For those who saw the #MorningJoe broadcast on The End is Near, this may be entertaining, or perhaps enlightening.

1. The End Is Near
The Morning Joe
broadcast had Kevin
Williamson on who
published a provocative
book entitled The End is
Near and it’s Going to be
Awesome—presumably
as in achieving nirvana.
According to the interview, the nation is
going broke—no surprise there. In turn, this
will lead us into becoming a richer country.
Okay, I missed something. The connec-
tion between going broke and ending up
richer appears to jump the shark. At the very
least, it requires a quantum leap in logic.
For those who missed the interview, the
short version is that interest rates will rise:
When they do, the government will spend its
entire budget just to cover the interest on the
debt, or it will be forced to change its wicked
spending ways.
Without rendering an opinion, I brought
this dichotomy to Rudy’s attention during our
morning workout. (For those unfamiliar with
my workout partner, Rudy is the epitome of
ultraconservatism. He claims to be devoutly
independent, but only votes for candidates
who adhere to the doctrine of no restrictions
on free enterprise.)
Not having read Williamson’s book, I
was limited to what had aired. As I recapped
what appeared be the book’s theme, Rudy
seized the moment. He agreed with the
author’s supposition that the nation is going
bankrupt due to feel-good regulations.
“Take the Chinese: They got it right,”
Rudy declared unapologetically. “Once we
go belly up, we have a chance of becoming
more like them.”
“How so?” I inquired.
“They don’t worry about unions, OSHA
and EPA regulations, because they don’t
have them. Hell, they don’t even worry about
healthcare or none of that overregulation
crap.” He paused before delivering his punch
line: “They understand how business gets
done. No government interference, plain and
simple. If someone gets injured or sick, they
just pull in the next warm body.”
“Are you suggesting, the U.S. labor
force become more like communists, pink-o
socialists?” I fired back.
He returned a scowl. “You know what I
meant. Only in terms of doing business.”
“And somehow, going broke will make
us all happier?” I questioned. “I take it you
agree with the author’s premise?”
“You’re damn right. Once we do away
with regulations and restrictions, we’ll all be
a whole lot happier. According Einstein —
the simplest method is always the best
method! It time to turn back the clock.”
Suddenly, it all became clearer as I
envisioned America’s labor force gleefully
toiling on the corporate plantations under the
noonday sun, humming joyfully to our
favorite Negro spirituals—all poorer but oh-
so-much happier. Ain’t happening, I chuckled
silently to myself.
While the nation’s debt problem is real
—it is also a manufactured crisis. Looking
forward to going broke amounts to lunacy.
Pandering to the notion that being poorer can
be awesome amounts to sheer nonsense.
Growing up, we lived a paycheck away
from being on welfare. I can attest there is no
direct link to awesomeness and being poor.
Those having had a similar experience would
agree.
Copyrighted © 2013 by Robert James