From America to Zimbabwe, the coming anarchy

[Captain Ron]

+1 for thread domination, Seahorse!

[Seahorse]

WASHINGTON (CNN) – A leading fiscal mind on Capitol Hill and a one-time Obama Cabinet pick sounded the alarm Sunday over the projected long-term financial challenges the country faces.

“This deficit is driven by us,” New Hampshire Republican Sen. Judd Gregg candidly said Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union when asked about the federal government’s projected $1.42 trillion operating deficit for the 2009 fiscal year.

“You talk about systemic risk. The systemic risk today is the Congress of the United States,“ the Ranking Republican on the Senate Budget Committee told CNN Chief National Correspondent John King, “that we’re creating these massive debts which we’re passing on to our children. We’re going to undermine fundamentally the quality of life for our children by doing this.”

“Now you can’t blame that on [former President] George [W.] Bush,” Greg said, noting that using the Obama administration’s projections the budget deficit for the next ten years is $1 trillion per year. And Gregg said that during the same ten-year period, public debt as a percentage of gross domestic product would increase from 40 percent — which Gregg called “tolerable but still too high” — up to 80 percent.

The figures, Gregg told King, “mean we’re basically on the path to a banana-republic-type of financial situation in this country. And you just can’t do that. You can’t keep running these [federal] programs out [into the future] and not paying for them. And you can’t keep throwing debt on top of debt.”

“Standards of living will drop if we keep this up,” Gregg also said.

After repeated promises from the White House that the final health care reform bill will be deficit neutral, Gregg said a Democratic plan to avoid otherwise automatic Medicare cuts without having a funding source for the projected expense of $250 billion over the next decade was “gamesmanship.”

Asked about criticism leveled Sunday by former Republican-turned-Democrat Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania that Republicans were being obstructionist in the health care reform debate, Gregg replied, “Well, I suppose he has to call us something now that he’s left the party.”

Responding to the Democratic charge that the GOP is “the party of ‘no,’” Gregg pointed to Republican health care reform proposals including his own and another co-sponsored by Republican Sens. Tom Coburn and Sen. Richard Burr, as well as a bipartisan proposal put forward by Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Robert Bennett (R-UT).”

Gregg said the versions of health care reform voted out of the Senate Finance Committee and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee would amount to “a huge expansion of government.”

“You’re talking about taking the government and increasing it by $1-$2 trillion over the next ten years,” Gregg said. He added that he thought growing government at that rate would have a “very debilitating effect” on the overall economy and the ability of Americans to get health care in the future.

At one point earlier this year, Gregg, who is not seeking re-election to his Senate seat in 2010, was President Obama’s choice to head the Commerce Department. But the fiscal hawk removed himself from consideration because of differences with the new administration on several policy issues.

http://www.tickerforum.org/cgi-ticker/akcs-www?post=114903

[thucydides]

The difference between Zimbabwe and North America is the fact that American civilians are armed to the teeth.

Having known some guys from Zim, it's not that firearms are that much harder to find in-country.  It's a different attitude.

I remember asking the one guy, "Why the hell do folks put up with Mugabe and his thugs?  If someone came along who was that obviously tyrannical in the States, you can bet that American citizens would pick up weapons and revolt."  And he said: "People just don't think that way.  It's an easy-going country, people are willing to go along and not worry about it."

As far as that goes, I'm not sure that most Americans are that different from most Zimbabweans.

I still enjoy shooting rabbits with a bolt action rifle. There is no need in society for civilans to own assult rifles or handguns.

Yes there is.  Read the Second Amendment.  It says nothing about hunting or marksmanship or sporting purposes.  It's entirely about preserving freedom once it comes under attack.  Do you trust your government to ensure your liberties?

It is far harder to inflict tyranny on an armed populace than an unarmed populace.  Why do you think that totalitarian governments are so keen on gun control?

The (more radical and anti-authoritarian of the) Founders anticipated that tyranny would originate from the central Federal government, and that the independent State governments would act as a bulwark against it.

The Second Amendment is the last safeguard, the last safety valve, the last hope of defending the rights of citizens.  When tyranny comes, those with firearms still get a vote.  You can't preserve that vote without guaranteeing that citizens have access to the same class of weapons that the military does.

Semi-auto assault and battle rifles aren't exactly on par with their full-auto military equivalents, but they're close enough in combat situations.  Full-auto fire on an assault or battle rifle doesn't do much except waste ammo in most situations.  This doesn't excuse Federal laws that restrict their public ownership.

(The real difference is NFA Class III weaponry like full-auto machine guns.  Belt-fed M249 SAWs and M240 MGs are rather different beasts than an M16.  )

That aside, if you care about defending your liberty and the rights of your fellow citizens, you need guns and the will to use them.  I stopped caring about voting at the ballot box a while ago, but I still keep my vote.

[cindy]

I just discovered this thread.  I very much suggest that people read all of Kaplan's travel books.   The most complete book is The Ends of the Earth. I have read virtually all of Kaplan's books. I  particularly love Warrior Politics. It is always on my  night stand.

Few people have traveled the entire world in a  third class manner for most of their adult life.    A  Jew who stays with a member of The Brotherhood in Egypt, for example.   But  I bet Kaplan has never stayed with a Black  Gangsta group in LA or NY.


For me, the best comparative of the US political situation for study is the Third French Republic and it's fall.   The very best book about this is  The  Collapse of the Third Republic   by William L Shirer.  Shirer has been a favorite of mine since teenage days when I read Berlin Diary.

I love Robert Kaplan and have also read most of his books. I like the ones you mentioned; one of my favourites not mentioned is 'Soldiers of God: With Islamic Warriors in Afghanistan and Pakistan'. He spent some time with them during the war with the USSR and, man, they are tough! You understand why no one in modern times has ever defeated them.

[Seahorse]

Revised study puts 1 in 6 Americans in poverty.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Revised-formula-puts-1-in-6-apf-1729082827.html?x=0

[wiccawench]

 

[Katie]

In the past, the city of Ann Arbor has always done well, even when the rest of the state is suffering.  Here's a link to an article about funding cuts for the fire department.  There have been funding problems for quite some time, but it doesn't look to me like things will get any better.
http://www.annarbor.com/news/ann-arbor-fire-chiefs-final-e-mail-to-staff-indicative-of-challenges-ahead/index.php

[Seahorse]

Thanks Katie

[Katie]

You're welcome.  Here are some others about the county that Ann Arbor is part of, Washtenaw County.  There are other well-off communities in this county and a few not so well off by comparison, but nothing like their neighbor, Detroit. 

Here's a story about the funding being cut for school bus safety inspections:
http://www.annarbor.com/news/state-budget-cut-axes-school-bus-inspections/

Here's a story about ongoing multiple state cuts in the budgets of the school districts in the county. 
http://www.annarbor.com/news/washtenaw-county-school-districts-hit-hard-by-additional-127-per-student-state-budget-cuts/

School officials are expecting to face more cuts next year - anywhere between an additional $400 to $600 per student. That could cost Ann Arbor in the neighborhood of $15 million, school administrators have said.

Rise in homelessness in Washtenaw County
http://www.annarbor.com/news/government/washtenaw-county-community-leaders-working-to-expanding-homeless-support-system-this-winter/

Every facet of our homeless system is seeing an increased demand," Callan said.

She cited the statistics:

    * A 20 percent increase overall in single adults.
    * A 33 percent increase in chronically homeless adults.
    * A 29 percent increase in families.
    * An 86 percent increase in unaccompanied youth.

There's also concern about crumbling bridges and a crumbling dam that need repair, but no funds to do it.  One bridge has gone down to one lane permanently to reduce the stress on the structure.

[unhappyvoter]

Revised study puts 1 in 6 Americans in poverty.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Revised-formula-puts-1-in-6-apf-1729082827.html?x=0

But, isn't it kinda a useless study, they don't consider  "MEDICAL COSTS" ??

[TheDignityofStruggle]

Katie, just head on down to Arbor Brewing Company, toss back a Red Snapper Ale, and all will be well with the world. 

Seriously though, U of M keeps that town afloat.  All it will take is a roll back in admissions and/or government financial aide, and that town is toast.  MZB's bearing Red Wing Jersey's will eat that place alive.

[Katie]

Katie, just head on down to Arbor Brewing Company, toss back a Red Snapper Ale, and all will be well with the world. 

Seriously though, U of M keeps that town afloat.  All it will take is a roll back in admissions and/or government financial aide, and that town is toast.  MZB's bearing Red Wing Jersey's will eat that place alive.

Yeah, I've thought of that  .

[Seahorse]

One generation ago, Detroit was the epitome of US industrial and economic strength.  Now, its the epitome of a failing culture.  Over 9k homes sold for back taxes.  With a minimum bid of only $500, less than a fifth sold.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091025/us_nm/us_usa_housing_detroit

[Katie]

One generation ago, Detroit was the epitome of US industrial and economic strength.  Now, its the epitome of a failing culture.  Over 9k homes sold for back taxes.  With a minimum bid of only $500, less than a fifth sold.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091025/us_nm/us_usa_housing_detroit

When people thought about the burbs, they didn't think this could happen there, too.  The burbs were seen as the epitome of the good life for middle class in the U.S.  But it is starting in the burbs, too, and when oil becomes expensive, they will be ghost burbs.

[Seahorse]

"Budget bloodbath in Utah"

http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/