The reason we are nearing a default status has nothing to do with either party by itself; it is solely about corruption and a near total lack of managerial capabilities.

Who would we default on? We could refuse to default on Social Security and those currently in the military and intentionally default on the Defense Industry, which I would venture to say would undergo some belt tightening before having to reinvent themselves in the transportation and energy conservation industries. Ultimately, and for some stupid reason, we automatically assume that the banks must always be paid off first. Screw the banks, we don’t owe them a dime. They have manipulated people to think that they can’t survive without currency and yet it just so happens that currency is exactly the vehicle that the banks use to parasitize the rest of the world’s working population.

We need to send home the tens of thousands of troops we are supposedly “training” from other countries.

But no, Obama, as well as all those politicians who have been on the Defense contractor dole will still be pontificating why we need to be at war with the rest of the world and trying to convince us that it’s Social Security that is the problem, or whatever. As far as Social Security, we have been paying into that Intra-governmental slush fund for years, thinking that the account has been balanced and well managed all along.

Politicians have secretly authorizing the construction of bunkers for themselves, paid for with our tax dollars, for some day when they deem it’s OK for the working chattel to be gassed, bombed, fried, or whatever because THEY are so needed to effectively manage the proper functioning of this country. Ever wonder where the hell all those piles of rock debris on the side of the highway going to Denver Intl Airport came from. Putting a new runway out on the plains should have been a normal cut-and-fill operation with even the cuttings for the basement being used. So what are all those piles. They represent a only small part of the billions (trillions) of tax dollars wasted on
secret projects like Agenda 21 behind our backs.

Do the American people owe anything? No. The politicians, who exceeded their oaths of service and the banks they catered to; they can sit on the sideline and fight amongst themselves over who owes whom what. In the meantime, the rest of us have a country to repair.

It is conspicuously absurd to say “liberals” are the hidden hand [in]
the conservative glove.  Some Democrats, and I would agree that too
many apparent Democrats are slavish to the Republican will and
intentions.  But liberals do not see them as Democrats.  You need
to be more discerning if you are to have any credibility.

Why are we surprised that he caved on Elizabeth Warren when it’s clear he’s caving in on the far bigger issue of Republicans threatening to force the US government into default if there aren’t more tax cuts for the rich and benefits cuts for everyone else?

Remember: just last week or the week before Orren Hatch said “The poor must sacrifice” and Obama’s caving in to let Hatch’s commandment become law.

Ardee,

I think that ‘dropping out’ is, in its own way, a vote, and is a way of upholding one’s responsibility to his community.

I come to political forums, as well as scientific forums, to learn and to participate. 

Airing my views is another way that I believe I am serving my community.

PatrickHenry, July 20 at 4:18 am
“Elizabeth Warren is head and shoulders above any other candidate and IMHO a better and more honest broker than most of her seniors. ...... We are less served without her.”

Amen, brother. Some people are criticizing Sheer, here, but he has nailed this issue on the head.

The problem with Obama is two-fold: (1) he lacks the background in economics to evaluate for himself the advice he is receiving and the abilities of those he appoints, thereby choosing to rely on “Resumes” (including Mary Shapiro at the SEC), and (2) he views compromise as salutary while the Republicans are intent on a long-view of intransigence to derail the Presidency, be it his or any other not under their control.
They did it with Clinton over a mere sexual indiscretion, and they are now doing it using the National Debt as the wedge to “divide & conquor”. 
Obama refuses to engage on that same basis!  Moreover, he refuses to fight fire with fire, and is leaving the “Power of Definition” to the Republicans.  Thus, use of the term “entitlement” when referring to social security and medicare is a misnomer; in truth the term “entitlement” applies to Wall Street and the rich who view themselves “entitled” to keep their monies while using others’ monies to enrich themselves, even to the point of not sharing in the pain of the very policies & practices they espoused during the Bush administration!  In addition, their assertion that jobs are created only by the Rich, referring to the rich as “Job Creators” is ludicrous.  Even were it true, they never ever use their own funds!  They pride themselves on using investor monies, those which come from the middle class, invested in pension plans, insurance companies and investment companies.  And, no job is created unless it results in padding their own accounts using the efforts of another!  And, they insist on a 40% Internal Rate of Return!  That’s why Venture Capitalists and Accredited Investors finance a mere 1% of the deals seeking financing.  Thus, it make no sense to not tax the rich; they will still have access to middle class funds to fund their activities!
And, President Obama totally ignores the fact that the mechanisms for the creation of equity capital are broken!  We no longer have small brokers regulated by the SEC raising capital for small businesses!!!  They are now extinct as regulated by the Big Brokers who control FINRA!  Without equity, small businesses are unable to access debt capital.  Obama doesn’t understand that basic principle of Finance.

QUOTE, Robert Scheer:

“What remains to be seen is if Obama will play their game or finally take the gloves off.”
__________________

Scheer’s columns evidence how liberals are either irredeemably evil (Obama), or hopelessly uneducable (Scheer).

Liberals are the hidden hand within the conservative glove.

Republicans and Democrats are codependent… always playing their game together as one, on the same corporate person party team.

Without the support of the progressive liberal Democrats, the regressive conservative Republicans wouldn’t have a fighting fist.

The “Principles” of Liberal Voters:

http://chenangogreens.org/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=491&Itemid=1

ardee, July 20 at 4:41 am:

‘... You are far from the only one disenchanted, depressed even, by our current political situation. But, while you are free to feel any way you choose I again have to wonder why come to a political forum? Societies cannot function without government. ...’

We don’t really know that.  In any case, politics—the question of whose will shall prevail in a community—is forced on all members of the community, whether they agree with its structure and its leadership or not.  So even the most thorough-going anarchist is involved and might have something to contribute to the collective view of the situation.

In this case, as in so many others, I’m struck by progressives’ continued belief in the possibilities of the existing system which, once again, has been refuted by events.  You all faithfully helped elect Democrats to the presidency and Congress, and you have gotten nothing in return.  What are you going to do about it, inside the system or out?  Wail for another year, and then vote for Obama and his party because the other guys are worse?  Or what?

Exactly.

Until Scheer decides to stop playing the naivete game, I’m not sure thinking readers should give any time to his columns.

DaveZx3, July 20 at 4:23 am Link to this comment

Ardee,

At times, I allow my fingers to type without my brain getting in the way.  This is for the purpose of reading and learning what my fingers have to say.  My brain being weighed down and perverted in its thinking at times by the ignorance of human politics, to the point where it is nice to get an alternative viewpoint.

Well, it worked for Thom Wolfe…..

I liked what my fingers had to say.  It was not at all a dismal prophecy or did not contain a germ of hope, as you said. 

You are far from the only one disenchanted, depressed even, by our current political situation. But, while you are free to feel any way you choose I again have to wonder why come to a political forum? Societies cannot function without government. Road building, all infrastructure in fact, public education et al may be possible without government if one lives in a small community isolated from all others. It wont work here and now.

If we must have some form of government then we all must be engaged in the struggle to create the best form thereof. You can enjoy the birds and bees, deer too ( yummy), to your hearts content in fact. But know that other will do your duty for you. You apparently fail to understand that you have an obligation to a society that allows you the privilege of living as you do.

I want to command DaveZx3 for his post.
And to Ardee: sometimes there is no hope, and rising to optimistic platitudes or endlessly looking for finality, silver linings, or positive closure is a simple game of denial - I think I’ll join Dave and the deer on the porch and have that beer!

Ardee,

At times, I allow my fingers to type without my brain getting in the way.  This is for the purpose of reading and learning what my fingers have to say.  My brain being weighed down and perverted in its thinking at times by the ignorance of human politics, to the point where it is nice to get an alternative viewpoint.

I liked what my fingers had to say.  It was not at all a dismal prophecy or did not contain a germ of hope, as you said. 

In fact, I learned that the perpetually needy, must embrace politics, including democracy, but this is actually a character flaw in man, this thinking that he is free to get his way by influencing others, through politics, to become as discontent and needy as he is, and through the democratic process, deny up to 49% of the population their idea of what “the way” should be. 

It suddenly struck me that modern politicians have actually fine-tuned the system to where they can expect to deny up to 84% of the population their legitimate idea of what the way should be, as in 84% now believe wars in the middle east are of no use whatsoever, yet, apparently 16% get to overrule them.  In this light, I declare that democracy is an delusion. 

Further, I saw that the deer in my backyard spend the afternoon lounging in the sun, while I toil away struggling to achieve my goals, and I suddenly saw the whole struggling, achieving, getting, needing thing as totally counterproductive and against nature. 

So it was nice therapy, free and peace inducing.  I have decided to take the day off and go sit in the backyard with the deer and drink beer, and quit worrying about the pathetic struggles between democrats and republicans, communists and capitalists, liberals and conservatives, etc. 

While you saw it as depressing, I saw it as liberating, and that is the difference of perspectives. 

And now I feel very comfortable equating voting to an offensive act of depriving another of something he should possibly never be deprived of.  It is war without guns, where there has to be a winner and a loser, and the loser may not lose his life, but then again, maybe he will. 

I saw that the gain that is expected from voting must be terribly, terribly important the way people whine forever when they lose.  Of all the votes which have ever been voted, the poor continue to be with us, so it obviously is not helping them.

One of the joys of freedom is that of thinking outside of the mainstream.  Sorry if this is offensive to you.

“What remains to be seen is if Obama will play their game or finally take the gloves off.”

Robert Scheer, the fact you can even write that sentence at this stage of the game shows that you’re oblivious and stupid or you think your readers are.

This is so shameful it makes me shake my head in disgust.

Elizabeth Warren is head and shoulders above any other candidate and IMHO a better and more honest broker than most of her seniors.

We are less served without her.

She will run for Senator in Massachusetts and she will win with
our help.  She will be much more effective as a senator than the
director of a much needed program, as she will get to vote in
Congress, and you know she will always vote on behalf of the
people, not just the people of Massachusetts but for all Americans. 
She is inspiring and incomparable.  With no crystal ball seeing the
future, the signs have already started that this will turn out to have
been the best thing not only for Elizabeth Warren but for this country. 

While we who hold Elizabeth Warren in the highest esteem are
disappointed, the gross reality is that she would have been put through
the Republican grinder and might not have survived the Congressional
advise and consent process.  Throwing her into their grotesque grilling
would not have done her any good.  We just have to have the resolve to
get her elected.

We can only hope that Ms. Warren becomes the next
Senator from Massachusetts and then runs for President
and wins in 2016. We should also hope that she is the
real deal and not a fraud as our current President
appears to be; otherwise, we are “Waiting for Godot”.

But ardee, he is running away. From his promises, from his supporters ... he constantly runs away. Physically he’s still there but that means little. He’s a coward ... afraid to propose something that might not work. He gave up single payer without even a fight and signaled early his willingness to throw away the public option. He runs away at the slightest push back. There is no fight it him. I can’t imagine him going to the capital and doing a “Johnson”, leaning over another senator while barking out what he wants. He’s never done that and never will. He’s afraid of confrontation ... thus he’s a coward.

C.Curtis.Dillon, July 20 at 12:06 am

To be a coward one has to run away. Obama is not cowardly, he is demonstrating his allegiance to those who own him and his party lock,stock and barrel.

DaveZx3, July 20 at 2:38 am

Gee, Dave, having a bad day? To say that Democracy is an illusion, and then descend into such a downward spiral causes me to ask ,why then do you come to a political forum?

In a counter to your dismal prophesy, one that contains absolutely not a single germ of hope or direction I offer that Democracy is a participatory political choice. We the people, having been seduced by cheap plastic toys purchased at exorbitant interest rates, having allowed the death of the free press along with investigative journalism, and being almost completely unaware that our governance has been usurped by the power of corporate money are still not without choice or hope.

I believe in the democratic process, and so should you, especially in the void of no other alternative in your bleak and dire post. I further believe that, as conditions worsen, as the people begin to understand that the over one million homes now awaiting foreclosure proceedings to join the already foreclosed million homes, as the job market continues to constrict more and more will understand the poor choices available from the two major parties extant.

As the process you disparage is vibrant and alive it will provide the platform for the electorate to cast votes for the burgeoning third party movement, and especially for the Green Party, as it declares its refusal to accept corporate funds and thus corporate strings.  Obama and his cohorts have so aptly shown that acceptance of such leads to Democratic Party puppetry and outright and outrageous obeisance to their masters, much as the GOP has succumbed to the radical tail wagging that dog.

One further comment. If you do not agree that is fine. But if you refuse to offer choice or hope then what is the point? You are the same as those who urge a continuation of the status quo and refuse to consider alternatives in the face of obvious proof of their party’s corruption.

different story, same thesis.

C-A-P-I-T-A-L-I-S-M

screwed.

ever get the feeling you’re being cheated?

By Sanjiv Bhattacharya, July 20 at 12:51 am

This is the problem with democracy. It falters when
most voters are too stupid to vote in their own
interests”.
————————————————————

Or perhaps the stupid ones are actually those who believe that by voting, they can make a difference. 

Democracy is an illusion.  It does not exist except in the minds of those who overestimate the value of their pathetically short and individually meaningless lives.  Who believe that there is some irreversible, progressive evolution taking place, where if you can just struggle enough, as a people, to reach some humanistic goal, that this represents some type of eternal victory.

There are no eternal victories.  Everything deemed worthwhile, in the fatally flawed minds of men, is a constant, day to day struggle to maintain the illusion of achievement.  And this struggle extracts a huge toll on humanity.  It is a struggle not worth undertaking.

Where did man get this desire to achieve or progress?
Certainly the beasts do not achieve or progress.  The apes, swing in the trees and pick nits off of each other as they have for thousands of years, without change.

Was man injected at some point with some poisonous substance that made him perpetually discontent and susceptible to the idea that it is worthwhile to struggle without end?

For crying out loud, my dog lives in the same house I live in, and eats the food off of my table.  He does not struggle, have any goals, or noticably worry about anything.  He is always happy, wagging his tail and appreciative of the attention I give him.  And he has never voted a day in his life.

So, who is the stupid one?  The one who constantly struggles to gain something, some material thing, or some fleeting goal?  Or is it the one who is content to live his life oblivious to the idea that there may be some other beings sharing the earth with him who are perpetually so needy, that they actually consider traveling long distances to kill other beings for the purposes of achieving their pathetic, selfish goals?

The ones who vote for the purpose of electing others who will act as their hero or savior in their eternal struggle are the stupid ones. 

It is this getting, achieving, struggling mentality of man which is the problem. It is not observable in nature, and a mystery as to why he has been plagued by it.

“If Obama goes to battle for Cordray and he proves to be a strong
director for the new agency, I will stand corrected, but the president’s
abandonment of the brilliant and dedicated Warren is hardly an auspicious
beginning.”

It distresses me greatly to read the articles of intelligent journalists,
who continue to hold to the naivete´, that supported their vote for the
Kenyan, Barack H. Obama, puppet of the Rockefeller-Rothschild tax-exempt
foundations, who govern the democrat party.

Applying the wisdom of the original inhabitants of what is now the
American continents, immediately dispells such naivete´: “What you do
speaks so loud, I cannot hear what you say.”

That some people continue to believe that the Kenyan, Obama, was
installed to be constructive instead of destructive, is incredible.

Obama is a coward!