U.S Fed. Government Shutdown!

[Devercia]

I'm not sure how individual's qualities factor into the collective.  It was obvious a sweeping generalization.

In any case if you have a majority, you have the power to manipulate government and underlying factors like constitutions. Unless no one has a majority.

I'd be more thorough if not on a phone, so feel free to rip this apart.

 

[Mad Vader]

I only hope this would backfire for the Republicans and they won't try it again for the next 20 years. Unprincipled blackmail should be punished at the polls.

 

[Feragorn]

I blame Frank Underwood. It's all part of his ploy to clinch the Vice Presidency.

 

[Mage246]

If only this was a problem we could bomb into submission we would have solved it by now. Stupid words and numbers make me so angry! 

 

[Kobrag]

I blame Frank Underwood. It's all part of his ploy to clinch the Vice Presidency.

Or Cruz's (irl) to try and gain the fundies for the primaries.
Especially to get rid of (or at least tolerance) any prejudice about is 'foreign' name.

 

[Nord Champion]

I only hope this would backfire for the Republicans and they won't try it again for the next 20 years. Unprincipled blackmail should be punished at the polls.

Regardless of what happens here, there will always be die-hard Republicans that will say that  what these politicians are doing is the best thing for America, and will praise the hell out of them for it. But hopefully you're right.

 

[Feragorn]

I blame Frank Underwood. It's all part of his ploy to clinch the Vice Presidency.

Or Cruz's (irl) to try and gain the fundies for the primaries.
Especially to get rid of (or at least tolerance) any prejudice about is 'foreign' name.

His name's not foreign though... And I was making a House of Cards (US) joke.

 

[Kobrag]

I know about the reference hence the (irl) next to Cruz.

As for foreign, it sounds Spanish and thus he must be a closet illegal

 

[Feragorn]

Eh.

 

[Kormin]

Kinda wanna go out pillaging, but that's about all I care about the Fed shutting down.

 

[Devercia]

Careful out there. Gangs of park rangers and NASA poindexters skulk the streets.

 

[darthtaco123]

Anyways here's my thoughts: Neither side wanted to negotiate to each others terms, so this fiasco happened. I can't say I'm sad to see a gov't down-size, but a shut down could have been avoided with the simple foundation of the nation: Compromise.

 

[Mage246]

Congress already had the opportunity to vote on Obamacare. It passed. They had the opportunity to repeal it - it failed. What exactly is there to compromise on? This is already part of US law. Congress's part is done. They just need to pay for what they enacted. Don't like Obamacare? Then get the votes to repeal it. Until then, Congress needs to do their damn job and keep the government working. This naturally involves funding the government at a level adequate to fulfill ALL duties established by law.

 

[Adorno]

... I can't say I'm sad to see a gov't down-size, but a shut down could have been avoided with the simple foundation of the nation: Compromise.

Could also have been avoided by not acquiring an exorbitant debt in the first place.

 

[Anthropoid]

The problem is partisanism. As long as any political party is allowed to operate as if pursuing domination is a legitimate goal within a putatively polyarchic representative democracy, the problems plaguing the U.S. will persist and worsen.

Both parties claim to seek domination and appear to seek it in their efforts to undermine the goals of the other party and to achieve their own goals at the expense of the other. Striving to win elections is one thing; neverending rhetorical war and stubborn unwillingness of both sides to compromise much less encourage consideration of both sides arguments is another thing entirely.

Whatever subordinate goals they might pursue, the golden rule of any political party in a true representative polyarchy must be to insure that other political parties interests' are allowed equal consideration as one's own. In the absence of genuine tolerance for alternative views, you get what we have: perpetual animosity and gridlock between two competing parties who are in fact both owned in large part by an oligarchy of wealthy lobbyists.

 

[Mage246]

... I can't say I'm sad to see a gov't down-size, but a shut down could have been avoided with the simple foundation of the nation: Compromise.

Could also have been avoided by not acquiring an exorbitant debt in the first place.

Has really nothing to do with the government shutdown, Adorno. You may be confusing it with the debt ceiling debate.

This is just government failing to fulfill one of its most basic responsibilities - authorizing payments to fulfill the laws it has passed.

 

[MickDick]

gubment shutdown?

Bu-bu- muh freedums...  wait a minute.

 

[Mage246]

Wait a minute what? What are you trying to communicate with that? 

 

[Adorno]

... I can't say I'm sad to see a gov't down-size, but a shut down could have been avoided with the simple foundation of the nation: Compromise.

Could also have been avoided by not acquiring an exorbitant debt in the first place.

Has really nothing to do with the government shutdown, Adorno. You may be confusing it with the debt ceiling debate.

This is just government failing to fulfill one of its most basic responsibilities - authorizing payments to fulfill the laws it has passed.

You're right. I'm confused. 

 

[RalliX]

Everyone knows the problem. The cure is where the debate is at.
You can call partisanism the problem, but ultimately, it is only the effect that the problem is having.
The problem is overspending.

Apparently most Republicans and most Democrats feel that they can spend a country into wealth using fiat money.
Each side says it will overspend the country's money better. Republicans simply usually say that they'll balance the budget, but instead ignore debt payments and spend more in defense, trying to decrease medical and social programs, the last if they're not completely brainless. Democrats usually increase everything but Defense, leaving it as is.
It's what the US has been doing for 30+ years hard.

The results are predictable. Even Machiavelli said that it was the policy of fools to do such a thing as this.

"Waaaah, we have a ****huge debt that we can't pay! We need to cut spending to get rid of it before everything goes to ****!"
"Buuut I dooon't waaannaaaa! Muh social benefits!"
"But if we keep spending, we'll go bankrupt, and you won't get them anyway!"
"Shut up, you're thinking of the long term!"

GDP?
15.68 trillion USD (2012)
Spending?

隐藏

Know what I say? I say cut everything in that pie chart in half or less, except for the interest payments which may double, to perhaps start paying off some principal.