Three Not-So-Easy Pieces

First, from Charles Hugh Smith, a situation report/overview from an engineer friend; money grafs:

***
...But what can the Democrats be thinking? It's not as if there's any cost control in the ObamaCare plan. They seem surprised that CBO keeps scoring the plan as expensive. Can't any of them do arithmetic? 45 million uninsured times $2000 a year (a very cheap insurance policy) is $90 billion a year, or about a trillion dollars in ten years. CBO is only scoring the first five years of the plan, since it phases in. Still, any back-of-the-envelope calculation would have told them the tab was going to be in that ballpark. And this is on top of the Medicare problem, Social Security, Cap and Trade, and the financial crisis. How does anyone think we can afford all of that?

In fact, the one thing that does seem to unite both parties is a complete disinterest in what the legislation will actually do. They just want to let the usual special interest groups fight it out, write a thousand pages of incomprehensible regulatory gibberish, and call it done. Just don't ask us to read it!

The same was true during the financial crisis [last year]. The whole attitude of Congress was "Keep this away from me! I don't understand any of it! You, Federal Reserve, here's a blank check. Just solve this problem and don't even tell us what you are doing."

Again, this isn't a matter of values or priorities. It's beyond incompetence. It's a complete disinterest in the results of their actions. I would call it panic, but that requires a certain alertness. This is some kind of psychosis.

So I look at the entire political system and I think how unreal it all is, and how tired. Republicans are running on intellectual fumes -- neocons and old warhorses like McCain; anti-gay, anti-immigrant, anti-trade sentiment and populist know-nothings like Palin. No awareness of where the country is right now, and no willingness to stick to any principles at all...
***

Next, from Shenandoah, a dark look into the future; key section:

***
...The sacrifices you will be asked to make will not be polite requests. Your sacrifice will be for your neighbors, your church, your community you will be told. Balance the truth and do what you must but survive. This is not the time, place or reason for lone wolves, or wild speculation in meetings or where others will attempt to steer you into their traps.

But get ready, for the clock is running out of seconds. And America is on borrowed time. Remember what you have learned and learn what you must remember. There are no second chances.

The time is upon us now to prepare to hold the line. It is short. It is succinct. It will happen with great shock and fury. And when you awaken from this nightmare, should you be one who does, every aspect of your life will have changed until the day you die.

Fear not for that day; fear for the day you are too weak to resist...
***

Finally, an superb explanation of the FedGov's spending frenzy, over time, using a metric all can understand:



Nothing good can come out of the forces battering the old Republic.

Prepare to stand.