BLOGS

The debate over cutting the national debt is a senseless discussion in the current form. There is no way to reduce the national debt by exclusively considering expenditures. At some point, a wise politician needs to admit ‘the king has no clothes’ and acknowledge tax revenue must be increased. Taxes have been so demonized that neither party will even use the word. The Republican Party has made the subject of debt reduction and tax elimination their pacifier to sooth their political base.

It is no secret that the Republican Party is totally against most social programs especially as they relate to those earning less than $80,000 annually. The Republicans are using the issue of debt reduction tied to social programs to take credit for saving the financially powerful and eliminating those considered freeloaders. We again have a situation in which the Conservative Right is using perception management, repeating cute words and phrases to make the voters believe cutting programs designated ‘social’ will magically eliminate the debt. Progress on debt reduction is impossible if we can’t even pay the interest on our debt. That sounds too much like the Chelan PUD and the fiber program. Has anyone checked the number of Republicans on the Chelan PUD nonpartisan Board?

The Democratic Party isn’t much better. Democrats do have the compassion to see the need to care for our neighbors and understand that self regulation is a fantasy. However, rather than being more forceful in their convictions, the Democrats seem to take the approach that the Republicans will, over time, come around after listening to their lectures. We can’t afford to wait until the oceans die from oil pollution or our food supply dwindles from climate change. We can’t wait until the middle class, unable to afford privatized health insurance, bankrupts the health care system by going to the public hospital emergency rooms. Privatization generates profits, never solutions.

It is interesting how Paul Ryan, Chairman of the House Budget committee, can submit a budget to solve the debt issues by reducing taxes for the financially powerful and seriously curtailing many programs that energize and motivate 85% of our citizens. How are the bills going to be paid? Do we just ignore the homeless, the sick and the hungry? Paul Ryan’s proposal is like suggesting that the parents, who generate the family income, pay no support to their children but demand their children pay rent, pay for health care and buy the family food. Representative Ryan wants to develop an ideal society totally free from regulations, impose no taxes on the financially powerful - all based on the conviction that self regulation and privatization of pensions and health care will save our society. His approach is a formula for disaster. Paul needs to study history, not write childish fantasies.

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