The "Odd Couple:" Boehner and PayGo

Sometimes events arising from the intricacies of raw fate  simply flow together uncontrollably, fabricating grotesque, coincidental situations which are so sinister that we begin to search under every rock and in every crevice for  some comforting evidence of conspiracy or terrorism.  After these "mousetraps" have snapped shut on our unsuspecting fellow travelers, previous areas of disagreement seem to pale as we stare at the difficulties which have emerged to confront our old opponents now trapped and suffering under the fanciful waltz of unconcerned destiny.

It's probably something akin to "outrageous fortune." 

After our mid-terms, the narcotically soothing tragedies of the latest round of such furtive traps are now in place.  Life's inebriated carelessness is now in full advance.  An unhappy marriage has been arranged which shows no compassion for our love torn youngsters.

Who will suffer from this cosmic insult?  What bright faced boy now finds himself chained to the toothy harpy where the heady prospect of marital bliss descends at once to torment and desolation?

Are we talking about Obama and the new Republican House of Representatives?

No.  Actually, things are not that bad on our ship of state.

Instead, we are noting another, somewhat distant, new matrimony.  It is the "shotgun wedding" between Mr. John "the Boner" Boehner and an under publicized "mousetrap" which has been firmly anchored in the House policy by the Democrats who were in charge until last week.  

The groom, Mr. Boehner has, perhaps, just now met his bride, the House policy of "pay as you go" (PayGo).

Under the old management, PayGo has -- in the first budget of the Obama administration -- already reduced the monumental deficits of the last Republican administration by $200 Billion.  That would be the first deficit reduction we have seen in years.  In a world where Fox "News" controls the misinformation flow to "low information voters," most Americans don't know anything about this.

It's as if such facts go quietly into an unopened Birthday Present along with tax cuts for the middle class, newly insured families, material corrections to a long neglected infrastructure, the withdrawal from the murderous W's oil war in Iraq and so on.  The cheap, political pornography in the birthday card which has been "opened" tells a different story -- tax increases, per job costs calculated as if stimulus projects produced nothing else  (not repaired highways) and the "ObamaCare spending bill," all "topped off" with more white sugar frosting and a phoney label claiming that this soiled cake is, actually, "healthy food taken right off the table of our Founding Fathers."

A tide of misinformation may seem like facts and causes, but when the hypnosis of relentless complaints inevitably ends, it reveals itself as no more than the foamy spray careening along the top of actual waves of green water below. 

PayGo says that whatever the House may do, it must also pay for, and the "pay for" part will expose itself as "green water" rather quickly.  The immediate future of John Boehner's House of Representatives literally begs Hamlet for the Dane's dark prognosis.

"Neither a borrower nor a lender be;
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry."
- William Shakespeare, Hamlet, 1.3

A few MeanMesa examples may aid in making this posting's point.

Extending the Bush tax cuts for the top 2% will cost an estimated $700 billion before that stinky bill can "sunset" again in 2020.  Obama need only insist that the $700 billion be off set by savings from spending or tax increases before the tax cuts are renewed.

Repealing the health insurance reform will cost $1.3 trillion over the next ten years.  Come on, John, pony up the money.  You know, "Pay as You Go."  Of course your campaign sponsors from the insurance industry are salivating at the prospect of continuing their "profit" extraction schemes, but you'll have to cut something else to actually be able to hand them the cash.  Regardless of what Murdoch's dancing chorus has said, the bill we have right now is, of course, revenue neutral.

Although there are no details just yet, MeanMesa has to assume that Boehner will reinstate a nice collection of expensive Cold War weapons procurement programs.  After all, Boeing and Lockheed were not bashful farm girls at the ball where untraceable, Citizen United campaign donations were being collected like stolen kisses.  Ridiculous re-armament expenditures will be a task which will undoubtedly be made much easier after Fox "News" unleashes its next terror campaign on the geriatric hill billies and the stumbling American Legion bar sots.

Oh dear.  John, where-oh-where will you get all this Treasury "tax and spend" blood money to pay back the loan sharks which delivered the cash for your campaign?

Well, although the new "throw-backs-in-charge" have been very secretive about their plans to free up tax dollars to pay off their debts, a few "great ideas" have slipped through the net thanks to the babbling Senate tea bag girls who talked too much.

Thanks, Sarah, Christine, Lisa, Sharron, Carly and friends.

Abolish the Department of Education.  That thing has just made all sorts of disgruntled tax payers, and the GOP always does better with illiterates for voters.

Privatize Social Security.  That multi-trillion dollar trust fund has been nothing but a constant tease for your Wall Street contributors.

Repealing the banks and brokerage regulation will add untold buckets of pretend  money to the economic growth figures in the GDP.  Never mind the little problem that none of those who will profit the most will actually pay much in taxes.

Charge the Federal Treasury for putting more Mexican Immigrants into contract prisons.  Long the favorite of Arizona's heavily soiled Governor, every day of incarceration adds a few bucks to the GDP and pads the pockets of the prison lobbyists filling her staff offices.

It's not all bad news, John.  You and your House Republicans can start borrowing again, too!  There are still a few billionaires in Russia, Dubai, China and Saudi Arabia anxious to own even more of the country.  The new House "management team" can just continue to reward off shoring jobs and selling domestic real estate until the boat is completely under water.  A few really tasty "Free Enterprise" favors will lubricate the process.

Nothing about this is particularly promising.

If things get overly sticky with too many destitute American voters, there's always the media opportunities of "big show" political tantrums.

This means that MeanMesa has to now suggest to folks who pay their rent with Social Security money should start tucking away as much as possible.  These Republican economic geniuses have also spoken openly about "shutting down the government" in the old Newt "Contract on America" Gingrich style.