A fascinating short account of what a “government shutdown” means, courtesy of the BBC, wraps up in an odd way: “If the U.S. government shuts down after 8 April, it will mostly be because Republicans believe that the government is too costly and inefficient.”
Really?
It’s not because Congress can’t balance budgets? It’s not because last year’s Democratic-controlled Congress couldn’t even cook up an unbalanced budget, instead relying on a series of makeshift “continuing resolutions”?
Why blame Republicans’ general view of government services, and not the political process described at the beginning of the report?
Well, the BBC’s Katie Connolly was stretching the truth so to get to a series of “ironies.” Government shutdowns are expensive, she writes. Inefficient.
Sure, sure. But if the government does indeed shut down because of a budget impasse, I don’t see that the “irony” of a shutdown accrues as blame only to Republicans.
Indeed, it seems a bit like flailing around, looking for usual suspects — not real culprits.
But if you want a reach.…
Politicians often pay homage to John Maynard Keynes to excuse their spending far over revenue. Stimulus and all that. Keynesianism: Politicians love it, because they love to over-spend.
But Keynes also said that governments should run at surplus during good times. Somehow the Rs and Ds in Washington never bring that up.
So blame the Ks.
The Keynesians allowed the misuse of their master’s nostrums, which put us where we are today.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
8 replies on “Blame for the Shutdown”
Unfortunately for the “K’s”, the people who pay the bills, the taxpayers, are AWAKE and, for the most part, know exactly who to blame. These “K’s” (mostly “d’s”, by the way) think the “V’s” (Vienna school) or “AS’s” (Adam Smith’s) are going to get the blame for the shutdown. However, a few weeks ago, the media hedged its bets and was sure to inform people that a government shut down really didn’t mean ALL government shut down and the SS checks would still go out in the mail. And, now the “K’s” are talking about us poor rubes not being able to go to Yellowstone. Oh, the inconvenience! We are SURE to blame the Republicans for THAT! So, they mistakenly think.
I say shut it all down. And, let the new tea party republicans, Paul Ryan, and any conservative Democrats (if such a thing still exists) go back and really find out what IS necessary. We’d probably be running a surplus inside of two years.
Interesting that the Brits would be so willing to suck up to the liberal/progressives and this administration after being so shabbily treated by them.
May as well keep treating the Brits shoddily as it seems that they have no pride any more.
WITH THE REPUBS- TEA PARTY AND OTHERS- INCLUDING PAUL- SAYING PUT SOC. SEC., MEDICARE, DEFENSE, ETC. ON THE TABLE- THERE ARE TWO ITEMS THAT I SEE THAT NOBODY-INCLUDING PAUL ARE PUTTING ON THE TABLE.
ANY CONGRESSIONAL PERKS, CONGRESSIONAL PENSIONS; CONGRESSIONAL BLOATED STAFFS; CONGRESSMEN & WOMEN-INCLUDING THOSE NOT REUNNIGN FOR RE-EELCTION, OR DEFEATED BEING ABLE TO TAKE JUNKETS-WITH THEIR SPOUSES, FAMILIES, ETC. ON THE GOVERNMENT’S DIME-SO TO SPEAK„ AND THEIR ‑THE IMPERIAL CONGRESSMEN & WOMEN- LIVING HIGH OFF THE HOG.
WHY AREN’T THEIR PERKS AND PENSIONS ALSO ON THE TABLE? OR ARE THEY, AS THEY SEEM TO WANT US TO BELEIVE, ABOVE US, THE COMMON PEONS?
Jay — trust me, as far as I’m concerned it is ALL on the table. And the first thing to cut is easy: congressional pay, pensions and perks — including junkets.
Paul,
I would trust you, BUT NOT THE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS- TO CUT THEIR PERKS, PENSIONS AND JUNKETS.
RECALL, IF YOU WILL, AT LEAST ONE REPUBLICAN, ‑WH (i DON’T RECALL FI EH LSOT THE PRIMARY, OR JSUT DECIDED TO RETIRE, AND TAKE A JOB AS A LOBBYIST-WHATEVER HAPPEEND TO ETHICS?0 TOOK A JUNKET TO THE GREAT BARRIER REEF (AS I RECALL0 WITH HSI WIFE AND FAMILY? (OR WAS IT TO THE FAR EAST?)
BUT, THERE WERE LAME DUCK MEMBERS WHO TOOK THE JUNKETS. AND I AM SURE THAT PAUL, AND THE OTHERS ARE NOT CUTTING THEIR PAY.
The BBC lost all credibility a very long time ago, and actually tries to be a mirror image of the New York Times. Just watch BBC news on PBS for as long as you can stand it and you will see what is meant by irrelevant.
Alright Dagney!
Jay they are criminals and should all be in jail for stealing from us and I mean all the democrats they are envious of people that made it big on their own without government handouts and they know if it was not for needy lazy people they would not even have a job, maybe there are a few of them that are decent but I can’t think of any lol