The car is heading for the cliff, and we're arguing about how to fix the engine

[Armstead]

These f'in "negotiations" over the nation's long-range future while the debit ceiling clock is ticking are -- to put it bluntly -- idiotic. (In my opinion, of course.)

Right now there is ONE THING we have to do immediately, and ONE THING ONLY. Raise the damn debt ceiling like we do every year.

That's something we have to do. Period. It is probably about the only thing that moderates, liberals, progressives, sane conservatives and Republicans, Wall St. and the corporate sector can all agree on.

If we don't we're all screwed, whatever class and economic bracket and whatever one's own vested ideology and self-interests.

If there were actual leadership in this country, THAT would be the only issue related to raising the debit ceiling. The Democrats (and sane Republicans) should not allow this to be an excuse to make hasty and ill-advised long-range commitments that we will all likely regret later.

We should simply say, "The debt ceiling has to be raised. There is no choice. We can haggle and argue about everything else separately. But this is not the time or place to force those issues under the gun. Anyone who does not vote to do that now will be responsible for the consequences."

[woo me with science]

1. It is by design.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1467681&mesg_id=1467681

[Armstead]

2. It's the "Shock Docturne" in acrtion...And its frustrating that we keep falling for it

[simonmagnus]

3. Resource-based economy is a better solution

Your analogy is spot on but raising the debt ceiling will merely just delay the inevitable. Eventually, we will reach the cliff since this is how the current economic system operates. Our economy operates and relies on debt and consumption. This creates a lot of waste, poverty, and environmental pollution since there is no regard for proper management of natural resources. The profit motive is king after all and everything in this world exists to be exploited and sold.

We are currently living in a sick society, made sicker by our current economic system. For anyone aware of these facts I encourage you to research the 'resource-based economy tzm'. It is a much saner and responsible model with proper resource management in mind.

[Armstead]

4. You may well be correct....But that too is a longer. -term big picture solution

If only we had the sense to think along those lines 20 or 30 years ago, we'd be in a better position now.

But we didn't and we aren't. So we're subject to all this crap.

[damntexdem]

5. The brakes are too hard to reach, too hot to handle, and just not as exciting as the engine.

And we're not the ones driving in any case.

[Armstead]

7. The brake pedal, however, is right there below the feet...Which would stop the car instantly

The brake pedal being getting the housekeeping matter of the debt ceiling out of the way to stop the car and make it possible then take a look at the engine.

[CakeGrrl]

6. They're arguing because the House of Representatives does not have enough of these:

"It is probably about the only thing that moderates, liberals, progressives, sane conservatives and Republicans, Wall St. and the corporate sector can all agree on."

Simple.

[Armstead]

8. That's absolutely true....But we shouldn't be empowering the bastids

The appropriate response is "What the hell you talking about you morons? You want to send the economy back into a tailspin to satisfy your purist notion of teabagger purity? Grow up and maybe we can talk. In the meantime stop being idiots, because if you pull the tripper and cause a collapse your butts will be thrown out of office faster than you can shake a stick at."