* enslaved by debt...

I haven't gotten to the YouTube clip yet, due mainly to the fact that I have a wide field in my rearview here at the 9-5.

But, since we like to shoot the shit around here, I find that above phrase striking. The neo-conservative movement, by way of comparison to the civil rights movement is not nearly as motivating. But all accounts that I have read point to a burden of debt, that will come to light with the collapse of SS, that ranges from a severe inconvenience to economic/civic catastrophe.

It seems to me that that is a pretty bi-partisan issue. Let's see here. The entitlement programs that have been created cannot sustain themselves given the reversal of demographics that will occur in the next generation. Add to that, the fact that these same programs have been used to fund other programs, in a way that resembles the waterfall in Asshole. [You know, where the administration members all begin to drink. The begin to stop in succession starting with the Pres down to the lowest ranking member, finishing with the asshole, who is constantly drinking waiting for his turn - great game].

Case in point: IL has a serious problem funding the public transit system, most notably with Chicago threatening to shut down service to a large portion of bus routes due to a lack of funding. Skip all the discussion about efficiency of the system. The funding has finally come through in the form of a new bill and is most likely going to be approved. The governor has added a last minute item that is quite interesting: seniors ride the CTA for free. I don't know about you, but I'm thinking that allowing more free rides is not the best thing for a system that cannot be funded under its current set-up. *Shrugging shoulders.

Back to the burden. What do you guys think is going to be the motivating factor that curbs gov't spending, if any? Granted, a population of seniors does not make a revolution in itself. But it could remove confidence in gov't from the masses. Which could be a soft revolution of sorts. Think about an election where 20% of the population votes.

Or, there could be no lack of service at all. Gov't borrowing could just continue and the US could become so burdened with debt that it no longer has influence. We become something that resembles France. Paris still functions but nobody gives a damn what they think. Meanwhile, China comes online and takes us to the cleaners.

I dunno. Maybe there's an application of the tragedy of the commons here, where the common good is the national checking account.