Saturday, July 30, 2011

Harry Reid's debt ceiling bill is very similar to Boehner's bill before the latter's most recent idiotic revisions made at the behest of the moronic teabaggers in Congress. Reid gives Republicans almost everything they wanted. Nevertheless, all 43 Republicans in the Senate have signed a letter, released on Saturday, saying they will not vote for a Democratic plan to raise the debt limit.

Letter I've sent to Senator Dick Lugar, which I'm sure won't do any good:

"Reuter's today: "All 43 Republicans in the Senate have signed a letter, released on Saturday, saying they will not vote for a Democratic plan to raise the debt limit."

Why? Harry Reid's bill gives the GOP almost everything they wanted. It is quite close to Boehner's bill before his most recent revisions made at the behest of the radical, economically ignorant tea party backed House members. I had some hope for the Senate, but your latest foolish actions have destroyed it. Your party is willing to drive the country off a cliff.

Why is the GOP utterly unwilling to compromise? Raising the debt ceiling shouldn't even be up for debate. The money is already committed and you know it. The US government has agreed to pay. Not doing so means a default and that would be catastrophic. Those who think otherwise are stunningly ignorant. Stop this ridiculous game of chicken and get a compromise bill.

Poll after poll shows that a strong majority of Americans want a bill that combines spending cuts with revenue increases. Harry Reid took even modest tax increases and tax loop hole closure off the table in an attempt to get GOP votes. You've still refused.

Meanwhile the GOP controlled House is pushing a terrible, extremist bill that will never pass the Senate and will not be signed by the president. What a waste of time! Also, ask most any economist how smart a balanced budget amendment would be. It's a horrible idea.

Despite some policy disagreements, I once had great respect for you, Senator Lugar. No longer. Your actions in lockstep with the rest of the GOP senators absolutely disgust me. Think of the country's well-being and get your house in order. The nation can't afford the increasingly far right wing insanity that now dominates the once reasonable GOP."

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

US likely to lose AAA credit rating

Yep, we're already likely to lose our top credit rating, which will amount to a huge tax on the American people as interest rates go up across the board. On top of that, if the debt ceiling impasse continues, we will default on our debt, triggering an economic collapse of immense proportions.

You bear the responsibility for this disaster, Republican lawmakers. You are pathetic. You're playing chicken with the nation's economy in an attempt to get your demands met, demands that should be debated during budget talks, not when the full faith and credit of the US government is on the line.

For the sake of the US economy, the debt ceiling must be raised. It should not be contingent on the GOP's ridiculous demands. It should simply be done. Budget haggling is for another time. Economists know that a default would be a total disaster for the US economy. Since the GOP refuses to compromise, even after Obama and the Democrats in the Senate have offered concession after concession, far more than they ever should have, and even when poll after poll shows that a strong majority of Americans want a compromise solution with spending cuts and tax increases, I can only conclude one or both of the following are true:

1) GOP congressmen do not give a shit about the country.
2) GOP congressmen are too ignorant to begin to understand the massive consequences of the political game they are playing.

These two options are not mutually exclusive.

Once again the GOP is proving that they are an ignorant, broken party hell bent on destroying what's left of the United States in order to please their wealthy friends.

There was a time when we had two major, worthwhile parties in this country. That time has passed. The GOP is worse than worthless. They are destructive to the nation and everyone in it except for a wealthy few. I hold out little hope that what needs to happen will ever happen, but we need another major political party, better yet more than one, but at least one to replace the ignorant, anti-intellectual, far right wing disaster that is the Republican party.