The
Negotiation going on to avoid the 'fiscal cliff' is all about what gets cut from the
budget without causing massive
riots on the streets of America. Because make no mistake, this grand bargain, is all about
AUSTERITY.
Austerity is a buzzword for stealing from the poor and giving to the rich. Reverse-Robin Hood Economics. We've seen waves of austerity hysteria hit the streets of Europe for good reason. Austerity does not lead to growth, it leads to paying back banks so they don't close down your society. And they can.
What we are witnessing in the US is Grand Kabuki Politics. It's a show. It's the classic debate between Republicans and Democrats: Tax increases versus spending cuts and now through the genius of two-party tyranny, we get both.
When we shouldn't need either.
The obvious solution, if you're bound and determined to pay back the banks who lent us all the dough to pay for the neo-con wet-dream of the last 11 years, is to wake up from the dream and end all these damn wars. That's the obvious fiscally responsible solution. And you mix that with some tax reform to raise money for infrastructure-rebuild and next-wave industrial revolution. The reason we can't the end the wars now, if you ignore the “great cause” of profiteering, is because our critically ill economy can't absorb “the troops” re-entry into society from more than 700 military installations in over 100 countries of Empire.
But the grand Kabuki is the obvious and correct solution to our problems can't be achieved because our political class is owned lock, stock and barrel by the multi-national corporations of the military-industrial-complex which is the root of all evil in the world today.
And so because War is a sacred cow, we've got to balance the budget on the backs of the middle class because that's where all the “Entitlement” is.
Am I missing anything?
The Grand Bargain is all about the ratio between revenue and cuts to raise enough money so the United States of America does not default on its loans. And you can't touch Defense. And you can't nick the rich too much because it hurts their feelings of omnipotence. So where is debt reduction going to come from?
HEALTHCARE
The largest single budget expense is healthcare, so health benefits will be cut for Americans who use Medicare/medicaid etc. We can't reform our world renowned lousy, expensive healthcare system, because it's “free enterprise” so instead of make things better, we'll make things worse.
PENSIONS
The second biggest nut to crack is Pensions. That would include Social Security which is more important than ever:
The percentage of workers who said they have less than $10,000 in savings grew to 43% in 2010, from 39% in 2009, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute's annual Retirement Confidence Survey. That excludes the value of primary homes and defined-benefit pension plans.
Workers who said they had less than $1,000 jumped to 27%, from 20% in 2009.
Confidence in ability to save enough for a comfortable retirement hovered at 16% of respondents, the second lowest point in the 20-year history of the survey.
Great, so as the baby-boomers and subsequent generations reach retirement poor and unequipped to survive into their 80s, let's cut the measly few hundred bucks they'd get from Social Security, which is money they've already paid in through a life of taxed labor.
DEFENSE and EDUCATION
Tied for third in government largesse is Defense and Education.
So, Defense; nothing to see here, move along.
Education: Yeah, that's a good idea. Teachers are already underpaid and under-equipped so let's fuck them over some more. Or let's get rid of public education altogether; our kids are some of the dumbest in the world anyway, the acorn doesn't fall far from the oak, and make everyone go to Jesus School instead where kids will learn about how Adam made the first dinosaur by rubbing two sticks together and Eve is a bitch.
WELFARE
Next up in budget expense is Welfare Queens driving pink Cadillacs. Well that's an easy one. Poor folks in America are like ants at a picnic, you don't get rid of them by letting them eat cake. And for some strange reason, the poorer you are the fatter you are so the poor need to eat less anyway.
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There's all kinds of expense to be hacked so mass murder can continue, the rich can stay rich and the International Central Banking Cartel can continue to own the world.
The Political Class will say “everyone must sacrifice!” Which, of course, is something called collective punishment. But the people didn't screw things up. The people haven't had meaningful power in a very long time. So why should the people pay for the arrogance, ignorance, greed and cruelty of the rich and powerful?
Collective punishment isn't justice. I thought America stood for justice. And truth.
Austerity is coming. It's bi-partisan. It can't be stopped.
The debt is holy and must be paid.