Ayeeyah!
Thankfully this place is here for me to vent. I've just finished the last of a bunch of conversations that all started with:
Is it really true, that the government is going to stop writing checks next Wednesday? How can that be?
What I wanted to say was:
Jeepers! where have you been!?! Yeah, that's what can happen.
or maybe,
Yep, that "be" the reality.
or
Sure as shit going to happen!
That's what you get when you elect idiots to Congress.
Seriously!?! You didn't see this coming when you voted for these assholes?
I've found the problem with speaking my mind to conservatives is that they are a bit sensitive. Especially when they find that they supported a horse's ass for Congress. So, I pulled back from speaking my mind and went vanilla.
Yes, that about sums up the situation.
Since I have a reputation for keeping up with politics these "conversations" all led to:
But, will the government really withhold paying Social Security Checks, Medicare or Medicaid claims? Will soldiers really not get paid?
Again, speaking my mind would likely lead to no good.
They don't care.
They're on a mission from god and are hell bent on effing things up!
or
Did you really think those shits give a hoot about you!?!
or maybe a more moderate approach,
Republicans hate Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
This is just a taste of what they want to do to these programs.
This is another object lesson on how fantasy plays out better in my head than it would in reality. (An idea lost on many within the Tea Party crowd.) So, once again I pulled back and said something less incendiary:
Well, it depends upon how you look at it. We currently borrow about 40 cents of every dollar the federal government spends. That means we can pay about 60% of our bills on any given day. Someone, somewhere in the federal government will have to make decisions on what bills get paid on any given day. That could very well mean a slow down in SSN checks, Medicare & Medicaid claim payments and military pay days.
That said, universally led to my torturer saying something like, That's awful! How can this be!"
You know, every one of these "conversations" wore on my soul, patience and good humor. A good 'ole rant would be counterproductive. Venting and cathartic, yes; but counterproductive. What I wanted to say, but didn't was:
Well, for Cripe's Sake! You voted for 'em!
What did you think they were going to do!?!
They don't care a damn bit about your Social Security check!
They don't care if you can't pay your bills, get sick or lose your job or home!
These Republicans you helped elect to office - Don't. Care. About. You.
All they want to do is get re-elected and help their rich friends steal from the poor.
Get it!?! They. Don't. Care. About. You.
Gosh, that mouth of mine can get me in real trouble. None the less I had to bite the insides of my cheeks to keep from saying unhelpful things like:
No Shit?
Reality Bites
or, the ever so grating,
I told you so!
Being the educator and consultant that I am, I went for guiding people to their own conclusions. So, I went along the lines of:
Yes, we've gone from having a budget surplus in 1999 to spending something like $1.4 trillion on 2 wars, lost about $800 billion in revenue by lowering taxes and lost another $300 billion (give or take) due to the recession and another $350 billion due to paying for Medicare Drug benefits out of the General Fund. All told that's about a $2.8 trillion rise in debt over the last 12 years. 40% of our annual budget currently adds to our debt burden. If we let the tax cuts expire on people earning $250k or more, close corporate tax loop holes and call an end to the wars; we're there. That would decrease spending by $200 billion per year or more and increase our revenues by about another $200 billion for a $400 billion annual move toward the black.
Imagine my surprise when I heard over an over again,
Well, that sounds reasonable. Why doesn't Congress pass that along with a rise in the debt ceiling?
Facepalm.
eff me. Like I effing know.
Well, I didn't say that .... exactly.