The Ant and the Grasshopper, 2008 edition

cnredd · #1 (**permalink**) 09-26-2008, 04:15 PM

Quote:

With what looks like imminent passage of the Mother of All Bailouts (following on the heels of a year’s worth of government-funded rescues of private homeowners, lenders, insurers, and the automakers), Washington has turned Aesop’s famous fable about prudence and hard work on its head. The time is ripe for a revised 2008 edition of “The Ant and the Grasshopper:”

In a meadow on a hot summer’s day, a Grasshopper was chirping and carousing his time away. He watched scornfully as an Ant nearby struggled to store up large kernels of food and build a secure nest. The Ant pulled overtime shifts to pay off his loans and accumulate retirement funds for the future.

“Give it a rest,” the Grasshopper said. “Why bother saving and slaving and toiling and moiling? Let’s party!” The Ant demurred: “I am planning ahead for winter and you should do the same.” The Grasshopper blew off the Ant, squandered his supplies the rest of the season, and abandoned his home while on vacation (paid for by tapping every last cent of his home equity gain) instead of holding down a job.

When winter came, the Grasshopper’s pantry was empty and his shelter ruined from neglect. The Ant, weary from planting, harvesting, and stocking up for months, was dining comfortably in his nest.

Cold, hungry, jobless, facing foreclosure, and up to his two pairs of eyeballs in debt, the Grasshopper limped to the Association of Community Winged Insects for Rescue Now and demanded recourse. The office was swamped with thousands just like him. ACWIRN immediately put the Grasshopper to work registering dead ants as new voters.

Funded with tax dollars from the rest of the meadow’s residents, ACWIRN organized mass protests at the Bank of Antamerica, ambushed its top officials at their private homes, harassed their children, and demanded that the meadow’s politicians halt all foreclosures (”We must keep Grasshoppers in their houses!”) and outlaw discriminatory lending practices against starving, homeless Grasshoppers (”Well-stocked shelters are basic insect rights!”)

The banking industry capitulated; the Orthoptera Lobby secured hundreds of millions of dollars in housing earmarks and grants and counseling subsidies to support the Grasshoppers with the shadiest credit and employment histories. Antie Mae, the meadow’s government-backed home lending giant, fueled the push for increased insect homeownership in the name of biodiversity. Its executives cooked the books and headed for the hills. Katie Cricket and the Mainstream Meadow Media joined the grievance-for-profit circus, profiling Grasshopper sob stories and drumming up ratings as bewildered Ants wondered who was looking out for them.

The banks drowned in toxic debt. More Grasshoppers fell behind on their mortgage payments. Bailout mania and panic gripped the meadow.

Our little Ant, minding his own business, heard a knock on his door one late winter night a year later. It was his old, sneering Grasshopper neighbor. With ACWIRN’s presidential candidate, Barack Cicada, now in office, the Grasshopper had been hired by the meadow as a tax collector.

“I’m here to take your provisions,” the Grasshopper cackled.

But it was the Ant who had the last laugh. “I’ve learned my lesson,” he told his shiftless friend. “Why bother saving and slaving and toiling and moiling? I’ve spent all my savings. I’m walking away from my mortgage. Thrift is for suckers,” the Ant said as he headed out the door, leaving the Grasshopper empty-handed.

Aesop updated...

foundit66 · #2 (**permalink**) 09-26-2008, 04:58 PM

1) I like the spirit of the story, although I think it loses a lot when it goes for the partisan political attack.
Cause lord knows that the "McCain" grasshopper (who can't get enough deregulation) would fit in just as well, if you edit the posted story for truth to account for the fact that 95% of Americans are going to see a tax DECREASE.

2) The reality of this is that the "grasshoppers" have affected the ANTS' nest eggs as well.
Investments? They all took a huge dive, so let's not blindly pretend the "ants" are perfectly safe.
And the impact upon the economy and jobs as well? The ants may have to start living off their nest eggs when they lose their jobs.

3) In the big picture, how can we not include some "moral" that includes OBVIOUS REGULATION INCREASES???
I mean me personally? I don't care if the grasshoppers jump all around and drown themselves if it ONLY AFFECTS THEM.
But the truth of the matter is that this economic problem has SIGNIFICANTLY impacted the economy.

Hell. EVEN BUSH is finally admitting that the economy is in trouble unless we act.
Does that make Bush a "grasshopper supporter"?
And can I just say how hilarious it is that "Barack" is vilified by this "fable" (ironic how true the word "fable" is for this story), yet Bush and McCain are not mentioned...

4) I'd like to see a similar story for THE GOVERNMENT.
Cause Bush has acted like a HUGE grasshopper when it came to the government's funds. And the fact that we now have to give tax-payers tax-breaks and refunds to help stimulate the economy, when the grasshopper has no funds to speak of???
But of course, let's ignore that, huh???
Economists have DIRECTLY stated that McCain's plan will not work unless he gives acts on SIGNIFICANT budget cuts.
I seriously don't think he has it in him...
But the REPUBLICAN GRASSHOPPER GOVERNMENT?
If we are to talk lessons on fiscal responsibility, it needs to apply THERE as well!

Nah! Let's blame Barack!

saltwn · #3 (**permalink**) 09-26-2008, 11:45 PM

I have been a fan of this analogy since it was read to me (or I read it?) at a young age.
I see Bush as the grasshopper or a better analogy might be that he has fiddled while Rome burned (My apologies to Nero).

dabateman · #4 (**permalink**) 09-27-2008, 12:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saltwn

I have been a fan of this analogy since it was read to me (or I read it?) at a young age.
I see Bush as the grasshopper or a better analogy might be that he has fiddled while Rome burned (My apologies to Nero).

You know it's a sad moment with you have to apologize to Nero for the comparison.

Spencer Collins · #5 (**permalink**) 09-27-2008, 12:40 AM

Nice story but does the insect comparison really apply today! Maybe we should talk about how the gullible American frogs can be boiled in water if you increase the heat slowly..

saltwn · #6 (**permalink**) 09-27-2008, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spencer Collins

Nice story but does the insect comparison really apply today! Maybe we should talk about how the gullible American frogs can be boiled in water if you increase the heat slowly..

Bingo!

Adept1 · #7 (**permalink**) 09-27-2008, 02:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foundit66

1) I like the spirit of the story, although I think it loses a lot when it goes for the partisan political attack.
Cause lord knows that the "McCain" grasshopper (who can't get enough deregulation) This of course refers directly to the John Mccain that co-sponsored regulations specifically targeted at Mae & Mac and opposed by the democrats that were being paid off by them. would fit in just as well, if you edit the posted story for truth to account for the fact that 95% of Americans are going to see a tax DECREASE. Amazes me that some idiots actually believe that this is even possible. 40% of "taxpayers" already pay ZERO in federal income taxes. Basic math should show you how ignorant you are to not break out in scoffows. ( By the way the businesses that you increase taxes on will just have to raise their PRICES to pay for the increases so WHO in the end gets to actually pay those increases.....You the end consumer.

2) The reality of this is that the "grasshoppers" have affected the ANTS' nest eggs as well.
Investments? They all took a huge dive, so let's not blindly pretend the "ants" are perfectly safe.
And the impact upon the economy and jobs as well? The ants may have to start living off their nest eggs when they lose their jobs. Oh but of course the fact that the government forced this stupidity on them is just so irrelevant.I guess you just missed entirely the fact that it was ONLY the ants that were actually supporting the entire community and that they were being PUNISHED for it and now are being punished even more.

3) In the big picture, how can we not include some "moral" that includes OBVIOUS REGULATION INCREASES??? Well we spent all of our time prosecuting ENRON and investigating Bush, Cheney, Haliburton but somehow we don't even want to see WHO or What caused this. SEE link at end.
I mean me personally? I don't care if the grasshoppers jump all around and drown themselves if it ONLY AFFECTS THEM. Here that word is much tooooo small. IF
But the truth of the matter is that this economic problem has SIGNIFICANTLY impacted the economy.Bush started warning us way back in 2003 that this was coming if we didn't "regulate" the mac & mae. Mccain too.

Hell. EVEN BUSH is finally admitting that the economy is in trouble unless we act.
Does that make Bush a "grasshopper supporter"? Yes he has always "supported" ALL Americans whether they deserved it or not.
And can I just say how hilarious it is that "Barack" is vilified by this "fable" (ironic how true the word "fable" is for this story), yet Bush and McCain are not mentioned...
I assume that the Barry Obummer the "ant attacker and grasshopper supporter" is really supposed to be "vilified" here?
4) I'd like to see a similar story for THE GOVERNMENT.
Cause Bush has acted like a HUGE grasshopper when it came to the government's funds. And the fact that we now have to give tax-payers tax-breaks and refunds to help stimulate the economy, when the grasshopper has no funds to speak of??? But of course the democrats never "added" anything to our increased costs.Here you antedological grasp gets a bit skewed up as to who and what the grasshopper was and did.
But of course, let's ignore that, huh???
Economists have DIRECTLY stated that McCain's plan will not work unless he gives acts on SIGNIFICANT budget cuts. According to democrats if you do not INCREASE the amount EVERY year then it is a "cut".....So I presume you are in favor of some actual cuts?
I seriously don't think he has it in him...
But the REPUBLICAN GRASSHOPPER GOVERNMENT?
If we are to talk lessons on fiscal responsibility, it needs to apply THERE as well!

Nah! Let's blame Barack!

See if you can "handle the truth".
Holler "liar" all you want.......I won't believe you unless you can PROVE IT.

YouTube - Burning Down The House: What Caused Our Economic Crisis?

saltwn · #8 (**permalink**) 09-27-2008, 02:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adept1

See if you can "handle the truth".
Holler "liar" all you want.......I won't believe you unless you can PROVE IT.

YouTube - Burning Down The House: What Caused Our Economic Crisis?

Google this SWAPS
Or just click the link.

There's a lot more to this cheaters game than either side (politically) is aware of.

Adept1 · #9 (**permalink**) 09-27-2008, 03:56 AM

This is why its so important to see who a candidates friends are. THEY are the roots of the corruption. Now quit making fun of "Chicago politics".

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