Competing cults
We have two competing cults now in the DC Occupation Government.
1.
Gaia, by far the longest-lasting and most firmly established. Gaia says
any CO2 causes apocalypse, and all else follows from that axiom.
2.
Groverism, fairly new and much less universal, but equally fanatic. Groverism says
any Tax causes apocalypse, and all else follows from that axiom.
In most of our allegedly "legislative" discussions, Gaia dominates. All policies must serve to tear down American industries and move them to China, in order to prevent even one molecule of CO2 from desecrating this unfortunate land.
In the more recent "debt" discussions, Groverism dominates. All policies must serve to tear down American infrastructure so there will be no point in trying to restore or rebuild our industry or economy, in order to prevent even one molecule of Tax from desecrating this unfortunate land.
And between the two of them, they licked the country clean.