing strongly in most places.. but still growing every other place..
Yes.. even in San Fransicko.. and New York City.. even the Detroit area..
So soon Nov. 2010 is forgotten.. Nov. 2012 will be the main event..
Few already don’t have their minds made up on the Obama thing..
Almost everybody has smelled the deep acrid smell of Obamanomics..
To be an Obamanoid can easily brand you as “SILLY”...
NOT raising the debt limit.. is a monkey wrench in Obamas machinery..
It should done with that in mind..
Hey Joe!
Compromise is highly over rated.
If the government wants more revenue, they need to get off of the backs of the people!
Private business and industry are not hiring because of the additional cost of doing business imposed by Obamacare, the EPA, and countless other Obama czars.
This, in addition to the uncertainty of the new and higher taxes Obama seeks.
If Obama succeeds in mandating higher taxes, what will he do with that money?
He will spend it to buy votes and regulate your life and business!
The fact is Obama is NOT simply after more revenue.
Obama wants to squash America’s free enterprise, industry, and your freedom!
There is nothing to be gained by compromising with this man.
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