Too Stupid to UnderstandJuly 18, 2011Well, it’s official. The Federal Government believes we’re too ignorant or stupid to understand what’s going on, or to know what’s best for our country. As “professional politicians” drive our nation to disaster, they sit in arrogance believing they know better than we how to fix our country’s problems. In a recent news conference CBS News Reporter Chip Reid basically stated that the latest CBS News Poll showed that 69% of the country is against raising the debt ceiling. He asked Obama if the administration had failed to convince the public of the severity of the crisis. In response Obama stated, “Let me distinguish between professional politicians and the public at large. You know, the public is not paying close attention to the ins and outs of how a Treasury auction goes.” On WLS Radio recently during the Don Wade and Roma show, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) continually stated that we, the people, don’t understand how things work with respect to government and social security. Schakowsky was making contradictory statements regarding social security availability and other issues, and every time she was pressed defaulted to, “You just don’t understand.” Schakowsky also made it clear that raising the debt ceiling was not to allow “additional” spending. The government has ALREADY spent the money and now it is time to pay the bills. In simpler terms, the government has already overdrawn the account, and now the taxpayer has to foot the additional bills. The government has ALREADY exceeded the debt limit, to be exact. Speaker of the House, John Boehner (R-OH) also believes he knows better than the people what they want. In comments made to other house Republicans Boehner stated, “Most Americans would beg to differ. They would say a "balanced" agreement is this: the president gets his debt limit hike, and the American people get spending cuts larger than the hike. That's what we're going to fight for -- the will of the people..." I'm not sure where Speaker Boehner gets his information, because clearly 70% of the American People have clearly stated that they do NOT want to raise the debt ceiling. Speaker Boehner was also clear in his comments that he and the Republicans have always intended to raise the debt ceiling. It has never been a question of IF they were going to do it, but more a process of what subjective spending “cuts” would be gained in return. Clearly, the American public at large does not have the capacity to understand what’s going on or to make sound and appropriate decisions. As opposed to those professional politicians who have spent us into oblivion. The lame stream media is trying to cause fear by proclaiming there will be financial Armageddon if we don't raise the debt ceiling. Schakowsky said the very same thing on WLS – specifically used the term, “Financial Armageddon.” This is vaguely similar to the TARP bailout programs of 2008, when we were told the entire financial system would shut down and there would be martial law if we didn’t bail out the too-big-to-fail banks. Don’t be fooled – pay no attention to that man behind the curtain… The American people have been subjected to the biggest shock and awe / propaganda / smoke and mirrors campaign of all time. We are expected to live in lazy ignorance and just accept at face value anything a politician tells us. Clearly, at least 70% of the country is not in alignment with that idea. Where do these politicians get off? They believe that because they are elected suddenly their personal opinions become “the will of the people?” They are all together, Democrat and Republican alike, purposefully, intentionally, and completely ignoring the will of the American People (with malice). The current media display is little more than political posturing and grandstanding, while they continue to ignore, and fail to address, the real ills that our killing our economy. A debt ceiling increase, by its very nature, is a tax increase. No matter what the increase is, true to the behaviors of those that have gone before them, the government will spend more than they are allowed, and at the end of the day it is our taxes that have to foot the bill. The truth is that by law, when we hit the debt ceiling, we have to pay our outstanding commitments first. This means, in effect, that other government programs will have to be slowed or otherwise curtailed in order to pay the outstanding bills first. So by doing nothing the Republicans could effectively implement their alleged mantra of “smaller government” - just by doing nothing and not raising the debt ceiling. Additionally, we need to understand that what we believe a "spending cut" to be is not the same thing in the mind of Congress. If you look back over time, government spending has never been decreased - ever. For the government, a spending cut means settling for a $40K Cadillac instead of the $100K Mercedes - they're still going to spend more money, but maybe not as much as first believed. I can promise you this - no matter what agreement is reached and proclaimed to the public, there is not one so-called "spending cut" that will result in a real decrease in government spending. I say, “Welcome, financial Armageddon!” Let it come. Let it rain, let it pour. But let’s quit ignoring the real issues that are killing this country. Let’s deal with it now, and not irresponsibly keep pushing it down the road. Let the debt ceiling stay where it is and force those in government to deal with it. Contact your congressperson now and let them know what your will is! If we continue to do today the same things we did yesterday, we can expect the same result tomorrow. It’s time for real change, time for something different. A good place to start would be politicians who represented the people instead of their ideology and their campaign financers.
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Thomas Lee Dahl is a working professional with a keen interest in financial and political issues. He can be reached at thmsdahl68@gmail.com.
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