President seeks congressional approval

[Aminifu]

Originally Posted by fc*uk

I don't think there is a fool out there that wants to see the US default on her loans.

Where have you been the last few decades? There are a lot of fools, many in positions of power (in the US and world-wide), that would love to see that happen. Politicians of all stripes love playing games of brinkmanship. But the 'new' GOP has taken things to where nothing is excluded. Their games cost the US it's AAA credit rating last year. What will happen this time?

My previous post was all 'black humor' (satire). Are we so naive and comfortable that we believe the veneer of civilization, the industrial world currently practices, can survive anything? How much more will it take to change us from figuratively tearing at each others throats to literally doing so?

The US currently has the world's major economy and it's best military (excluding Israel's), so it gets to 'call the shots'. The US dollar is the basis of the World's currencies and it is worth what the US says it is worth, period. The faith in, and credit of, the US is nothing to be played with. The US 'sneezes' and the world 'catches a cold'. How much longer are our internal squabbles, that bring misery to so many others outside our borders, going to be tolerated? Do we really believe a World War III is not possible?

History says it is possible, even likely. All this has happened to former World Powers before. Unless our politicians stop playing with 'fire' internally (and regain the spirit of true compromise), it will happen again. The only difference this time is that weapons exist that can return us all to the Stone Age or worst (but that alone will not prevent it). Or maybe it's inescapable (human nature) and just a matter of time.

Maybe Great Britain is glad it no longer has to bear the responsibility of being 'top dog'. Maybe it is glad that the US used the opportunity of World War II to unseat it. But there are other nations that never had the 'role' and still aspire to it. Are the majority of Americans ready for that, do we really want someone else to run things for awhile?

And the irony is a World War is not even needed this time (but that won't prevent it either). If we, in the US, maintain our intractable positions over national entitlements, spending, and taxes; we will forfeit our current position of world leadership anyway. Will that really benefit the US (internally) at this point in time, when all industrial nations are so dependent on each other?