TH*NK*NG (PAIN)

by Fred Cederholm

I’ve been thinking about pain. Actually, I’ve been thinking about the “so-called” government shutdown, political sadism, foreign aid, 17%, the national parks, the EPA, the Obama war machine, the debt, and interest.

Well we are now into the beginning of the second week of the Federal “shutdown.” The stock and bond markets are jittery, but neither has crashed. In our Nation’s Capital, the politicians are running off at the mouth (more so than usual) to get the American public stirred up. Thus far, it has only been a big yawn. The nightly talk shows are beginning with a daily litany of jokes, Judge Judy is still ruling from the bench, and gas prices are dropping. No real crisis thus far… now is there?

You see this shutdown is all about making the other political party look bad. This is actually impossible because neither of the two major parties could look any worse to the eyes of the American public than they already do. Obama’s disapproval rating hovers at about 60% and Congressional disapproval is about 95% — for both of the political parties! Fingers are being pointed and caustic words are being thrown back and forth. They need to inflict pain on the public to get them in an uproar. Our elected officials seem to be aspiring to the status of a Marquis De Sade — beat me, hit me, kick me more, more I am still not satisfied… The public has enough to worry about with Obama Care looming, making their payments when due, finding gainful work, and feeding their families.

The news media is doing their best to keep the toxic brew boiling, but it is hard to get John Q. Publics pants in a bunch when the real numbers and factoids keep leaking out on the internet and in the foreign press.

Federal government is still functioning at 83%. Based upon a projected budget of $3.6 TRILLION for the coming year, the government is on track to spend all but 17% of that. Much of our foreign aid flows out in the first days of each new fiscal year. You want to bet that Israel has already gotten a big chunk of the $3.6 BILLION promised them? Why do you TH*NK “Benny Netandyahoo” was in DC a couple of days after Obama made the call to Iran to discuss nuclear bombs and events in Syria?

We hear how 800,000 of Uncle $ugar’s foot soldiers are on “unpaid” leave… meaning they will collect the back pay when the government reopens for business. But… we are told how only “nonessential” personnel have been temporarily laid off. Are they saying that over three quarters of a million workers in the employ of Uncle $ugar are not needed? Wait a minute, what private company could exist with that much fluff in their payroll? I would beg to differ on that… The National Parks are being shut down, or closed off. Tourists are not allowed to pull off the road and enjoy a view of Mount Rushmore from 3 miles away. The Environmental Protection Agency only kept 16% of their employees on payroll. Does that mean that protecting the environment and the public is 84% ineffective and inefficient? What about the Food and Drug administration and all their processed food inspectors? I couldn’t find any stats on that agency during the furlough. Is the public being put at risk by this shutdown, or not… We learned over the weekend that the Obama “Wehrmacht” is alive and functioning having staged a soirée in Somalia, and one in Libya. Secretary of State Kerry (and his entourage) is now in Southeast Asia. Yet, the WWII Memorial, and the Vietnam Memorial Wall are closed to the public. Hey, both are open-air/ walk-by exhibits. How much could be saved? Meanwhile the Defense Department ran BILLIONs in payments thru the system before this “shutdown?”

I don’t see any “non-manufactured crisis” happening before the 17th of October. That is the day when the Government runs out of money and will “default” on the national debt. The loan covenants (terms and conditions) are only met if more debt is added to the total. Just what does that mean?

Well, Uncle $ugar has not actually paid any interest on the debt for almost 50 years! Not only has no principle been paid, but no interest has either. Each week when a certain amount of debt matures and comes due; it is rolled over, sold to another party, or sold to Uncle himself. In lay terms… it is added to Uncle’s tab directly, or indirectly. For almost a year and a half, the government has been printing the money for the additional $85 BILLION of debt each month to cover the deficit. No increase to the debt… no new rollovers… and we have default. Isn’t that simple? I’m Fred Cederholm and I’ve been thinking. You should be thinking, too.

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