Dysfunctionality of US Congress
That the US Congress has become effectively dysfunctional is evidenced by two facts: First, over 50% of voters responded in a recent (October 2013) poll that they would like to see all of Congress fired. Secondly, during the most recent Congressional budget/sovereign debt/CR debate, the only deal that could be agreed between Democrats and Republicans - at 11:59 pm -was that they would kick the can down the road for another three months or so. That is no way for the "world's only superpower" to conduct its affairs.
Of course, this begs the question as to what will happen when the next deadline arrives? Will Congress be able to agree on substantive actions that need to be taken in order to ensure that the US retains its credibility beyond its borders?
Let's be clear: The US is not the only country in the world where these cracks are manifesting in very the foundations of the Rule of Law.
Globally, sovereign debt is trending towards $50 trillion. Anyone who belives that this debt is going to be repaid under circumstances where "everything else remains equal" is just not facing reality. Something will have to change. The question is: What?
One problem we have in today's world is that we have been seduced by sound-bites. There will be no simple answers than can be described in one or two sentences. But what will be required will be a shift in both attitudes and values. The "every man for himself and the winner takes all" attitude that worked so well in the past will not fly in the future. Its a question of numbers. For example, in the French Revolution, when the so-called "priviledged elite" got carried away with their hedonism, the public turned on them. When a poor man has nothing left to lose, he will resort to any measures. That is why the conspiracy theorists are incorrect in their conclusions. The 1% will never lord it over the other 99% until hell freezes over. A swarm of ants can strip the carcass of a lion clean in a very short time.
The last two sentences should not be construed as fomenting anarchy. I am merely stating what I believe will be a self-evident outcome based on historical fact. When enough people get sufficiently riled up by the inequities that they are being expected to suffer, they rise up. It doesn't take a genius to see this.
So, if those currently in power can't see it then it must be clear that they are not as smart as they think they are. They just talk a good game with an attitude of misplaced confidence. Some would call it "arrogance" as opposed to "Charisma", depending on their values in life.
Clearly, with Congress thrashing around as it has, there is fundamental disagreement as to whether the "magic pudding" can continue to be squeezed as it has - to allow US citizens to continue buying Starbucks coffee, for example, with pieces of paper that represent a day's wage of a worker in China or Bangladesh, and which paper was conjured out of thin air by the US Federal Reserve.
Clearly, President Obama "wants" to spread the wealth but, as JP Morgan once put it (I paraphrase): "Here's a nickel. That's your fair share of my wealth". US public debt has veritually doubled during Obama's period in office. He seems like a nice enough guy, but he is clearly not in touch with reality. There is a limit to what countries like China, India and Russia will tolerate.
Regardless of one's political persuasion, those possessed of a modicum of common sense must agree that the situation as it currently exists in the US - and the Rest of the World, for that matter - cannot be sustained. 49% of the US's citizens are receiving some form of government support, and many are spending that money (which has been conjured out of thin air) on items that many in the East would regard as luxuries.
So, what will change? More importantly, for those of us who do not see "the end of the world" as an inevitability, what would we like the eventual outcome to look like?
That is essentially what went through my mind when I sat down to write Beyond Neanderthal - which is essentially a right brain oriented (visionary) view of human existence. That is also what I had in mind when I sat down to write The Last Finesse, which is essentially a left brain (analytical) view.
So let's all be adults about this state of affairs. It's time for a reality check; and one of the realities is that the US Congress has become dysfunctional. Therefore, the responsibility will fall on the shoulders of ordinary (thinking) US voters to plot a forward course - which they can then use as the basis for a "set of instructions" to their elected respresentatives to follow; or be kicked out of office.
To achieve that outcome is a hard ask because the implication is that it will require organisational infrastructure. But will it? Its not like we lack the brainpower. There are some very smart people who form part of the silent majority of people who are not necessarily driven by ego and/or testosterone. What we lack is the resolve to get off our butts and do something. The responsibility for ensuring that outcome must, perforce, lie on the shoulders of those who are capable of thinking both visionary and pragmatic thoughts; and, of those, there will be a subset who are capable of thinking "ethically defensible" thoughts. You know who you are. And you very likely have like minded friends. So start talking amongst yourselves. Get a groundswell going.
Hopefully, this smart, thinking and pragmatic description will be the profile of person who will read Beyond Neanderthal and The Last Finesse. Hopefully these books will stimulate discussion.
Let's face facts for once. January 2014 is not too far away and Congress is not going to come up with anything sensible. "Blind Freddy" can see that right now. So maybe its time for people like you to start getting your minds in gear. We need to think in terms of solutions as opposed to problems.
Of course, this begs the question as to what will happen when the next deadline arrives? Will Congress be able to agree on substantive actions that need to be taken in order to ensure that the US retains its credibility beyond its borders?
Let's be clear: The US is not the only country in the world where these cracks are manifesting in very the foundations of the Rule of Law.
Globally, sovereign debt is trending towards $50 trillion. Anyone who belives that this debt is going to be repaid under circumstances where "everything else remains equal" is just not facing reality. Something will have to change. The question is: What?
One problem we have in today's world is that we have been seduced by sound-bites. There will be no simple answers than can be described in one or two sentences. But what will be required will be a shift in both attitudes and values. The "every man for himself and the winner takes all" attitude that worked so well in the past will not fly in the future. Its a question of numbers. For example, in the French Revolution, when the so-called "priviledged elite" got carried away with their hedonism, the public turned on them. When a poor man has nothing left to lose, he will resort to any measures. That is why the conspiracy theorists are incorrect in their conclusions. The 1% will never lord it over the other 99% until hell freezes over. A swarm of ants can strip the carcass of a lion clean in a very short time.
The last two sentences should not be construed as fomenting anarchy. I am merely stating what I believe will be a self-evident outcome based on historical fact. When enough people get sufficiently riled up by the inequities that they are being expected to suffer, they rise up. It doesn't take a genius to see this.
So, if those currently in power can't see it then it must be clear that they are not as smart as they think they are. They just talk a good game with an attitude of misplaced confidence. Some would call it "arrogance" as opposed to "Charisma", depending on their values in life.
Clearly, with Congress thrashing around as it has, there is fundamental disagreement as to whether the "magic pudding" can continue to be squeezed as it has - to allow US citizens to continue buying Starbucks coffee, for example, with pieces of paper that represent a day's wage of a worker in China or Bangladesh, and which paper was conjured out of thin air by the US Federal Reserve.
Clearly, President Obama "wants" to spread the wealth but, as JP Morgan once put it (I paraphrase): "Here's a nickel. That's your fair share of my wealth". US public debt has veritually doubled during Obama's period in office. He seems like a nice enough guy, but he is clearly not in touch with reality. There is a limit to what countries like China, India and Russia will tolerate.
Regardless of one's political persuasion, those possessed of a modicum of common sense must agree that the situation as it currently exists in the US - and the Rest of the World, for that matter - cannot be sustained. 49% of the US's citizens are receiving some form of government support, and many are spending that money (which has been conjured out of thin air) on items that many in the East would regard as luxuries.
So, what will change? More importantly, for those of us who do not see "the end of the world" as an inevitability, what would we like the eventual outcome to look like?
That is essentially what went through my mind when I sat down to write Beyond Neanderthal - which is essentially a right brain oriented (visionary) view of human existence. That is also what I had in mind when I sat down to write The Last Finesse, which is essentially a left brain (analytical) view.
So let's all be adults about this state of affairs. It's time for a reality check; and one of the realities is that the US Congress has become dysfunctional. Therefore, the responsibility will fall on the shoulders of ordinary (thinking) US voters to plot a forward course - which they can then use as the basis for a "set of instructions" to their elected respresentatives to follow; or be kicked out of office.
To achieve that outcome is a hard ask because the implication is that it will require organisational infrastructure. But will it? Its not like we lack the brainpower. There are some very smart people who form part of the silent majority of people who are not necessarily driven by ego and/or testosterone. What we lack is the resolve to get off our butts and do something. The responsibility for ensuring that outcome must, perforce, lie on the shoulders of those who are capable of thinking both visionary and pragmatic thoughts; and, of those, there will be a subset who are capable of thinking "ethically defensible" thoughts. You know who you are. And you very likely have like minded friends. So start talking amongst yourselves. Get a groundswell going.
Hopefully, this smart, thinking and pragmatic description will be the profile of person who will read Beyond Neanderthal and The Last Finesse. Hopefully these books will stimulate discussion.
Let's face facts for once. January 2014 is not too far away and Congress is not going to come up with anything sensible. "Blind Freddy" can see that right now. So maybe its time for people like you to start getting your minds in gear. We need to think in terms of solutions as opposed to problems.
Published on October 24, 2013 20:17
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