Since the debt ceiling "crisis" began, I figured there was no way the country would actually default. The Tea Partiers would go nuts but we'd eventually get a clean bill. But then it slowly got worse and worse, with the President offering up Medicare and Social Security to cuts. But the Republicans didn't even accept that, and the days ticked down and town till now. Only 4 days until the debt ceiling is reached. Still, until recently, I didn't believe that we would actually default. But I began considering the question "What if the powers who control this country actually wanted a "default" (default being the instant cutting of 40% of our spending in favor of continuing to service our debt interest)? Why? The main ones hurt in the immediate aftermath would be those who hold stocks and other investments. They wouldn't want a default! Right? But then the though occurred to me. The states would probably lose massive amounts of aid from this "default", right? And many of the states are now controlled by corporatist Republican administrations looking for ways to give to their overlords. So when the aid is suddenly cut off, the states will need a way to raise money quickly, and it certainly won't be by raising taxes. The states would begin a massive sell off of public assets, and the oligarchy will finally have true and absolute control. With the federal government crippled and the states giving up everything they own, what will stop them? Whether this is the reason behind the Republicans' current insanity or if this is something all parties and the president are involved in, I don't know. But it does give a reason as to why we are so close to the edge, because they want it to be. Of course, this is all conjecture, and the immediate losses to investments caused by this could render a plan of this sort moot, but it is an idea.
