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“Moody’s offers different view on debt limit”

From the WaPo, the very paper Sargent writes for:

One of the nation’s top credit-rating agencies says that the U.S. Treasury Department is likely to continue paying interest on the government’s debt even if Congress fails to lift the limit on borrowing next week, preserving the nation’s sterling AAA credit rating.

In a memo being circulated on Capitol Hill Wednesday, Moody’s Investors Service offers “answers to frequently asked questions” about the government shutdown, now in its second week, and the federal debt limit. President Obama has said that, unless Congress acts to raise the $16.7 trillion limit by next Thursday, the nation will be at risk of default.

Not so, Moody’s says in the memo dated Oct. 7.

” We believe the government would continue to pay interest and principal on its debt even in the event that the debt limit is not raised, leaving its creditworthiness intact,” the memo says. “The debt limit restricts government expenditures to the amount of its incoming revenues; it does not prohibit the government from servicing its debt. There is no direct connection between the debt limit (actually the exhaustion of the Treasury’s extraordinary measures to raise funds) and a default.

The memo offers a starkly different view of the consequences of congressional inaction on the debt limit than is held by the White House, many policymakers and other financial analysts. During a press conference at the White House Tuesday, Obama said missing the Oct. 17 deadline would invite “economic chaos.”

[…]

Treasury Department officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

One would hope they could not be reached because they were working on a plan to prioritize spending.  But the more likely scenario is that this administration is busy devising ways to harm the American people and lay the blame at the feet of the GOP — particulary the TEA Party.  And why woudn’t it?  They’ve found that as badly as they want the TEA Party gone, the GOP establishment hates these citizen interlopers even worse.

Last evening, David Freddoso pointed to an article at Zero Hedge that argued that maturing debt would, in a short while, push expenditures over revenue — making the case that default is possible:

With everyone’s attention turning to the debt ceiling X-Date of October 17 (or sooner now that the Pentagon is once again spending money like a drunken sailor following the recall of 400,000 workers or half of the total number fuloughed), some are wondering why is the stock market not reacting more violently. The generic response that has formed is that despite all the feamongering by Obama and the Treasury, even crossing the X-Date will hardly result in the apocalyptic outcome that so many predict as the Treasury can “prioritze payments”, i.e., paying some bills and not others, which as we explained before, means paying down debt obligations first, and everything else – whose non-payment does not constitute an event of default under US debt – last. In other words, if the US were to merely live within its means, it should have no problem remaining current on its interest expense even if that means slashing most other government programs.

While superficially this is correct, there is one issue that few are discussing, namely the mountain of short-term debt maturities between October 24 and November 15, which if unable to be rolled over – something that would hardly be able to happen in a time of quasi-technical default – would imply redemption and maturity of the debt without a subsequent rolling over.

[…]

Two elements of market risk:

  • Treasury will have to pay higher interest rates to attract new buyers.
  • It is possible, if unlikely, that not enough bidders would appear, forcing Treasury to either use cash on hand to pay off securities that came due or, in a worst-case scenario default on the debt.

Actually, it is very much likely that if there is fear that one or more short-term funding acutions will not result in a prompt repayment, it is virtually assured that the Treasury will simply halt new Bill issuance to avoid the panic that would result from ultra-short term rates soaring and destroying the Fed’s carefully crafted ZIRP (on the short-end) policy.

And according to our and the BPC’s preliminary calculations, just focusing on simply paying down this debt in the all too likely case that the rollover machinery grinds to a halt, means that the Treasury would be about $180 billion short of paying down just the amounts due in the table above!

So sadly, no. Those who are trying to talk down the severity of even a quasi-technical default, in an attempt to explain why the algos are oblivious to what may happen in ten short days, they have it all wrong. Instead the only logic for the lack of a selloff, is that once again, everyone and the kitchen sink, is 100% certain that should a worst case scenario transpire, it will be the “Mr. Chairman” who once again “gets to work,” and makes sure that nobody suffers any loss. After all, the New Normal is all about return; nothing about risk.

But what Freddoso doesn’t note is that the commenters, with a few exceptions, disagreed. And, excluding those who David suggested were “rooting for default”, we can see in their objections the answer to arguments made in the post proper, namely, that “default won’t happen”:

It’s called “refinancing”, happens all the time. Just raise the ceiling high enough to refinance the debt and dare Obozo to use it on anything else.

And,

Running out of room to under the debt ceiling doesn’t by itself create a default.  Maturing debt will get rolled over to new debt. (Sure, at a higher rate)  It’s a wash in the debt ceiling calculation.  It’s the need for new debt to meet current cash requirements that’s the problem.

— Which comment was met with even more clarification:

[…] you miss the real reason why the Dumbcrats won’t actually pull that trigger.  It’s because that $20B or 5% of outlays comes from the non-defense budget which represents about 75% of the total budget. But more importantly for Dumbcrats, that non-defense portion of the budget supports about 100% of the Dumbcrat base. So the real solution will be for the Treasury to prioritize the debt payments first, then cut everything near and dear to the Repugs… starting with the Military. The problem with that solution, is that the the Dumbcrats agreed to fund the military before the shutdown. So Dumbcrat supporting Repug senators like Linda Grahm and Juan McCain, will balk at any attempt to cut the military now. So then the Dumbcrats will try to cut other pet funds to other Repub RINO senators, and they lose them. You see the Dumbcrats need the RINO Repugs in the Senate to try to make the Senate look reasonable and bipartisan in opposition to the “Wacko Tea Pary House”. But Dumbcrats agreeing to ANY negotiations means either losing money that goes to their base, or alienating GOP RINOS in the Senate that they need to look “reasonable and bi-partisan. That’s why the Dumbcrats have taken the “My way or the Highway” road and NOTHING will move them from it. They have trapped themselves on this road to nowhere and only the Repubs caving 100% can get them off of it.

The Democrats know this. And the GOP establishment is desperate to help them find a way out, to keep the status quo alive in DC.

The truth is, Obama and Reid are in checkmate.  Any GOP surrender should be seen for what it truly is:  a conscious effort to extricate the Democrats from their mistakes and maintain the higher revenue flow that both entrenched parties — the single party ruling elite — enjoy.

Using default — as both Boehner and Obama (and a number of “conservative” journalists have done)  — to make the case for surrender is the work either of the ignorant or the neo-statists who make up so much of the GOP party’s ruling oligarchy.

 

137 Replies to ““Moody’s offers different view on debt limit””

  1. Physics Geek says:

    Any GOP surrender should be seen for what it truly is: a conscious effort to extricate the Democrats from their mistakes and maintain the higher revenue flow that both entrenched parties — the single party ruling elite — enjoy.

    And that is why it is likely to happen. It’s not like the Ruling Elite actually cares what the rest of think anyway.

  2. sdferr says:

    Oh, the ruling pseudo-elite cares alright, preeminently — it’s just that they care to shape what “the rest of us think” — certainly not to leave our thoughts to be formed on our own and pressed upon them by ourselves.

  3. Squid says:

    When my cow-orkers ask how I think we’ll get past this debt impasse, they look at me funny when I say “I hope we don’t.” A nice spike in the rate paid by the Fed to spend my grandchildren’s money would be a clarifying experience, for all involved.

    “If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.”

  4. hellomynameissteve says:

    FEAR NOT ye soldiers, ye recipients of social security and medicare, ye veterans, for thine bond holders shall be made whole.

    The government’s legal obligations to you don’t matter. Ted Cruz said so.

    What did one Jeff say to another?

    One Jeff: Hitting the debt limit won’t hurt anyone.
    Another: You’re being fucked by the debt limit? It’s the Democrats fault.

  5. leigh says:

    Steve, DIAF.

  6. happyfeet says:

    social security is a redistributionist rip-off already and Beohnerfag’s means-testing schemes will just make it worse

    the idea that you get out what you pay in is just a lie useless AARP codgerwhores like to tell themselves

  7. sdferr says:

    What did Legal Obligation say to Social Security Insurance:

    “I am altering the deal. Pray I don’t alter it further.”

  8. hellomynameissteve says:

    hahahahahaha.

    Social Security Recipient: You mean my check might not come?
    You: Fuck you, redistributionist AARP codgerwhore! You get NOTHING! NOTHING! Good day to you sir! Oh, and could you wear this Ted Cruz 2014 button?

    hahahahahahaha

    Say it loud. Make sure everyone knows where you stand. But make sure they don’t think you hate old people because that would be a huge shame.

  9. leigh says:

    Don’t you have a halo game to play?

  10. Blake says:

    Steve, I called my mom and told her that if she has trouble receiving her social security check to give me a call and my wife and I will pay her bills for her.

    So, Steve, have you offered to help your parents, if there’s a problem with their check? Have you offered to help anyone? Or do you prefer to gloat while your family suffers?

  11. Blake says:

    Good point, leigh. Steve is probably sitting in the basement, leeching off his parents, unable and unwilling to help.

  12. SBP says:

    “The government’s legal obligations to you don’t matter. Ted Cruz said so.”

    Liar.

  13. SBP says:

    Didn’t Stevo already tell us that he was planning on going to an uber-expensive grad school in NYC?

    Barista at best, I’m guessing.

  14. happyfeet says:

    Mr. Senator Cruz isn’t running in 2014 and in any case getting him elected isn’t my problem

    just like America’s useless codgerwhores aren’t my problem

    my problems are include finding decent limes

    all the limes are teensy and shriveled and when you buy them they’re dry and sometimes rottened inside

    how exactly do the obamawhores expect a pikachu to make a tasty pitcher of caipirinha?

    the whole weekend I looked and nothing

    Next weekend I’m a go to Chatsworth and look at the Korean market there

  15. leigh says:

    That was Dalek, Spies. This Steve guy is a newer troll.

    He kind of reminds me of Hammer-boi when he was drunk posting.

  16. leigh says:

    Heh, di. That would be the ol’ “die in a fire.”

    An oldie but a goodie.

  17. bgbear says:

    Funny Steve, examples of “old codgers” dependent on the Gov’t is exactly the point most of us here have been trying to make when it come to economic liberty. Sorry, I don’t want to owe my soul to the company store.

  18. leigh says:

    The disrespect for ones elders in this troll is a wonder to behold.

    I’ll bet he hides his granny’s walker when she’s napping. For the lulz.

  19. bgbear says:

    Sorry about the lime situation ‘feet. I bet the chain restaurants snag up all the available good limes.

  20. hellomynameissteve says:

    Just when I thought your campaign slogan couldn’t get any better:

    Old people: Fuck you.
    Younger people with elderly parents and grandparents: Fuck you too!

    Sincerely, the Tea Party

    Blake, what other audiences are you out to piss off? Inquiring minds want to know.

    Halo rulz

  21. leigh says:

    Steve will now proceed to mock us all as “loosers” and tell all about his fabulously well paying job in some obscure business that allows him to rub elbows with Jay-Z and other sterling gangstas. That is when he isn’t dodging sniper fire while doing undercover mercenary work for a shady foreign operative.

  22. SBP says:

    “The disrespect for ones elders in this troll is a wonder to behold.”

    Wait until he sees how much he’s going to be paying for Granny’s Obamacare.

    Death panels? Hell, he’ll be clamoring for death express lines.

  23. happyfeet says:

    I hadn’t thought of that Mr. bear – but upon reflection I think there is certainly some truth in that

    but also I was wondering if the lime situation was related to the avocado situation

    the avocados this year have been dinky too

  24. William says:

    I miss when Trolls could at least spike a reaction in me. But of course these days people wouldn’t understand that you can’t talking point your way out of every problem.

    “In Socialism, is always win-win comrade! Hyper-inflation you say? We make illegal! Prob-lhem solved, da?”

  25. hellomynameissteve says:

    zomg! leigh, you want to kill the social securities, but i’m the one not respecting the elders? you want to burn granny’s check! for the lolz!

  26. leigh says:

    Yep, Spies.

    “STFU, Granny! Get-cher ass on the ice floe! Chop-chop, ya old bag!”

  27. leigh says:

    leigh, you want to kill the social securities

    Really? Citation on that, grasshopper?

  28. Blake says:

    steve, thanks for the information. Glad to know you’re happy to gloat over the misfortune of others, as long as your side scores political points over the EEEEVIL rethuglicans.

    Steve, thanks for letting me know you’re a grade C liberal progressive asshole. And the only reason you rate a “C” is due to grade inflation.

    By the way, Steve, it ever occur to you that perhaps government shouldn’t have the ability or the power to punish citizens?

  29. Blake says:

    hmm, I screwed up that last statement.

    “By the way, Steve, it ever occur to you that perhaps government shouldn’t have the ability or the power to punish citizens?”

    Should read: By the way, Steve, it ever occur to you that perhaps government shouldn’t have the ability or the power to punish citizens through withholding services?”

  30. leigh says:

    No limes at the Mercado, happy? That’s odd. They were 50 cents each at Walmart last week.

    Avocados have been regular sized around here but are right expensive at $1.29 each or more.

  31. hellomynameissteve says:

    he said hyper-inflation. heh heh. that was so, didn’t happen in 2011 when is was certain to happen. Hayek said so. Look fellow Weimarstafarians, at the wheelbarrow I have to use to carry money to the store to buy a loaf of bread!

    https://www.firestartoys.com/Shop/Minifigure-Accessories/LEGO-Minifigure-Utilities/14543-LEGO-~–Wheelbarrow-~-Red.html

  32. leigh says:

    It’ll probably be a wait, Blake, while he thinks up a sharp retort.

    In fact, it could be never.

  33. bgbear says:

    I thought the good avacados showed up in the winter just in time for Superbowl “The Big Game” parties.

  34. McGehee says:

    Hey, Steve? Try telling the bank that you need the credit limit raised on your Visa card or else you won’t be able to pay your bills.

    I’ll wait.

  35. Blake says:

    stupidsteve, housing prices tripled over a matter of a couple of years then crashed, with no rebound in site. The cost of college has increased 125% or more (going from memory, JHoward is better informed on this than I am) over the last 3 or 4 years.

    At one point, people were buying houses and flipping them within hours, making maybe 25 grand in the process.

    Gasoline, when Bush left office, was under $2 a gallon. In some places, it’s double that now.

    But it’s not “hyperinflation” so it’s not “real inflation.”

    The amount of inflation we’ve experienced over the last 5 years has been enough to seriously erode the purchasing power of the average American.

    But again, steve, all you care about is political points.

    Don’t ever come around someone like me, steve, because, at least for myself, I’ve completely run out of patience with your ilk.

  36. hellomynameissteve says:

    “By the way, Steve, it ever occur to you that perhaps government shouldn’t have the ability or the power to punish citizens through withholding services?”

    Wait Blake… are you a Democrat? We agree!!! Call Boehner and let him know. So when the government hits the debt limit and can’t send y’er mom her check, and you have to do it instead, has anyone been punished? Seems like it to me.

    Maybe they should raise the debt limit? No, Squid says, let it burn. Republicans should burn down all of it and blame the democrats because they wouldn’t compromise and burn down part of it.

    You’re cheering the government on the ledge to Jump! Jump! Jump!, and I’m hoping you get fucking splattered if it does. That makes me bad and you good.

  37. Blitz says:

    “the idea that you get out what you pay in is just a lie useless AARP codgerwhores like to tell themselves ”

    “just like America’s useless codgerwhores aren’t my problem”

    My mother worked until she was 72, has a small pension and relies on SS asshole. Thank GOD she lives with us now, but if she didn’t I’d pay her way.

    Fuck off Griefer.

  38. bgbear says:

    It is the status quo that will lead to the death of social security.

    For people who like to throw around the word “sustainable”, progressive don’t seem to truly understand the meaning.

  39. Blitz says:

    Hey Steve? Nobody here wants to see SS checks being cut off….What we DO want to see is your mommy cutting off your internet access!!

  40. hellomynameissteve says:

    “housing prices tripled over a matter of a couple of years then crashed, with no rebound in site”

    So wait, you’re mad that housing prices tripled, and you’re mad that the price hasn’t recovered?

    Oh, I see, it’s really all about your nards being chapped over the price of gas. Well then, the Republitards blowing up the world economy will get you everything you want. All hail the coming cheap gas. Economic meltdowns do that, you know.

  41. mondamay says:

    Dominant Introverted Abstract Feeler?

    INFP?

  42. leigh says:

    My goodness, but you really are a flaming idiot, Steve.

    Go read an Economics textbook. Preferably one written at the seventh grade level.

  43. Blitz says:

    YEESH Steve!! I hate to feed a troll, but even I, a lowly mechanic have better reading comprehension skills than you. His post was about inflation you incompetent Soros stooge.

  44. Blake says:

    leigh, you really shouldn’t advise someone to read something at least 4 grades over their heads. They’ll get confused, start crying and run to mommy for comfort. Although, maybe mommy can explain the big words to little stevie.

  45. leigh says:

    MTBI is not for the faint of heart.

  46. leigh says:

    His mommy is drunk on the couch with his latest “uncle” so we should pity the little bastard, I guess.

  47. Blitz says:

    I don’t know though Blake…Maybe mommy really will cut off his internet after his attempt? I mean we can’t have the snowflakes learning something reality based, can we?

  48. William says:

    I think it’s extremely kind to throw any facts his way at all, Blake.

    Why people don’t think there’s anyone in the world that isn’t eager to lie to them to make a buck is anyone’s guess. TV generation, I suppose.

    Socialist systems are super awesome until the only thing you can purchase are the lies.

  49. William says:

    Wow, should have re-read that sentence before posting.

    “Why people think there’s no one in the world eager to make a buck off of lying to them is beyond me.”

    Yeesh. I denounce myself again.

  50. happyfeet says:

    50 cents each that would be very expensive for the limes I’ve been seeing this year

    I think Ralph’s wanted 30 cents each for their crappy dinky ones

    Vallarta’s ad says they have them 2 pounds for a dollar (p. 6) so I’m a run out there one evening this week

    I *might* get some extras so I can give some to America’s useless codgerwhores to suck on, but I have 3 bottles of cachaca so I might need all of them bad boys

  51. Blitz says:

    Made sense both ways William…Not to Steviestupidsnowflake though

  52. Blake says:

    I think it’s precious that little stevie thinks boehnerfag and I are muy simpatico.

  53. Blitz says:

    America’s useless codgerwhores

    Please explain this phrase feets, exactly what you mean by it. That way I won’t get even more angry at you than I already am.

  54. Blake says:

    hmm, this is better: “Bless his heart, little stevie thinks boehnerfag and I are muy simpatico.”

    With a nod to leigh.

  55. Jeff G. says:

    Not only will there be money to pay Social Security (which is why Obama and the Dems hedge with “might not”), but it’s the law.

    Because lock box.

    Or rather, because money pulled from that account is by federal law paid back when it is called due. If it’s withheld, that’s both intentional and a breach of law by Obama and Lew.

    I don’t know who this latest troll is. But I’m happy to oust him, if you all want. I have no time for leftist parasites, and I don’t suffer them much anymore. Just toy with them like balls of yarn, then piss on them and leave them outside of the house to dry rot.

  56. Blitz says:

    Trying to Jeff!! I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t just yet though. I like pissing on him.

    Oh wait, that’s Feets..yeah, stevie? go for it.

  57. William says:

    I think if he had the ability to understand anything we say on this blog he’d demand his momma turn off the internet access for him and hide under the basement bed permanent like, Blitz.

  58. happyfeet says:

    by that phrase I mean to say that America’s codgers suck way way more out of america’s entitlement programs than they ever put in and what they’re doing is, they’re enslaving their grandkids and yoking them to a ruinous debt and diminished prospects

    it’s unseemly and nauseating

  59. Blitz says:

    62 YEARS of paying in to SS? THAT is sucking it out? Fuck off Griefer

  60. Blake says:

    Your call, Jeff.

    The current troll is rather obnoxious and stupid and shows absolutely no ability to reason or learn. In other words, a fine upstanding liberal progressive.

  61. Blitz says:

    I should explain, I just got angry. Mom worked from 16 to 72. She’s 76 now. Has been getting a stipend from SS for 3. Yes, she does get medicare/medicaid. She earned it, she deserves it.

    Asshole

  62. Jeff G. says:

    Here’s another Forbes article to look at.

  63. Squid says:

    I wonder where Special Steve lives. Based on the fact that he thinks the only force for charity in the world is Uncle Barry, I’m guessing that he lives someplace with no families, no local charities or food shelves, no churches, and no State or County welfare programs.

    Anybody want to take a guess as to where that is?

  64. sdferr says:

    Pyramid schemes always screw someone Blitz. It’s just the nature of the thing — can’t be helped, save by never entering the clever monster to begin with.

  65. leigh says:

    The 50 cent limes are really big, like lemons. For $2 a pound of dinky limes, you’ll probably get about 6 or 7.

    Blitz, your mom and mine and everyone else on SS is going to get their checks. Don’t worry, it’s just a Scare Granny tactic of the Left and a flat out lie. Same deal with Veteran’s Benefits and pensions.

  66. Blitz says:

    William? sometimes I find myself in over my head here, but it’s not that hard if you’re willing to learn. Progressives just stick their heads up their asses and ignore…shame really, some are actually intelligent.

  67. Blake says:

    blitz, as obnoxious as feets is, he’s right. SS isn’t necessarily the problem, it’s Medicare and Medicaide that are busting the budget. Notice, feets did not single out SS, he said “entitlement programs.”

    Bush didn’t do anyone any favors with his expansion of Medicare.

  68. happyfeet says:

    the plural of anecdote is not data Mr. Blitz – it is in fact “anecdotes”

    what the data shows is that America’s codgers have bankrupted Social Security and that’s why the rest of us have to get means-tested to where the benefits of the most productive people who paid the most in are sent to losers who paid little or nothing in

    poor America it’s just going to hell in a handbasket and there’s just nothing to be done for it

  69. Blitz says:

    OH!!! No Leigh. I’m not worried about it at all. It’s just the griefers asshole attitude about it that bothered me.

    sdferr? I know, but what choice do we have save doing what I do…a LOT off the books, which actually went into the river with my guns in the tragic barn fire…

  70. William says:

    I kinda look at it as a defense mechanism.

    People so want to focus on their own lives and the complexities therein, that they project the dumbest political opinions to the world and dare you to engage them. And of course, because it’s not polite to argue against ideas like “Healthcare should be fear, because people should care for each other,” most of the time people don’t bother to engage. We’re rapidly exiting that age in America, but I don’t think are quite their yet. The next government spite-down a year from now? That’s what I’m truly wondering about.

  71. Blake says:

    Also, blitz, according to what I’ve read, the biggest driver of medical cost is Medicare and Medicade, that everyone would be a lot better off with a “fee for service” system coupled with a catastrophic health insurance plan.

    Instead, we get health insurance that can be used for a hangnail, which sucks up a finite resource with in turn creates scarcity and inflates the cost.

  72. Blitz says:

    KK, I get that feets and blake, but Feets? I know that and it just pisses me off that you stereotype all recipients like that. Sorry.

  73. Blake says:

    “with in turn” should read “which in turn”

  74. William says:

    Free! Not fear! See, this why I shouldn’t be posting today.

  75. happyfeet says:

    yes Blake is right Medicare and Medicaid are even worse

    but even Social Security is on record saying that the only way we can pay benefits is if we borrow the money to do it

  76. happyfeet says:

    oh. Yup I want the 50 cent limes then for sure.

  77. Blake says:

    blitz, we’re both in the same boat. My mom worked hard all her life, had a significant amount invested, was also able to pay all her bills and still save a few dollars from her Social Security. Mom lost 75% of her investments due to the crash, and now has to make up part of her bills from her retirement account, because inflation has wiped out the slight cushion she had with social security.

  78. Blitz says:

    Come to my ‘hood feets. HUGE limes, 50 cents in the convenience stores. Also? Amazing beef chicken and pork in the local ( what’s the portuguese word for butcher?) Casa de Carnes!

  79. Blake says:

    feets, SS could be saved and phased out, if government would allow businesses and jobs to be created. Medicare and Medicade are not salvageable and will need to go away.

  80. bgbear says:

    ‘feet seems to be making the “face it grannie, you f’d-up, you trusted us” argument.

  81. sdferr says:

    what choice do we have ?

    Supposing an injustice which must come is recognized, and that any change is necessarily a political decision (there’s the choice part) — quit soonest. If the injustice is inescapable, then in a sense, it may be though its length, breadth and depth alterable in degree by a timely cessation. But barring the political will to make the choice? Find a means to change the political will, before the harm comes piling on full-bore, regardless of any choice.

    First thing though, clearly, is to admit the necessity of the injustice, or else prove conclusively that it can’t happen.

  82. Blitz says:

    I know how it is Blake. But she lives with us now, and she’s Ok. She lost a lot too out of her 401k, but no worries, we have her.

  83. leigh says:

    The same thing happened to my mom, Blake. Her house needs a new roof and I keep telling my brothers, who have more bank than me, to help her out. Fortunately, she lives a few towns over from Lee so the weather isn’t too bad in the winter.

  84. SBP says:

    “didn’t happen in 2011 when is was certain to happen. Hayek said so.”

    Link? Hayek’s been dead since 1992.

    Oh, that’s right: you’re just a garden-variety liar. A clumsy one.

    So tell me, Stevo: why does “your side” have to lie?

  85. leigh says:

    They lie because they think everyone else is a stupid as they are, is all I can puzzle out.

  86. happyfeet says:

    yes Mr. Blitz I will come by and do some shoppings, especially if Chatsworth is a bust

    next week is my annual trip to Walmart but mostly I’m just planning on getting a lifetime supply of identical ankle socks to where all of them are the same and I don’t have to match em up – then I will throw away all the ones i have

    I did that with dress socks last year then I did it with tube socks so now I just need to get a 4 or 5 dozen pair of ankle socks and never again my whole life will I have to match up socks

    This was one of my goals for the year and I’m definitely on track to achieve it by year’s end.

    I’m also gonna look to see if they have a deal on protein bars.

  87. Blitz says:

    Changing the political will is the hard part. I honestly see no way to get the 48-49 percent to change unless and until we cut their freebies off. That would start riots as we saw this weekend ( well, not riots, just massive theft) and I’m not sure whose side the gov would be on…not mine certainly.

  88. leigh says:

    Try the market in Santa Monica, happy. It’s a real pain to find a parking spot, but it’s fun except when someone plows through the crowd in a Buick. But, that doesn’t happen very often.

  89. Pablo says:

    just like America’s useless codgerwhores aren’t my problem –

    Things they do look awful c-c-c-c-cold
    (Talking ’bout my generation)
    I hope you die in a fire before you get old

  90. bgbear says:

    tube socks are hard to find anymore, where have you been, hiding in a pokeball?

    (try skatersocks.com, expensive compared to to the old K-mark bag o’ socks but, they are what you are looking for).

  91. Blake says:

    Nah, leigh, lying requires something that resembles coherent thought. This is more like a parrot spouting off a few lines it has been taught to say, depending on the stimulus.

    It’s all rather Pavlovian, if you ask me.

  92. leigh says:

    True, Blake. He probably reads TPM and goes from there.

  93. Blitz says:

    That’s how I read it too Pablo, but I could be wrong.

  94. Blitz says:

    ( soon to be ) wife just got home, have to go for now? I never post here, just read,but feets post pissed me off. Glad we worked that out.Y’all are the best!!

  95. sdferr says:

    Changing the political will is the hard part.

    And even if hard, probably can’t be done at all if the effort is never made. Still, the elements are there for anyone willing to look, and don’t necessarily entail the awful outcomes involved in sitting pat with the status quo ante Surrender Party, to say nothing of sitting pat contentedly absorbing lying talking point after lying talking point.

  96. Blake says:

    Hey, blitz, just celebrated anniversary 3, here. It took a long time to find wife #2. I suspect I was a bit more careful the second time around.

  97. happyfeet says:

    Santa Monica is kinda far just for shopping unless you’re heading down for some beach time and I think we’re done with that for the year

    Oh. Not tube socks I just meant whatever you call the plain white socks what are like normal regular socks

    Mr. Pablo for myself I would hate to die in a fire or in one of those accidents where you pretend to hang yourself as a gag for Halloween and then people find you and it turns out you hadn’t thought your approach all the way through to where you accidentally ended up asphyxiating yourself.

    Also I would hate to fall into a rolled up wrestling mat and die. But that one’s just all kinds of weird.

  98. sdferr says:

    Just grab its tongue! And then maybe he won’t eat you. Those pears are dangerous as all get out.

    *** Ontario’s black pear population has grown from 12,000 to 17,000 in just eight years. ***

  99. Not only will there be money to pay Social Security (which is why Obama and the Dems hedge with “might not”), but it’s the law.

    Same deal with “defaulting on the debt,” innit? As in, if The Great and Powerful O(TM) opts to not service the debt, that’s Yet Another Impeachable Offense(TM).

    Not that anybody is doing jack about the already enumerated offenses against the Constitution perpetrated by the Jackwagon In Chief.

  100. bgbear says:

    crew socks

  101. Blake says:

    Finally, someone with actual political street cred used the words “impeachable offence.”

  102. Ernst Schreiber says:

    Not that anybody is doing jack about the already enumerated offenses against the Constitution perpetrated by the Jackwagon In Chief.

    Interesting how the media gets all breathless about the impending “Constitutional Crisis,” yet never quite manages to comprehend what it would take to trigger that crisis, isn’t it?

  103. happyfeet says:

    crew socks yes that’s it

    thank you

  104. Ernst Schreiber says:

    I don’t know who this latest troll is. But I’m happy to oust him, if you all want. I have no time for leftist parasites, and I don’t suffer them much anymore. Just toy with them like balls of yarn, then piss on them and leave them outside of the house to dry rot.

    I say let’s wait a while. Maybe we’ll decide to keep him for a pet.

    Like happyfeet.

  105. bgbear says:

    happyfeet is actually intentionally amusing, like our own yellow John Stewart.

    mr steve is only funny like when it is funny that a guy holding up a liquor store accidentally shoots himself and then begs the clerk to call 911.

  106. Ernst Schreiber says:

    If you say so.

  107. Blitz says:

    I know Blake, only took me 26 years…Anyway? Sdferr? That’s like in our place, a vacation home, in Maine. for a year,rabbits were everywhere,then bears were like the rabbits,then the wolves ( yes you read that right ) came in…It’s all a balance and they even themselves out.

  108. Blitz says:

    bgbear says October 14, 2013 at 3:32 pm crew socks

    no CRUE ROCKS!!

  109. Blitz says:

    As a long time hunter and hiker, I can tell you this. A griz? will kill you. a black? wants to eat you. Blacks are smart and fast. I’ve had to hunt an injured one ( my idiot friend shot it with a .223)

    Don’t do that unless you have a change of underwear, trust me on that.

  110. leigh says:

    There’s an island off of the coast of Michigan, I believe, that has a boom and bust population of wolves and deer. Lots of deer and not a lot of wolves. Then, wolves eat a lot of deer and there are a lot of wolves and not too many deer. Then, the wolves start to starve to death and the deer population grows.

    Rinse, repeat. It’s fascinating.

    Bear? Unless they are the stuffed, cuddly kind I don’t want anything to do with them.

  111. happyfeet says:

    bears have their own agenda

    especially mama bears

    I do not have very good plans formulated for in case of bears. Maybe this would be a good project after the socks.

  112. bgbear says:

    Tell me about it, some of my relatives. . .

  113. Blitz says:

    Actually, unless blacks are stalking you? Harmless. I’ve been between mama and cubs, just move off. When they start snapping their jaws though? All bets off. Before the unfortunate barn fire on the river, I’d carry, and have had to use it just once.

  114. leigh says:

    You don’t have to claim them, bgbear. I have relatives like that too.

  115. Blitz says:

    Leigh, it’s just a natural cycle. I’ve seen it going on 50 years now up in Maine. TONS of moose one year, then the wolves ( yes, you read that right ) Then the bears, the grouse, the rabbits, and once? I swear I was not drunk? A mountain lion.

    We own a property in Northern Maine, population 12 year round. It’s on East Grand lake in Forest city. Now Forest City Canada? Different story. They have like 40 pop yr round.

  116. leigh says:

    New Forest City must be when you go “to town”, huh? We had coyotes, mountain lions and bears up around our cabin in the Sierras when I was a kid.

    We have a lot of critters around here, but they are mainly fox, coyotes, rabbits, raccoons, groundhogs and beaver. There are a lot of deer, too but they stay away from us because of the dogs.

  117. Blake says:

    Black bears are pretty harmless. I’ve been up close and personal with a black bear. (stumbled across one while walking a trail. Thing reared up on its hind legs to get a look at us, then dropped down into the brush and disappeared. The bear was probably 6′ on its hind legs)

    I’ll take my chances with black bear, but I prefer to keep at least 2 counties between me and a grizzly.

  118. Blitz says:

    Yikes…I’ve seem all those too Leigh, and otters, but I live in ma now, so all I see are the blacks. When we ” Go to town”? No, that would be Houlton…Much to my chagrin and shame? There are no hookers in Houlton.

    I was young then, so please forgive.

    Bats…Thousands upon thousands of them. Now I love bats, but 4 in the cabin in one night with my 7 and 8 yr old girls? NO. I let them settle on the wall and a .22 short settled the problems. Dad wasn’t happy.

  119. Blitz says:

    Truth Blake, If a black is on you? it wants to eat. If a Gris is? you pissed it off, not for food. I’ve been close to both, but the black is dangerous.

  120. Blitz says:

    G’nite all, almost new wife ( March 30 ) and I are eating and going to bed.

    OUTLAW!!!

  121. Ernst Schreiber says:

    All y’all know that the secret to trapping bears is to use a shovel, a bag of frozen peas, and ashes from last night’s camp fire, right?

  122. leigh says:

    The easiest way to get trapped by a bear is to innocently wander into a blueberry patch. Bears are territorial about food sources and they want you to GTFO.

    Say goodnight if that bear is a Grizzly.

  123. SBP says:

    The ‘zon is the place to go for bulk socks and underwear, especially if you have Prime.

    Plus every purchase comes garnished with the sweet, sweet tears of the New York publishing establishment.

  124. palaeomerus says:

    My uncle once told me that nobody what anybody tells you, you CAN kill a bear with a .22. And no matter what anybody tells you, a bear CAN kill you even if you have that .22.

  125. palaeomerus says:

    Stupid phone…

  126. palaeomerus says:

    “Just when I thought your campaign slogan couldn’t get any better: ”

    …you made up some dumb random shit you thought sounded scary and nobody much gave a fuck or took it seriously because it was inherently lame.

  127. happyfeet says:

    that’s a good idea but I don’t have prime

    I want to go to Walmart though cause it’s been a long time really – I guess I went to one in Des Moines this January

    it’s not good to get out of touch with Walmart cause of they are a key retailer

    So sometimes you just have to make a point to go and just take it all in. I’m a see what they’re doing for Halloween, evaluate the selection and price points of their apparel offerings, check to see what clothing brands are on offer and specifically look at what kind of product they have from that brand they replaced Wrangler with, and plus I want to gauge the prominence and targeting of their in-store promotions of their layway services. Also I want to see what they have with respect to shoes. I can’t remember them ever having a shoe department but I don’t think I’ve ever made a big point of looking for it.

  128. happyfeet says:

    *layaway* services I mean

  129. LBascom says:

    “what the data shows is that America’s codgers have bankrupted Social Security”

    A lot of the problem with SS is it isn’t just for codgers.

    Take a look at this handy link, and check out the various numbers found under ‘Select type of beneficiary”

    For instance pick ‘child of disabled worker’ in the drop down menu, and we learn there are 1.72 million minor children of disabled workers pulling in an average $322.86 each in Social Security benefits.

    Pick ‘young widow(er)’ and see how about 100,000 women under 50 years old pull in an average around $750 each.

    Lucky there’s no fraud at least, and besides all those not so 0ld folk it’s mostly them greedy codgers bleeding you dry.

  130. guinspen says:

    happyfeet is actually intentionally amusing, like our own yellow John Stewart.”

    Fuck them both.

    Their enablers, twice.

  131. palaeomerus says:

    “Wait Blake… are you a Democrat? We agree!!!”

    Is that kind of weak dumb shit all you can pull out of your silly clownshoe twerp-ass Steve?

  132. palaeomerus says:

    “I don’t know who this latest troll is. But I’m happy to oust him, if you all want. I have no time for leftist parasites, and I don’t suffer them much anymore.”

    Best to pass the kidney stone while it is small.

  133. leigh says:

    I say toss him out. He’s tiresome and stupid, too.

  134. McGehee says:

    Give him the old Steve-ho.

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