# Fuck S&P. You made a $2 trillion mistake and it's full CYA. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 7, 2011, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-s-p-you-made-a-2-trillion-mistake-and-its-full-cya/591806 "2011-08-07T05:07:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![slumtrimpet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@slumtrimpet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slumtrimpet)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-s-p-you-made-a-2-trillion-mistake-and-its-full-cya/591806/41 "2011-08-07T17:25:26Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > … So what exactly merits France’s higher rating? No Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-s-p-you-made-a-2-trillion-mistake-and-its-full-cya/591806/42 "2011-08-07T17:25:27Z")
> [@Bill Door](#): > > The fact that others have a vested interest in pretending the Emperor is still fully dressed is hardly reassuring. We’re dressed enough, thanks. And especially given where it’s coming from, the assessment that we aren’t is goddamn laughable. These are the fucktards who not only bowed to pressure from Goldman Sachs et al, to weaken their ratings standards, but who _conspired_ to keep the ratings higher than they knew they should be, in order to increase their _own_ bottom line revenues! ([Cite](http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-04-13/moody-s-s-p-caved-to-mortgage-pressure-by-goldman-ubs-levin-report-says.html).) And we should trust their assessment _now_ because. . . > [@R.P.McMurphy](#): > > You can preach gloom, doom and fear but that doesn’t solve anything. You’ve got to have a place to live. The house has to be fixed but the Republicans are intent on tearing it down while taking no responsibility for the fact that they let it deteriorate into the condition that it is in. > > Bachman: It’s all Obama’s fault and I can fix it tomorrow (with my secret plan to end the economic crisis, but I’m not going to tell you what it is because in reality I’m an idiot and just running my mouth). Lest we all forget, this is the same dumb bitch who _didn’t_ vote to raise the debt ceiling and who said not doing so would _not_ be a problem, that basically Democrats were creating a boogey man where none existed. And the stunning thing is, instead of her followers shrieking in horror at how absolutely deadass wrong she was, they’re fucking _cheering_ her. It’s insanity to a degree that I would never have thought possible. > [@Uzi](#): > > You couldn’t get health care when you had a majority with the President and Congress. > You can’t sort out the debt crisis when you have the Presidency and the Senate. Maybe you should look a little closer to home as to why you can’t get shit done rather than blame others. If I kept going to my boss, crying like a little girl about how others aren’t playing fair, I’d be out on my ass in short order. Boo hoo, learn to rule when you’re in power. You clearly have no clue what the hell you’re talking about. As a matter of fact, we **did** get “health care” (:rolleyes: ) passed, you moron, it’s called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. And just a few days ago it was announced that women will now have access to a full range of recommended preventive services **without cost sharing** , including: •well-woman visits; •screening for gestational diabetes; •human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing for women 30 years and older; •sexually-transmitted infection counseling; •human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening and counseling; •FDA-approved contraception methods and contraceptive counseling; •breastfeeding support, supplies, and counseling; and •domestic violence screening and counseling. As for this alleged “debt crisis,” **there wasn’t one**. It was completely manufactured bullshit. Not only is debt not necessarily a bad thing (it’s _certainly_ not if you listen to Dick Cheney): 'Reagan proved deficits don’t matter," Dick Cheney told Paul O’Neill during a Cabinet meeting. “We won the (2002) midterms. This is our due.” [http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0119-06.htm](http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0119-06.htm) (Read it. It’s chilling.) …but with unemployment at its current levels, it actually costs us _ten times as much_ to pay down $1trillion in debt to lenders than it would to _borrow_ $1trillion and put people to work with it. A trillion dollars costs (or did before this bogus downgrade) about $25billion in interest over the course of a year. Keeping 10 million people unemployed for that same year costs us about $250billion. ([Cite](http://www.johnson.cornell.edu/About/News-Publications/Article-Detail/ArticleId/477/Rachel-Maddow-breaks-down-the-debt-debate-with-Johnsons-Bob-Frank.aspx).) So how about you just keep your mouth shut unless you know what you’re talking about, mkay? > [@Steophan](#): > > The OP of this thread sums up exactly why America is in such trouble - instead of saying “Oh fuck, we _ **really** _need to get our shit together”, it’s “How dare the criticise us!?! AMERICA FUCK YEAH!!!1!!”. > > Memo from the rest of the world - if you don’t shape up, you’re fucked. I rather hope you do sort it out, because the rest of the would will suffer along with you, although not as badly. Your misinterpretation of the OP sums up why Americans don’t generally give a right shit about the opinions of buffoons from other countries. > [@Gorsnak](#): > > Do you think they would have downgraded if a clean debt ceiling bill with no conditions had been passed? > > No. > > The spending cut provisions are only relevant to the extent that they’re indicative of what Congress is going to be able to agree to come budget time, which is to say, Congress is going to be deadlocked and incapable of agreeing to a budget, and the tough decisions that need to be made (either to raise taxes or to seriously cut defense and social security/medicare) aren’t going to be made. Here’s what’s so appalling to me about their “reasoning” on that; they make absolutely no allowance for the fact that the president put a massive hedge against that in the deal, aka “the trigger.” Even if the Super Committee and/or Congress does absolutely nothing, we’ll still have massive budget cuts and increased revenues when the Bush tax cuts automatically sunset at the end of next year. So Congress’ potential inability to act is actually completely irrelevant. > [@joebuck20](#): > > Yep, in this case the Republicans are like the people you see on “Hoarders.” They let their houses go to shit, and then when somebody comes in to try to help them clean up the place, they spend the whole time bitching and moaning and getting in their way. Oh my god, that’s the most spot-on analysis I’ve ever read. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant! ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-s-p-you-made-a-2-trillion-mistake-and-its-full-cya/591806/43 "2011-08-07T17:42:58Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > **brazil84** apparently doesn’t read the news. Perhaps not the same news as **Moidalize** , but I would imagine that both parties are guilty of obstructing the other party. And both parties complaint about the other party. But I would like to have a better understanding of exactly what **Moidalize** actually means. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-s-p-you-made-a-2-trillion-mistake-and-its-full-cya/591806/44 "2011-08-07T17:44:42Z")
> [@brazil84](#): > > Perhaps not the same news as **Moidalize** , but I would imagine that both parties are guilty of obstructing the other party. And both parties complaint about the other party. But I would like to have a better understanding of exactly what **Moidalize** actually means. Ok, fair enough. ---
**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:** [August 7, 2011, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-s-p-you-made-a-2-trillion-mistake-and-its-full-cya/591806/45 "2011-08-07T17:47:59Z")
> [@brazil84](#): > > Perhaps not the same news as **Moidalize** , but I would imagine that both parties are guilty of obstructing the other party. And both parties complaint about the other party. But I would like to have a better understanding of exactly what **Moidalize** actually means. How about a record number of filibusters? How about not seating any administration appointments? How about refusing to even entertain the issue of tax cuts, no matter the actual economic situation? How about constantly refusing to sign on to things that were standard Republican positions two years ago? If you think both parties are equally at fault, you’re stupid, uninformed are blindly ideological. Or any number of the three, really. 😃 ---
**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:** [August 7, 2011, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-s-p-you-made-a-2-trillion-mistake-and-its-full-cya/591806/46 "2011-08-07T18:29:23Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > The weatherman gave you frostbite, eh? The weatherman? You mean the guy who pissed on my shoe, then told me it’s raining? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-s-p-you-made-a-2-trillion-mistake-and-its-full-cya/591806/47 "2011-08-07T18:52:30Z")
S&P have amply demonstrated, and publicly, that they have some problem distinguishing between their ass and a hole in the ground. They’re not even very good at what they do, much less passing judgment on our political functions. I get a battery of tests at the doctors, and take the results to my accountant? And he tells me to get my affairs in order, as I have but a few weeks to live? And he’s not even a very good accountant? Actually, rather piss poor at it, seeing as he cannot add. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-s-p-you-made-a-2-trillion-mistake-and-its-full-cya/591806/48 "2011-08-07T18:56:59Z")
It’s painfully obvious that S&P’s decision was based, not on the numbers, but the necessity of banging the politicians upside the head with a clue-by-four. They’re correct about the latter, if not the former. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-s-p-you-made-a-2-trillion-mistake-and-its-full-cya/591806/49 "2011-08-07T19:03:46Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > Your misinterpretation of the OP sums up why Americans don’t generally give a right shit about the opinions of buffoons from other countries. This whole thread is about Americans giving a shit about the opinions of people from other countries. Anyway, America will _have_ to care what other countries think, specifically China, because it’s them that are keeping you afloat. But hey, you stick with “AMERICA, FUCKYEAHH!!!” with your fingers in your ears, I’m sure it will all work out… ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-s-p-you-made-a-2-trillion-mistake-and-its-full-cya/591806/50 "2011-08-07T19:10:04Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > You might want to check this detail: the United States isn’t a monarchy or a fascist state. Just because one side has the majority doesn’t give them the right to “rule”. It does when you control the money, press, radio and TV. ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-s-p-you-made-a-2-trillion-mistake-and-its-full-cya/591806/51 "2011-08-07T19:36:21Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > S&P have amply demonstrated, and publicly, that they have some problem distinguishing between their ass and a hole in the ground. They’re not even very good at what they do, much less passing judgment on our political functions. > > I get a battery of tests at the doctors, and take the results to my accountant? And he tells me to get my affairs in order, as I have but a few weeks to live? And he’s not even a very good accountant? Actually, rather piss poor at it, seeing as he cannot add. Did you know how right you are when you made the post? If not, look at this: [http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/downgrade\_doer\_was\_no\_biz\_wiz\_KyeArXx2HeDSRdkjZx6VkM](http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/downgrade_doer_was_no_biz_wiz_KyeArXx2HeDSRdkjZx6VkM) ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-s-p-you-made-a-2-trillion-mistake-and-its-full-cya/591806/52 "2011-08-07T20:09:01Z")
An English major. Of course. Explains so much. ---
**Author:** ![PrettyVacant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/49beb7/32.png) [@PrettyVacant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PrettyVacant)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-s-p-you-made-a-2-trillion-mistake-and-its-full-cya/591806/53 "2011-08-07T20:09:19Z")
Classic Murdoch intimitadion. Print his home street address, as well. Absolutely shameless. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-s-p-you-made-a-2-trillion-mistake-and-its-full-cya/591806/54 "2011-08-07T22:29:10Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > That’s it: we’re breaking out the B-1s and coming for you next. Pfffft. You can’t afford the gas. [http://vimeo.com/10752016](http://vimeo.com/10752016) ---
**Author:** ![emcee2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emcee2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emcee2k)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-s-p-you-made-a-2-trillion-mistake-and-its-full-cya/591806/55 "2011-08-07T22:50:59Z")
> [@R.P.McMurphy](#): > > Did you know how right you are when you made the post? If not, look at this: > > [http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/downgrade\_doer\_was\_no\_biz\_wiz\_KyeArXx2HeDSRdkjZx6VkM](http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/downgrade_doer_was_no_biz_wiz_KyeArXx2HeDSRdkjZx6VkM) Why do we need to know what pets he has, or what sports he played in college? ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-s-p-you-made-a-2-trillion-mistake-and-its-full-cya/591806/56 "2011-08-07T22:58:47Z")
> [@R.P.McMurphy](#): > > Your boss should probably fire you for incompetence and not paying attention. And then you go on a long rant about how it is the other guys fault which is completely useless in regards to the current issues, which is what I was talking about and you completely missed. Talk about not paying attention. You’re exactly like the politicians. You don’t give a shit about solving problems, you just care about scoring points. [QUOTE=Snowboarder Bo] You might want to check this detail: the United States isn’t a monarchy or a fascist state. Just because one side has the majority doesn’t give them the right to “rule”. [/QUOTE] Within the confines of the constitution it certainly does. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-s-p-you-made-a-2-trillion-mistake-and-its-full-cya/591806/57 "2011-08-07T23:01:56Z")
> [@emcee2k](#): > > Why do we need to know what pets he has, or what sports he played in college? Trying to find a way to blame the messenger and avoid the message? ---
**Author:** ![emcee2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emcee2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emcee2k)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-s-p-you-made-a-2-trillion-mistake-and-its-full-cya/591806/58 "2011-08-07T23:31:44Z")
> [@Uzi](#): > > Trying to find a way to blame the messenger and avoid the message? I’m perfectly fine looking into the credential of the people making these calls, I just don’t understand what the point is to all the other unrelated information. I can’t even see it being called “blaming the messenger”. We shouldn’t trust his ability to rate investments because he owns two dogs? ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-s-p-you-made-a-2-trillion-mistake-and-its-full-cya/591806/59 "2011-08-07T23:43:16Z")
Anyway, you can bet that the decision to downgrade the US sovereign debt rating went way up the chain of command. Probably it had to be okayed by the CEO. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-s-p-you-made-a-2-trillion-mistake-and-its-full-cya/591806/60 "2011-08-08T01:00:02Z")
Anybody who thinks we actually deserve a AAA credit rating needs their head examined. That being said, does any of this really matter? I mean, there might be an intitial knee jerk reaction to it but ultimately, investors would come back to the US market. Like take China for example. What are they gonna do? Invest in the Euro? Ha! That’s laughable. Their whole economic system would collapse if they tried. No they _need_ us owing them money to keep their industry surplus system working. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-s-p-you-made-a-2-trillion-mistake-and-its-full-cya/591806.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-s-p-you-made-a-2-trillion-mistake-and-its-full-cya/591806.md?page=4)