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.