U.S. Fiscal Meltdown in Spitting Distance: Laurence Kotlikoff

[Guylee]

Think ... act ... it doesn't matter, its all too little too late.

Look folks, we're done, there is no solution to the coming financial problems (unless you have a time machine and can jump back to '63 and put LBJ in the back seat of that Lincoln at the last second ... among several hundred other adjustments across the 20th century).

I don't care if every member of congress were to magically turn into committed tea party members overnight or if we just appointed Dr. Thomas Sowell to king tomorrow things are just too far out of whack for anything other than a major correction to fix it.

Major correction will likely mean the end of capitalism in general (since we haven't really been using capitalism anyway ... we've lived under a growing system of quasi-fascism since WWI). It will mean the end of America as we know it, it will probably mean the end of liberty and the end of peace too. It may get bad enough that it will mean the end of life for billions.

We are good and truly fucked ... so if you don't mind I've given up enough nights sleep over this and I'm just going to worry about what caliber for deer hunting (even though I don't hunt), what color for a good CCW rig (I tend to prefer cordovan) and maybe what I'll have for dinner tonight (I'm thinking pasta).

There's nothing I (or anyone here) can do about the shit storm that's coming other than eat our CCW pieces.

Not gonna lie, that's the most sense anyone has made about the way the country is going in a long time.

[stevelkinevil]

Being a Libertarian (a dying or already dead bread). I must agree with Zundfolge, nothing to do but carry on and wait on the inevitable. Human societies never worry about the slow erosion of their personal liberties (always done in the name of safety for your own good) until its far to late to stem the tide. So in the meantime I will enjoy my sons, and my scotch and the few remaining quasi-freedoms I have left.

[Zundfolge]

Heh ... I don't know what depresses me more, my own position or the fact that nobody seems to disagree with me

[Byte Stryke]

Heh ... I don't know what depresses me more, my own position or the fact that nobody seems to disagree with me

Look, OK I Admit it. I Agree with you... stop rubbing it in!

chrissakes I will never live this down now.

[ronaldrwl]

Heh ... I don't know what depresses me more, my own position or the fact that nobody seems to disagree with me

We need to buy Zundfolge a beer. A Wookie sized beer!

[cebeu]

Daaayyyaammnnnnn…what’s with all the negativity you sad-sacks?

Let’s insert MORE real pessimism…this shit-fest we’ve devolved into [been an amazing ride watching it unfold over the past few decades] will not resolve until there’s blood flowing by the bucketful and body-counts reach the millions. The thought disgusts me but…well…what else is there to say or do? I’m not sittin’ around with a tin-foil Stetson but I’m not an idiot either. But...either we fight or we take it up the ass and bitch on the net, I’m laying money we continue the latter.

In all sincerity though, I’m not nearly as pessimistic as some of you are regarding our ability to overcome the fiscal Armageddon we’re facing [ß I’m being really fuckin’ kind in my description]. Long painful road and I have zero faith in the collective American population that “we can get there” but…I’ll fight the good fight anyway. Fr the record-- I consider this [Fiscal Policy and budgetary constraint/execution] the most significant barrier to American success and our future, period. All other ills, and we have many, pale in comparison to this issue IMO.

[Elhuero]

Daaayyyaammnnnnn…what’s with all the negativity you sad-sacks?

Let’s insert MORE real pessimism…this shit-fest we’ve devolved into [been an amazing ride watching it unfold over the past few decades] will not resolve until there’s blood flowing by the bucketful and body-counts reach the millions. The thought disgusts me but…well…what else is there to say or do? I’m not sittin’ around with a tin-foil Stetson but I’m not an idiot either. But...either we fight or we take it up the ass and bitch on the net, I’m laying money we continue the latter.

In all sincerity though, I’m not nearly as pessimistic as some of you are regarding our ability to overcome the fiscal Armageddon we’re facing [ß I’m being really fuckin’ kind in my description]. Long painful road and I have zero faith in the collective American population that “we can get there” but…I’ll fight the good fight anyway. Fr the record-- I consider this [Fiscal Policy and budgetary constraint/execution] the most significant barrier to American success and our future, period. All other ills, and we have many, pale in comparison to this issue IMO.

the U.S. has weathered tough times before, and we'll make it thru this as well.

but I do think it's going to get worse before it gets better.

like I told a classmate today. they'd get the budget fixed in a jiffy if there were half a million angry people with rifles on the national mall demanding results.

I am predicting that civil war will start on a small scale in wisconsin when democrats don't win in the next elections like all the union types are claiming. (that's possible trigger A, possible trigger B is obama losing the election)

riots will spread in the inner cities.

and when inner city welfare types and union mercenaries hit the streets they are going to get totally clobbered by american gun owner types defending their homes.

then cops, national guard and finally the military will be unleashed to impose marshal law, and they're gonna get clobbered too.

then I'll get that belt fed I've always wanted.

start building your food storage now.

[Irving]

the U.S. has weathered tough times before, and we'll make it thru this as well.

but I do think it's going to get worse before it gets better.

like I told a classmate today. they'd get the budget fixed in a jiffy if there were half a million angry people with rifles on the national mall demanding results.

I am predicting that civil war will start on a small scale in wisconsin when democrats don't win in the next elections like all the union types are claiming. (that's possible trigger A, possible trigger B is obama losing the election)

riots will spread in the inner cities.

and when inner city welfare types and union mercenaries hit the streets they are going to get totally clobbered by american gun owner types defending their homes.

then cops, national guard and finally the military will be unleashed to impose marshal law, and they're gonna get clobbered too.

then I'll get that belt fed I've always wanted.

start building your food storage now.

You know, I hear there is a new opening on Fox news for a talking head.



Just kidding.

[Elhuero]

You know, I hear there is a new opening on Fox news for a talking head.



Just kidding.

man, if I could get that kind of national exposure I could start raising funds and beat obama in 2012.

[Zundfolge]

We need to buy Zundfolge a beer. A Wookie sized beer!

Hmm ... and I have this empty growler from Bristol under my desk