How Is This Possible?

Posted on by

Like many of you I am completely baffled every time Congress members threaten to let our federal government shutdown. And by the way, there have been 21 shutdowns since 1976. And worse, some in Congress right now appear to have no real motivation to collaborate in order to avoid it. Why? Because their Cult leader is commanding them to stonewall not just the House Speaker, but also millions and millions of Americans who desperately depend on Social Security, Medicare, SNAP, and other federal benefits to survive and get by month-to-month! They will be left out in the cold with none of these retirement needs coming in. And I won’t even go into how our military, law-enforcement, federal courts, transportation hubs, NASA and NOAA, disaster responses, nationwide education, and a whole host of other programs and agencies too long to list here.

(AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib, File)

How is this possible? The United States is the ninth wealthiest nation in the world in adjusted GDP/capita (2022). The U.S. has the second most billionaires in the world behind first-place China (2023). And furthermore, the United States has the strongest economy in the world over China, Japan, Germany, and India, respectively (2023).

So how is it possible that our federal government does this too frequently and has actually shutdown 21-times and possibly a 22nd time this coming October 1st? How!? Is it because not enough of America’s wealthiest people and corporations pay their fair share of taxes? Why has this “shutdown rattling” (of swords) become chronic in America? For more details:

https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/video/the-federal-government-is-headed-for-a-shutdown-when-will-it-start/

Addendum 10/3/2023 — My friend Steve Ruis over at Uncommon Sense published a very good post on our government shutdown: A Distinctly American Problem? Really? I recommend checking it out. It’s well worth it.

The Professor’s Convatorium © 2023 by Professor Taboo is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 

43 thoughts on “How Is This Possible?”

  1. I depend on social security to survive and this childish crap being pulled by the children running the GOP is as aggravating as it is terrifying. What never ceases to amaze me is the number of people dependent on the same programs I am who continually vote for Republicans and eat the shit they feed them as facts. Truly remarkable.

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply ↓

  3. Chances are, if the past is any indication, they’ll either get it settled before the deadline … or it won’t last very long. Of course, with the current group of nincompoops, all bets are off.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓

    • I doubt that this one will follow the ‘norms’ of past shutdowns. In part because of Trump’s “demands” and the willingness of his congressional playmates to do his bidding, and in part because of other things, such as the divisiveness in Congress about continuing support for Ukraine.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply ↓

      • BOOM, Jill! That’s exactly one connection I had hoped people would make with “Putin’s Russia” and our two years of (hyper) inflation. And is it ANY coincidence that this inflation began at the end of February 2021? Connect the dots Republican voters! And what real estate tycoon has $$$ invested in Moscow and Russia proper? Need any hint?

        Liked by 2 people

        Reply ↓

        • And if I remember correctly Nan, this is the Oath of Office for members of Congress, INCLUDING the House Speaker:

          “I [name of person] do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.”

          AND “We The People” affirms that our government of the United States, including the House Speaker, ultimately exists to serve its citizens, NOT a handful of Congressional members and their ideologies! Article 1 Sec. 2 recognizes this power as House members are elected by those same “people,” not 5 Congress members, not 10 members, and ESPECIALLY not by corporate interests and/or their donations to said member of Congress! Duh!

          Liked by 3 people

          Reply ↓

  4. Pingback: How Is This Possible? | The Professor’s Convatorium | Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News

  5. Someone could have ended these opportunities for blackmail a long time ago, but they seem to think its a good thing somehow. There are so many things your Congress does — like not ratifying Roe vs Wade, like not ratifying universal voting rights — that it seems the two parties are working together to keep the American public on tenterhooks. Where is that great American ingenuity, where is that great American integrity, where is the power of the American people?

    No, PT, I just don’t understand any of this. Either get things done, or get out of office! This continuing saga of government shutdowns is a farce, and the rest of the world is wondering about the American-style DEMOCRACY! Out of respect for my American friends, I won’t say here what I really think of American politics, but in the past 30 plus years I have seen nothing to make me feel hope for you. Yet I do. I refuse to give up like so many Americans have!

    Liked by 5 people

    Reply ↓

    • Everything you’ve asked rawgod and everything you’ve correctly pointed out… is right. Your questions are completely justified. And I do appreciate your Canadian hope for us, I genuinely do. One of our big problems now in this country—other than perhaps our Gen Z’s—is “We the People” prior to Gen Z, have become terribly apathetic, indifferent, or just frustrated too much to protect and keep alive our democratic processes & principles, i.e. far FAR too many Americans don’t vote. And either 50% to 65% or more (depending on what state you reference) do not even vote at all during mid-terms or primaries. 🤦‍♂️😔

      “Those who give up freedom [or their vote]
      in order to gain security [or self-consumed convenience]
      will not have either one.”
      — Benjamin Franklin

      My inserts.

      Liked by 3 people

      Reply ↓

      • Funny you should play that song. After years of following horse racing, I bought a thoroughbred filly in 2003 and raced her at the “B” level in Alberta. We got 8 wins with her over the next 6 years, and even when she lost the races were thrilling to watch. After she retired herself (she ran dead last 6 straight races — we took that as a sign she didn’t want to race anymore) we gave her a number of years off before we started to breed her. We now have a little family of thoroughbreds, all fillies and two broodmares, but we are saying goodbye to horse racing. There are many reasons, but the worst thing for us is other owners treating their horses like machines, and not like animals. We cannot do that. Our horses are our children. Performance-enhancing drugs are everywhere. We refuse to use them. So we are turning to other sports where drugs are not used — as much. So not Goodbye Horses, but Goodbye Horse Racing. We refuse to cheat!

        Liked by 2 people

        Reply ↓

          • It’s nothing to do with being Canadian on this one, PT. This is about have inner ideals, and sticking to them. Anyone can do it if they want. I try to respect life in all its forms. If I won’t give bad drugs to myself, why would I give them to any living being?

            Liked by 3 people

            Reply ↓

  6. Pingback: How Is This Possible? | Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News

      • The corollary of which is just because you like the design doesn’t mean it is working 🙂

        I don’t like or dislike systems. My brain doesn’t function that way. I like or dislike flavours of food or textures of fabric, but a system that does not affect me personally, no. I observe whether or not it is functional, fit for purpose, causes the least harm and the most good. And it seems, from my observations, that the American system falls short in comparison to many other systems.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply ↓

        • If I were to indulge in excuses I would point to the difficulties in bringing a system to scale. We were on our third president before anyone knew how long it would take to walk across the country. As ours began at the dawn of a century do you think the dawn of yours a century later was a little easier?Have you guy decide what to name your entire archipelago?:) Some tools cannot be fixed but they can be made to work. We should look to democracies emerging at the dawn of this century to devine a more functional system.

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply ↓

          • “We should look to democracies emerging at the dawn of this century to devine a more functional system“. You may be right. If so we have a distinct advantage over the US, which has a constitution more or less set in stone. We on the other hand don’t have a codified constitution at all – simply a scattering of acts of Parliament glued together by long standing conventions and a smattering of goodwill. And in fact our system has been continuously evolving for a century and a half already, and likely to continue doing so. I’m not suggesting America should (or could) adopt something similar as I think it would be an abysmal failure given the nature of American society. My observation is simply that I see the existing system is contributing to the social woes America is facing rather than ameliorating the situation. Keep in mind it’s my observation, not advice.

            Modes of transport at the beginning of the 19th century weren’t hat much improved over that at the beginning of the 18th century, and I daresay the time it took to walk the length of the two main islands of NZ would not have been significantly different from walking across the US. Admittedly by sea, travelling between the extremities of NZ would have been significantly quicker than sailing between the east coast and west coast of America given the necessary detour via the Strait of Magellan, but that’s a matter of geography, not technology.

            As to naming the archipelago, what does it matter? In English it’s New Zealand and in Māori it’s Aotearoa. As NZ English continues to borrow more and more words from Te Reo Māori, I think in time Aotearoa will win out. But there’s no rush. I use both interchangeably as do most of my whānau. Besides, we have three official languages, and two national anthems, three recognised flags and each of the main islands and have two official names as do many geographical features and cities, so why not two names for the entire country/ archipelago?

            Liked by 1 person

            Reply ↓

            • My friend, I know what I see from where I stand. I come here so that hopefully I may catch a glimpse of how it is seen from somewhere else so that I might learn. I would hope that we agree that both of ours and the others as well have social issues.
              I brought up the naming debate (observation, not advice) as illustrative of political machinations. Is it not accusations of the Te Reo Māori being chauvinist as the hold up for the name change?

              Like

            • As I’ve already mentioned, I don’t see a need for a name change but simply an additional name. Some people just don’t like change, and will search for any excuse to justify their position. Until recently the main “reason” was because “New Zealand” follows “New York” in the Yellow Pages, and “NZ” follows “NY”. Apparently a lot of business was gained from this coincidence. It sort of made sense in the good old days when one did a linear search of a printed telephone directory, but no one searches that way today, so a different excuse has had to be invented. And there are many including one that claims the word “Aotearoa” is not even Māori!

              My observation is that the left prefer Aotearoa as a symbol of national identity, while the right prefer New Zealand as it is recognised internationally and has a marketing advantage over a relatively unknown name.

              And yes, Aotearoa does have many social issues, include a housing shortage crisis and unaffordable housing, a widening income gap between the “haves” and the “have nots”, inequitable health outcomes based on ethnicity, high youth suicide rates among many others. But I don’t view a possible name change as being a social issue at all.

              But we’re getting way off topic. Just as well its the Professor’s blog and not someone else’s 🙂

              Like

  8. I might have to look for a new bar. You pessimists are driving me to drink. Indulge me please. What is to stop Speaker McCarthy to gather 15 of his caucus and propose to the Democratic that they all accept the senate bill as written.
    He has the power to decide who gets to speak, Gatz is speechless without his permission. He gets to decide what comes to the floor for a vote and HE counts the votes. Some Republicans believe that the vote is what THEY say it is. Last I looked it’s 9/26 not 10/1. I was taught that you fight until the bell rings three times.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

    • 😄 Hah! I have been accused as a pessimist before, but I prefer the descriptor “Realist” with touches of optimism and pessimism when merited. 😉 Nevertheless, no matter what my descriptor for the day/night might be, I would certainly join you at the bar for some stimulating, realistically optimal pessimism drinking games!!! 🍻🥃

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

      • I’ll be at Kings Table, Wilmington pike, Kettering Ohio with the wife throwing sharp pointed objects with variable accuracy. I’ll happily ply you with drink and we can experiment with the effects of optimism/pessimism on performance. Bonus it’s trivia night. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply ↓

        • 😆 Goodness! It sounds like an impossible invitation to decline. Also sounds like I might should wear my flak-jacket and safety helmet. 😉

          Well, seeing that it would be a 19-hr, 54-min drive (1,272 miles!) thru treacherous parts of the former Confederacy, but also thru delightful urban areas I REALLY favor, e.g. Dallas, TX, Memphis, TN, Nashville, TN, Louisville, KY, and maybe Cincinnati, OH… I am quite sure I would find even MORE trouble in those stops as my gut tells me I would find with you in Kettering! And I could not DARE presume you’d pay for my bail in said treacherous territories. However, if you are willing to take a raincheck, then I could leave all my protective darting gear at home. 😉

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply ↓

          • Anytime but the venues change weekly. Don’t worry about armor as our league VP is currently on a tirade about randomly tossing darts about the bar.
            My dad liked that route but I always went the north trek to visit with my brother in Oklahoma. I have a sister in Dallas but have never been there as I always ended up in the panhandle with my little sister.

            Liked by 1 person

            Reply ↓

            • 😄 The Panhandle could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on the company you have. 😉

              Yo! Just make sure you turn LEFT/Eastward, not right/westward! Bring along your Sextant, that helps in barren west Texas. 😉

              Liked by 1 person

            • Pampa in the wintertime. I was a little bored I looking at a map I thought I’d go explore these Pueblos nearby. My sister says it’s 20 below windchill and those puebloes are 80 miles away in the middle of nowhere. I’m sure I was thinking ‘what are you talking about we already are in the middle of nowhere’.

              Liked by 1 person

Leave a reply to Barry Cancel reply