穆迪降低美国评级，共和党人欣喜若狂

    白宫与国会共和党人之间就提升美国债务上限的会谈破裂后，穆迪（Moody's）随即发布了评级下调的警告。米奇•迈克奈尔，这位声称是共和党领导人肯塔基州参议员称，只要奥巴马总统在任，此事就不会有任何进展。另外一位，明尼苏达州代表米歇尔•巴克曼（图右）则说，我们真正需要的不是提升债务上限，而是一位有“钛合金脊柱”的总统。什么意思，不懂。

    地球上的共和党，有人在家吗？无人应声。这也说明改善美国预算赤字和增加财政收入仍只是一些人一厢情愿的想法。

    穆迪当然无法乐观。它说之所以纳入降级观察名单是因为“债务上限问题可能导致美国无法偿还债券和票据的利息或本金”。该评级机构还表示，利息违约的可能性“不大，但不可…小视”。

    美国财政部表示，如果8月2日之前14.29万亿美元的债务上限仍未能得到提升，政府将弹尽粮绝。果真如此，美国债务违约在所难免，由此将引发美元的抛售以及联邦借贷成本永久性的提高，由此引发的后果将是灾难性的，相信一切有识之士都不会否认这一点。

    然而，茶党人士，而非神智正常的人，是眼下华盛顿所谓大辩论的主角。有充分的理由相信，很多茶党人士都是抱着唯恐政府不乱的心态。毕竟，他们期待的就是看一场好戏。

    美国财政部表示，“穆迪评估提醒的很及时，国会需尽快采取措施避免发生债务违约并通过大幅度赤字削减方案”。不幸的是，我们完全有理由相信，这一警告最终将遭遇选择性失聪。

    The move comes after talks broke down between the White House and Republicans in Congress over raising the U.S. debt ceiling. One so-called Republican leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, said progress was impossible with Barack Obama as president. Another, Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota (pictured at right), said what we really need is not an increase in the debt ceiling but a president with a "titanium spine," whatever that means.

    Earth to Republicans, anyone home? No answer. Which suggests those awaiting progress on the bloated U.S. budget and shrunken federal tax intake are engaging in wishful thinking.

    Moody's certainly did not seem to be heartened. It said the review "is prompted by the possibility that the debt limit will not be raised in time to prevent a missed payment of interest or principal on outstanding bonds and notes." The rating agency said the probability of a default on interest is "low but no longer ... de minimis."

    The Treasury has said the government will run out of money Aug. 2 if the $14.29 trillion debt ceiling isn't raised. That could put the U.S. in default on its obligations, a state of affairs that all sane people agree would be disastrous, raising the risk of flight from the dollar and permanently higher federal borrowing costs.

    But Tea Partiers, rather than sane people, are a major force in the so-called debate in Washington right now, and there is every reason to believe that many of them would like to see the government blown up because it would make for a memorable spectacle.

    "Moody's assessment is a timely reminder of the need for Congress to move quickly to avoid defaulting on the country's obligations and agree upon a substantial deficit reduction package," Treasury said. Unfortunately there is every reason to believe that warning will fall on deaf ears.