Rome

I have been invoking the notion of the end of the Roman Empire often of late.

Where is all the money going?

If you as an ancient Roman had an inside track and knew it was about to collapse, wouldn't you feel you had a duty to your family to steal as much as you could, while rationalizing it as anything other than theft? That is if you were of the ilk that efforted your way into the political class. Wouldn't the others in the political class have had the same sense and would there not be a race to plunder the Empire as effectively possible in vile self-interest while you lied and lied and lied?

Less than one billion dollars put two remote control vehicles on Mars:

"NASA spent $800 million to build and launch Spirit and Opportunity to Mars. They landed about three weeks apart in January 2004, on opposite sides of the planet. Both were designed for 90-day missions but are still operating more than four years later."

The "Big Dig" was over 30 billion (here I see now 22 billion. I have read 35 billion. I will leave the link to the google search so it will change over time. I feel confident stating "over 30 billion" but take it as you see fit) and it leaks and is deadly.

“BOSTON – More than one out of every five dollars of the $126 million Massachusetts is receiving in earmarks from a $410 billion federal spending package is going to help preserve the legacy of the Kennedys. The bill includes $5.8 million for the planning and design of a building to house a new Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the Senate. The funding may also help support an endowment for the institute.”

The Kennedys. How could anyone have ever thrown a lever for Ted? Ever. I can see not voting before I can respect that one. That last quote can be found at the must read Belmont club, read the rest, Fernandez is excellent.

Any way I would have expected Rome to be invoked a lot earlier. I noticed today Dave Kopel here:

"The congressional majority's handling of the 'stimulus' -- particularly in forcing votes before the conference report could even be read -- evoked the last days of the Roman Republic, with a legislature abdicating governing responsibility to an all-powerful executive. At the least, the rank and file of both parties should insist on proper legislative procedures when the budget is considered, so that every legislator (or his staff) has time to read the budget before every vote."

So mild. Where is the rage? They have pissed away our currency! What DON'T WE KNOW?

What don't we know that makes this seem a reasonable course to those involved? They are in full "print up the money and run boys! This is not a drill! Fuck the people, it's everyone for themselves after this!" mode.