The fiscal cliff threw me. I thought going over it was just what the country needed – raise taxes on the rich who’ve been paying historically low rates, and cut government spending which is now a scary 50 percent of the economy. Why did everyone so desperately try to avoid last summer’s Grand Deal? How did it get to be a cliff anyway? Why wasn’t it a landing zone? And why did the stock market soar 300 points that day?

Simple: Nobody wants to swallow the medicine. Republicans refuse to hike taxes as long as there are lawyers without yachts and Obama’s spending cuts are about two decimal points off. Some wisenheimer pointed out that the new deal didn’t do a thing to lower the debt, cap the debt ceiling, or trim entitlements. It did contain hundreds of millions in pork for rum makers, algae growers and NASCAR track owners; Congress even threw in another $9 billion for big banks. Yup, bankers got another bump. How about you?

Kicking fiscal responsibility down the road like it can be amputated is pretty much the opposite of governing. Reminds me of Mort Sahl’s joke that a conservative doesn’t want anything to happen for the first time; a liberal feels it should happen, but not now. Of course, the longer we wait, the tougher the swallow. Our runaway debt is projected to put Moody’s in a foul mood maybe foul enough to downgrade our credit rating again. This will, in turn, raise interest rates and the cost of borrowing, forcing us even deeper into debt. Round and round, and down we go.

So I’ve decided not to make any resolutions this year. Looks like 2013 is going to be bumpy enough without the burden of a lot of good intentions. I foresee months of witless debate and fruitless bickering, more so-called cliffs (metaphorical or otherwise), more lying by the numbers. And more cheap theater in a town that enjoys the highest average salaries, healthiest real estate market and lowest unemployment rate in the country. Ain’t no recession in the nation’s capital. What’s your problem, America?

Living in a country that’s trillions in debt means three things you can start counting on namely, higher taxes, fewer governmental services, and a devalued currency. I don’t care what kind of government check you’re receiving it isn’t safe; your 401k may not be either. It’s time to stop betting your future on the “full faith and credit of the U.S. government.” That’s become the punch line for an inside joke that no one laughs at.

Here in America, anyone can become speaker of the House or even president and that’s the chance we all take. Seems this particular crop has done us a great disservice. There’s only one sensible explanation for such a transparent and embarrassing display of poor governance: the problem can’t be fixed. That is, a $14 trillion economy simply can’t pay off an $18 trillion debt when it’s also sitting on another $84 trillion in unfunded obligations. You don’t need a degree from the Chicago School of Economics to do that math. All you have to know is how to spell bankrupt.

We’re not just out of money; we’re out of government. The sorry truth is these two political parties, these two bought and paid for, wined and dined, persuaded and bribed private corporations – that are not an official part of our government – these Republicans and Democrats are too busy getting theirs to worry about us. They don’t call them parties for nothing. Here’s what you need to understand going forward – you’re on your own.

Being broke means you’re vulnerable and the list of things that might collectively push us over a real cliff is too long to list here. A lot of smart money is betting that things are going to get bad, and then they’re going to get a lot worse. I know one thing that would improve the economy and lift my hopes for 2013 a lot more unemployed politicians.

Rick Roberts (reroberts46@yahoo.com) is a veteran of Boston’s advertising community and the U.S. Army. He lives in Windham. He is author of two books: I Was Much Happier When Everything I Owned Was In The Back Seat Of My Volkswagen, and the recent novel, Digital Darling. Both are available at bookstores, Amazon.com, or visit: BabyBoomerPress.com.