What Happens when DC Shuts Down???

[flacaltenn]

What happens if DC shuts down for months?

Well if this were Belgium --- NOTHING MUCH!!!!

Fahreed Zahkaria did a segment on his Sunday Show that just blew my mind. Particularly because the "mainstream" has managed to ignore this story for this long.

Cultural divisions and basic political indecision has held Belgium "headless" for 8 months. No central govt has been seated since the election. Life goes on almost perfectly.. Maybe we wouldn't miss Congress as much as they think...

Belgium – eight months with no government - Europe, World - The Independent

Eight months after national elections, the country's "caretaker" Prime Minister is still Yves Leterme, the man whom Belgium, or at least the northern part of Belgium, rejected last June.

The protests are significant, if vague, straws in the wind. The demonstrators, from both sides of the linguo-cultural divide, are calling for the recognition of some form of core Belgian identity. They have not offered any detailed suggestions on how to resolve any of the political, or economic or cultural tensions that seem to be tearing Belgium apart. After eight months, not even the glimmering of an agreement is in sight. There may have to be new national elections, even though new elections are unlikely to change very much.

Because so many everyday functions of state have already been ceded over the years to regional and community governments, the absence of an agreed federal coalition matters very little. The national budget deficit was less than predicted last year, partly because there was no national government to spend new money.

Dan Alexe, a Romanian-born Belgian film-maker said: "The trains and buses still run. The police are still operating. The post is late, but then it always was late. Maybe having 'no government' is preferable to having governments which collapse all the time."

Thomas Tindemans runs EU relations for Hill & Knowlton, the international PR firm, and is the son of the former Belgian prime minister Leo Tindemans. He said: "Most Belgians are like me, despairing but relaxed. It is foreigners who tend to get excited by the crisis. But, in truth, we can't go on without a national government for ever. There are strategic decisions, international and European decisions that have been on hold for too long."

The problem (one of many problems) is that, after 40 years of tinkering with the constitution and moving responsibility for many everyday decisions to the three "regions" or two language "communities" (plus a small German minority), it has become difficult to say what the Belgian state should continue to do. Or even, some Flemings argue, whether it has any sensible role at all.

Gee.. Maybe we SHOULD BE more like Europe after all...

They are having PARTIES and camp-outs instead of freakin out. Even with serious talk of dividing the country along French/Dutch lines.. Here's a cute byproduct of the stand-off -- a website created especially for the crisis..

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[American Cowboy]

What Happens when DC Shuts Down???

Dems will finally realize they have to cut spending

 

[MikeK]

What Happens when DC Shuts Down???

Dems will finally realize they have to cut spending

The Democrats know that spending needs to be cut. The issue is what spending.

I believe the first place to start deeply cutting is at the Pentagon. I believe the Military Industrial Complex should be cut off at the knees. Next is the emerging Law Enforcement Industrial Complex which was fostered by the wholly counterproductive War On Drugs. That needs to go -- especiallly the booming prison construction industry.

But the Republicans want to cut Social Security and Medicare. I say Obama should defy them. Let them do that. Then Obama should respond as President of the People, go on the six o'clock news and name every sonofabitch in the Congress and Senate who votes to do that. Because that will be the end of the Republican Party and we'll be rid of the "blue-dog" Democrats, too.

But if Obama does hold out I am confident the Republicans will back down. They aren't stupid enough to turn the entire senior voting population against them -- which will include senior Republican voters. There would be landslides of historical proportion.

 

[Antiderivative]

What Happens when DC Shuts Down???

Dems will finally realize they have to cut spending

Republican spending has got us into this mess.

 

[California Girl]

What Happens when DC Shuts Down???

Dems will finally realize they have to cut spending

Republican spending has got us into this mess.

Morons like you got us into this mess.

 

[Antiderivative]

Dems will finally realize they have to cut spending

Republican spending has got us into this mess.

Morons like you got us into this mess.

How so? The last time I checked I was a Goldwater Conservative, but Republicans love to blame me for their unadulterated spending while they tickle boy in restrooms.

I am more fiscal conservative than you can dream of.

Piss off, daisy.

 

[sparky]

better yet, the thought of DC suceeding the union instead of all these secessionist groups comes to mind, just build a fence around it all & lock 'em in....

 

[editec]

The USA is NOT Belgium.

If the government does not pay its debts, you mean?

I think the economic fabric of this society starts unraveling fairly quickly when that happens.

 

[skookerasbil]

What Happens when DC Shuts Down???

Dems will finally realize they have to cut spending

Republican spending has got us into this mess.

YIKES.........Ive seen some comments over the years about the clueless, but HOLY MOTHER OF GOD........maybe 179 people think this

 

[Douger]

Rockstar life
Janitorial wages.

 

[midcan5]

Belgium, Belgium, no one can seriously compare Belgium to the US. That's equivalent to comparing the corner mechanic to GM. It must be or should be obvious by now but economics is psychology not science and bad thoughts are real bad in this world of money. Remember Reagan, say what you want about him, he smiled brightly as he raised taxes over and over again. And oh how good America felt and how they spent.

 

[editec]

" economics is psychology not science "

That is a very insighful comment, MidCan.

FAr too many people have been convinced that the laws of economics operate like the laws of the physical sciences.

Sadly, many of those confused people also happen to be the mavens of the economy.

 

[American Cowboy]

What Happens when DC Shuts Down???

Dems will finally realize they have to cut spending

The Democrats know that spending needs to be cut. The issue is what spending.

I believe the first place to start deeply cutting is at the Pentagon. I believe the Military Industrial Complex should be cut off at the knees. Next is the emerging Law Enforcement Industrial Complex which was fostered by the wholly counterproductive War On Drugs. That needs to go -- especiallly the booming prison construction industry.

But the Republicans want to cut Social Security and Medicare. I say Obama should defy them. Let them do that. Then Obama should respond as President of the People, go on the six o'clock news and name every sonofabitch in the Congress and Senate who votes to do that. Because that will be the end of the Republican Party and we'll be rid of the "blue-dog" Democrats, too.

But if Obama does hold out I am confident the Republicans will back down. They aren't stupid enough to turn the entire senior voting population against them -- which will include senior Republican voters. There would be landslides of historical proportion.

The 14 Amendment and the debt ceiling is completely controlled by Congress, neither the President, The Treasury, The Supereme Court or an other banch of Federal Goverment has any power he at all. The is nothing the Grans Marxist can do about it. Obama can go suck a dick.

Amendment 14 - Citizenship Rights. Ratified 7/9/1868

1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice-President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.

3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.

5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

 

[LordBrownTrout]

What Happens when DC Shuts Down???

Dems will finally realize they have to cut spending

The Democrats know that spending needs to be cut. The issue is what spending.

I believe the first place to start deeply cutting is at the Pentagon. I believe the Military Industrial Complex should be cut off at the knees. Next is the emerging Law Enforcement Industrial Complex which was fostered by the wholly counterproductive War On Drugs. That needs to go -- especiallly the booming prison construction industry.

But the Republicans want to cut Social Security and Medicare. I say Obama should defy them. Let them do that. Then Obama should respond as President of the People, go on the six o'clock news and name every sonofabitch in the Congress and Senate who votes to do that. Because that will be the end of the Republican Party and we'll be rid of the "blue-dog" Democrats, too.

But if Obama does hold out I am confident the Republicans will back down. They aren't stupid enough to turn the entire senior voting population against them -- which will include senior Republican voters. There would be landslides of historical proportion.

Therein lies the problem. You want the military cut but you want your social programs spared.....vice versa for the other side. The reality is that the military and social engineering/programs need to be hacked by about 30 percent for starters. Then, we should start slicing every dept by 20 to 30 percent. Otherwise, we're just pissing in the wind.

 

[code1211]

What Happens when DC Shuts Down???

Dems will finally realize they have to cut spending

The Democrats know that spending needs to be cut. The issue is what spending.

I believe the first place to start deeply cutting is at the Pentagon. I believe the Military Industrial Complex should be cut off at the knees. Next is the emerging Law Enforcement Industrial Complex which was fostered by the wholly counterproductive War On Drugs. That needs to go -- especiallly the booming prison construction industry.

But the Republicans want to cut Social Security and Medicare. I say Obama should defy them. Let them do that. Then Obama should respond as President of the People, go on the six o'clock news and name every sonofabitch in the Congress and Senate who votes to do that. Because that will be the end of the Republican Party and we'll be rid of the "blue-dog" Democrats, too.
But if Obama does hold out I am confident the Republicans will back down. They aren't stupid enough to turn the entire senior voting population against them -- which will include senior Republican voters. There would be landslides of historical proportion.

The Social Secrity Administration won't go broke for another 30 or so years. That should just about do it for me. Still needs some tweaking for those that follow and I'd like for it to happen soon. The Dems have their collective heads buried, by a charitable description, in the sand on this.

Medicare will go broke in about 8 years without adjustments. Both the Big 0 and the Ryan Budget cut Medicare by 500 billion over roughly the same period. The Big 0 makes no changes to the actual program except to make it so unacceptable to doctors that none will accept new Medicare patients. His cuts are to subsidize Obamacare.

The Ryan Budget changes the structure of Medicare to extend its life and make it self supporting.

The Dems again have their collective heads sequestered away from fresh air.

Doing nothing is still doing something when the cause desparately needs a solution. During the 70's a popular phrase was, "If you're not a part of the solution, you're a part of the cause."

This has never been more true than right now.

 

[code1211]

What Happens when DC Shuts Down???

Dems will finally realize they have to cut spending

Republican spending has got us into this mess.

Since 1971, the House of Representatives has been Democrat for 28 years of 40. That's 70%.

Since 1971, the Senate has been Democrat for 28 of 40 years. That's 70%

Do you know how Federal spending is approved?

List of Speakers of the United States House of Representatives - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
U.S. Senate Majority Leaders

 

[kaz]

What Happens when DC Shuts Down???

Dems will finally realize they have to cut spending

Republican spending has got us into this mess.

What we should to is cut the government down to critical functions, then permenently eliminate everything else and stick with that as our Federal government

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

What Happens when DC Shuts Down???

Dems will finally realize they have to cut spending

Republican spending has got us into this mess.

Yeah, that's the ticket.

 

[flacaltenn]

The USA is NOT Belgium.

If the government does not pay its debts, you mean?

I think the economic fabric of this society starts unraveling fairly quickly when that happens.

There's something to be learned here. Because even without it's elected directors, the country of Belgium is paying it's bills, sending out its massive welfare obligations, ect.

I think it lies somewhere in the semi-autonomy of the Belgian states. I think the heart beats and lungs breathe without any direction from the top. AND MAYBE, that's a resiliency that's not BUILT-IN here.. They are ready to separate into French/Dutch speaking territorities and maybe because of the distributed powers, they are already there and just don't know it..

 

[flacaltenn]

Belgium, Belgium, no one can seriously compare Belgium to the US. That's equivalent to comparing the corner mechanic to GM. It must be or should be obvious by now but economics is psychology not science and bad thoughts are real bad in this world of money. Remember Reagan, say what you want about him, he smiled brightly as he raised taxes over and over again. And oh how good America felt and how they spent.

Just like your feckless leader, you are getting close to having ridiculed and attacked every group and creed but your own..

That's equivalent to comparing the corner mechanic to GM. It must be or should be obvious by now but economics is psychology not science

You've learned well little spud... (happen to agree about the the psychology not equal to science part). Economists, Psychologists, corner mechanics --- You're building quite a constituentcy eh?

And you only flaunt the European model when it fits your Yankee Doodle Socialist mold...
I think it's entirely fascinating that their national political infrastructure is so much more resilient and rugged than ours. PRIMARILY because they are all not waiting on Brussels for permission to take their next breath...