Saturday, August 27, 2011

HAGER’S DAYS AND OTHERS SHOULD BE LIMITED


All of the way up to the day of the vote to raise the debt limit, Congressman Wally Hager (R-CA) was insisting that he would stand strong and demand a meaningful deficit reduction plan before allowing the ceiling to be lifted.  Then, on the day of the vote, he and dozens others just like him caved in and voted for the debt ceiling increase that virtually gave Obama everything he wanted and provided for no meaningful deficit reduction. 

Their excuse?  If they didn’t cave in, the nation would have defaulted on its debt.  Then, they tried to hang their hats on the Special Committee that is going to resolve everything by November, stacked with six staunch Republicans and six staunch Democrats who are unlikely to compromise on anything.  If they do not come up with a viable idea, taxes will certainly increase, defense spending gets cut and an automatic deficit reduction occurs.  The very modest cuts included in that legislation largely do not kick in until 2014, where the need for cuts is immediate. 

Now, Hager’s line is that this was an important first step and that they can get on with the business of further deficit reductions.  But, we have a “special committee” who is going to operate in secret to, ostensibly, make those cuts.  Further, the Congress can ignore any cuts anytime it thinks we are in an emergency situation.  Why don’t they set aside money to deal with emergencies like the rest of us do? 

As a result of this lame legislation, we just kicked the can down the road again and we allowed those who would spend us into oblivion to rule the day.  There was no way we would have gone into default over an arbitrary date set by Tim Geithner.  Hager and his cohorts did the nation a big disfavor… again.  They need to be removed and replaced with people who are willing to stand up and do what is right.  . 

That’s MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted.  


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