In today’s News-Gazette, Tim Johson said the following in defense of his choice not to vote for the debt deal that passed today with a bi-partisan vote of 74-26:
The legislation falls far short of making the fundamental structural reforms and the fundamental spending reductions necessary to get our nation working again […] Our legislative leaders call it compromise, but only in Washington where money isn’t real can it be deemed acceptable to add $2.4 trillion this year to the current $14.3 trillion in debt in exchange for a promise of $2 trillion in cuts over the next decade.
Clearly, Johnson’s vote here wouldn’t have made a difference, but I think it’s indicitive of his complete detachment from reality. Regardless of how you feel about the steaming lump of baby shit our president signed minutes ago, Johnson’s statement here shows that he (along with most of the newer members of the House) misunderstands the importance of deficit spending in a recession*.
Of course, now would be a good time to talk about how I’m going to vote for someone with a sophisticated understanding of the world, but unfortunately, those people aren’t really very politically viable, due to their sophisticated understanding of the world. So instead of doing that, I’d like to officially pre-endorse any candidate who promises to do what s/he can to bring on a full on Apocalypse in 2012. Book of Revelation-style.
What we need is someone who will facilitate our doom thoughtfully, not an ignorant slob, bumbling his way through a cocaine-fueled blur of mall walking and unsolicited telephone calls. Bring on the doom.
*Proto-depression?