THE FISCAL CLIFF IS NOT ONLY AMERICAN, IT IS GLOBAL .

Christine Lagrande, IMF chief

A few, shortsighted, controlling, power-hungry Teapartiers are holding the world's economic system hostage, not just that of the US.  The financial stability of the world rests on the US economy since the US has about 20% of the global economy.   Christine Lagrande, head of the IMF (International Monetary Fund) is concerned that if the US goes off the fiscal cliff the repercussions will not be felt by the US alone but by the entire world economy.   She believes if the US has a 2% growth, it will make many other countries have less growth than that.  The interview of Lagrande by  BBC's Katty Kay can be viewed on video by clicking here.

One has to wonder whether the Republicans holding up their vote (in favor of playing brinksmanship) about the tax cut given the rich by G W Bush being allowed to drop as was assumed to be when the cut was made by Bush.  It is scheduled to run out the end of this year.  Republicans would rather destroy the world's economy than have the richest 2% pay their fair share. 

There has to be something stronger for these self;identified Christians allowing the poverty and pain many in our country have suffered under their refusal to act as representatives of their people.  They call it 'having to follow their conscience and ideology'.  From where does that ideology spring?  We have never had an adequate answer other than from Grover Norquist who accuses those who wish to violate their pledge to him as having 'impure thought',  That sounds like some code.  Does it mean we will see you out of office if you do that.  At least that is what seems to be the not so hidden message.

How sad that it must keep a whole world so tense and concerned at the holiest of times for most of the world's religions.  Whoever says our government is broken has been correct.  There should not be this possibility of so few to have such power simply by being passive aggressive.

FISCAL CLIFF AWAITS

We keep talking about the 'fiscal cliff' but the explanations are complex and varied.  This is one of the simplest I have found.  Click here.   It is agonizing to watch the Republicans in the House playing political games with the lives of the middle class.  For the sake of the country, the Teaparty ought not to be part of the Republican party.  They should be a third, stand alone, party of themselves.  They have been allowed to infiltrate the GOP gradually  and now seem to hold control, having had money poured into their campaigns to rid the country of the less partisan representatives of the past.  Anyone who could compromise has been ousted, with few exceptions.

Boehner is a joke.  He does not deserve the office to which he was elected.  He has no control over his caucus and seems to be having his strings pulled from somewhere outside of the House.  Over and over I am hearing it said, "This is not about ideology, it is about history".   If the house were doing its job, there would be working days until the job is done.  Instead, a normal 5 cay work week with a month off would have 240 working days.  They all have staff members working for them so it is not as though they work alone.  However, they will not be working 240 days, they will be working only 126 days,  Click here for more explanation.They are supposed to be there representing the country, 98% who are middle class.  Yet they seem to be in there representing only 2%.  It is difficult to fathom where the voters got the idea that they represent our country's interests. I don't understand what part of represent in Representatives they have missed.  It is though they believe they have been anointed by God, not the public who voted for them.

It is unlikely they will be in Washington after or even before Christmas.  In the past, the President has been able to take action  through that office when the Congress is unavailable.  No one has brought that up here.  Being unfamiliar with the intricacies of the governmental workings I would like to understand more about the independent powers of the President.