# Dear Republicans: The debt ceiling? Again?! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 17, 2012, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-republicans-the-debt-ceiling-again-what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-you/622190 "2012-05-17T08:12:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-republicans-the-debt-ceiling-again-what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-you/622190/121 "2012-05-17T20:16:40Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > We are $15+ trillion dollars in debt. > > How in the hell can one call it posturing or grandstanding if people in Congress finally wise up and say, “Ya know - taking on more debt right now is a really, really stupid thing to do”? We should all be saying, “About damn time!!” You don’t know what the debt limit is, do you… ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-republicans-the-debt-ceiling-again-what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-you/622190/122 "2012-05-17T20:17:51Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > We are $15+ trillion dollars in debt. > > How in the hell can one call it posturing or grandstanding if people in Congress finally wise up and say, “Ya know - taking on more debt right now is a really, really stupid thing to do”? We should all be saying, “About damn time!!” This is to pay for already approved spending. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-republicans-the-debt-ceiling-again-what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-you/622190/123 "2012-05-17T20:18:09Z")
To quote myself from [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=341527): > [@me](#): > > My second related peeve is the false moral equivalence. It usually goes something like this: > > Doper #1: I am really disturbed that party A does X. > Doper #2: I belong to party A, and I disagree with you for these reasons (blah blah blah). [I have no problem with Doper #2. This is why we have the Dope, so we can argue about things like this.] > Doper #3: Ehh, both parties do X all the time. They’re all the same. [THIS is what I have a problem with]. > > Now, with any two entities as big as the democratic and republican parties, it’s almost certainly going to be the case that there are examples in each of just about everything. And neither one is a paragon of virtue. But it is NOT automatically the case, based on some mysterious Law of Party Equivalence, that any criticism that can be fairly levelled at one party can also automatically be equally levelled at the other party. > Now, I (a democrat) would claim that the Republican party has, of late, done a MASTERFUL job of manipulating the media, and its membership’s general perception of the media, in recent years, in some generally dishonest and deceptive ways. Now, I may well be wrong in this claim. BUT, a meaningful response to my claim would NOT be “oh, the Democrats do it just as much”. They do NOT do it just as much. At least, it’s not axiomatically true that they do it just as much. Heck, I WISH they did it just as much and just as well, cause maybe we’d win some damn elections. > > Similarly (and I’ve ranted about this many times before), it is NOT automatically the case that just because Anne Coulter and Rush Limbaugh are two of the most visible Republican pundits, and Al Franken and Michael Moore are two of the most visible Democratic pundits, that Anne and Rush are equivalent, in terms of general honesty and trustworthiness and fairness, to Al and Michael. They might be. Coincidentally. Or the might not be. But the aren’t automatically so. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-republicans-the-debt-ceiling-again-what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-you/622190/124 "2012-05-17T20:25:15Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > We are $15+ trillion dollars in debt. > > How in the hell can one call it posturing or grandstanding if people in Congress finally wise up and say, “Ya know - taking on more debt right now is a really, really stupid thing to do”? We should all be saying, “About damn time!!” Jesus-fuck dude. You are pissed because of things _you think you know_. Your media lies to you, and you’re angry because you believe the lies. You decry religious people, but you’re easily as delusional as any fundy. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-republicans-the-debt-ceiling-again-what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-you/622190/125 "2012-05-17T20:36:31Z")
Not this again. Could y’all please not play Russian roulette with the global economy over petty partisan bullshit? Maybe we could gift you a nice Westminster style parliamentary system where this kind of thing can’t happen. ---
**Author:** ![dngnb8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@dngnb8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dngnb8)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-republicans-the-debt-ceiling-again-what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-you/622190/126 "2012-05-17T20:38:14Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > Imagine how life for Dngnb8 goes. “What to eat?” he thinks. But it doesn’t matter, all foods are the same, so he chews up the contents of an ashtray at the DMV. Yum. > > What to wear? All clothes are the same. So he dresses in a garbage bag with decorative duct-tape trim. > > How to get to work? No reason to drive or take the bus, since dragging himself there while lying on a skateboard is just as good. > > How to wipe his ass? More duct tape. Just as good as TP, don’tcha know? > > Reasoning requires the ability to compare things. If you are so mentally lazy that everything is the same to you, you aren’t thinking. You’re just declaring that you’re above the issue. Imagine life for Lobohan. Hmmm, that guy just ran through a crosswalk and killed 15 children. I only killed 1. What a bad guy he is ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-republicans-the-debt-ceiling-again-what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-you/622190/127 "2012-05-17T20:45:14Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > We are $15+ trillion dollars in debt. > > How in the hell can one call it posturing or grandstanding if people in Congress finally wise up and say, “Ya know - taking on more debt right now is a really, really stupid thing to do”? We should all be saying, “About damn time!!” Do you need someone to explain this to you again? It wasn’t drilled into your head enough last summer? ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-republicans-the-debt-ceiling-again-what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-you/622190/128 "2012-05-17T20:45:52Z")
So, who is more evil, a serial killer that raped and killed 25 children, or a person who has never done anything wrong, but drove drunk one time and got into an accident resulting in one person dying? Both crimes, both deserving of prison time, but are both equally as evil in your eyes? Be honest now. Are both equally evil? ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-republicans-the-debt-ceiling-again-what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-you/622190/129 "2012-05-17T20:53:49Z")
> [@dngnb8](#): > > Imagine life for Lobohan. > > Hmmm, that guy just ran through a crosswalk and killed 15 children. I only killed 1. What a bad guy he is Do you actually want to understand what you’re not getting here? The filibuster isn’t running kids over. It’s an emergency valve. It’s designed to be something the minority can use, in extreme circumstances, to stop the majority. Its use sparingly isn’t a huge problem. The huge problem, is when you decide that nearly everything gets it. That turns an emergency valve into an emergency brake, and it means the engine of state can’t do anything. So, the reason you’re being stupid, is that you don’t understand the underlying fact that a few filibusters are a good thing, and too many are bad. I’ll try to explain it, so even Clothy could get it: One slice of delicious bread is tasty. Eating nothing but bread every day will give you backwards bending knees and make your teeth fall out. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-republicans-the-debt-ceiling-again-what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-you/622190/130 "2012-05-17T20:54:10Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > We are $15+ trillion dollars in debt. > > How in the hell can one call it posturing or grandstanding if people in Congress finally wise up and say, “Ya know - taking on more debt right now is a really, really stupid thing to do”? We should all be saying, “About damn time!!” Oh my god, I called it on like page one, and here we are, 100 posts later. Clothahump: never one to disappoint. Well, actually wait. Can you still say that if what he never fails is to disappoint us? Dear Clothahump: please leave and come back with something known as a “fucking clue what you are talking about”. Thanks. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-republicans-the-debt-ceiling-again-what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-you/622190/131 "2012-05-17T21:06:43Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > Oh my god, I called it on like page one, and here we are, 100 posts later. Clothahump: never one to disappoint. Well, actually wait. Can you still say that if what he never fails is to disappoint us? While you do get a tip 'o the hat, I’m afraid that you cannot get a rousing cheer. It sort of like if you predicted that it would rain sometime next year, or that it is currently dark somewhere in the world. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-republicans-the-debt-ceiling-again-what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-you/622190/132 "2012-05-17T21:07:20Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > You’re looking for “honor” in politics? > [@Terr](#): > > Hilarious. > [@Terr](#): > > Non-sequitur. I don’t consider any politician to be “honorable” or “principled”. Such people do not run for office to begin with. Your view might be colored by the politicians you tend to vote for. > [@Terr](#): > > The right thing to do is not to dicker around with the system as it is, since it is hopelessly screwed up. We’re way past the inflection point. The right thing to do is to abolish the system and rebuild it right from scratch. The only way to do that (if we’re very lucky and things fall right) is after a full collapse of the current system. Thus the worse it is, the better it is. Maybe. > > Of course, the collapse may result in something much worse than it is now. But then doing nothing will probably get us to the same point, just a bit slower. Wow!!!:eek::eek::eek: You’ve been on doomsday preppers haven’t you? > [@Lobohan](#): > > A collapse of our economy would involve millions of elderly losing their ability to pay rent, millions of medicare recipients having no access to medical care At least there’d be plenty to eat 😃 (soylent green is people) > [@Terr](#): > > At some point the system becomes so flawed it is not repairable. > Correction - it was designed this way - with 50 (today) laboratories in which the multiple ideas would be tried, tested, and, if successful, incorporated in other places. That has been completely perverted, and the system is rolling faster and faster downhill towards monolithic autocratic federal government with no checks on it whatsoever.“Joint sovereignty” is an oxymoron. The genius of our nation is that everything is reparable in time. You just don’t have any faith in democracy unless it produces results that make you perfectly happy. > [@Clothahump](#): > > We are $15+ trillion dollars in debt. > > How in the hell can one call it posturing or grandstanding if people in Congress finally wise up and say, “Ya know - taking on more debt right now is a really, really stupid thing to do”? We should all be saying, “About damn time!!” Because they already agreed to spend the money but don’t want to produce the money. ---
**Author:** ![dngnb8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@dngnb8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dngnb8)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-republicans-the-debt-ceiling-again-what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-you/622190/133 "2012-05-17T21:26:42Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > Do you actually want to understand what you’re not getting here? Ironic > [@](#): > > The filibuster isn’t running kids over. It’s an emergency valve. It’s designed to be something the minority can use, in extreme circumstances, to stop the majority. So… does that mean its not duct tape either, or boosting cars? Im laughing at you, not with you > [@](#): > > Its use sparingly isn’t a huge problem. The huge problem, is when you decide that nearly everything gets it. That turns an emergency valve into an emergency brake, and it means the engine of state can’t do anything. Interesting phraseology you have used. You label it a problem. Maybe that is why your having difficulty with your understanding. You see it as a problem. > [@](#): > > So, the reason you’re being stupid, is that you don’t understand the underlying fact that a few filibusters are a good thing, and too many are bad. Before you try and understand what I am about to say, maybe you should check your health plan to see of getting a gastrovisual implant to correct your renal cranial impaction is covered. This is YOUR measure. What your kool aid induced coma wont let you see is that youre defaulting that the stonewalling is based on who you voted for. The possibility that the filibuster stopping bad legislation never occurred to you. Just because it is Dem sponsored, youre lock step cheering. Tell ya what son, get the surgery before posting again. > [@](#): > > I’ll try to explain it, so even Clothy could get it: One slice of delicious bread is tasty. Eating nothing but bread every day will give you backwards bending knees and make your teeth fall out. What does bread have to do with it? You do realize your first response rebukes this one, right? What is over the top fucking hilarious is the Debt Ceiling wasnt even filibustered, and Obama couldnt even get Liberal support on his budgets, much less a filibuster. Oh wait, you missed that didnt you?.. Damn, see, I told you the surgery is imperative. Now put down the glass of kool aid son and try thinking for yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-republicans-the-debt-ceiling-again-what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-you/622190/134 "2012-05-17T21:55:54Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > Because they already agreed to spend the money but don’t want to produce the money. It’s sort of like if I have house payments and car payments that I’ve already agreed to make… and then I refuse to pay them unless my wife lets me cut my work hours back to half time, so that our income is less. And at the same time I demand that we cut out unspecified expenses to balance our budget. Maybe we’ll cut wasteful stuff like school supplies or breakfast for the kids. And then I threaten my wife with bankruptcy if she doesn’t agree. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-republicans-the-debt-ceiling-again-what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-you/622190/135 "2012-05-17T22:02:34Z")
> [@dngnb8](#): > > Ironic > … Argle bargle, argle bargle, Insult insult, deliberate misinterpretation, cannot understand metaphor, argle bargle, insult insult insult. Par for the course. ---
**Author:** ![dngnb8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@dngnb8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dngnb8)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-republicans-the-debt-ceiling-again-what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-you/622190/136 "2012-05-17T22:02:36Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > It’s sort of like if I have house payments and car payments that I’ve already agreed to make… and then I refuse to pay them unless my wife lets me cut my work hours back to half time, so that our income is less. And at the same time I demand that we cut out unspecified expenses to balance our budget. Maybe we’ll cut wasteful stuff like school supplies or breakfast for the kids. And then I threaten my wife with bankruptcy if she doesn’t agree. But at the same time, youre also out gambling, giving large amounts of money to your friends who support your side of the story to your wife. You also got rid of the dog to save the money on feeding it, and now people are robbing your blind because you have no security. ---
**Author:** ![dngnb8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@dngnb8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dngnb8)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-republicans-the-debt-ceiling-again-what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-you/622190/137 "2012-05-17T22:04:05Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Argle bargle, argle bargle, Insult insult, deliberate misinterpretation, cannot understand metaphor, argle bargle, insult insult insult. > > Par for the course. Got it. he can insult me because he is a liberal, but if I insult him, it is par for the course Have a nice cup of hypocrisy, Im pouring for you. EDIT: now I understand your views on filibuster. If Dems use it, its okay, but if Reps use it, its par for the course. Thank you for the example. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-republicans-the-debt-ceiling-again-what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-you/622190/138 "2012-05-17T22:11:12Z")
> [@dngnb8](#): > > Im laughing at you, not with you The thing is, absolutely independent of your political views, you’re a fucking idiot. While posters are laughing at you, the twin mistresses of logic and rhetoric are weeping for you. Again, this has nothing to do with your inclinations or hoped end results. There are people on the board that concur with you. Those people are not fucking idiots. You, on the other hand, are. A fucking idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-republicans-the-debt-ceiling-again-what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-you/622190/139 "2012-05-17T22:18:12Z")
> [@dngnb8](#): > > Ironic > > So… does that mean its not duct tape either, or boosting cars? Im laughing at you, not with you > > Interesting phraseology you have used. You label it a problem. Maybe that is why your having difficulty with your understanding. You see it as a problem. > > Before you try and understand what I am about to say, maybe you should check your health plan to see of getting a gastrovisual implant to correct your renal cranial impaction is covered. > > This is YOUR measure. What your kool aid induced coma wont let you see is that youre defaulting that the stonewalling is based on who you voted for. The possibility that the filibuster stopping bad legislation never occurred to you. Just because it is Dem sponsored, youre lock step cheering. Tell ya what son, get the surgery before posting again. > > What does bread have to do with it? You do realize your first response rebukes this one, right? > > What is over the top fucking hilarious is the Debt Ceiling wasnt even filibustered, and Obama couldnt even get Liberal support on his budgets, much less a filibuster. > > Oh wait, you missed that didnt you?.. Damn, see, I told you the surgery is imperative. Now put down the glass of kool aid son and try thinking for yourself. I’d normally do a line by line refutation, but you don’t seem to warrant it. So, here goes: Bread is an example of something that is good in moderation, but very bad if it’s all you ever eat. Like the filibuster. Also, the debt limit is normally raised separately from the budget, as I recall. And the Republicans held its raising hostage, the bargaining of which lead to the super-committee. You may have heard of it. In any case, I think that’s all that needs rebutting, now step off and cringe from your betters, you fucking fringe. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-republicans-the-debt-ceiling-again-what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-you/622190/140 "2012-05-17T22:21:44Z")
> [@dngnb8](#): > > Got it. he can insult me because he is a liberal, but if I insult him, it is par for the course I can insult you because you demonstrate stupidity and an inept grasp of the issues. I have done no such thing, so it hardly seems warranted to attack lil’ ole me. > [@](#): > > Have a nice cup of hypocrisy, Im pouring for you. I, personally, don’t eat or drink food that has been handled by drooling cretins. > [@](#): > > EDIT: now I understand your views on filibuster. If Dems use it, its okay, but if Reps use it, its par for the course. > > Thank you for the example. Again, utterly lazy. You can’t be bothered to inform yourself, so you assert sour grapes on both houses. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-republicans-the-debt-ceiling-again-what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-you/622190.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-republicans-the-debt-ceiling-again-what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-you/622190.md?page=8)