We’ve oft heard the plaint of folks that say “How can this be? We are the richest nation in the world!” and rush to spend others people money to make themselves feel like they are “doing something”. Yup, we used to be able say that: we were the richest nation in the world – the richest in history. Still are on a national level – but not on a governmental level with the official debt at about $16.5 Trillion (over 100% of our yearly GDP) and an off the books unofficial of over $100 Trillion in unmet promises for future entitlement payments (what, you really think that the Government would hold itself to the same accounting standard as it does to corporations?) thanks to chuckleheads like those in DC.
Obama said as much this last State of the Union – and conservatives immediately started pocking holes. Progressives like Nancy Pelosi and her second in command, Steny Hoyer have made utterances to say similar things. Add to that, retiring US Senator Tom Harkin – same tired “richest” and same tired “fair share”. Problem is, though, he lets the Progressive cat out of the bag at the end of the video:
I hear him say this on tonite’s Special Report on Fox and could not believe my ears at first, and then went “yeah, this is how they actually DO think about “the richest nation in history” from what he said at the very end of the video: