Congress may actually pass an economic stimulus bill this week, which is good news for the short-term needs of the country. There is no question the economy is tottering, and could easily tip over from recession to depression, so a bill that focuses on saving jobs and creating jobs is desperately needed. The good news is that the bill will definitely help achieve some of those aims. The bad news is that it will lay a crushing debt burden on taxpayers for the future, which can only be addressed if government becomes far more efficient in the use of tax dollars than it has in the past. That could very well force, down the road, what many of us have wanted for years, a smaller, more efficient government. But somehow, that doesn't seem likely. Because Congress hasn't figured out that the model for government is, and should be, changing. And the best example is the stimulus package. Despite billions of dollars in cuts, it still contains way too much pork. And some of the cuts (to make way for that pork) seem to make no sense, such as dropping $40 billion to help keep schools from having to fire teachers. That's counter-productive. The bill is supposed to save or create jobs, not leave them threatened. Both sides of the aisle bear the blame. The Democratic leadership rolled over on way too many pet projects among its members, losing sight of the long-term goal of the bill. And Republicans kept insisting on sticking to the same failed policies of the past, and playing the same old games where personal and party political power carried more weight than the needs of the nation. One GOP leader actually admitted his goal for the bill, and the amendments he introduced, were designed to divide the Democrats and make them look bad. So much for caring about the people of this country. Both parties should be ashamed. It is time for Congress to look up from its myopic and petty party power games, and its proclivity for pork, and look at the desperate state of the nation, focusing solely on programs that stand a good chance of meeting the goal of keeping people working. Making things work should be a bipartisan issue. This bill should be about America, not the Republican or Democratic parties. -- Kelly Everitt

Rube Goldberg and politics

Posted Wednesday, October 9, 2013, at 8:31 AM

Last week, in the final minutes just before those clowns in Congress shut down the government, somebody decided to cobble together a bill that would at least pay the members of the military.

That was a good idea, since it's usually not a wise move to anger people who have tanks and thermonuclear weapons readily available.

Over the weekend, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel took a very creative approach and decided that pretty much all of the DoD civilian employees could be considered part of the "critical support" of the military, including and especially those that work with military family and morale/welfare programs. Some people objected to his interpretation of the vaguely written last-minute law, but I think Hagel should be applauded.

Congress also is apparently looking ahead and assuming that some day, some how, they'll get the government moving again. They've already approved a bill so that when the government resumes operations the 800,000 federal workers they turned out on the streets last week will be given back pay to cover the time they missed. That's nice and it's a good thing. It means those people will know that some day they'll be able to get caught up on the mortgage payments they couldn't make this month.

But only Congress could think this was an efficient way to smooth over shutting the government down. In fact, it was a perfect "government" answer to the crisis. Think about it. Congress just agreed to pay people for work they aren't doing. And if they're going to be paying them for it, why not let them DO the work?

No, it's more important to shut everything down on principle.

So despite (eventually) paying people for work they're not doing, we also get a lot of services we pay taxes for cut off. Only Congress could come up with this political equivalent of a Rube Goldberg invention to solve our problems.

One pundit suggested, and I think this has a lot of merit, that the government should give us a tax rebate for services we've paid for but aren't getting.

Meanwhile, around the globe, we're being laughed at. That's one way to get respect and improve our standing with other nations. Have them laugh at us. Good job, Congress.

Furthermore, if they actually take this John-Paul Sartre farce to the limit and default on paying our bills, Congress could potentially trigger a worldwide depression. World leaders around the planet are genuinely worried about that and already turning to nations like Germany, China and Russia to hopefully fix the problem and fill the void the U.S. would leave. Maybe, rather than pegging all the world's currency to the U.S. dollar, as is done today, we'll be pegging ours to the deutschmark, yen or ruble.

Our standing all around the world is plummeting. Add that to the mishmashed mush that is the president's foreign policy and increasingly nobody is feeling comfortable trusting us or dealing with us.

Our dysfunctional government isn't just a short-term circus freak show, it's a long-term disaster.

-- Kelly Everitt

Comments

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Very good points Kelly particularly if the furloughed workers are going to get paid anyway what is the point of not letting them work for the pay?

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Wed, Oct 9, 2013, at 10:30 AM
6 years huh? So they started laughing around October 2007 when Bush was president and haven't stopped yet?

It's a sad situation but everyone, including ourselves is laughing since before 2007 over various things. We aren't perfect but we are still pretty good and the rest of the world isn't perfect either.

I'm more concerned about fixing the budget problem and the problem in Congress of not compromising enough to make laws. I'm hoping that the 2014 elections or the worry over them starts to make an improvement.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Wed, Oct 9, 2013, at 3:47 PM
I'm sorry CoolBreeze, I didn't know that you were sick.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Thu, Oct 10, 2013, at 9:55 PM
Your cut and paste starts with a logic error. It says that because spending bills originate in the House of Representatives, Congressmen have a right to decide what to spend money on. That is simply not true.

The House of Representatives, by itself can't pass a bill of any kind so they need to pass a bill that will also be approved by the Senate and approved by the President unless Congress has the votes to override a Presidential veto.

The House of Representatives is probably ready to do it's job correctly, however John Boehner, influenced by Republican tea party radicals won't let a "clean" bill come to a vote in the House.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Fri, Oct 11, 2013, at 8:25 AM
Thomas Sowell has no credibility with me. In order to remove YOUR confusion, I recommend that you read the Constitution of the United States, in particular Article 1, Section 7.

Constitution of the United States

Article 1.

Section. 7.

All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills.

Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States: If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law.

Every Order, Resolution, or Vote to which the Concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of Adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the United States; and before the Same shall take Effect, shall be approved by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the Rules and Limitations prescribed in the Case of a Bill.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Fri, Oct 11, 2013, at 9:57 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFroMQlKiag

-- Posted by Mercutio on Fri, Oct 11, 2013, at 2:06 PM
No, I don't think that I'll be side tracked by your off topic issue, CoolBreeze.

For those interested, related to the topic of this blog, I read a conservative editorial (Ted, we hardly knew ya) making suggestions for the Republican Party to turn things around to recover from the damage caused to the party due to the shutdown.

A key statement that was made is below.

"On the bright side, this, as one acerbic e-mailer put it, had "to be flushed out of the system" -- the zeal for bad causes, confusing conservatism with radicalism, listening only to voices that tell you what you want to hear, the failure to appreciate that Americans are pragmatic and centrist in their politics. And the "this" is also the delusion that all government is bad and that public employees are dishonorable; neither is true, and those who take glee in proclaiming otherwise should be viewed skeptically.

The good news is that this splash of cold water is happening in plenty of time for Republicans to make wise choices for 2014 and 2016 and for sober, effective leaders to emerge who can take on a much-needed course correction. The governors certainly are one source of talent for 2016. But for now, concentrating on governing well, picking viable candidates and finding ways to appeal to ordinary Americans through conservative policies would be advisable. Things can change on a dime, we know. But last night they sure took a dramatic turn."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2013/10/11/ted-we-hardly-knew-...

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Fri, Oct 11, 2013, at 5:39 PM
Mercutio, great link! I hope people take a look at it.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Fri, Oct 11, 2013, at 5:41 PM
What the author of your post doesn't realize is that income inequality is not good if it goes too far.

"The Economists" says that there is some good from income inequality. It helps with "creating incentives to work hard and take risks."

There are also bad things from income inequality. It is thought to be "politically dangerous and economically damaging".

In the United States the inequality is getting worse and worse.

"The Economist" recommends two ways to fix the problem.

1. Stop the boondoggles for the rich

2. Help our young people, earlier with education.

http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21586578-americas-income-inequality-growin...

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Fri, Oct 18, 2013, at 3:40 PM
GREAT POINTS SAM.....ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN........everyone should have life, liberty and be able to pursue happiness.You must have the tools...........later

-- Posted by lamont on Sat, Oct 19, 2013, at 10:14 PM

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