[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Predatory lending is the fault of the lenders, not solely the victims. Further, the European situation is not comparable to the US. European countries are in staggering debt because those countries overplayed their hands during several concurring economic bubbles, and as a nation, never had the level of economic output to sustain such over the long term. The US IS such a nation that can easily afford its long term obligations at the rates it pays. No lenders or investor are balking at the the change to get involved in US debt, so clearly it is not an issue. Should we keep deficit spending by a 1 TRILLION a year? Of course not. However, we shouldn't be using the National Debt in that discussion, it is quite literally irrelevant. The US pays its debts on time routinely. No investors are complaining. We are not in an economic situation where we can suddenly try to double down on our National Debt, just like a family losing a significant source of income, can't suddenly decide to pay off their credit cards. Rather, we are going to have to like grown ups seriously sort out our priorities in the short and long term to solve our budget gaps. It is not just a tax and spend idea, it is a radical assessment of our values as a society and community. For example, business is booming, why can't we have short term high tax rates (say for 1-3) years which will draw in revenues and yet will not be a long term or systemic threat to business. Corporations are quite literally BOOMING, if there was ever a time for them to be paying 37-39% like in the Clinton era it is today, and if there was ever a time when the government was so short on the revinue it is now. Trickle down economics through the combination of the Bush II tax cuts, several business tax loop holes, and the crippling effects of free trade agreements have gutted revenues for the government, hence 4 years of nearly TRILLION dollar deficits. We need revenues, and that is simply not going to happen by MORE trickle down. Corporations couldn't have any more capital available unless we continued to just print more money, and even then, they'd get the lions' share. However we sort out our next few budgets, they have to be substantive, not 9 consecutive stop gaps. We need to get to work, not bicker over political pandering. Lets be honest, the Democrats had compromised on a lot of issues, there was a good plan last year that was simply shot down by Republicans who insist on this silly no tax pledge. Fuck corporations if their desire is to continue to pay less wages, provide less benefits, AND not pay their fair share in taxes to pick up the slack when government has to provide those same services that employers used to or should be providing?