Seen from a neighboring country, the US debt ceiling crisis
is not pretty to watch. As a senior citizen, I am particularly touched
by the situation of the elderly, being put in a loose-loose situation:
they loose if they are not paid, they loose if the Republican Bloc gets
a deal changing their entitlements, all on no sensible notice.
There are ways to adjust social programs; the recent pensions changes
in France, the ongoing adjustments in the UK. Not popular, but sensible
in that they are in reaction to real changes in the population: we live longer, and
healthier. I would hesitate to add 'get a job' to medicare assistance. What!‽
but then, it is all argued in the name of economy, and not real concern for the
population concerned. The point here: if a program needs to be changed, do; but
legislate on the program and not the budget.
Is there no adult in the room to unblock the situation. The Biden administration
has been looking at invoquing the 14th amendment to the constitution. What that is
about is not paying indemnities to those who lost money on the emancipation of slaves,
Not a clean appeal to principle.
There is precedent on raising the debt limit: it has happened innumerable times
since 1917 whne it was first put in place. In a measure - incidentally - meant to give
the government some leeway in funding its operations in wartime. 'You are are
allowed to emit obligations within the very sensible limits we have set...'
So here we are: two sides unwilling to move from their initial bargaining positions.
Nobody is blinking.more time
There is one measure I do like: that is raising the limit without a vote. But on a
temporaty basis. Give the situation a little more time, pay the veterans and the elderly...
ie no interruption to the normal flow of events. Till both sides blink.
Think of it as a game: each side write on a piece of paper one thing it would
really like, and exchange papers. Start there...with a little from a consulting
group that would flush that out as the receiving side would see it. Mediation
with a twist!!!
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