Thursday, August 03, 2006

Our government will die like a washed up rock star

The official, audited government accounting report has been released and it isn’t pretty. In real world numbers generated by government accountants under the same rules every corporation in America is forced to abide by, this “small” Republican government ran a $3,500,000,000,000 deficit in 2005. That’s $3.5 trillion dollars of deficit…in a single year…by a government that ran on the promise of shrinking government and more controlled spending practices. This USA Today article has the details, directly from the government’s mouth.

Most frightening is that $3.5T is not the worst of it! In 2004 the government posted a $11T deficit and in 2000 the deficit would have been $12.7T!!! Both of those numbers are greater than the entire US economy today. And those are numbers generated under standard accounting rules every company with revenue of $1M or more must abide by. The government, on the other hand, has no such obligation.
Even the surpluses of Slick Willy’s regime disappear into hundreds of millions in deficit dollars under standard accounting practices, but none of that compares to the George W Bush administration’s astronomically negative numbers. Of course, they oppose including Medicare and Social Security in the official audited report, which is why they report losses of “only” $318B for fiscal year 2005. Their explanation: Medicare and Social Security are not legally binding expenses, since Congress could vote to abolish both programs at any time. The fact that such a move would very likely instigate a revolt means nothing, because they are effectively banking on being able to do whatever they want.

In reality, the abolition of Medicare and Social Security would bring about a gutting of Congress like none we have seen before. Take away programs Americans have come to rely on and you would see swift and decisive retribution from the voting public. Only an imbecile (hello Mr. President) would suggest that we can simply discard Social Security and Medicare without severe repercussions. With no viable alternative available to most Americans, these programs are a lifeline for many people of the middle and lower classes. And with the average middle class American salary declining in real dollars each year, expecting Americans to generate enough capital on their own for a safe and sustained retirement is becoming increasingly difficult.

This is all the result of a false libertarian approach to government, but that should seem obvious by now. They brought in the tax cuts, which are fine and good for all of us, though the debate rages on where who really benefited is concerned. Where these corporate apologists and nation building lunatics got it wrong was the continual increase in spending. Most distressing of all, no one is holding them accountable. With the establishment of long-term basing rights that was the Iraq War, Republicans in Congress and the White House have gone spend crazy. The latest weekly cost numbers out of Iraq and insane and unsustainable, yet the beat goes on and no massive troop withdrawal seems imminent.

The worst part is, we should have seen this coming. Paul Wolfowitz’ 1993 document re:US strategy in the Middle East laid out the overthrow of Saddam Hussein and the establishment of a new projection of power by the US into the Middle East. Members of The Project for the New American Century (PNAC) demanded that Bill Clinton finish what Bush I started in Iraq over ten years ago. When he didn’t, they focused their energies on think tanking what would become the “Bush Doctrine” of preemption and nation building, with a bent toward long-term occupation.

All of this is recorded, historical fact and our current deficits are due in no small part to this power lust mentality. Look at the signatories listed on the PNAC’s charter. Do a little research. Again, get involved and get educated about the behavior of the organizations and institutions which now dictate policy to the government. The writing has been on the wall for years, but Americans, in their laziness, have refused to turn and read it. Now our government finds itself fighting multi-front wars we can’t afford, supporting social programs that have grown out of control all the while cutting income in the name of buying voter loyalty. It’s an impossible situation that cannot be sustained long-term without something falling apart.

Grover Norquist was once quoted as saying that he would like to shrink government to the point that one could, “drown it in a bathtub.” If things continue on as they have, the bathtub won’t be necessary. The government will very likely die on the toilet with its pants around its ankles, a dilapidated, broken shell of former greatness, like a monolithic Elvis. Viva Las Vegas, baby!

Posted by Erik @ 8/03/2006 09:29:00 AM