Trick or treat? Will the government default on debt payments?

Halloween or All Hallows’ Eve “is a yearly celebration observed in a number of countries on October 31, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows (or All Saints) and the day initiating the triduum of Hallowmas, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed believers according to Wikipedia.

“According to many scholars, All Hallows’ Eve is a Christianized feast initially influenced by Celtic harvest festivals and festivals of the dead with possible pagan roots, particularly the Scottish Gaelic Samhain. Other scholars maintain that it originated independently of Samhain and has solely Christian roots.”

For the more contemporary of us, it’s the day we dress up in an imaginative array of scary and other costumes and celebrate the spirits of the rising dead with pumpkins. It’s when we take the kids out to ring your doorbells for candies and other goodies, and to watch scary movies. In fact, Halloween grosses only second in sales revenues to Christmas for its trappings.

But trailing right along with its arrival is the ongoing Theater of Default produced by non-payment of the debt due to Republican refusal to raise the federal debt ceiling, which in large part was generated with the excesses of George Bush’s trillions of dollars of tax cuts to the rich. Nevertheless, Bush also managed to raise the debt limit and pay the nation’s debts eight times in his two terms. So what’s the big deal?

Ironically, Obama’s continuance of Bush’s wars, and then some, had a hand in raising the national debt, but somehow, the Republicans have found a hook to hang it all on Obama’s Affordable Health Care Bill. In all fairness, Obama was handed a $700 billion dollar ransom note by Hank Paulson on walking into the White House. And life’s become an economic roller coaster since then. Obama was also handed two wars, Afghanistan and Iraq, and more have been added since then, including Pakistan, Libya, Somalia, the NDAA, drones, a U.S. surveillance state, etc.

Behind that, the Repugs have lined up Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid for execution. The U.S. Treasury is already using emergency measures. “So, what is it about the Affordable Care Act and the benefits people have paid for that Republicans hate so much?”

Roy Herron, chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party, worked on health care issues for two decades as a state representative and senator in the state General Assembly. And he’s supplied some reasons in the form of questions . . .

Is it the fact that the last Republican nominee for president, the former governor of Massachusetts (Romney), fathered “Obamacare” at the state level? Would Republicans like the Affordable Care Act better if it were called, as it could be, “Romneycare”? Or is it Romney’s handy defeat by President Obama possibly the reason?

Is the Republican hate for the Affordable Care Act because insurance companies are facing increased competition on prices and giving consumers a better deal?

“Is it that consumers now have more low-cost options and can make an apples-to-apples comparison of insurance plans?

Is it that women no longer can be discriminated against and charged higher premiums just because they are women?

“Is it that both “Single Payer Healthcare” and/or a “Single Payer Option” were shot down, and the Ta Party Republicans think the AAC is “socialist?””

“Is it that cancer victims and those suffering from a multitude of illnesses no longer can be denied care because of “pre-existing conditions”?”

“Is it that citizens can get free preventive care?”

Or is it that seniors now are saving hundreds of dollars on prescription drugs?

Is it that young people can be covered by their parents’ insurance until they are 26?

Is it that some now will have access to affordable care and no longer have to ride on the backs of the rest of us? Is it that many previously uninsured will pay an affordable premium instead of shifting the cost of an unexpected hospital bill onto us taxpayers and insurance-buyers?

Is it that now health insurance is required, just like car insurance?

Is it that insurance companies no longer get huge windfalls and businesses and consumers now get refunds and rebates?

Is it that your insurance company no longer can cap your coverage if you suffer an awful, chronic disease or a costly, debilitating accident? Furthermore, is it that if you suffer such a terrible fate, the insurance company cannot kick you off the insurance altogether?

Is it that working people now can have health care just like the politicians and the prisoners?

Is it that health care inflation has slowed and health care costs have increased less since the Affordable Care Act passed than in any other four-year period since World War II?

Is it that more Americans having health insurance will mean that each year literally thousands fewer will die prematurely from inadequate or delayed care?

Is it that “death panels” never existed and still don’t?

Is it that instead of crashing the economy, the Affordable Care Act is providing healthier workers who strengthen businesses and increase productivity?

Is it that the Congressional Budget Office reports that the Affordable Care Act is a fully funded program that actually helps to shrink the deficit?

Is it that many Republicans think that if people are helped by the Affordable Care Act, they will like it and support it? And continue to vote for Democrats?

Is it that for the first time in American history, many working people will be able to have what every Republican member of Congress has: affordable health insurance?

Or have the Republicans been yelling so long that they don’t know what it is they don’t like about the Affordable Care Act, except when they call it by the president’s name: Obamacare?

One thing is for sure. When the Affordable Care Act is fully implemented, if it works as well for all Americans as it does for Gov. Mitt Romney’s home-state citizens, Republicans won’t call it “Obamacare” any more.

So, “yes” to all the questions.

And let’s stop holding the country hostage (what a terrible trick) and raise the debt limit so that we can pay our debts (what a treat to all) to China and other countries we trade with or borrow from, (our own federal workers, our senior citizens’ Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

Also remember veterans benefits need to be paid, as well as the members of our armed services.

Let’s not forget all that infrastructure that needs to be maintained and repaired, from roads to our national parks and monuments, and public buildings

This outflow of federal cash, believe it or not, will stimulate the economy, bring it back to life and assure markets around the world, including our own, that we are not “down for the count” because a bunch of billionaires and their politicians want to sic their sick austerity program on us.

Paying our debts also includes maintaining the United States’ reputation in the international economy, not as a deadbeat but as an upbeat participant in international trade. Promises made need to be paid to keep trade relations in balance. Nobody likes the door closed in their face, on Halloween or any other day, when it’s collection time.

Unfortunately, this has become a dangerous game of “chicken.”

So let’s get this no brainer nightmare over with, Congress. And I mean you, Boehner, and you, Reid. Let’s stop frightening the people of the U.S. and the world: pay the goddamn bills already, before you create still another recession even bigger than the last with your intransigence and hostage mentality. As it stands right now, the default will go into effect on Thursday.

Jerry Mazza is a freelance writer, life-long resident of New York City. An EBook version of his book of poems “State Of Shock,” on 9/11 and its after effects is now available at Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com. He has written hundreds of articles on politics and government as Associate Editor of the intrepidreport.com(formerly Online Journal). Reach him at gvmaz@verizon.net.