Three Things...

I do not understand:
a. Why money bet in the Stock Market, and money bet in Casinos, are taxed at different rates;
b. Why cutting taxes increases revenues, in the United States, but not elsewhere and,
c. Why "deficits don't matter" if the President is a Republican, but they are unsustainable if the President is a Democrat.
No wonder Economics is known as "The Dismal Science".

Oh, Good,

... I Thought We Might Be In Trouble ...
This Bipartisan Deal (Hah!) to increase the debt limit is quite illustrative of how politics works these days in the sad, sad capital of the formerly great nation of the United States.
Remember when Ross Perot was running for President?
A century or so ago?
He had this charming notion that legislation should be submitted to the ordinary voter - read out loud on teevee, to be submitted to a popular vote.
Ignoring that for the scheme to work, the bill would have to be:
a. Comprehensible
b. Understanable
c. Reasonable
d. Present a logical choice (e.g.: raise the debt - do not raise the debt)
Legislation in todays Congress (and in state Legislatures generally) fits none of the above criteria/
This bill in particular looks a bit like one of those great football plays. You know: "Tackle-Eligible-Three-Wide-Right-Fumblerooski-Flea-Flicker-Double-Reverse-Fullback-Option-To-The-Quarterback". Amazing!
Usually resulting in a safety.
The obvious thing about this POS is that, no matter if you vote for it or not, by the time the elections come around, your fingerprints will be nowhere to be found on the corpse. It's all about automatic triggers; arbitrary targets; "bipartisan" commissions; slash & burn cuts. The congressional budgetary authority has been turned over to a player-to-be-named-later.
Precisely why our solons can vote for it.