In the Bizarro-world that is Washington, D.C. – and the federal government in possession thereof – the word “success” does not mean what it does here on Planet Earth.
It in fact often means exactly the opposite.
Let us take Social Security as but one example. Social Security is the world’s largest pyramid scheme – ever. A scam exponentially bigger than the biggest dreams of Bernie Madoff, Carlo Ponzi or any other confidence man ever to attempt a grift.
Social Security is on the verge of being trillions of dollars in debt. There is an alleged “Trust Fund” – but the program was shifted off the government’s books by President Lyndon Baines Johnson and his fellow Democrats.
So as to allow the excess coin then being collected to be spent as general revenue – in large part so as to pour it into the then newly-minted Medicare and Medicaid.
A move President Barack Obama and his fellow Democrats emulated with their 2010 heist of $500 billion from the also-on-the-verge-of-bankruptcy Medicare “Trust Fund” – so as to pour it into the newly-minted ObamaCare.
Quintessential, serial examples of the feds repeatedly rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.
Thusly did the Social Security and Medicare “Trust Funds” become just another couple of government Slush Funds. Into which the feds have for decades been putting IOUs – from the government to the government.
Which I would think make them IOIs.
Now that the Baby Boomers are hurtling en masse into Social Security and Medicare eligibility, those “Trust Fund” IOIs are coming due. And as we all know, the federal government doesn’t have any coin – at all.
Thusly do the pyramids come tumbling down.
But you’d never know any of this from the way the D.C. denizens – and those of Huge Government mindset – describe these schemes. Google “Social Security success” and you get myriad utterly delusional results, such as:
(Congressman) Clyburn touts healthcare reform, Social Security success
Building on Social Security’s success | Agenda for Shared Prosperity
NCPSSM: Celebrating 75 Years of Social Security Success
Social Security Success! Seminar
GUEST OPINION: Social Security: An American success
Only in Government Speak can something that is so thoroughly insolvent be so widely described as a “success.”
So too is it with the aforementioned Medicare and Medicaid. Two more Pharaoh-esque government constructs that are completely bankrupt – yet roundly lauded as “successes.”
The Progress Report: 44 Years Of Medicare Success
CBS’s Smith Cites Medicare as Socialist Success Story
Marie Cocco: The Marvel That Is Medicare
And…
Medicaid: Four Decades of Success
New Report Reveals Medicaid’s Enormous Success
Medicaid Reform: Saving an American Success Story
You will note that here on Planet Earth, nothing that is a success requires saving.
The likes of Microsoft and Apple do not need rescuing.
—–
Which brings us to General Motors (GM), and how the federal government “saved” it – with $50 billion of our money.
Except GM had to file for bankruptcy anyway.
Except that since being saved, GM has been an automotive recall machine.
General Motors recalls 154,000 cars (2011 Chevy Cruze) over technical problems
GM recalls 230,000 cars in China
GM recalls almost 7,000 Canadian vehicles
GM recalls 50,500 Cadillac SRXs in North America
GM recalls Cadillac CTS sedans for wheel problem
SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile recalls 22,457 cars
GM recalling 10,000 trucks and SUVs
GM recalls midsize pickups for child seat problem
(Note: These are all different recalls – and there are more than those listed here.)
Except GM has been all too distracted with its tilting at Leftist ideological windmills.
How else to explain the continued expanded production of the expensive, unprofitable (yet heavily subsidized) and unpopular Chevy Volt?
How else to explain Administration-appointee Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dan Akerson calling for a $1-per-gallon gasoline tax hike? Which would demonstrably hurt his supposed industry – but is proffered in the perverse hope of forcing people into the Volts they thus far have avoided like the Bubonic Plague?
How else to explain the GM all solar-powered Volt plant? Solar paneling which cost $3 million to purchase and install – buy only saves them $15,000 a year in electricity.
Well, at least President Obama said we’ll make some coin on the deal.
…Obama once upon a time told us (the auto bailout) would return us a profit.
A fairy tale Obama has now amended to:
“The government will lose less than 20 percent of the $80 billion used to bail out the U.S. automobile industry.”
Obama’s National Economic Council had the audacity to add:
“The losses are less than the administration originally expected.”
Again – as we just cited – the Administration was seven months earlier claiming we would make money.
Outstanding – in accuracy, honesty – and “success.”
GM also looks to be exempt for years from federal taxes. President Obama has given Government Motors a multi-year Internal Revenue Service (IRS) waiver.
Crony capitalism, anyone?
Please keep this in mind as you read all those glowing stories about GM turning a first quarter profit.
It’s a lot easier to make some money when you don’t have to heave your pounds of flesh into the gaping maw of the federal Leviathan.
—–
So in Government Motors, we have a car company that makes cars that fall apart – or don’t make any money at all.
That adds multi-million dollar solar panels to production plants – to save thousands of dollars in energy.
That was supposed to turn We the People a profit – but is instead going to end up costing us tens of billions of dollars.
On which President Obama is campaigning for reelection – as a “success.”
Again, you’ll have to consult your Government-to-English dictionary.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.