govt shutdown
The lefties (usually my people) seem to think the Tea Party has made a big mistake and that it will cost them.
Looking over the list of what will actually get shut down, I don't think so.
You see, it's only the "non-essential" stuff that's getting shut down. And at this point, the people have zero interest in paying for anything "non-essential". For 5 years now, in their own budgets they've had to cut "non-essentials", so why shouldn't the government?
It's like the sequester -- everyone said "this will be so horrible" -- but I haven't heard one story of actual pain it caused, except to a gov't employee.
Is there a point where "essential" personel also stop working? If the Tea Party makes *that* happen they'll get into trouble, but I doubt they will. I think this is exactly what they want -- to point out that much of the gov't is "non-essential".
Also, on the debt ceiling, ... that will be interesting. Yes, it's a terrible plan to default on your debt because then the cost of credit tends to go up (and any rise in interest rates when you're $17T in debt would be murderous), but I can't help wondering if lenders really have anywhere better to put their money. As long as T-Bills are still the best option, even if they're not as good as they used to be, folks will use them. Still, it could be very, very, very, very bad.
Looking over the list of what will actually get shut down, I don't think so.
You see, it's only the "non-essential" stuff that's getting shut down. And at this point, the people have zero interest in paying for anything "non-essential". For 5 years now, in their own budgets they've had to cut "non-essentials", so why shouldn't the government?
It's like the sequester -- everyone said "this will be so horrible" -- but I haven't heard one story of actual pain it caused, except to a gov't employee.
Is there a point where "essential" personel also stop working? If the Tea Party makes *that* happen they'll get into trouble, but I doubt they will. I think this is exactly what they want -- to point out that much of the gov't is "non-essential".
Also, on the debt ceiling, ... that will be interesting. Yes, it's a terrible plan to default on your debt because then the cost of credit tends to go up (and any rise in interest rates when you're $17T in debt would be murderous), but I can't help wondering if lenders really have anywhere better to put their money. As long as T-Bills are still the best option, even if they're not as good as they used to be, folks will use them. Still, it could be very, very, very, very bad.