Note from Surreal Land

As far as I know, no member of Congress in either political party has argued that it would be a good thing if the United States of America, the world’s greatest democracy, what Lincoln called the “last best hope of earth,” defaulted on its debts, which is apparently what will happen if Congress doesn’t act to raise the debt ceiling. Yet every Republican member of the senate has taken the position that Democrats must raise the debt limit ceiling without the support of any Republican votes. Moreover, Republicans promise to filibuster any attempt by Democrats to do so. This political maneuver is designed to associate in the public’s mind the notion that Democrats are reckless big spenders and Republicans are guardians of the fiscal integrity. Republicans ignore that they raised the debt ceiling three times during the tenure of the Trump administration, in the course of which some eight trillion dollars was added to the national debt, a substantial portion of which is attributable to tax cuts for big corporations, the rich, and especially the super rich. Republican posturing over the debt ceiling is hypocritical, cynical, irresponsible, and starkly contrary to the public interest, and very much in keeping with their basic policy of institutional nihilism.

Yesterday, in an act of affected graciousness, Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell offered to allow the debt ceiling to be raised for a couple of months, a tactic designed to perpetuate the state of uncertainty, confusion, and chaos that he and his followers have chosen to impose upon the country.