There are many people on earth that simply cannot feel happy, unless someone else suffers for their benefit. They will bend over backwards to prevent a post scarcity society from taking root, because in such an environment, they cannot be "happy".
Sadly, such people tend to find their ways into positions of political and financial might.
That is one of the real reasons why the status quo continues. Not the only one, or even the full driving one, but it is one of them regardless.
I find that the number of people who are actively sadists are fairly low. More often, if someone suffers it is simply gravy.
But in general, the people on the eviler end of the spectrum of power tend to simply be selfish, the fact that someone else is suffering simply does not factor in. This is especially bad when they are in a place that loses power, influence, or money if a situation improves, i.e. manufacturing companies with labor, Oil with the environment, et cetera. It periodically works out that what is in the public interest is in their interest; such as many companies are worried about environmental damage, especially if they don't profit from it and/or they're business suffers with the environment; and Wall-street is very active lobbying against Shutdowns, breaking the Debt Ceiling, or things that damage the Economy as a whole. Usually, people in power are cruel because it is in their interest to be so. To quote Michael Corleone: "It's not personal, Sonny. It's strictly business."
It just woke up, so apologies. 
Defaulting on the US debt, resulting in the rapid devaluation of the dollar due to loss of trust and investments going bananas.
Most multinational corporations have liquidities in the form of USD. If the currency joins the tidybowl man in oblivion at the sewerage treatment center, then they stand to get hammered hard by foriegn competitors who stayed using their own national currencies. That means allowing any politicians they may or may not have bought and paid for to continue down this road is contrary to their financial interests. In addition to that, in the long term, the resulting shockwaves of investments globally going bananas from said default will damage their long term goals and ability to continue operating, as economies go into a very dark recession, and consumer spending drops like a gold brick over jupiter.
Additionally: The Treasury department has some lee-way in exactly how the debt ceiling is handled, especially if they're willing to fudge the rules a bit, but the other options are also unattractive: A 40% cut in all US spending, Massive tax raises, partial default connected with above, or a combination of the three. Essentially everything the US would have to do to start running a large surplus, but applied instantly and without discrimination. If Obama was willing to go all the way and disregard the law entirely, he could simply "ignore" the debt ceiling, completely bypassing Congress in what would be likely a violation of the Constitution, but would save the World economy.
Anyway, Reactions so far:
1. "The Tea-party just shut down America". This view holds the republicans responsible, to some degree, for the crisis. There are varying degrees of blame and understanding, from slightly more, to blaming them solely, from the entirety of the "Republican Congress", to the Tea-Party Faction. This view is held almost unanimously by the left, much of the center, and a significant number of republicans. This is the view advanced by Democrats.
2. "Congress sucks" This view holds the entirety of Congress, possibly including Obama, and maybe even encompassing "Washington" as a whole. This very common in the center, making up about half (the other half being #1) and many republicans. This is the view advanced by the Republican establishment and many Tea-Partiers. Usually it is believed they blaming the Democrats contributes to this more then actually blaming the Democrats.
3. "So the sky didn't fall, this ain't so bad, nice try sensationalists!" This view holds that the shutdown is not so bad, and that ending non-essential parts of the government is a good idea to begin with. This view is largely advanced by the right, particularly the farther right.
There are those blaming Democrats, but it is not really a coherent view-point, more of a "blah they suck" from constituents, and the Republican leaderships rather poor attempts to blame Democrats. Largely, they are feeding the Democratic argument they are holding the government hostage through this, since "Just agree with us and the shutdown ends" is pretty similar to "hand over the money and I let them go".
As I mentioned earlier,
Wall-street is enraged at the Tea Party, but due to the grass-root nature of many if not most of them, there is little they can do.
Poll
7 (6.5%)
Author
Topic: Bay12 Election Night Watch Party (Read 839116 times)