Harry S. Truman
Now that it appears Congress is refusing to avoid sequestration, some Americans appear to be collectively shaking their heads in disbelief. Unfortunately, most folks will only learn about sequestration after its negative effects are felt in our economy. Perhaps even more unfortunate, is the current "blame game" being waged between the parties as to who caused the sequestration to come about in the first place. Yes, President Obama suggested the drastic action as a measure of last resort. But President Obama made it clear, sequestration should not happen and by suggesting the measure, he planned and hoped pragmatic minds in Congress would be forced to work together and agree on deficit reduction measures. So what happened? Congress agreed and passed the sequestration bill, otherwise known as Budget Control Act of 2011. Yep, 2011! Congress has had that much time to avoid the harsh realities of sequestration. Have they done anything to stop it going into effect? Of course not, and now we are only eight (8) days from the sequestration going into effect! But who is really to blame for this?
The Republicans say it is President Obama's sequestration because he asked for it. But Congress passed it into law. President Obama claims he proposed it in an effort to get Congress to get deficit reduction measures negotiated. But what about tax reform? Didn't Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan repeatedly campaign on promises they were going to reform the tax code? Paul Ryan is chairman of the House Budget Committee in a chamber controlled by the Republican Party. He has all the authority he needs under Article I, Section 8 to get those reforms proposed and enacted in the House. So where are these promised reforms? Nowhere, because the GOP candidates really had no such plans. But the Democrats are just as culpable in the Senate for their lame inaction.
So who is really to blame for this failure? We are, that's who! What? No way it can be our fault. But yes, it is our fault for electing folks to be leaders of Congress when they have proven time and time again that they are incapable of leading. Seriously, they are not doing the job they have been elected to perform (except Tea Party members of the Republican Party who were elected to go to Washington to destroy it). Ironically, it takes no leadership skills to tear down the government...anyone can do that! But leadership on the national level requires skilled, articulate and smart folks in order to create initiatives in public policy and legislation a 21st century America requires. And to do so, requires bi-partisan cooperation,, but we seriously lack those leaders in our current Congress.
Perhaps it would be best for the President to suggest a new type of "or else" measure? Like one that requires Congressional leaders from both political parties negotiate deficit reduction, entitlement, tax and immigration reform by the end of summer (like August 31, 2013). Instead of automatically cutting spending if they cannot agree to work together to accomplish necessary legislation, then the new plan would require the Speaker and Majority Leader of the House and the Majority and Minority Leader of the Senate, to resign from Congress, effective immediately! Now that would be a great way to shrink our government. Unfortunately, such a proposal would be D.O.A. ("Dead on Arrival") in our Congress. Even Harry Truman said, "Washington is a very easy city for you to forget where you came from and why you got there in the first place." Let's begin to remind these folks in 2014 where they came from and bring them home!
The Republicans say it is President Obama's sequestration because he asked for it. But Congress passed it into law. President Obama claims he proposed it in an effort to get Congress to get deficit reduction measures negotiated. But what about tax reform? Didn't Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan repeatedly campaign on promises they were going to reform the tax code? Paul Ryan is chairman of the House Budget Committee in a chamber controlled by the Republican Party. He has all the authority he needs under Article I, Section 8 to get those reforms proposed and enacted in the House. So where are these promised reforms? Nowhere, because the GOP candidates really had no such plans. But the Democrats are just as culpable in the Senate for their lame inaction.
So who is really to blame for this failure? We are, that's who! What? No way it can be our fault. But yes, it is our fault for electing folks to be leaders of Congress when they have proven time and time again that they are incapable of leading. Seriously, they are not doing the job they have been elected to perform (except Tea Party members of the Republican Party who were elected to go to Washington to destroy it). Ironically, it takes no leadership skills to tear down the government...anyone can do that! But leadership on the national level requires skilled, articulate and smart folks in order to create initiatives in public policy and legislation a 21st century America requires. And to do so, requires bi-partisan cooperation,, but we seriously lack those leaders in our current Congress.
Perhaps it would be best for the President to suggest a new type of "or else" measure? Like one that requires Congressional leaders from both political parties negotiate deficit reduction, entitlement, tax and immigration reform by the end of summer (like August 31, 2013). Instead of automatically cutting spending if they cannot agree to work together to accomplish necessary legislation, then the new plan would require the Speaker and Majority Leader of the House and the Majority and Minority Leader of the Senate, to resign from Congress, effective immediately! Now that would be a great way to shrink our government. Unfortunately, such a proposal would be D.O.A. ("Dead on Arrival") in our Congress. Even Harry Truman said, "Washington is a very easy city for you to forget where you came from and why you got there in the first place." Let's begin to remind these folks in 2014 where they came from and bring them home!
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