Mark Steyn: The Edge of the Abyss

National Review Online ^ | NOVEMBER 9, 2012 | Mark Steyn

[neverdem]

The default setting of American society is ever more liberal and statist.

Amid the ruin and rubble of the grey morning after, it may seem in poor taste to do anything so vulgar as plug the new and stunningly topical paperback edition of my book, After America — or, as Dennis Miller retitled it on the radio the other day, Wednesday. But the business of America is business, as Calvin Coolidge said long ago in an alternative universe, and I certainly could use a little. So I’m going to be vulgar and plug away. The central question of Wednesday — I mean, After America — is whether the Brokest Nation in History is capable of meaningful course correction. On Tuesday, the American people answered that question. The rest of the world will make its dispositions accordingly.

In the weeks ahead, Democrats and Republicans will reach a triumphant “bipartisan” deal to avert the fiscal cliff through some artful bookkeeping mechanism that postpones Taxmageddon for another year, or six months, or three, when they can reach yet another triumphant deal to postpone it yet again. Harry Reid has already announced that he wants to raise the debt ceiling — or, more accurately, lower the debt abyss — by $2.4 trillion before the end of the year, and no doubt we can look forward to a spectacular “bipartisan” agreement on that, too. It took the government of the United States two centuries to rack up its first trillion dollars in debt. Now Washington piles on another trillion every nine months. Forward!...

[Arlis]

Wrong.

In six seconds Obama would execute and executive order fining and imprisoning every business owner who kept his business shut for more than an hour.....as they would be “terrorists” threatening national security....

And the HDA and TSA would be his enforcers with all the ammo they have......

Nice try......

[familyop]

"...wants to raise the debt ceiling — or, more accurately, lower the debt abyss — by $2.4 trillion before the end of the year, and no doubt we can look forward to a spectacular “bipartisan” agreement on that, too."

Yes, "bipartisan," although it's not a welcome truth in political/regulator circles. Many of those of us who've worked more in the private sector see what's going on in more realistic ways and have been working harder at doing well despite likely conditions ahead.

Many who've received their incomes mostly from government or government-linked services and are only beginning to lose, see things more surrealistically. Many of them tell us that the end is near while presenting maniacal, movie-like, false prophecies with themselves described/implied as heroes of dis-topia (probably plagiarized from movies). The following is for the people of the tantrum (bipartisan socialists).

Skeeter Davis - The End Of The World
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdfpLAzSxg

We need to abolish/repeal regulations against new, small manufacturing starts beginning at local levels of government. A wealthy nation has a large manufacturing base with healthy levels of competition--a complete private sector.

[Pining_4_TX]

Ha, ha, true. As P.J. O’Rourke said, even if the government had a camera in every room, at least half of them wouldn’t be working.

[expat2]

Nice dream, but the mouthpiece will not be sent — just some govt. gunmen and a new manager supplied by the new owner, the US govt.

[1st Division guy]

If every business shut down the government would step in and take over and there’d be a line a mile long of people willing to work for them.

YUP

[sand88]

We still have most Republicans who can’t even figure out that the Democrat leaders are grifters.

Grifters? Seriously? Are you that naive?

The RATS are hard core control freaks. Obama, Axelrod, Jarret are hard-core Marxist.

These grifters as you call them are not our for money, they are out to destroy the United States.

Please don't insult grifters :)

[Noob1999]

bfl for a great tomorrow read!!!!!

[Intolerant in NJ]

Bump.....

[Greysard]

Shut down 01/01/2013 all gas stations, coal companies, power stations [...]

All large companies are public. This means that they are not toys of their CEO. They simply cannot be shut down because that would be against their corporate charter. The CEO would be kicked out and replaced within minutes.

Most of other companies - that are privately owned - employ living, breathing people. You, as the sole owner, may have the power to close the company. But do you have the moral right to leave your employees - who agreed to work for your company - without income? They all would need to join you in that strike. My bet is that hardly more than one or two out of ten can afford it. Most working stiffs don't have much money in the bank, but they all have bills to pay and kids to feed.

Finally, if you are the sole owner and the only employee, your business is tiny. You may be a consultant, for example, or a writer, or a musician, or a handyman. If you close your business it will not be noticed - not by Obama, not by the county, and not by your neighbors even. Your démarche would be a complete waste.

Furthermore, even if by some miracle enough businesses close, remaining businesses will double and triple the sales - and the prices. You know who will be blamed for that? You. Not Obama; it will be personally you, the owner of the business that you closed in an act of political protest. Obama would then sprinkle some salt on your wounds, as he loves to do, by saying that those irresponsible rich men decided to become the enemy of the people. Do I need to continue this train of thought?

Some posters also said that this opens the door for nationalization of "essential" businesses and industries. Well, that may be the case as well.

[fhayek]

In the course of his first term, Obama increased the federal debt by just shy of $6 trillion and in return grew the economy by $905 billion. So, as Lance Roberts at Street Talk Live pointed out, in order to generate every dollar of economic growth the United States had to borrow about five dollars and 60 cents. There’s no one out there on the planet — whether it’s “the rich” or the Chinese — who can afford to carry on bankrolling that rate of return. According to one CBO analysis, U.S.-government spending is sustainable as long as the rest of the world is prepared to sink 19 percent of its GDP into U.S. Treasury debt. We already know the answer to that: In order to avoid the public humiliation of a failed bond auction, the U.S. Treasury sells 70 percent of the debt it issues to the Federal Reserve — which is to say the left hand of the U.S. government is borrowing money from the right hand of the U.S. government. It’s government as a Nigerian e-mail scam, with Ben Bernanke playing the role of the dictator’s widow with $4 trillion under her bed that she’s willing to wire to Timmy Geithner as soon as he sends her his bank-account details.

How much longer does anyone suppose that his can continue?

[stillonaroll]

...my book, After America — or, as Dennis Miller retitled it on the radio the other day, Wednesday.

-----------------------------------------

LOL!!!

Thank you Mark Steyn. We need you now more than ever.

[stillonaroll]

Sure you want to read it? It's sobering:

"If you add up the total debt — state, local, the works — every man, woman, and child in this country owes 200 grand..."

[dr_lew]

Already have our Hawaii vacation paid for, but it will be the last one for a few years.

What in the G** d*** h*** do you f****** want to go to f****** Hawaii for? OK, it's warm. So what?

[neverdem]

The Case of the Missing White Voters The corporate raider had too little appeal to working class whites, IMHO.

Mark Levin Gives "Unvarnished Truth" On Romney Loss About a 20 minute audio

Class-action lawsuit looming against city in gun-owner web snafu

The Death of Principle: Let’s Hear No More from the Anti-War Left

Some noteworthy articles about politics, foreign or military affairs, IMHO, FReepmail me if you want on or off my list.

[neverdem]

The Case of the Missing White Voters The corporate raider had too little appeal to working class whites, IMHO.

Mark Levin Gives "Unvarnished Truth" On Romney Loss About a 20 minute audio

Class-action lawsuit looming against city in gun-owner web snafu

The Death of Principle: Let’s Hear No More from the Anti-War Left

Some noteworthy articles about politics, foreign or military affairs, IMHO, FReepmail me if you want on or off my list.

[neverdem]

The Case of the Missing White Voters The corporate raider had too little appeal to working class whites, IMHO.

Mark Levin Gives "Unvarnished Truth" On Romney Loss About a 20 minute audio

Class-action lawsuit looming against city in gun-owner web snafu

The Death of Principle: Let’s Hear No More from the Anti-War Left

Some noteworthy articles about politics, foreign or military affairs, IMHO, FReepmail me if you want on or off my list.

[Jack Black]

"My bet, this guy gets shot in the head, and miraculously recovers and speaks in a different voice. All hell breaks loose within a few weeks."

That's funny! I read the 'Left Behind' series, or a bunch of it. Paging Nicholas Carpathian, please pick up the white courtesy phone. LOL. Good one.

[metmom]

I know conservative (Christian) business owners and THEY will be getting my business.

Sadly, there is some stuff that we simply cannot do without, like food and gas.

However, non- essentials are going to be STRICTLY off limits.

[metmom]

My bet, this guy gets shot in the head, and miraculously recovers and speaks in a different voice. All hell breaks loose within a few weeks.

And you aren't the only one who thinks that by any means. I know people who think that and have told me so.

[Shane]

It is called “Going Galt”, great idea, unfortunately it will not happen. Face it folks we have reached the tipping point and there is no going back. The demographics and cultural shift has changed America, and certainly not for the better. We can rant and rave all that we want, but the simple truth is they won, we lost. The country that we loved will be a quaint memory.