Blowing Smoke in Washington
Published in Frankfurter Rundschau
(Germany) on 7 January 2011
by Dietmar Ostermann (link to
original)
Republicans in America warn everyone about national bankruptcy, but they oppose measures to reduce the debt. America’s conservatives mainly want to show they’re opposed to Obama.
The fight for funding has begun in Washington. Even the Pentagon has to economize, but reducing the debt is just a side issue. Even dramatic warnings about the ramifications of bankruptcy from the White House are little more than blowing smoke. These are only designed to prevent Republicans from voting against raising the debt ceiling next spring. If that happens, the United States would be unable to borrow another cent — a shock that neither the United States nor global financial markets would survive. That’s why voting against the increase is out of the question. And the new people elected to Congress know that full well.
But American conservatives want to establish an image for themselves as “savings czars” by making radical budget cuts. That would be more believable if they could explain how they plan to reduce the deficit by abandoning Obama’s health care reforms. The reforms do not only provide 32 million people with health insurance; they also save the country $230 billion over the next decade. No, reducing the debt isn’t what the Republicans are after. They only want to sabotage Obama’s reforms.
The fight for funding has begun in Washington. Even the Pentagon has to economize, but reducing the debt is just a side issue. Even dramatic warnings about the ramifications of bankruptcy from the White House are little more than blowing smoke. These are only designed to prevent Republicans from voting against raising the debt ceiling next spring. If that happens, the United States would be unable to borrow another cent — a shock that neither the United States nor global financial markets would survive. That’s why voting against the increase is out of the question. And the new people elected to Congress know that full well.
But American conservatives want to establish an image for themselves as “savings czars” by making radical budget cuts. That would be more believable if they could explain how they plan to reduce the deficit by abandoning Obama’s health care reforms. The reforms do not only provide 32 million people with health insurance; they also save the country $230 billion over the next decade. No, reducing the debt isn’t what the Republicans are after. They only want to sabotage Obama’s reforms.
Economic Theory is not the same applied economics, the reality is missing .
The reality is : Wars are expensive , there is nothing more expensive in this world than that.
If the US would turn off its war machinery , and in addition closes 50% of its military bases around the world ,then it could regain its ability to rebuild its industrial strength and emerge again as one of the worlds economic powers.
But right now , with a democratic Whitehouse and a republican Congress not agreeing on anything, and special interest is running the show ,for their own gain .
There is no resolve , there is no collective will to change .
There is no end in sight , its like a bowl of water with drain plug missing , and China no longer makes drainplugs .
No intellectuell input from anywhere , its a
dark picture .
Is there a light at the other end of the tunnel ?
I hope so .