Risking it All for the sake of the Party

The United States of America is just 48 hours away from defaulting on its debts. The American government is fast running out of money to pay what it owes and even the most lenient estimates believe that at most the government could only survive an extra week. Let us just take a step back here and consider, the United States of America is the largest economy in the world, it is the most technologically advanced nation and the current military and cultural hegemon. America, the arrowhead of man's rise to rationality and civilisation is literally standing at the precipice.

But this is as much a political catastrophe as it is economic. Despite the claims of Michele Bachmann that the country's leaders are scaremongering, this really is a crisis. Should the government default, the consequences are too severe too consider, for the American administration; the American economy; the American people. The insecurity of this moment is also extremely bad news for global financial stability with America's triple AAA credit rating on the line and investers, markets and recoveries around the world bound to American business. The inablility of the two congressional parties to agree on a comprimise deal to raise the debt ceiling is a testament to the 'farce' of democracy as the Chinese government has called it. The deadlock of American politics is well known but this seems to be pushing that theme a little far.

President Obama's time in office has been nothing if not combatative. Although he approached his term welcoming a period of bipartisanship, Congress has never been more divided by party lines than now. From healthcare reform, to oil spills to budgets, the Republicans have been fierce in opposition and the Democrats stubborn in leadership. Obama's favour with the people was scorched by the dogged pursuit of healthcare ideals and many within his own party blame the Democrats losses in the mid-term elections to his narrow focus. But things were not going to get any easier and the incoming breed of young tea party Republicans were to make sure of it. And now, due to Republican refusals to raise taxes for the most wealthy, the fate of so many modest Americans and families are held hostage to the pride of a few high headed and power hungry politicians.

So does this prove anything about democracy? Perhaps that it lacks the conviction, authority and decisiveness that other forms of government prioritise so emphatically. This crisis has shown that party dogma and political elitism are very threatening aspects of our form of democracy. Acting in the public interest is meant to be the foundation of democracy, but although we know the list of issues that go hand in hand with its representative form is exceedingly long, the public interest is too often sacrificed for short term party and individual political fortunes.