>>Economists are unanimous in their opinion that the U.S. defaulting on its debts -- that's what this means in plain terms -- would be catastrophic for the world economy. The young ones in the House don't care. They're on a mission. They're like the zombies in horror movies..
>>
>>As private citizens, if we cannot pay our bills we do not raise our credit card limits so that we can borrow yet more. Why should the federal government?
>
>I agree with you. Cut spending instead;
>
>For instance they could stop wars in Iraq/Afganistan, downsize overgrown military to a more civilized level (hence no more threat from USSR), downsize on degenerated/runaway security agencies (CIA/NSA/HLS & likes), cut funding/military aid to belligerent regimes around the world, maybe even sell out few irrelevant army bases. (out of 737)
>
>Cutting bread to a hungry / medicines to the sick / salaries to the teachers / child support to. /./., which basically they all have in mind
>(Congress&Senate,Reps&Dems) is simply not enough. (Never mind being totally sick/disgusting even as idea)
>
>Nobody asks them (yet) to sell Alaska back to Russians {g}, but if they continue spending as if there is no tomorrow, default on US gov. bonds looks very much inevitable. Once that happens, you will hear, 'remedies' like this in a much more serious places then
>UT chatter.
>
>On a good side, selling Alaska back to Russians would definitely prevent Sarah Palin of ever becoming US President. {g}

Don't worry, we are not going to default on our debts. As I said, this is an annual pageant. Every year it comes up and every year the ceiling is raised, no matter which party is in charge. It will be raised again this year. It's a perfect opportunity for politicians to puff out their chests and posture, knowing it's just empty words.

Agreed completely about Iraq and Afghanistan. It was foolish of us to invade Iraq in the first place on the false assertion of WMDs.. Be that as it may, we are winding things down. Maybe it will splinter along religious and ethnic lines, there may even be a civil war, but that's not our problem. I would like to see us wind down in Afghanistan more quickly. That is one of the most corrupt nations on earth and I don't know what good we have done at all.

Pakistan is the other country I would like to tell to have a nice life. They are the worst ally anyone could possibly have. Thanks, guys, see you later, and you can say goodbye to our billions in aid as well. One of the most brilliant parts of the bin Laden operation was that we didn't tell the Pakistanis a thing in advance. He would have gotten word and been gone with the wind. I can live with their offended sense of sovereignty

So you're right, there are good opportunities for cost cutting ;-)