debt

Ever since I grew old enough to know something about politics -- this was in Harry Truman's time -- I've considered myself to be a liberal Democrat. I still do.
I've voted cheerfully for all the Democrats who've won the presidency, as well as all the losers, including those I knew had little chance, like Adlai Stevenson (twice) and George McGovern.
Over many years I've come to enjoy the ups and downs of politics, national and local. But today, in these rough times, I have to admit I'm not enjoying national politics as much. These days it sometimes scares the hell out of me.
No, it's not just that the Democrats might lose control of Congress and Barack Obama might lose the presidency. I'd hate to see that happen, but we'd survive a moderate dose of Republicanism. We always have.
No, what really scares me are endless deficits, the national debt and the absence of effective efforts to do anything about them.
If I read Google correctly, the U.S. national debt, as of this week, was just under $13 trillion and growing at the rate of $4 billion a day.
How much is $13 trillion? Well, it's $42,000 that I owe and $42,000 that you owe and $42,000 that everyone else owes, whether they're 88 or 8 years of age.
And it's growing every day. This year's budget deficit will set a record of $1.56 trillion, and the Obama administration isn't expecting annual deficits of less than $700 billion any time in the next 10 years.
So how much and how long can we keep on borrowing from people who are not necessarily friendly to us? How long can we afford to shovel out billions of dollars in interest that our people never see?
How much longer can we continue to race headlong, full-throttle into .... who knows, what form of disaster?
How and when do we begin to apply the brakes? To start balancing the budget? To start paying off the debt?
Well, obviously, we would have to curb spending, except that Democrats aren't good at that and Republicans have little to brag about. And we would have to raise taxes, except that Republicans consider that to be a deadly, unthinkable sin, and even liberal Democrats are wary of it.
It wouldn't be easy.
We might start by finally getting out of two wars that we never should have started. Then we might "adjust" income tax rates. Then, maybe, we might finally have the courage to take charge of how things work in the real world and to begin to reform -- set practical limits on -- such giant untouchables as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and defense.
Even if this were done carefully, of course, it would mean sacrifice for many, many people, including me, but is there any other way?
Guts, anyone?

the bird, revisited

It seems like only yesterday I was ranting and raving here about the culinary fraud of white poultry meat - turkey and chicken breast.
I was glad finally to get that off my chest. But today a couple of things had me muttering all over again.
First there was this article in the Denver Post headlined "Sauce gives chicken boost." Really?
Second, a lunch was brought to me featuring "chicken a la king." No king would want it.
The writer of the Post article noted how often boneless, skinless chicken breasts are served to American families. And how economical and nutritious they are.
They are, indeed. No argument there.
But then to her credit, the writer made a point of observing that sometimes, somewhere, diners may not actually be enjoying this cheap and healthy dish. "The biggest complaint you hear about chicken breast," she wrote, "is that it's sometimes a tad bland."
It is, indeed. More than a tad and more than bland. Much more. It is virtually tasteless. The only real taste it ever had was in its skin, which has been removed.
If you were to chew on a strip of leather cut from a boot, it would have as much flavor as cooked but unadorned chicken breast.
Accompanying this article was a recipe for a sauce that presumably would give breasts a "boost." Among the ingredients were fresh ginger, Italian parsley, mint leaves, olive oil, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey and a red pepper.
I have my doubts, but bon appetit!
As for me, not having any of these things, I sprinkled a bit of picante sauce on my chicken a la king. At least I could taste the jalapeno.

terror

When long-time Democrat Joe Lieberman endorsed his Republican pal John McCain for president in 2008, I sent off a hot note to his Washington office. I called him a political traitor.
I knew he wouldn't answer me and most likely would never even see the note, but it made me feel better.
Well, as of this week I have gained a better understanding of what's going on in the head of the quirky, 68-year old senator. Lieberman, a lawyer, has introduced a bill that would let the State Department arbitrarily revoke the U.S. citizenship of people who "support," in some way, groups like Al Qaeda.
Just like that. Never mind the Constitution. our treasured legal system, due process.
This time it isn't just politics. This time it's cuckoo law, and it's serious.