Sunday, September 22, 2013

Budgets, debt ceilings and the need for a US shock

I have just been watching ABC America on the House of Representatives vote on the House budget bill.

Blowed if I know. I suspect that very few Australians (I don't) understand either the venom of the debate on Obamacare or a Governmental system that prevents you passing a national budget for two and half years. I know that this is a bit like welcoming the equivalent of an economic H bomb, but I kind of hope that the US Congress fails to avoid either a Government shut down or a lift in the debt ceiling. The US system is important globally on many levels, but I just don't think that it's working in political or policy terms.

From an outside viewpoint, the domestic agendas that so drive US politics occupy a bubble that has disconnected from events elsewhere or even from US core US concerns. Perhaps a cold shower will help. You really cannot have a functioning system that somehow relies on what appears to be three month rolling compromises. 

If, as I have begun to hope, both Republicans and Democrats dig in, if the US system starts to collapse, then perhaps the results might drive a lesson home to all sides on Capitol Hill. Really, I think that's the only way to restore sense to the US debate.          

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I share your hope that "the US Congress fails to avoid [...] a lift in the debt ceiling". That means they actually continue to pay their bills - right?

On 'Obamacare' it's confusing, but I found this US Department of Health and Human Services graphic quite useful:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bBlNFyLU7Ik/TFlY_PphIjI/AAAAAAAABAw/Nd0-uYlghOI/s1600/obamacare_chart_LG.jpg.jpg

What's not to like?

kvd

Jim Belshaw said...

Oh dear, kvd. That is complicated! I find the Wikipedia piece a little simpler.

Anonymous said...

Yes. I just really need that little magnifying glass to be a 'click to expound'.

kvd