BILLS CAN BE PAID AGAIN - BUT FOR HOW LONG?

Finally the United States Senate and Congress managed to get the Government back to work and to raise the debt ceiling - if only for another ninety days.  I found it amusing to watch the seemingly never-ending line of politicians rushing to the nearest microphone and camera to tell the world what good work they had been doing and how hard they worked.  I wonder if the people are really taken in by their comments.

But how long will this situation last?  They will have to deal with the question of the debt ceiling again in another ninety days and Mr. Ted Cruz - the decidedly new Senator from Texas who so enjoyed being in the limelight every day, has stated that he will continue causing the Government problems again even if it means shutting down once more and not dealing with the debt situation.  For someone who has made it clear that he has his eye on the White House, it would seem to me rather obvious that he is sinking his own boat even before it starts to sail.   American people are not stupid and I can't see them tolerating that sort of rhetoric for long.

We have been told that the shut down cost the country some $24-billion.  Maybe so and that is not a small amount in anyone's book.  However, unfortunately a great deal more was lost as well that could put that dollar figure even higher.

Talk to any of the poiticians or diplomats from the countries in this South East Asian region and you will quickly realize that their faith, trust and reliance on the United States is eroding at a rather quick pace.  What a pity...... but it is understandable.  Mr. Obama for the past two years has said that it is his intention to have a greater U.S. presence in the Pacific region, and to that effect he has stationed some troops in Northern Australia - much to the concern of some countries.

Mr. Obama was forced to cancel his visit to Asia two weeks ago when he was supposed to attend the APEC meeting in Bali and then the ASEAN Summit in Brunei immediately afterwards, as well as visits to Malaysia and the Philippines.  Instead the Secretary of State - Mr. John Kerry - took his place.  Mr. Kerry is no Mrs. Hilary Clinton who was his predecessor in that job and who is immensely popular and respected in this area.  A couple of Mr. Kerry's remarks made in speeches did not go down well...... especially one where he said that they were not to worry about the shut down in Washington as that was just a sign of how strong democracy is in America.   Several comments were made asking if being a democracy meant you could shut down and not pay your employees whenever you wished.  Some politicians in the area said they did not want their country to follow that route.

As it turned out, the President of China - Mr, Xi Jinling took over Mr. Obama's position of being the key person at both meetings - something that must have really upset Washington.  Mr. Xi was the centre point of all the meetings both in Bali and in Brunei cutting deals and treaties with all present.  America lost some great points and opportunites there and it will take some time to replace.  The Chinese news agency Xinhua even suggested in an article last week that perhaps the region should consider "de-Americanizing" itself and turn to a different currency than the dollar.   That is not possible at the moment as there is no alterntive.  The Chinese Yuan - the only possible alternative - is not yet in a position to take over.  However, that is a sentiment that has been buzzing around here for a while.

In this day and age, you cannot just think of the dollars lost at home in a situation like this.  You have to look at the wider field and its international repercussions - especially when you are a big country and considered to be a leader in the world. 

Unfortunately the folk in Washington are more concerned with being in front of a camera and a microphone than working for the good of their people and country.  Hopefully at the next election the people will make sure they vote for senators and members of the Congress who really are interested in working for the country and people and not for themselves.  If that happens - then America will regain its top place on the world stage.

SHUT THE DOORS!

It is two years - or maybe a little bit more - that Greece got into mammoth problems with its budget.  After weeks and months of "back-and-forth" discussions with officials in the European Union, it was finally agreed that the EU would offer a bail out for the country.  Whereas that wasn't something that immediately cured the problem, it did help, and in spite of the many protests in Greece from the general populace over the many cut backs that had to be made in the budget, progress was made.

A short time later Ireland got in the same boat.  The country was about to go bankrupt, and once again the EU came to the rescue.  Although the Irish Government put into practice many austere items to bring the country back to viability, there were not too may protests from the people.  Slowly but surely the financial situation in the country began to become stable again, although they still have a way to go before everything is back to a balanced budget again.

Spain and Portugal both followed the same route as Ireland and Greece, but they have not been quite so successful in getting back on track although they are trying once again with the help of the European Union bail outs.  If you look at Europe as a whole, you will find that other contries are also facing difficulties there and in time may also need a bail out.  The economic crisis has affected so many.

But that is across the Atlantic in Europe.  It is not America.  However, having said that what I find so interesting is that all the time that Greece, Ireland, Spain and Portugal were negotiating with the European Union, and Mrs. Angela Merkel of Germany was shuttling hither and thither trying to find solutions,  the members of the U.S. Senate and Congress - as well as President Obama were making decidedly strong speeches saying that the countries in Europe had to be responsible and get their financial things in order.   They were being very "high-handed" in what they were saying back then.

Fast forward to today and what they said then has become the subject of jokes by comedians the world over.  The United States itself cannot get its own house in order so why shout at other people.  The fact that the U.S. Government is now as I write in "shut down" is not just laughable, but it is also pathetic and somewhat immoral in my humble opinion.

We are told in all the media that some 800,000 people are sent home without pay with no likelihood of getting that pay loss refunded if and when the Government finally gets back to work.  That situation has got to be more than scary for those 800,000 people.  To lose all your income when you have a mortgage, to pay as well as other every day expenses, is a frightening possibility.

The members of Congress get $174,000 a year, and people like Mr. Boehner, Mr. Reid and Mrs.Pelosi get quite a bit more.  Although the ordinary workers will have to forfeit their pay, all members of both Houses will still receive their considerably substantial pay cheques.  Is there not some moral issue in here some where?

These people were elected by the people for the people and therefore should work in the interest of the people.  But no - they obviously work just for themselves and have little or no consideration or care for their every day constituents who struggle to make ends meet.  

Something is drastically wrong there.  A few weeks ago and indeed just last week when he was speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Mr. Obama referred to the United States as being "exceptional".  He was right.  I cannot think of any other country - especially one that prides itself as being a rich, powerful, democratic country that cuts off the funding of its people.   That has only happened in the U.S., which makes it exceptional.

Albeit three members of Congress said they will donate their salary to charities - lucky charities - and I am sure that makes them feel good, but if they are truly interested in and working for their constituents, then they should all request that their pay cheques be witheld and returned to the Treasury.  

When the next election comes around, the voters should make sure that they elect people who are really interested in the welfare of the people and not just in making themselves rich.  None of the members of either House are exactly poor, so they are unaffected by the shut down.  What they are doing is making themselves a laughing stock around the world.  What a shame for a country to which so many people in other countries look up and admire.