The Top 40

Remember the quaint notion of an "ownership society?" This WSJ article mentions it way back in 2009: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123137714796462913.html

I used to think government would try to backfill the treasury with some sort of soft-confiscation of 401K assets (we'll just keep this in a "lock-box" for you and guarantee you a 3% return). I thought this could be the trigger for violent revolt. Now? There was only $2 trillion in 401k assets in 2009 and maybe another trillion or so in IRAs. That hardly covers the budget for this year, let alone provides backfill for massive debt.

Next best guess - hyper-inflation.

My comment to his thread -

Do you remember the movie "Total Recall"?

I've looked for the clip that is relevant to my point, but it seems to be the art that didn't make the cut for all the YouTube posters.

Anyway...

Arnies character is an agent for the Martian Authority who has undergone deep memory manipulation and then been given a legend as an earthbound construction worker.

Complete with killer high end condo and smokkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkin' hot wife. But I digress.

Well, he ends up exposing himself to technology that breaks his memory conditioning, which sets him off on a crusade to save Mars.

On the way, he has recurring episodes in which he finds that all he thought he knew about his past life were contrived to manage and observe his behaviour and contacts.

At one critical point - the body count is pushing ten by now, if I remember correctly - Arnie is dealing with smokkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkin' hot wife when there comes a knock on the door. The gentleman who enters the scene claims credentials as a memory specialist, and bears a plausible explanation of the situation that Arnie's character has found himself in. There's tech and there's logic, and the man is earnest and compassionate. He brings release, you see, and the key to door that leads back to Hauser's/Cade's old life...but Arnie MUST TAKE THE PILL. If he DOESN'T TAKE THE PILL then all the bets are off and NOBODY WILL EVER BE ABLE TO REACH HIM IN HIS PSYCHOTIC EPISODE...

Pregnant pause. The samaritan holds out the pill.

And a bead of sweat trickles down samaritan's temple, right over the throbbing veins....

So Arnie shoots him in the head, and we all get up to buy popcorn.

Whenever I bother to watch Pelosi, Obama, or Reid, I always remember that scene. The same goes for Bernanke, Ax, and Emmanuel. Our current political class is the end product of fifty years of antiintellectualism combined with a dedicated attack on the moral foundations of the republic. There are no surprises here. Look at their eyes. "You MUST TRUST US".

Twelve percent favorables and they are busy nationalizing banking, healthcare, ag, manufacturing, energy, and methodically cutting the nuts off every traditional alliance we hold.

Civilization - human society that advances based on cooperation and rule of law - is about to take three or four steps back. The cop is off the beat and the bank is closed. Farmer John won't be going to market much on five dollar diesel, either.

I look for the sweat. Bart Stupak was sweating pretty good. I bet he moves to a town that doesn't have many lamp posts. That would be the smart thing to do.

Most excellent comment. I shall always look for the sweat.

I used to think that somewhere, someplace, there really were adults in charge.

That someone actually "knew better".

Our political class have become a table of infinitely corrupt poker cheats. Round and round the hands go, but no money ever, ever leaves the table.

All the rubes ringing the action smile and hand over their paychecks, the rent, their childrens' childrens' futures... just to feel like they are a part of the action.

It's fucking Vegas without a buffet.

Food stamps? Nope, don't count. You have to cook your own with food stamps.

VegaS.

Back to yard work.

Yup. Hyperinflation - Where food becomes an investment strategy.

Fuel is $3.00 a gallon for regular here. I believe I filled up Wednesday for $2.89.

I'm wondering if I waited too long to cash that under performing annuity...

Mrs. Utah and Youngest Goddess are driving back from San Diego starting tomorrow. Looks like their fuel may be cheaper there than here.