(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . "The 'Debt Ceiling' Concept is Like Eating at a Restaurant -- then Haggling over the Check." [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.', 'Backgroundurl Avatar_Large', 'Nickname', 'Joined', 'Created_At', 'Story Count', 'N_Stories', 'Comment Count', 'N_Comments', 'Popular Tags'] Date: 2023-05-17 You ordered it, you pay for it. The title of this story is a (slightly edited) quote from this Atlantic piece from 2011 by Josh Green. It is a simile of his own making which describes, with pretty good accuracy as far as similes go, the essence of the “debt ceiling” idiocy. The article itself describes the successful efforts, 44 years ago, of then-Representative Dick Gephardt in his early years of House service, of making that idiocy go away for 16 years. What he did was suggest to House leadership that they institute a House Rule that says that when the House passes its budget, the debt ceiling automatically expands to accommodate it, year after year. What a thought, Mr. Former Speaker of the House! You mean that when Congress creates laws, agencies, programs, public work orders, benefit systems, etc, with all their attendant costs — and approves the funding of wars, disaster relief, and other contingencies — they must allow for the government’s payment of such costs automatically after the bill is passed and signed and when those obligations come due? Well, what a concept! When a bill is passed that carries a price tag, it then becomes a payable debit on the nation’s books, offset only when that debit is satisfied by payment, either from the Treasury Fund or, if the Fund is inadequate, from instruments of obligation bridging the difference, like bonds, etc??? And we shouldn’t be able to cancel that debit just by virtue of complaining that we don’t like it???? Who would have thought of that??? Well, as that Atlantic article points out, every country in the world has thought of that, along with Rep Gephardt and those House members who for that brief period of 16 years ran their legislative affairs in that logical fashion, until the Gingrich House-wreckers took the stage. Oh, and as Josh Green points out, everyone who’s gone to a restaurant, or bought an appliance, or managed a personal credit card account or run a household or a business has thought of that... ...except, of course for the deadbeats among us...like Donald Trump who, as a matter or course, stiffs his contractors and suppliers. Hmm. I guess the “debt ceiling” makes sense when you look at it from a fucking deadbeat’s perspective. ____________________________________ Speaking of hair-pulling concepts, Joe Biden came out today with this ludicrous statement: “To be clear,” he said, “this negotiation is about the outlines of what the budget will look like, not whether or not we'll in fact pay our debts.” {Slaps knee quite painfully while laughing maniacally} That’s a good one, Joe! So you’re letting them gut programs and projects and benefit packages, many of which you, only last Session, pushed through Congress and signed into law because...because why, Joe? What is the reason you’re negotiating the payment of US obligations attached to programs that have already been approved and implemented following the rules of our democracy? Just because the wingnut, deadbeat, Republican (or centrist Democrat) customer decided the double bacon cheeseburger he ordered and ate isn’t what he wanted after all??? If that’s the case then, let’s just dispense with the charade of democracy and let the deadbeats fleece us with our hands tied behind our backs. [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/5/17/2169932/--The-Debt-Ceiling-Concept-is-Like-Eating-at-a-Restaurant-then-Haggling-over-the-Check Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/