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:
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
Oh dear, kvd. That is complicated! I find the Wikipedia piece a little simpler.
Yes. I just really need that little magnifying glass to be a 'click to expound'.
kvd
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