COLLECTIVE MADNESS


“Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."

Monday, February 25, 2013

The White House and congressional Republicans intensified their differences Sunday over how to deal with automatic spending cuts slated to take effect Friday, raising the possibility that the political standoff could curtail many government services. GOP leaders insisted in appearances on Sunday talk shows that they were willing to let the budget reductions go into effect, while Democrats sharpened their call for increased taxes.






Why it will be the end of the World as we know it, but I feel fine:

66 comments:

  1. I guess it is too much to ask our rulers and masters in Washington to do their jobs?

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  2. BREAKING NEWS
    BREAKING NEWS

    Syrian regime ‘ready to talk' to armed opposition, media say

    Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem said Monday that the regime was "ready for dialogue with everyone who wants it ... Even with those who have weapons in their hands," the Itar-Tass news agency reported. Moualem was speaking on a visit to Moscow for talks with Russia's foreign minister.

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  3. This is as good a synopsis as I have seen:

    Planes crash, schools close, houses burn, criminals run free.

    Welcome to the “Mad Max” world that President Obama envisions if the federal budget is reduced by 2.3 percent. It’s a scenario designed to provoke rage and hopelessness, and it certainly does, though not for the reasons Obama intends.

    Instead, his claim that the $3.6 trillion budget can’t be trimmed by $85 billion without the country collapsing reveals the utter futility of believing he will ever save America from financial disaster. The nation is headed for ruin unless it cuts spending, but the president refuses to do anything about it. In fact, he argues we don’t spend enough, that we must “invest” more.

    Consider that 40 cents of every dollar Washington already spends is borrowed or printed by the Federal Reserve. But rejecting any and all ways to do with less, Obama resorts to scare tactics and smears.

    Republicans, he charged on Al Sharpton’s radio show, believe “nothing is important enough to raise taxes on wealthy individuals or corporations.” It’s a tired, false attack, and you have to wonder how he continues to say it with a straight face. Yet our president is unrestrained by truth or facts.

    To believe his scenario on the impacts of the $85 billion in cuts, you have to believe the federal government is 100 percent efficient; that any penny cut from spending would damage the daily life of every American.

    To see how preposterous the claim is, imagine a smaller example — a family with a weekly budget of $100. Under Obama’s math, cutting $2.30 a week would mean the family would have to give up its home, car and food.
    {…}

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  4. {…}

    There are several possible motives, none appealing. The most obvious is that he’s trying to put pressure on Republicans to support another round of tax hikes. He believes the government needs more money and that many Americans should pay more taxes or, as he puts it, “their fair share.”

    But it’s folly. The tax hikes he got at the beginning of the year already have been spent. The $60 billion in revenues from higher income-tax rates on the top 1 percent were instantly pledged to Superstorm Sandy victims, without offsetting cuts elsewhere. The net added expense means the new taxes will not yield a dime of deficit reduction this year.

    So now the president wants more taxes, and hasn’t pledged them for deficit reduction, which means he would spend them, too. With the economy slowing down, additional taxes could cause a recession.
    {…}

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  5. {…} Part of Obama’s motive is not, strictly speaking, about the money, but about the chip on his shoulder regarding wealth. Sharpton said Obama told him and other black leaders privately that “he did not get all he wanted from the rich” with this year’s income-tax hikes.

    That certainly doesn’t sound like an economic argument. It sounds like retribution, maybe even reparations.

    It is also possible Obama actually favors the cuts he claims to fear, hoping Republicans will be blamed. That, in turn, might set Democrats up to recapture the House in next year’s midterm elections.

    In that case, Obama would be back to where he started in 2009 — with his party controlling all power in Washington.

    A reasonable wish — but to what purpose? What would Obama do if he had that power again?

    That’s the scary part. Given the far-left lurch of the first two years, a replay surely would speed up America’s decline. And remember Obama’s words to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev — that he would have “more flexibility” when he never had to face voters again.

    That’s the future he sees, one without checks and balances on his power. If he gets it, Obama Unbound would make “Mad Max” look like the good old days.


    - Michael Goodwin, NewYork Post

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  6. Too bad that there is no way to Sequester Michelle Obama’s narcissism. What was she doing at the Oscars?

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  7. Why do these two hacks have to crash every major event in this country? It seems like every time we turn around we're either forced to endure Barry's dinner plate ears or Mooochelle's shining helmet for a hair do. What is the starlet wannabe going to do next? Taco Bell commercials?

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    Replies
    1. Change the channel...

      Better yet ...
      Turn off the TV and get a life.

      Delete
    2. .

      More ratisms?

      Didn't see Michelle on the Oscars. Did see a clip from a bit she did on Jimmy Fallon's show. She looked great. Seems like she's lost weight. She did a dance skit with him and then a short interview. It was very intertaining. I've got nothing personal against MO. Kind of like her at times. However, that is hardly the point. She wasn't talking about any particular cause on either Fallon or the Oscars. As Deuce points out she was there for purely narcissistic reasons. However, that's forgivable. Live for the moment.

      However, can you imagine how much it cost U.S. taxpayers for her 5-10 bit on the show? Can you imagine what it cost for her time at the Oscars? Can you imagine how much it costs the American people everytime she takes a vacation on Air Force II with her entourage?

      It's been reported in a number of publications that Obama's recent golf weekend with Tiger Woods cost about $1 million taxpayer dollars.

      The hypocrisy is palpable. Both her and Obama are millionaires, yet they spend like billionaires on the taxpayer dime. The British royal family are pikers on spending when compared to the Obama's. This might go unnoticed in better times; however, 40% of what we spend is borrowed, millions of Americans are out of work, sequestration is about to hit; and what is the message from the Obamas?

      Let them eat cake?

      Their insensitivity and/or indifference is breathtaking in it's scope.

      Yet, the sheeple shout, "You go girl".

      .

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    3. The Obama supporters on this blog ignore the hypocrisy, just like most dimocrats.

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    4. Is it the Q position that the First Lady should be a prisoner in the White House, forb her own good and budgetary constraints?

      Why, if we did that the Terrorists would be winning.

      The sequester amounts are minimal.
      The GOP should be declaring victory. Instead they 'Blame Obama'...

      Poor foolishness.

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    5. .

      Is it the Q position that the First Lady should be a prisoner in the White House, forb her own good and budgetary constraints?

      If you are going to critique my position, please try to get at least part of it right. The First Lady can do a 'You Tube' video with the White House military as dancers or just props for all I care. Just don't do it on my dime, especially when she and her husband are millionaires.

      For her own good? Have no idea what you are talking about.

      Budgetary constraints? What budgetary constraints? Budgetary constraints have never bothered the Obamas and I was merely talking appearances and politics.

      Why, if we did that the Terrorists would be winning.

      Where have you been for the past decade? That ship sailed many years ago.

      I assume the rest wasn't directed towards me.

      .

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  8. Obama doesn't seem to think that Billionaire Hedge Fund Managers should pay a lower income tax rate than I do. I agree with him.

    He seems to think there are better ways of digging ourselves out of this budget hole than cutting back on nutrition programs, and pre-school for poor children. I guess I agree with him there, also.

    However, I must also support the gist of this post - these cuts are going to go, mostly, unnoticed by the average citizen.

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    Replies
    1. Obama and too many others are hung up on the RATE, not the amount.

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  9. The great thing about claiming to be a Libertarian is you get to make up your own definition of exactly what IT is.

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  10. It is more a definition of what you are not.

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  11. Wow, fantastic blog layout! How long have you ever been running a blog
    for? you make blogging glance easy. The entire
    glance of your site is great, as neatly as the content material!



    My blog; https://wiki.orangehrm.com/index.php?title=User:NaomiUlmer

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  12. Replies
    1. I have decided I am a Leavemealoneitarian. Where do I sign up?

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    2. .

      I do like the glance of this blog and the overall use of the space. The minimalist decollage is perfectly attuned to the libertarian theme of tearing away those things you view as indulgent or assymetric.

      Of course, a good looking redhead doesn't hurt either.

      .

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    3. I see all this yellow about and it keeps bringing to mind "Yellow...yellow belly"

      Delete
  13. It is more like the Yellow Brick Road! Deuce’s flirtatiousness with the past Red of Head and the late Dorothy who left looking for Oz, run off by the rusted Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion. It’s just magical and here we are, all looking for where we come to find ourselves. But unlike Dorothy, I have no desire to click my heels: I'm already home. Thanks for the reminder!

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  14. Behave yourself or I’ll bring back the elephants.

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  15. Libertarian or not this blog is still like the dead sea.

    Happy thoughts…We need happy thoughts.

    How about a video log?

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  16. We could air from my hot tub.

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  17. You mean an animated gif of a log? Is that legal?

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  18. Deuce can read his new adventure on being a Libertarian.

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  19. That would be more interesting. But what are the political implications?

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  20. anything is legal, being a libertarian. right

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  21. Since I am apolitical there wouldn't be any politics involved.

    Are you sure you can handle that.

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  22. Libertarians just want to be free,

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  23. Capricorn if I recall correctly.

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  24. Also on Monday the 25th, loveplanet Venus moves out of your old-fashioned second house and into Pisces- your flirty, experimental third house. There are already four other planets in the sign of the Fish: Mars, Mercury (retrograde), the sun and Neptune, so your seductive powers will be in rare form

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  25. To say you have the gift of gab would be a gross understatement. With charming Venus in the mix, you’ve got Svengali status.

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  26. You guys will be so proud of me. I have a bucket list and want to learn how to shoot a gun.

    Any takers on teaching me this skill?

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  27. I need to get back to my old fashion roots before my experimental third house of seductive powers take over.

    deuce from what I can tell you seem to be in at least a 2 to 3 hour parameter of where I live.

    What do you say

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  28. this one time at band camp….

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  29. Au naturale….thats the way I like it.

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  30. is that enough politics for you

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  31. Ok, I’ll bite, what happened at band camp?

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  32. I thought libertarians were supposed to be free…free to be you and me.

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  33. I still need a gun escort.

    I also want to tandem jump. Anyone have a plane.

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  34. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  35. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  36. Alrighty then…ya'll have a fabulous and I hope to see more libertines around here…I mean Libertarians.

    Peace.

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  37. Highly energetic post, I enjoyed that a lot. Will there be
    a part 2?

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    ReplyDelete