By Ralph Pace
Ladies and Gentlemen:
It is with deep regret that I find it necessary to pen this epistle to you but I find the circumstances reaching a more than dire level of significance.
You (and I mean both the legislative and executive branches of our national government) have permitted the question of our national debt to become a problem of your own making that finds you unable to accept the consequences of your actions.
Our debt ceiling has to be raised; on this matter, there is no question as to need.
Our reduction of government spending needs to be dramatically (notice that I have avoided the word 'drastically') reduced.
You have had the opportunity to review the Bowles-Simpson Commission's recommendations on debt reduction. It represents the only action that can claim bi-partisan support of any kind. It addresses the critical issues that need to be addressed in a manner that is a fair as can be expected given the prevailing financial and political circumstances.
Yet you have failed to take any action on it. The so-called Ryan Plan lacks any reasonable definition of how debt would be reduced; it simply proposes a 'sledge hammer' approach that would ultimately be self-defeating in terms of results. The President has failed to demostrate any real leadership in suggesting alternatives.
Like or not, the Bowles-Simpson proposal is the only proposal on the table that has the long-term impact of correcting our debt situation without creating a set of worse problems.
The nation is tired of hearing your ideological justifications for your inability to resolve this fundamental problem.
We are faced with a dilemma of gigantic proportions - and you sit and bicker about your ideologies.
This is a situation where we all must share in the resolution to the problem - indeed, it's a problem we helped to willingly create. Whether it be taxes on the wealthy or reduction in social security benefits, they need to be enacted.
You trumpet the words that you cannot do this or that because it will be contrary to the interests of your constituents. The truth is if you fail to act to reduce this debt, the interests of constituents will become a moot question; the subsequent suffering most of the nation will endure will drag this country into a third-world mentality.
You were elected to make decisions that support the growth and health of this nation; not to claim that "it's the other guys fault". While the media may label you liberal, conservative, tea party member, or moderate, you are charged with a responsibility that transcends labels.
The jury is still out on why this man was elected.Only history will show what was behind the election of this man with little past. He seems to have his own plan for this country, and I hope we can survive long enough to elect someone to put us back on a normal path.
Posted by: Jay Hall | July 25, 2011 at 06:22 PM