Gonna Party Like It's 1899

Digby goes hyperbolic:

It's vastly important that people understand just what "austerity" really means. Elderly Americans used to know all about it. And then we became civilized. At least for a while.

I realize that I will be flayed for being hyperbolic by even linking to this. There is no chance that the US will ever revert to that level of poverty, right? It's unthinkable.

Well, I'd only add that torture used to be unthinkable in this country, too, and look what an effective course of action that was. Who knows, maybe one of Beck's doomsday scenarios is right after all, and in the future all of us on the wrong side of 50 are going to be hacking each other to death with machetes over 40-pound bags of Eukanuba. I see it frankly as more-or-less inevitable unless our citizens start consistently sending more well-adjusted adults to govern us in Washington. I'm not holding my breath on that one.

---Vitelius