The fiscal cliff was a "manufactured crisis"?

[ProSense]

If that's true, why are the people pushing this claim also pushing fear and risk associated with the next fiscal cliff?

Either it's bogus or not.

[leftstreet]

1. Can you prove it wasn't?

Several journalists and elected reps have claimed it was a manufactured crisis. Many lengthy and sourced articles right here on DU

I'd look forward to info debunking it

[ProSense]

6. Huh?

Several journalists and elected reps have claimed it was a manufactured crisis. Many lengthy and sourced articles right here on DU

I'd look forward to info debunking it

Do you believe it was manufactured? You didn't answer the question: For those who believe it was manufactured, why is there a "risk" associated with the next "crisis"?

[woo me with science]

10. Because each manufactured crisis is used to justify

and push through, on an "emergency" basis, policies that are very real and very destructive.

You need to read "Shock Doctrine." The whole purpose of creating a manufactured crisis is to force legislation down our throats that the American public would not accept otherwise.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

16. Oh, seriously? That would never happen.

And nobody would ever cheer about it when it did.

[NoOneMan]

2. "Manufactured crisis" doesn't mean the crisis doesn't exist

But that its existence is unnecessary and manufactured (for ulterior motives)

[LisaLynne]

4. Right.

It's not that there was NO crisis, it's just that there didn't HAVE to be one.

[G_j]

5. Exactly. nt

[ProSense]

8. OK,

"Manufactured crisis" doesn't mean the crisis doesn't exist

...but I'm speaking of those who said there was no crisis.

Others claimed that this was more a "curb" than a "cliff."

[NoOneMan]

9. It was not zero sum

The crisis was manufactured months ago. "Something" would of happened if no agreement was made (due to another agreement during the manufacturing). That "something" had a catchy name and everyone went chicken-little about its consequences, blowing them into a mountain out of a molehill (because what is a manufactured crisis without a little showmanship?).

So, with fear and a catchy little name, the American people were scared into accepting ANY agreement to avert the manufactured crisis, without a clear explanation of whether or not that agreement is better or worse than the manufactured crisis. So an unnecessary fear has resulted in an unnecessary agreement, and we are supposed to be happy because we avoided a "something" that wasn't even necessary in the first place?

Hell of a way to run a government

[ProSense]

12. I understand that point, but

So, with fear and a catchy little name, the American people were scared into accepting ANY agreement to avert the manufactured crisis, without a clear explanation of whether or not that agreement is better or worse than the manufactured crisis. So an unnecessary fear has resulted in an unnecessary agreement, and we are supposed to be happy because we avoided a "something" that wasn't even necessary in the first place?

...I'm asking if the next crisis is real or manufactured? You seem to say this one was bogus, although perceived as real because of the hype.

[NoOneMan]

15. Yes, they've already manufactured the next crisis

So it is real. Its magnitude will likely be exaggerated to manipulate the country. The solution may very well be worse, but we don't know that yet.

In any case, its unnecessary .

[woo me with science]

13. Exactly. The crisis is manufactured, but the

destructive, corporate-planned "solutions" are very real.

[MannyGoldstein]

3. Because the consequences of going over the "fiscal cliff" were not catastrophic

But the consequences of not extending the debt ceiling are.

[ProSense]

14. "But the consequences of not extending the debt ceiling are."

You're saying the consequences of the "not extending the debt ceiling" is "catastrophic."

That makes it a potentially real crisis.

[mike_c]

7. yes, it was....

It was brilliant theater, too. "Fiscal cliff" sounds so dire. Fear of the "cliff" was so acute that it completely obscured the circumstance that we went over it Monday night and no one even noticed.

[NCTraveler]

11. Manufactured does not equal bogus.

The two terms are completely different.

[ProSense]

18. It can.

"Manufactured does not equal bogus."

Manufactured does equal bogus if it isn't real.

One can manufacture a real crisis, but one can also create the impression that something is a crisis when it isn't. In that case it's bogus.

For example, for several years there was a talking point about Social Security being in crisis. It was never real. It was bogus.

On the other hand, holding the debt ceiling hostage is a manufactured crisis that isn't bogus. Republicans are the ones manufacturing the crisis, and the consequences are very real.

[GeorgeGist]

17. Evidence

" ...why are the people pushing this claim also pushing fear and risk associated with the next fiscal cliff?"

would be helpful.