Greek Catastrophe and American Gridlock

The latest budget proposal by President Obama is more of a political maneuver than anything. He knows Congress will not pass it. If we were to leave the federal budget where it is for 10 years, our total debt would rise from $15.3 trillion to $28.4 trillion. Under the Obama plan (tax hikes on the rich coupled with tighter defense spending {spending already being wound down with troop withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan!!!}) our total debt in 10 years would ONLY be about $26 trillion. I'm not sure about the rest of you, but I'd rather actually lower the debt vice choose either unacceptable poisons.

So that leaves it to the GOP to solve the problem, right? Wrong. I'd love to say the GOP have a plan to cut through the gridlock and idiocracy to drive these big debt numbers down, but they do not. Unfortunately, the GOP are as stubborn about opposing any tax increases (specifically on the rich) as the Democrats are about expanding government hand outs in our daily lives (i.e. more entitlement programs).

Just recently, Congress struggled to reach consensus on giving the average American an extension of the Bush era tax cut ($20 a week extra in their paycheck). The likely effects of this tax break will further weaken Social Security entitlements, which rely on this tax, and make taxpayers borrow themselves even further into debt in order to pay for their own tax break. Both parties know this is an unaffordable tax cut and ending it might offend voters who care more about an extra $20 a week than the financial burden they put upon their future selves and future generations.

Offend voters? In an election year?!? They can't have that.

So that means, effectively, our federal legislative and executive branches have stopped governing until the day after elections in November. Both parties are now on automatic pilot; more worried about storing mud to sling whilst campaigning than they are about talking with their constituents and looking for new ideas to stave off our future economic collapse. They are looking for a voter mandate (party with a clear majority) before tackling big government, our antiquated and convoluted tax code, executive branch agencies that answer to no one except the President (I'm looking at you FDA and FCC), and government hand outs <cough> I mean, Social Security.

The future we are facing by keeping the status quo is almost unfathomable for most Americans, though they already are seeing it on news programs on TV: Greece and other indebted Euro countries. The scenes from abroad with rock throwing youths and riot police meeting them head on is yet too distant for Washington to take notice of. Rest assured that Washington can be relied upon to roll up their sleeves and do one of two things: completely ignore the problem or completely run a good/bad idea into the ground.

There is a third option: action. It is clear that those in the majority and minority in Washington are not able or willing to act. It is clear that our federal shepherds are failing us. This is where the common man can help by talking to their state and federal representatives and senators. We can wait for the youths of this country to clash with riot police amidst flames and rock throwing. Or we can lead our politicians in the direction we want this country to go in.