When Demopublicans and Republicrats clash, you lose

It appears that Democrats and Republicans have reached a deal that’s going to let them happily lock arms and express solidarity in their resolve to “take care of The People.”

I’m disgusted, of course.

For decades, politicians of both parties have periodically gone on spending sprees that would make drunken sailors blush with embarrassment. While each accuses the other of irresponsibility — and each has charts and selective memory to prove its point — they’re both willing to spend when it’s politically expedient with whatever group they want support from.

Republican voters think it’s a sin to cut military spending. The fact that the United States spends more on war than the rest of the world combined doesn’t seem to faze them. The only thing that could make them happy is if every last square inch of the country were turned into a military base or weapons system (except their homes, of course).

Democratic voters think it’s a sin to cut social spending or spending that’s somehow, some way supposed to “help” people. Never mind the fact that every responsible, rational and fair piece of evidence shows that their economic approach to the world doesn’t work. (We’ve been fighting the War on Poverty since the ’60s. Is it time to declare victory and go home?)

Politicians from both sides want to spend. Neither side wants to push too hard for anything that will hurt their voters, which is why Democrats don’t mind higher taxes on the Evil Rich, but don’t mind shoveling money toward the Worthless Poor who are their supporters.

So they paint themselves into a corner with red ink. They’ve been doing it for decades. Their backs are to the wall. Do they quit spending? Do they walk away from what hasn’t worked (and can’t work, for anyone who understands math)?

No, they make another deal to find some cuts later.

We don’t really have two parties. We have two heads on the same establishment. Their interest in what’s good for the state and the establishment that serves the state. This beast doesn’t care what becomes of you. Otherwise, it would quit pushing us closer and closer to the brink of economic and social collapse.

Yes, I’m disgusted.