Amerika

The United States, or at least our congress, finds itself in a bind.  We have an enormous debt, and we have to start doing something about it.  The general problem is quite easy to understand.  We spend more money than we have.

There are two hypothetical solutions to this problem.  One solution is to increase the amount of tax revenue.  The other solution is to cut wasteful spending.  Technically, these two solutions are not mutually exclusive.  However, the Republicans (thank God) are actually taking a stand and are opposing any measures to increase the tax burden of the population.

The Democrats have now reacted in the ever predictable way of crying foul and not really doing anything about it.  A temporary measure was reached, but it isn’t sufficient.  What appears to have flown over the head of every left-wing enthusiast in the country is that the Republicans have given the Democratic party incredible political leverage.

Here’s how it breaks down.  The congress has to manage to get a handle on our debt or the people will, to put it scientifically, go completely apeshit.  The Republicans have given the Democrats no option but to cut spending.  Therefore, the Democrats can essentially slash anything they want from the budget.

Here are a few examples from which to start:

• Drug Policy: The “War on Drugs” costs the United States over 70 billion dollars a year and the results are analogous to flushing the money down a toilet.  Demand a total overhaul of the policy.  Maybe set up drug clinics for junkies where the only price for admittance is their ability to procreate.

• Foreign Policy:  We have two major wars and troops scattered all over the globe.  End one of the major operations and bring home the troops who are placed needlessly so we can put them on the Mexican border.

• Tax Code: The tax code is convoluted and filled with loop holes for those “evil” rich people.  There has to be some type of tax code simplification supported by the left.  Whatever it is, get it passed and kill the bureaucracy surrounding the current system.

• No Child Left Behind: I thought this policy was supposed to be a complete failure on the part of the Bush administration.  Defund it and preferably the rest of the Department of Education, while you’re at it.

I hesitate to give any more ideas, lest they actually do something with them.  That isn’t a very likely option, though.  I predict they will cave and do nothing.  Maybe they’ll try to spin their failure as being the fault of the GOP for, you know, apparently discovering a value system.

This is of course not even to get into the questions regarding where exactly, if anywhere, the Democratic Party’s policy plans actually align with that of its constituency.  However, that is another question for another time.

Don’t shoot the messenger.  Whatever it takes to get this country’s act together.