During the election cycle, the GOP promised absolutely nothing, other than a constant reminder of a threat to repeal universal health care, the one program that the Obama administration has put in place to ensure 30 million of the poorest Americans get healthcare coverage.

They did absolutely nothing but slam Democrats for not bringing spending under control. Now they are in charge, they are doing everything that they can except to address the biggest entitlement programs, Medicare, Social Security, and the Defense budget. These are a massive part of US Government spending and huge contributors towards the deficit, yet they continue to ignore these as options.

They also continue to ignore the hard fact that taxes must increase. All of the other nations that are in the same situation have instigated tax increases AND massive spending cuts on entitlement programs and government departments, such as defense and social security, but the USA seems to be oblivious to the fact that both of these have to happen.

While painful, it is the only way out of the hole. If they continue to increase Government spending by increasing allowances for unemployment benefits to three years, and continue the tax cuts for the rich, then the USA is going to implode under its own debt load in the end. There is absolutely no way that the current level of spending can be maintained.

However, if the Government shuts down, and the USA endes up defaulting on international loan payments, they may find out that the pain will come much sooner, and much deeper than they wanted.

They have to start figuring out that you can't spend your way out of debt. It's the same for nations as it is for households.

If you went to your bank and said "I know I'm massively in debt, but instead of figuring out how to increase my income (tax revenue) or cut back on spending (entitlement programs), I just want you to give me more money (that you'll probably never get back) so that I can increase my monthly spending and go further into debt, they'd laugh you out of the bank.

It should be the same for the USA, they just don't get it.

The top layer of American rich...about ten percent of the pop.
OWN 90 % of all the wealthThe top one percent own 50% of everything in america!
That is about 30 million people, own 90 % of the wealth of 300 million.
Whats wrong with this picture?
anyone got a rope?

Originally posted by BlackOps719
The whole thing is a farce, a comedy of poor acting ability. All of this make believe posturing and hand wrenching by these politicians.


Let me ask you this one question.

If the country is truly broke and we are in need of severe, aggressive cutbacks to the national budget........why may I ask are we still pooring over $1 billion per day on this endless and idiotic war in Afghanistan?


How, as a politician and elected official, can they honestly say with a straight face "sorry retiree's, military dependants, school children, unemployed people....we dont have enough in the coffers to meet payroll"....all while continuing to waste massive amounts of money on this stupid war?

So we will cut social security and education to the bone, while we send billions of dollars that we dont have to prop up Israel and Egypt and to sustain military bases in over 100 foreign lands?

Truly sickening and shameful. We should all be ashamed.

The reason that the USA is pouring $1 billion a day into two wars is because it keeps the Defense contractors' pockets lined. Defense contractors are some of the biggest spenders on political reelection campaigns, and of course the politicians know where their money is coming from, so they keep their big contributors happy.

War is also good to ensure that a lot of side deals can get done while no one is really watching. Major corporations LOVE wartime, they don't have the same red tape to do business in those countries that they do in peacetime, especially major construction companies, and of course, oil and mineral exploration countries.

While these countries are in chaos due to warefare, American corporations can rape the natural resources without Government interference.

Personally I don't think that it matters much what any of them do at this point. The smart money's heading off shore. Every time I see a click up in the stock market I feel a little sick. All I see is a further devaluation of the dollar and my mind aches from the mind frack that the the spin the MSM throws out to placate the masses accompanying it.

Lucky I don't mind eating peanut butter everyday.

Originally posted by stirling
The top layer of American rich...about ten percent of the pop.
OWN 90 % of all the wealthThe top one percent own 50% of everything in america!
That is about 30 million people, own 90 % of the wealth of 300 million.
Whats wrong with this picture?
anyone got a rope?

Actually, it's more like the top HALF PERCENT own about 99% of the wealth. About 1.5 million people own several times more wealth than the entire wealth of the other 300 million.

I really hate to say it but maybe a government shutdown isn't a bad thing. Think about it - All the unchecked spending and illegitimate deals being made on our behalf would essentially end. If troops don't get paid then they will simply walk away. What would you do if you worked for a month and didn't get your paychecks that were due to you? I know I'd certainly take what I thought was fair payment and leave.

In order to fix our economic issues we need to do what a lot of people are saying. Get rid of all the unneeded spending, cut the MIC budgets and get rid of a ton of social services. Unfortunately a lot of people will suffer but hell I work a full time job, go to school and pay a ton of bills. I'm grateful for the job I have but I don't think it's entirely by luck I have it. Every day I see people who drive BMW's and Mercedes collecting unemployment or state aid. I see people collecting disability and carrying TV's. Unfortunately I hate to say it but Americans have increased their dependence on the government and they've complied. It's time that we try walking tall on our own feet and stop sucking the tit of American Government. This will also let us tell the Government to stay the hell out of our lives and let us keep as much of the money we make to take care of ourselves.

ok I'm done.... sorry.

Would this mean Republican and Democrat House Representatives and their Staff along with the Republican and Democrat Senate Representatives and their Staff [Congress] and The White House, President and their Staff (including security) wages, benefits and health care (the tax payer pays for them) would stop?

Personally I'm looking forward to the shutdown and hope that it happens. Everyone needs to wake up in this country and realize it's bankrupt!

More preperation,this is getting even more interesting,disagreement?what about......whats happening that they are gearing up for,some epic disclosure,not ufos,not impending food crisis,mmm,wonder !Ontop of everything what do they have to disagree on,they all know the situation.
Something on the horizon.,no not niburu,but something,get on your high horse with the posse,what day are they declaring martial law ?possible !
you read my mind.

They'll figure out a way to avoid it before a day of rage happens. Personal opinion: Obama and the Dems aren't done punishing us yet for voting for Republicans.

What scares me even more than this current lil-issue...in this thread..but is entirely related..

Is the huge % of baby boomers that are all due to retire and collect these "benefits" in the next 3-10 years, the numbers are truley astronomical....by memory over 20% of the current workforce is due to retire.

I tend to think, this all kinda ties into the healthcare thing, and unemployeement.

Thats when its gonna get very nasty, when we are forced to vote on whether grandpa gets his health bene's or whether his grandson gets help from planned parenting.....

Its coming folks!

This is soooo idiotic. Pleeease people, there is no need to shut down our government agencies and services when all we have to do is cut half of our defense spending and we'd be saving 4 times as much than with such a ridiculous bill as that!!! God this is so angering!

No offense but you all sound like a bunch of winers. People have been struggling for years step down off you manicured suburban lawn and suck it up. The gov isnt going anywhere they run the joint them the banksters and the nwo so what are you all crying about. The gov shuting down would be the best thing to happen to the country since the freemasons founded it in 1776. Level the playing field you all want to complain but you dont want to do anything to scared you might lose your big business your cell phone service and that over priced mini mansion in the burbs you can afford. You people dont know what financial troubles are.

Shut it down. The government is overstepping it's mandate anyway. Let the days of rage begin, let loose the dogs of war. We need to get control over our spending people. My children, your children and our children's children will be the ones suffering if we do not. What has happened in the past has happened. We cannot change the past. Let's bite the damn bullet and fix things now for the sake of future generations. We need to return to Constitutional government, but with a few changes. Lawyers should not be making laws. That is a major conflict of interest. So lawyers cannot serve in The legislative or executive branches at all, with the exception of AG postings. Lawyers should also make up no more than 1/3 of the supreme court in my opinion.
All budgets for all governmental departments should begin the process at zero each and every year. They should have to prove the need for each and every dollar. The department of education should be abolished. The department of energy should be abolished. The EPA should be abolished. Social security, medicare, medicaid, and all other entitlement programs should be abolished. Foreign aid should be abolished. Corporate welfare and farm subsidies abolished. The president should have a "line item veto". Term limits should be enforced, and compensation for the president, cabinet, and congress should be set at the national average. If the average income for all citizens of the USA works out to $10/hr, that is what they should be paid. Members of government should get the same health care as the military gets. There should be no "retirement plans" for congress or executive branch political appointees.

First off... There's no way Uncle Sam wants all our young men and women soldiers hanginging out idley here in the States with nothing to do. That would not go well. It's always been standard procedure to send off the strongest young men and keep them away for a while. Never mind the war at hand. Just send them SOMEWHERE.. Safer that way if/when SHTF. Don't want too many youngens getting any far fetched idea's.

March 4th is a real date,but hey,we ALWAYS raise and lower the bar whenever we feel like it.So, we'll just move the date. Problem solved.

All of these States that are going BK? Perfect for the Feds to take over and make the whole country dependent on Big Brother. Works well for those in charge.

Then when it's time to change our currency? Smooth Real Smooth.

Hopefully it's just fear mongering on the part of tptb. My first thought was about the military men and women. I know if my employer wasn't paying me I wouldn't be going to work, do they leave their posts,drop their weapons and come home?