We need a fair and upfront Congress

I want to express my concern over the current national debt ceiling impasse we are all watching take place in Washington. I submit that this is an attempt at “back door” legislation. That is, if you fail at trying to impose your ideological agenda on the American people by a direct vote, and the opposing agenda prevails, then by withholding the funding for the programs you are opposed to, you can achieve the same end. This, in effect, negates the will of the people already expressed through their elected officials.

For example, the Republicans were unsuccessful in their attempts to privatize Social Security. Privatization would have drastically curtailed the “safety net” and “inflation protection” features of this program. It would have signaled the beginning of the end of Social Security. So now instead, if politicians demand that funding be reduced because of the national debt, do they not achieve the same end? Are not Republicans trying to reverse their earlier “social programs” failures at the expense of the American people?

Yes, the national debt is very serious. But it has always been serious, not just in the last two years. Why has there not been a Republican president since Richard Nixon who balanced spending and revenue? Why did they all add to the national debt each and every year? They failed to balance their spending with revenue by choice, as they imposed their “trickle down” ideology of tax breaks. Only Billy Carter and Bill Clinton ever had a surplus; this is easily verified.

Congress needs to rescind all of these ill-advised and ineffective tax breaks, close tax loopholes (especially for international businesses), and be fair and sincere about paying their bills with both spending cuts and revenue increases. They should not just cut social programs and middle-class civil service jobs.

Phil Graf

Rolling Meadows