Ace of Spades HQ

June 11, 2012

The Fourth Revolution?
— Ace

Brit Hume and @comradearthur point to this long think-piece on the long view of American politics. The "revolution" it speaks of is really more of a realignment, not a violent overthrow of government.

The general thrust is that American politics tend to be frozen in suspended animation until a crisis finally spurs some long-delayed decisions, then very big things are decided in a relatively brief span of time. And then the system remains in that form, with only small tweaks to it through the decades, until the next crisis.

Can the American system of government, accustomed to punting every single problem until it threatens to unravel the union, deal with the crisis before it takes place? Doubtful, the writer thinks.

But isnÂ’t it possible for Congress and the President to step in now to formulate a strategy to deal with these problems before they reach a crisis point? Various proposals have been set forth: the Bowles-Simpson plan, for example, and other plans to reduce the budget deficit over a ten-year period. To their credit, Republicans in Congress have stepped forward with a plan to reform Medicare and Medicaid and to re-write the tax code so that it encourages economic growth. Thus far, the Democrats have been silent. In any case, such proposals are unlikely to be adopted. For one thing, the problems are too large to be dealt with in any preemptive fashion. The prospect of cutting the federal budget by more than a third is hard to contemplate for politicians who have grown up in an environment of affluence and abundant resources. In addition, it is unrealistic to look to our political process to solve a problem that it has been instrumental in creating.

Rent-seeking -- chiefly practiced by Democratic Client Groups, always seeking some form of rent for any endeavor; for example, if you want to build a coal plant, that produces energy, you're forced to pony up money to subsidize solar panel operations, which don't -- slowly but inevitably destroy a nation's productive capacity:

The late economist Mancur Olson has argued that economies tend to grow more slowly as rent-seeking coalitions become pervasive and ubiquitous, since they divert resources from wealth-creating to wealth-consuming uses. This is one reason, he argues, why the United States grew so rapidly in the nineteenth century, and why West Germany and Japan grew so rapidly in the two or three decades after World War II. At such times, these economies were open to investment and entrepreneurship, and, as a consequence, they enjoyed historically high rates of growth. With the passage of time, all of these systems were gradually encumbered by coalitions seeking benefits through the state. Political paralysis and slow growth, Olson argues, are by-products of political systems captured by rent-seeking coalitions. These groups, operating collectively, can block any overall effort to cut spending or to address the problems of deficits and debt.

Interesting piece. Bookmark it for later.

Posted by: Ace at 09:34 AM | Comments (106)
Post contains 493 words, total size 3 kb.

1 Revolution? Get a guillotine.

Posted by: M. Robespierre at June 11, 2012 09:36 AM (QKKT0)

2
You know who gets shit done in govt?

The Europeons.

In six days, the Greeks will again have elections. And seven days from now, they'll still have their thumbs up their asses.

Posted by: Soothsayer at June 11, 2012 09:36 AM (9Cixk)

3 It will happen faster than an african swallow in flight.

Posted by: Crashpanic at June 11, 2012 09:38 AM (H7Nnh)

4 Barnacles gotta be scraped every now and again.

Posted by: Popeye at June 11, 2012 09:39 AM (QKKT0)

5 If the Fourth Revolution involves tarring and feathering Barky and the Mo-Beast, I'm in. But we'll need a lot of feathers.

Posted by: Cicero at June 11, 2012 09:41 AM (QKKT0)

6 What is that saying, that if something can't last it won't? It seems that if the conditions that created and supported a particular social and political settlement are no longer there, then that settlement will go away.

Posted by: Mikey NTH - will it rain today or no? at June 11, 2012 09:41 AM (hLRSq)

7
This whole Kick The Can Down The Road phenomenon is a world epidemic.

Politicians don't solve problems or make progress anymore because (just like how Hollywood hasn't made a good ending in a film or tv series in decades) they don't know how.

They are simply inept; not up for the task.

That's why we instead get solutions such as casinos and laws that tackle the big issues such as bathrooms for trannies.

Posted by: Soothsayer at June 11, 2012 09:41 AM (9Cixk)

8 Revolution? Get a guillotine.

Keep in mind that the big failure of the French Revolution was in elevating the community over the individual. For example, Article 6 of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen:

"Law is the expression of the general will."

Kind of like inserting "your rights are what Congress says they are" right in the middle of the Bill of Rights.

Posted by: Meiczyslaw at June 11, 2012 09:42 AM (bjRNS)

9 It better happen if the Republicans keep the House, take the Senate and the Presidency. Canada has been 16% of its GDP on government (even with gov. healthcare). We are spending 24%. That needs to be under 20 by the end of a 1st Romney term.

Posted by: Sean at June 11, 2012 09:43 AM (HDEPa)

10 It goes like this:

Some program, take Social Security for example, is forecast to be unsustainable in its present form and it becomes obvious that changes will need to be made if it is not to go broke. So rather than see everyone lose their benefits, proposals are made for a modest reduction in benefits. But there are two problems; the people who are currently getting benefits don't want them reduced at all and secondly, they don't trust the politicians who are actually telling them there is a problem. Generally when politicians talk about money, they want more for them and less for us so there is a natural suspicion that if they cut our benefits, they are just angling for more money to blow on cronies or supporters.

So the result is that the system has to go completely broke in order for enough people to support a change. The fundamental problem is that we have been lied to so many times about some dire problem (global warming?) that is going to cost billions of dollars and turns out to be a load of hooey. How do you tell the real problems from the attempts to fleece us? You can't. You just wait for the system to actually go broke and say "well, I guess they were right about that one" and make some changes. Except this is people's food we are talking about.

Good luck, folks, and I mean that most sincerely.

Posted by: crosspatch at June 11, 2012 09:43 AM (ZbLJZ)

Yeah, I don't see us solving this one.

Posted by: Ben at June 11, 2012 09:43 AM (wuv1c)

12 Case in point would be George Bush's proposed changes to Social Security in 2005 that went exactly nowhere.

Posted by: crosspatch at June 11, 2012 09:44 AM (ZbLJZ)

13
Another example: banning soda in quantities greater than 16 ounces. Is NYC so perfect that all they have to worry about is how much soda people drink?

This type of 'leadership' comes from people who haven't got an inkling on how to lead or run a government.

Politicians the world over have run amok.

Posted by: Soothsayer at June 11, 2012 09:44 AM (9Cixk)

14 If we don't solve it, it will solve us.

Posted by: maddogg at June 11, 2012 09:44 AM (OlN4e)

15 http://pjmedia.com/victordavishanson/the-liberal-super-nova/?singlepage=true

Reading this now. Then will get to what is quoted here.

Posted by: Anna Puma at June 11, 2012 09:45 AM (WeA4Y)

16 >The late economist Mancur Olson has argued that economies tend to grow more slowly as rent-seeking coalitions become pervasive and ubiquitous

Argued? That word does not mean what he thinks it does. In order for argument to exist there must be a counter argument. Who, other than ozfic or dum-dum would take up the counter argument?

Posted by: Gordon undead Ramsay at June 11, 2012 09:45 AM (dBvlk)

17 This whole Kick The Can Down The Road phenomenon is a world epidemic.

---

This. Until there is political impetus to change things, leaders wont spend political capital to fix it.

Human nature.

Posted by: Joseph at June 11, 2012 09:45 AM (C8hzL)

18 Remember when Bush tried to take on Social Security? Or when he tried to get the mortgage crisis under control?

Posted by: small town girl at June 11, 2012 09:45 AM (nvwMe)

19 If 50 million babies had not been butchered since 1973, our entitlements would have adequate funding. So the baby boomers wanted the right to murder their babies which they got but NOW they want the phantom generation they murdered to pay for their retirement. Fuck You, boomers.

Posted by: Sean at June 11, 2012 09:46 AM (HDEPa)

Posted by: fixerupper at June 11, 2012 09:47 AM (C8hzL)

21 The problem is the people. People have grown accustomed to their benefits, subsidies, perks, scams, what have you. If the politicians ever got the spine to actually cut these things the people -- and I'm including the middle class in this -- would unseat them and get politicians that would restore the gravy train. Hence the downward spiral.

Posted by: joncelli, heartless Con and all around unpleasant guy at June 11, 2012 09:47 AM (RD7QR)

22 The Homeland Security Department ordered so many drones it canÂ’t keep them all flying and doesnÂ’t have a good plan for how to use them, according to a new audit that the departmentÂ’s inspector general released Monday. In a blunt assessment, investigators said Customs and Border Protection's Office of Air and Marine has a fleet of nine Â“unmanned aircraft systemsÂ” and is awaiting a 10th Â— though it doesnÂ’t have enough ground support and doesnÂ’t have a good plan for prioritizing missions. Â“CBP procured unmanned aircraft before implementing adequate plans,Â” the investigators said. Sure doesn't take a crisis to waste money does it?

Posted by: Nevergiveup at June 11, 2012 09:47 AM (05RcU)

23 Can the American system of government, accustomed to punting every single problem until it threatens to unravel the union, deal with the crisis before it takes place?

"Americans can always be counted on to do the right thing...after they have exhausted all other possibilities." -- Winston Churchill

Posted by: Purp (@PurpAv) at June 11, 2012 09:48 AM (nvNNU)

24 12 Case in point would be George Bush's proposed changes to Social Security in 2005 that went exactly nowhere. Posted by: crosspatch at June 11, 2012 01:44 PM (ZbLJZ) I was not impressed with the effort Rove, et al, put into getting that done. Maybe you have a better perspective.

Posted by: Underground Vulgarian at June 11, 2012 09:48 AM (oipCQ)

25
Look at Europe. The reason they haven't solved their debt/pension problem is because they don't know how to.

And the kicker is that it isn't that hard to solve! But those fools over there are clueless. Ball-less and clueless.

Posted by: Soothsayer at June 11, 2012 09:48 AM (9Cixk)

26 "Americans can always be counted on to do the right thing...after they have exhausted all other possibilities." -- Winston Churchill Posted by: Purp (@PurpAv) at June 11, 2012 01:48 PM (nvNNU) Which is, of course, our ultimate advantage.

Posted by: Underground Vulgarian at June 11, 2012 09:49 AM (oipCQ)

27 N.Y. Democrats Poised to Nominate Former Black Panther, Anti-Israel Radical for Congress The heart and soul of the Democratic party? New York City councilman Charles Barron may be on his way to winning the Democratic nomination for Congress in New York's Eighth District, despite a history of racist, anti-Semitic, and anti-Israel rhetoric. Barron, who has earned the support of retiring congressman Edolphus Towns, would be representing a district with a sizable Jewish population. In 2010, he told a reporter that in New York's Crown Heights neighborhood, Jews "only make up 20 percent of the population, but they've always walked these streets as if they owned them, and acted as if they are the only ones in the community that matter." Barron once referred to a fellow city councilman, who is Jewish, as a "coward" whose actions on the council were to "satisfy the Jewish lobby." Barron has also called into question the legitimate existence of Israel. "Where should we start [the discussion]?" he said at a Brooklyn church in 2010. "Should we start with the 1906 Zionist Convention, or in 1914, with the Balfour Declaration? With Menachem Begin, the terrorists, all the wars, you want to discuss Israel becoming a state in 1948 when it should not have? Who are the terrorists? You want to talk about the definition of terrorism? How do you define acts of piracy?" More proof NYC is head straight down the old crapper

Posted by: Nevergiveup at June 11, 2012 09:49 AM (05RcU)

I actually had a closeted hope that the Dems would tackle Social Security or Medicare in 2008-2010.

Let's face it, the American people don't trust the Republicans when it comes to those two entitlements.

The only party that could muster the public support for altering those entitlements are the Democrats.

I think that time has passed. Let's say Romney wins and we take the senate, what Democrat will cross the aisle to turn SS into private account plan?

And I don't even know what can be done with medicare. Not really sure how you pay for old people's medical bills. Especially when you have a stunted generation like we do now.

Posted by: Ben at June 11, 2012 09:49 AM (wuv1c)

29 Nothing to worry about citizens. The system will work great, until it doesn't.

Posted by: Truck Monkey at June 11, 2012 09:51 AM (jucos)

30 GM is a great example

Had they allowed it to go bankrupt, the Chevy, GMC, and Cadillac divisions would have brought bidders who would kick out the deadwood and make better cars.

British Leyland was allowed to go tits up and the desirable divisions like Jaguar and Land Rover still make cars to this day in the UK

Posted by: kbdabear at June 11, 2012 09:51 AM (Y+DPZ)

31 "This whole Kick The Can Down The Road phenomenon is a world epidemic."

Been there, done that. Doesn't end well, either.

Posted by: The Missouri Compromise at June 11, 2012 09:52 AM (HjPtV)

32 Nothing to worry about citizens. The system will work great, until it doesn't. Posted by: Truck Monkey at June 11, 2012 01:51 PM (jucos) Yup

Posted by: Atlantis at June 11, 2012 09:52 AM (05RcU)

33 I'm just glad the military is fighting on the behalf of Barky. Shutter to think how important military service would be if they had to serve the entire country.

Posted by: Ammo Dump at June 11, 2012 09:52 AM (YYyqq)

34 Hey, anyone want to go out for ice cream?

Posted by: Joe Biden at June 11, 2012 09:53 AM (nvNNU)

35 Actually I think in the intermediate term, a Republican president could target typically Democratic constituencies and squeeze some extra juice out of the budget before having to deal with SS and Medicare. For example, a Republican Administration could gut Medicaid (10% of the budget) and Welfare/Food Stamps/ Random Safety Net Programs (12%) and finally gut non-defense discretionary spending (11%). The good thing is that by hitting welfare, foodstamps and Medicaid and so on, you are not actually offending any possible Republican voters. Let's face poor whites and blacks will vote Democrat so why not target them in the budget? The elderly might swing against you so you must tread lightly on SS and Medicare.

Posted by: Sean at June 11, 2012 09:54 AM (HDEPa)

36
One last thing. Two things, really.

Our Congress hasn't passed a budget in 3 years. This is outrageous and it's grounds for en masse expulsion of every member of Congress and the entire Obama administration.

Second thing is we're only 6+ months away from massive across-the-board tax hikes. This is a major reason why our economy sucks -- uncertainty. We have 535 jerkoffs in Congress who couldn't give a damn.

We are becoming just like Europe

Posted by: Soothsayer at June 11, 2012 09:54 AM (9Cixk)

37 Mittens will assume the presidency just in time for the US to crash into the wall at 160 miles per hour, and you know who's fault it will be don't you? Buckle up people.

Posted by: Truck Monkey at June 11, 2012 09:54 AM (jucos)

38 The revolution will not be...tweeted?

Posted by: Sgt. York at June 11, 2012 09:54 AM (pqW4Y)

39 At the current time it's impossible to fix the problem because the entitlement mentality is too ingrained

If a politician actually proposed a real solution, that politician would be voted out of office or recalled post haste and replaced by one who would keep the gravy train running

The strategy of almost all of them is to keep kicking the can down the road and hoping they don't run out of road while they're still alive

As Ace wrote the other day; "the future me doesn't have a vote"

Posted by: kbdabear at June 11, 2012 09:55 AM (Y+DPZ)

40 5th revolution......offing the baby boomers who are "stealing" their kids inheritance!!!!!! eleventy!!!!!!

Posted by: phoenixgirl at work at June 11, 2012 09:55 AM (4/NTV)

41 Off with their heads!

{knit one, perl two, knit two .....}

Posted by: Bitter Clinger and all that at June 11, 2012 09:55 AM (CP+yl)

The thrust of the article is, in my view, misdirected. The real problem is captured in this line - "Republicans have so far been unable to parlay their considerable electoral success into commensurate influence over cultural, journalistic, and educational institutions." This, above all else, is what is wrong with America. Cultural decay to the point of depravity. Economic problems are nothing but a symptom of this greater issue.

Further, the article is mired in outdated thinking when it comes to the federal deficit and debt. We don't live in a world where the federal government needs tax receipts to pay bills. The federal government doesn't have to borrow a dime, and borrowing is, in my view, a foolhardy book keeping exercise intended to push off until tomorrow the consequences of policy decisions made today via sterilization. They need to google "MMT" and learn a few things. When we have significant inflation outside of food and energy, which are being driven up by low supply and increasind demand, then I'll worry about deficits.

Regarding the excessive entitlements, etc. - I see no indication that they are truly unsustainable. We have huge, massive deficits, and even so we still have high unemployment and underutilized productive capacity. Keeping the underclass satiated with some bread and circuses has never been easier than it is today. Frankly, in many ways it's better to keep a certain portion of the unemployed on subsistence, if only to keep them out of the way. Many people are largely useless in the modern economy - they can't hack it - especially now that people are increasingly incapable of basic social interaction. Let the idiots and the indolent stay home.

Posted by: Reactionary at June 11, 2012 09:56 AM (xUM1Q)

43 At this point I'd prefer a Congress that kicks cans to one that passes laws.

Posted by: The Mega Independent at June 11, 2012 09:56 AM (k8T8J)

44 I'm just glad the military is fighting on the behalf of Barky. Shutter to think how important military service would be if they had to serve the entire country. Posted by: Ammo Dump at June 11, 2012 01:52 PM (YYyqq) We had 2 Re-Enlistment ceremonies yesterday ( well 3 if you count the little boy who raised his hand and repeated along with his mom) and it cause me a little gastric upset when the part about orders from the President came up.

Posted by: Atlantis at June 11, 2012 09:56 AM (05RcU)

45 Liberal economists have never acknowledged that rent seeking even exists, much less that it is rational behavior with significant macro- and microeconomic impact. Mancur Olson was giant in this field, but is rarely cited. As a former Econ major and econmics geek still, I thank you!

Posted by: rockmom at June 11, 2012 09:57 AM (aBlZ1)

46 Posted by: small town girl at June 11, 2012 01:45 PM (nvwMe)

The Bush administration made three "full court press" attempts to get the GSEs more closely regulated. The first attempt was in 2001 before 9/11. The final attempt was in 2005, before Democrats took over Congress when McCain introduced legislation and in a speech before the Senate gave a prophetic rundown of what was likely to happen. He couldn't get enough votes for cloture so the bill was never voted on.

There is a youtube video on the subject that is a clip of a Britt Hume segment (man I love Hume, best reporter on television) posted by a Canadian guy. Search for "Timeline shows Bush, McCain warning Dems of housing and financial crisis"

Bush saw this coming and tried to do something about it but Democrats in Congress blocked him at every turn. I think that is the source of his comment when he left office of "I failed".

Posted by: crosspatch at June 11, 2012 09:57 AM (ZbLJZ)

47 If 50 million babies had not been butchered since 1973 ...

Citation, please?

Not that I don't believe you, personally. It might just be that my brain is shorting out at the enormity of it.

Posted by: Meiczyslaw at June 11, 2012 09:58 AM (bjRNS)

48 >>>Can the American system of government, accustomed to punting every single problem until it threatens to unravel the union, deal with the crisis before it takes place?

The whole American system was designed to slow, limit, and otherwise impede the process of the federal government, in what the founders saw as only a ticking time bomb for totalitarianism. Knowing that some powers and flexibility were needed, yet limiting the rate at which the government could aggregate power beneath the federal tent. They believed all along, that the slower the federal government was at making serious changes, the longer freedom would last. Because they believed that down the line all those big changes would be toward, never away, from totalitarianism.

Posted by: MikeTheMoose Troll Hunter! at June 11, 2012 09:58 AM (0q2P7)

49 Second thing is we're only 6+ months away from massive across-the-board tax hikes. This is a major reason why our economy sucks -- uncertainty. We have 535 jerkoffs in Congress who couldn't give a damn. We are becoming just like Europe Posted by: Soothsayer at June 11, 2012 01:54 PM (9Cixk) ------------------------------------------------------- I still get my high six figure salary and full boat benefits and all for a "show up if you want to" job. Sweet sweet government job. The perks are FANTASTIC. I am so happy I could just tip over.

Posted by: Hank Johnson at June 11, 2012 09:59 AM (jucos)

50 i agree with crosspatch at #10

Posted by: willow at June 11, 2012 09:59 AM (TomZ9)

51 Rent-seeking professional sports franchises looking for tax payers to foot the bill for new billion dollar venues is another thing that chaps my ass.

Posted by: dananjcon at June 11, 2012 09:59 AM (eavT+)

52 >>>If 50 million babies had not been butchered since 1973 ...

Citation, please?

Not that I don't believe you, personally. It might just be that my brain is shorting out at the enormity of it.

Wow looked it up on wiki.

Number of abortions in United States

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), since 1973, roughly 50 million legal induced abortions have been performed in the United States.

Posted by: MikeTheMoose Troll Hunter! at June 11, 2012 09:59 AM (0q2P7)

53 <<If 50 million babies had not been butchered since 1973, our entitlements would have adequate funding. So the baby boomers wanted the right to murder their babies which they got but NOW they want the phantom generation they murdered to pay for their retirement. Fuck You, boomers.>>

Or we'd have 50 million additional people on welfare.

But of course, you didn't think of that because you Rethuglicans are always spewing your bullshit optimism.

But in the spirit of bi-partisanship, I will agree with your last sentence.

Posted by: Lefty Troll at June 11, 2012 10:00 AM (pqW4Y)

54
btw, is the GSA part of the private sector?

Because they sure are "doing fine." Right, President Informercial?

Posted by: Soothsayer at June 11, 2012 10:00 AM (9Cixk)

55 Posted by: MikeTheMoose Troll Hunter! at June 11, 2012 01:58 PM (0q2P7)

Then maybe what's needed is massive decentralization. Devolve as much of the welfare state as possible to the state level and let them decide what, if anything, they choose to support.

Posted by: joncelli, heartless Con and all around unpleasant guy at June 11, 2012 10:00 AM (RD7QR)

56 Citation, please?

Replying to myself ... it looks like the CDC's number is in the neighborhood of 32 million.

Right general order of magnitude, and still insane.

Posted by: Meiczyslaw at June 11, 2012 10:00 AM (bjRNS)

57 When you attempt to overhaul a huge important segment of the American Economy or a crucially important thing like health care with out a real crisis or a good idea what you are doing, you usually end up with a clusterfuck like obamacare

Posted by: Nevergiveup at June 11, 2012 10:00 AM (05RcU)

58 The good thing is that by hitting welfare, foodstamps and Medicaid and so on, you are not actually offending any possible Republican voters. Let's face poor whites and blacks will vote Democrat so why not target them in the budget? The elderly might swing against you so you must tread lightly on SS and Medicare.

Posted by: Sean at June 11, 2012 01:54 PM (HDEPa)

You might want to rethink that Sean. Many many Republicans have lost their jobs and had to resort to food stamps to eke out and existence for their family.

How's about we cut the epa, eliminate the dept of ed, commerce, energy and a bunch of other bureaus whose raisson d'etre is to slow down and burden the creation of jobs and the lowering of prices?

Oh and cut the nea and npr. let them eat cake.

Posted by: Bitter Clinger and all that at June 11, 2012 10:01 AM (CP+yl)

59 47
http://prolifeaction.org
Not exactly a neutral source but it is not really a controversial figure. Roughly 3322 per day.

Posted by: Sean at June 11, 2012 10:01 AM (HDEPa)

Kicking the can down the road may be the smart political play in the present, but damn if it doesn't eventually end up with blood in the streets.

Slavery (ACW), Euro monarchies (WWI), National Socialism (WWII), OBL (9/11) - you can make the case that all of these things could have been nipped in the bud with a brave display of real leadership. But that doesn't appear to be the way humans - especially politician - are wired.

Yeah, I know most pols aren't actual humans. Humor me.

Posted by: Jaws at June 11, 2012 10:01 AM (4I3Uo)

61 "Our Congress hasn't passed a budget in 3 years."

Not exactly true.

The 2011 federal budget was passed on April 15, 2011.

"The budget did not pass by the September 30 deadline, and the government was funded by a series of seven continuing resolutions continuing funding at or near 2010 levels. The budget negotiations culminated in early April 2011, with a tense legislative standoff leading to speculation that the nation would face its first government shutdown since 1995. However, a deal containing $38.5 billion in cuts from 2010 funding levels was reached with just hours remaining before the deadline. The 2011 budget was enacted on April 15, 2011, as Public Law 112-10, the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011.

Posted by: crosspatch at June 11, 2012 10:01 AM (ZbLJZ)

62 I was imagining some grand sort of Punctuated Equilibrium analogy was in play here, but then I realized that government is merely a Dantesque punishment akin to a Sea that barely covers the gaping maws of bobbing-cum-drowning demons. As the bodies pile up underfoot so that, stepping on islands of corpses, a mass emergence of screaming heads can break the surface, our munificent Federal overlords find ways to break the dam and disgorge more water, once again able to enjoy the demons' silence. I don't know exactly what that means, but it seems to fit and it scares me.

Posted by: ArmChair in sin at June 11, 2012 10:02 AM (Mtc2y)

63 Rent-seeking professional sports franchises looking for tax payers to foot the bill for new billion dollar venues is another thing that chaps my ass.

I could get my ass kicked for expressing what I think of the Red Sox. One of the few intelligent things the Boston City Council ever did was to turn them down.

Posted by: fluffy at June 11, 2012 10:02 AM (z9HTb)

64 <<5th revolution......offing the baby boomers who are "stealing" their kids inheritance!>>

And then the 6th revolution, making everyone wear plaid!

With argyle socks! Those need to make a comeback!

Posted by: Sgt. York at June 11, 2012 10:02 AM (pqW4Y)

65 No one on either side wants to use the hyphenated 'b' word (including myself). What's the solution to this? I see none. We're going to continue to be reactive rather than proactive.

Posted by: laceyunderalls at June 11, 2012 10:03 AM (pLTLS)

66 We had 2 Re-Enlistment ceremonies yesterday ( well 3 if you count the little boy who raised his hand and repeated along with his mom) and it cause me a little gastric upset when the part about orders from the President came up.

Posted by: Atlantis at June 11, 2012 01:56 PM (05RcU)

When I was a unit commander the most enjoyable parts of the job were promotion ceremonies and re-enlistment ceremonies. When you memorize the oath and don't have to read from a card the families are most appreciative. Believe it adds a bit to the ceremony. Learned that from an old colonel who had been a fighter pilot when I was his exec. Good times.

Posted by: Ammo Dump at June 11, 2012 10:04 AM (YYyqq)

67 <<5th revolution......offing the baby boomers who are "stealing" their kids inheritance!

And then the 6th revolution...>>

Revolution #7. Force feeding George Lucas all original copies of the prequels!

And Crystal Skull!

Posted by: Sgt. York at June 11, 2012 10:04 AM (pqW4Y)

68 Its gonna take boats loads of federal money.

Posted by: Elena Kagan at June 11, 2012 10:05 AM (eavT+)

69 It is difficult to take many of the govt officials seriously when they actually had at their disposal The Tea Party, if they really had any sincere wish to save the country economically they would have said , "they are right, our country is sliding over the cliff economically" instead those that saw the crisis and the future harm fiscally to generations following, (tea party). They decided instead to hide obsfucate and Lie , oh and call the tea party names.

Posted by: willow at June 11, 2012 10:05 AM (TomZ9)

70 If 50 million babies had not been butchered since 1973, our entitlements would have adequate funding.

As a practical matter, the majority of those would have grown up to be Democrats.

An overwhelming Dem super majority for decades would make Obama's spending look like a the budget for a lemon-aid stand.

Posted by: Purp (@PurpAv) at June 11, 2012 10:06 AM (nvNNU)

71 hypenated b word?

how's about a hint lacey?

Posted by: Bitter Clinger and all that at June 11, 2012 10:06 AM (CP+yl)

72 but then I realized that government is merely a Dantesque punishment akin to a Sea that barely covers the gaping maws of bobbing-cum-drowning demons. Posted by: ArmChair

That's some twisted stuff right there.

Posted by: weft cut-loop [/i] [/b] at June 11, 2012 10:06 AM (famk3)

73 If 50 million babies had not been butchered since 1973, our entitlements would have adequate funding.

yeah but think of all the crime.

Posted by: Bitter Clinger and all that at June 11, 2012 10:07 AM (CP+yl)

74
Twisted.... yes. Still took some talent.

Posted by: fixerupper at June 11, 2012 10:07 AM (C8hzL)

75 Someone needs to start "The Rent Seeking is Too Dam High Party"

Posted by: Buzzsaw at June 11, 2012 10:08 AM (tf9Ne)

76 Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011.

Posted by: crosspatch at June 11, 2012 02:01 PM (ZbLJZ)

Right. "Continuing Appropriations", which means they keep repeating the 2009 budget. Didn't that budget include the supposed one-time Stimulus and Omnibus? Are they "continuing" to "appropriate" those each year?

Posted by: The Mega Independent at June 11, 2012 10:09 AM (k8T8J)

77 And then the 6th revolution, making everyone wear plaid! With argyle socks! Those need to make a comeback! Posted by: Sgt. York at June 11, 2012 02:02 PM (pqW4Y) This is the second time there has been occasion to link this recently: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mk7VWcuVOf0

Posted by: Underground Vulgarian at June 11, 2012 10:09 AM (oipCQ)

78 58 How's about we cut the epa, eliminate the dept of ed, commerce, energy and a bunch of other bureaus whose raisson d'etre is to slow down and burden the creation of jobs and the lowering of prices?
Oh and cut the nea and npr. let them eat cake.

NEA and NPR are tiny federal expenditures. You're going to have to pick something large in federal spending and start hacking. I'd rather some pissed off poor people than the pissed off elderly. I would rather piss off the poor and force them off of government welfare with the hope that they will eventually be self sufficient as opposed to messing excessively with Social Security and guaranteeing an electoral bloodbath. It is statistically accurate that the poor on public welfare go overwhelmingly Democratic even if there are some Republicans.

Posted by: Sean at June 11, 2012 10:10 AM (HDEPa)

79 The worldwide problem is the idea that more laws/government fixes things. We were supposed to be the example the world would want to follow. We have abandoned the federal limits of our constitution and have even spread our entitlements to those outside of America. We prospered when there was true private property, free enterprise, and ideals like hard work were honored and accepting gov handouts was shunned. When that culture was flipped upside down, we recieved the opposite in result. Not rocket science, then again critical thinking and logic isnt promoted much these days either.

Posted by: Infidelswine at June 11, 2012 10:10 AM (Xe/ar)

80 No one on either side wants to use the hyphenated 'b' word

B*tch-face?

Posted by: The Mega Independent at June 11, 2012 10:14 AM (k8T8J)

81 When I was a unit commander the most enjoyable parts of the job were promotion ceremonies and re-enlistment ceremonies. When you memorize the oath and don't have to read from a card the families are most appreciative. Believe it adds a bit to the ceremony. Learned that from an old colonel who had been a fighter pilot when I was his exec. Good times.

I loved promoting soldiers, especially when you had a squared away SPC who was being promoted to SGT.

Posted by: Alex at June 11, 2012 10:14 AM (aNu4E)

Um. We have the world's reserve currency, wingnuts. We can print at ludicrous speed for years, and the barbarians will still trade us oil for paper.

America might be doomed because it prefers politicians to statesmen, but there is still lots of wealth to be gleaned from the moronic proles.

You can't save them from themselves, so profit from their sub-human lameness. Serfs will be serfs. You gave them to right to vote. Suck it up and reap what you sowed.

Posted by: Chowderhead at June 11, 2012 10:15 AM (AQ6wq)

83 We have the world's reserve currency . . . For now.

Posted by: China at June 11, 2012 10:17 AM (Xe/ar)

84 The essay makes a great companion piece to Steyn's After America. They support each other.

Posted by: Comrade Arthur at June 11, 2012 10:19 AM (44/AS)

85 62- "... government is merely a Dantesque punishment akin to a Sea that barely covers the gaping maws of bobbing-cum-drowning demons. As the bodies pile up underfoot so that, stepping on islands of corpses, a mass emergence of screaming heads can break the surface, our munificent Federal overlords find ways to break the dam and disgorge more water, once again able to enjoy the demons' silence." Ah, what more can be said?

Posted by: Margarita DeVille at June 11, 2012 10:25 AM (C8mVl)

86 More proof NYC is head straight down the old crapper

He's going to represent Bed-Stuy Brooklyn.

It's about on par with that crook Charlie Rangel representing Harlem.

Posted by: Brandon In Baton Rouge at June 11, 2012 10:27 AM (e0xKF)

87 I have a lot of faith in our future.

From FDR until now, the leftists have been winning. They have completely dominated government machinery, even to the point of inventing the perverse idea of a "public union". They own all education.

And in spite of that, the public keeps voting for Republican presidents, and continues to value liberty. "Socialist" is still considered an insult.

Despite a sustained and total cultural onslaught lasting several generations, the people still tilt right. Liberty is in our culture, and it's hard to kill.

Yeah, the public is dumb and uninformed. But when we finally hit the wall, the masses won't follow the example of Europe. America is still exceptional. Bet on it.

Posted by: sandy burger at June 11, 2012 10:29 AM (k0pNf)

88 For now.

Posted by: China at June 11, 2012 02:17 PM (Xe/ar)

-------------------

Heh heh. A lot of things can happen, but the reserve currency will not be issued by China in any of our lifetimes. I'd bet all my goods and my life on it. These guys built empty CITIES all over the place. Talk about the ultimate bubble. They have hundreds of tons of iron ore sitting on the docks and in ships, unclaimed. They're an export economy with customers that are cutting back, ruled by a government that is half communist, half kleptocracy, and the nation is increasingly peopled by spoiled-brat only-children. The low wage work they excel at is already moving to even cheaper countries.

They're going to implode.

Posted by: Reactionary at June 11, 2012 10:31 AM (xUM1Q)

89 One of the fundamental premises, and resultant problems, with the article is his argument that we have "1.5 parties", instead of two. While this may have been the case in the past, I don't think that is so today. We have a Far Left party in the Democrats, and a mildly Left party in the Republicans. Unless and until we can get the Rs to fall out of love with big government and all of the crony crap that goes with it, then we don't have a chance. Either the Tea Party is going to have to finish what they started, and take over the Republican Party from within, and destroy the deeply rooted crony-capitalistic tendencies, or it is going to have to go Third Party. If neither happens, then the Fourth Revolution will either not happen, or it will be blood in the streets. Either way, it is going to be painful. Hopefully, our cold civil war doesn't go hot in the meantime.

Posted by: NukemHill at June 11, 2012 10:33 AM (7WLzC)

90 bi-partisanship

Posted by: laceyunderalls at June 11, 2012 10:33 AM (pLTLS)

91 Either the Tea Party is going to have to finish what they started, and take over the Republican Party from within, and destroy the deeply rooted crony-capitalistic tendencies, or it is going to have to go Third Party. If neither happens, then the Fourth Revolution will either not happen, or it will be blood in the streets.

I think there will be a lot of rooting-out in the leadership over the next 4-6 years.

A lot of the McConnell flunkies, like Bob Bennett for example, have been voted out or chose to retire rather than face a primary challenge.

McConnell himself may not get primaried, but each member of the old guard like Luger who leaves is one less vote he'll get in the next leadership vote.

Posted by: Brandon In Baton Rouge at June 11, 2012 10:36 AM (e0xKF)

If Romney orders a drone strike on Karl Rove, you can hope.

Otherwise you know the fix is in. Get yours and get out.

Posted by: Chowderhead at June 11, 2012 10:44 AM (AQ6wq)

93 91

I agree whole-heartedly. A non-crony capitalist majority Republican Party is the only thing that can fix the mess we are in.

Posted by: HoboJerky at June 11, 2012 10:56 AM (xAtAj)

94 I loved promoting soldiers, especially when you had a squared away SPC who was being promoted to SGT.

Posted by: Alex at June 11, 2012 02:14 PM (aNu4E)

That is a huge step, or was. Probably the biggest promotion aside from getting your first stripe. Not so sure now with all the reductions taking place. The problem is there are fewer slots for higher ranks and from the looks of things soldiers wanting to stay in the Army might be trying to avoid promotion in order to keep their job and the Army looks like it is trying to discourage reenlistment, too.

Times have changed.

Posted by: crosspatch at June 11, 2012 10:57 AM (ZbLJZ)

95 The United Nations is increasingly concerned at the spread in Europe of "baby boxes" where infants can be secretly abandoned by parents, warning that the practice "contravenes the right of the child to be known and cared for by his or her parents", the Guardian has learned.

The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, which reports on how well governments respect and protect children's human rights, is alarmed at the prevalence of the hatches Â– usually outside a hospital Â– which allow unwanted newborns to be left in boxes with an alarm or bell to summon a carer.

The committee, a group of 18 international human rights experts based in Geneva, says that while "foundling wheels" and baby hatches had disappeared from Europe in the last century, almost 200 have been installed across the continent in the past decade in nations as diverse as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Czech Republic and Latvia. Since 2000, more than 400 children have been abandoned in the hatches, with faith groups and right-wing politicians spearheading the revival in the controversial practice.

Posted by: Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta at June 11, 2012 10:59 AM (e8kgV)

96 Reactionary I agree china is teetering and their model is corrupt and crappy as communism always is, but they have been building up one hell of a gold stash lately. Also other countries wouldnt mind dropping us as reserve either. All that really needs to happen is a loss n confidence on the u.s. note and well, look at our balance sheets and what have we done seriously to change that in any meaningful way? I hope we dont lose that status, but wont b one bit surprised if we do.

Posted by: China at June 11, 2012 11:04 AM (Xe/ar)

97 The crisis will come right after Romney is elected. The Fed will raise interest rates, thereby making interest on our debt exorbitant. Mitt will be the best person to deal with this, but the steps he will have to take will be unpopular, although necessary and right. This will lead to out cries from the dem party, smoothing the way for Hillary in 2016. I hope I am wrong.

Posted by: Chilling the most at June 11, 2012 11:04 AM (6IV8T)

98 A Seldon Crisis cometh...

Posted by: Hari Seldon, Psychohistorian at June 11, 2012 11:08 AM (C0Mkm)

99 Mother teresa Declining morals/rise in marxism + widespread economic woes= more of this sort of thing.

Posted by: Infidelswine at June 11, 2012 11:12 AM (Xe/ar)

100 >> I hope I am wrong.

I'm worried you might be over-optimistic.

The best-case scenario, as I see it, is that President Romney does what needs doing, and as a result he's a one-term president.

But a more likely scenario is that he merely does a better job than President Obama, so the economy improves along with his reelection chances, but he doesn't do anything drastic to address our long-term problems. Kick the can on down the road...

Posted by: sandy burger at June 11, 2012 11:14 AM (k0pNf)

101 "The crisis will come right after Romney is elected. The Fed will raise interest rates, thereby making interest on our debt exorbitant."

They won't need to do that. Obama has already set a fiscal IED for us on January 1 when capital gains and dividend taxes are set to double. That will clamp the brakes down hard on the economy. They are gambling that we won't win the Senate and they will be able to block any attempt to reverse that change and Romney will get the blame for the financial meltdown that will result.

Posted by: crosspatch at June 11, 2012 11:14 AM (ZbLJZ)

102 The problem with revolutions is that you only get George Washington about 1% of the time...

(For the rest, you end up with Stalin, Lenin, Mao, or somesuch)

Posted by: Jab at June 11, 2012 01:59 PM (tO352)

103 Obama is a stuttering clusterf*ck of a miserable failure.

Posted by: steevy at June 11, 2012 02:57 PM (Xb3hu)

104 98 A Seldon Crisis cometh... Posted by: Hari Seldon, Psychohistorian at June 11, 2012 03:08 PM (C0Mkm) Bring it!

Posted by: The Mule at June 11, 2012 03:33 PM (XvHmy)

105 Revolution? It is October already?

Posted by: V. I. Lenin at June 11, 2012 03:33 PM (XvHmy)

106