- Defining Compromise

The question of the debt ceiling is really about another question. Do the Republican politicians have more in common with Democrat politicians or Republican voters? If the latter then there will be no deal, and the government shutdown that comes from it will represent real reductions in spending instead of somewhat smaller baseline increases like they’re talking about in the various deals.

But I suspect that Republican pols actually have more in common with Democrat pols, and that they’ll knuckle under and make a deal. In the end, all politicians like government spending. That’s how they buy votes. That’s what ‘other people’s money’ is for as far as they’re concerned. And I believe that when the pressure is really turned on, they’ll let down the people who elected them.

That’s tragic, but I do think it’s the lesson most supported by history. I see no real reason to hope for anything else. Attrition will wear at any group and in the case of congress, attrition always supports the liberal view, which is by it's nature easier for them. By the time the Republican leadership gets done promising extra deals and special treatment, enough of the previously committed 2010 freshmen will break off and support more can kicking.

That means that instead of real cuts in spending, there will be accounting tricks, deceptions and a few outright lies. The profoundly insulting Ried proposal will probably be the base they’ll work from. The Democrats wanted to salt the Republican ice cream with both bull$hit and arsenic, but have now compromised, and agreed to give up the arsenic. And that’s got the press saying that the Republicans can now declare victory and feed us their mix of chocolate ice cream, and BS. Same as always.

The deal won’t be in time for August 2nd. And what that will teach us is that the administration was lying about the importance of the date. They won’t admit that. Instead they’ll invent some new and unique financial genius; some last minute inspiration that ‘saves’ us all. And the press will be willing accomplices in that falsehood. We’ll all get to hear the hollow metal clatter of team Obama’s kicking our collective finances down the road, and spending another $7,000 per person on windmills, “no work” union jobs, and other uselessness.

I was hopeful. Now I’m back to disgusted.

Reality will still be out there waiting for us. Only now, when we are finally forced to accept it, our children will have another 1.5 Trillion or so in debt on their plates. And because that’s so, the odds that we will resolve this without bloodshed will be markedly decreased. I don’t think many people realize it yet because it’s still so far off. But that’s where this road we’re kicking the can down leads. If we can’t settle this politically then that’s the only other means left. That’s the alternative to a political solution. And a Democrat win (or even a compromise with the Democrat position) is not a ‘solution’ to this problem, it’s making the problem worse.

As for me, when the Republicans finally give in on this issue, I’ll be looking for a third party to support. I know that means time spent in the political wilderness, but I don’t think that will matter. The third party will only be organizing for the purpose of picking up the pieces after the liberal vision collapses under its own weight. If it’s unopposed in any meaningful way, it won’t have more than 5 or 6 years left anyway. After they make a deal with the Democrats, the Republican opposition can be seen as accomplishing nothing except prolonging the inevitable.

Take that away and Nancy Pelosi and her ilk will accelerate us all off the cliff much more rapidly. So at this point it might be better to plan for picking up what's left than trying to stop her. that's the kind of thinking I believe should spring from a Republican 'compromise'.