The GOP's Latest Hostage [View all]

And by latest hostage, I should say that for the second time in 18 months congressional Republicans are holding the nation - and worse, global money markets - hostage in a childish effort to push through their own ideological, supply-side theories, while playing financial chicken with a very serious deadline. It's crazy and so, so irresponsible.

Needless to say, I'm talking about Fiscal Cliff negotiations. This rant was touched off by me watching this informative video analysis about Fiscal Cliff negotiations, and its clear that Canadians are pretty frightened by this disturbing trend (of GOP intransigence) . But notice that not only are these two analysts worried about the impact that falling off the fiscal cliff would have on uncertainty in the market, but they're *smug* about the fact that falling off the fiscal cliff would actually cut the budget in a way that might be advisable for America's long-term financial health. Obviously, it would do so in such a way that was unnecessarily punitive for middle income earners, but still - a lot of this stuff needs to happen.

Which brings us to the worst part about this entire thing: the GOP rump is so extreme, and so resistant to governing in good faith, that they've squandered the capital enjoyed by America's political system. Foreigners look at the US and see an unwieldy political system that accomplishes nothing, and might not be capable of tackling the nation's issues. They'd rather see the US go off the cliff because, hell, at least that would accomplish something. How twisted is that?

Now I don't believe that about the USA, but the evidence is beginning to mount, and it's pretty clear that Republican churlishness is the primary culprit...