CONGRESS DOES IT AGAIN

This past month has been a perfect example of why we're in the deep fiscal trouble we are in.

Just as last year, Congress couldn't come up with a budget plan acceptable to both parties, so they put off paying the piper with another temporary "fix". What was that "fix"? $600 billion in tax hikes with only $15 billion in spending cuts. Looked at another way, $41.00 in tax hikes for every $1.00 in cuts. At LEAST $614 million in direct pork barrel spending added. $222 million for rum producers, 59 mil to subsidize algae growers, 78 mil for Nascar to build new tracks, 7 mil for electric motorcycle makers, and my favorite.... 248 mil subsidy for Hollywood to make movies here instead of overseas. Hmmm, let's see, last time I checked, the movie studios were making money hand over fist and alcohol sales were higher than ever. (Maybe due to people trying, at least temporarily, to forget the financial situation they're in?)

And that's not to mention the few billion in tax breaks for giant financial institutions.  That's right, the very ones that put us into the housing crises and these financial doldrums in the first place.

Demonstrating once again the single biggest problem with politics today. Putting greed and reelection ahead of the good of the country. Rewarding campaign donors with tax breaks. Fear of offending any voters with spending cuts. And what are they talking about doing when they return to actually start to solve the spending cut? "Entitlements", which in their minds is Social Security and Medicare. They never mention the "welfare" giveaways. I recently saw a report that the typical American family today is better off making 28k / year and taking advantage of all the government subsidies (food stamps, heating oil, etc. etc. etc.) than to make $60k per year and pay taxes, healthcare, and so on.) No sir, it's that huge Social Security liability they want to cut. The program that we've paid into all our lifetimes and that they stole the money out of to pay for other stuff for years and years. Not to mention granting disability to anyone who's managed to become so obese they can't even walk more than a couple of dozen yards. If you doubt me on this, I challenge you to sit in a Wal-mart, mall, or shopping center parking lot and observe those using the handicap spots.

Lord, when do we wise up? We just had an opportunity to clean out this den of iniquity and what did we do? Reelect 75 / 85 per cent of incumbents. When will the majority of us wise up? I predict it won't be until chaos slaps them right upside the head when the U.S. government goes bankrupt because no one, not even the Chinese, will buy our debt.

Dumb Farmer