Applaud Congressmen who opposed compromise

The Daily Herald’s criticisms of Representatives Hultgren, Roskam, and Walsh for voting against the compromise on the fiscal cliff was misguided and just plain wrong.

You say, “Did they have cause to oppose the measure?” Yes, you say, because “the legislation failed to address the uncontrolled spending in Washington that threatens the country in the long run.”

You go on to say, “that’s a valid criticism,” but the passage spared the country from significant economic suffering and opposing this compromise was “reckless and irresponsible,” and passage did not restrict further action on spending. This type of thinking is what got our country in this mess in the first place. The inability of any politicians, Democrat or Republican, to draw a line in the sand and say that all of our country is going to have to endure some pain and suffering now, in the short run, in order to ensure we survive in the long-run.

You say another recession would be “catastrophic.” I disagree. What will be really catastrophic is our children 30 years from now having no food, no electricity, no housing, no clean water, no ability to borrow, no medical services, utter poverty and despair. If a current recession would wake people up to what we are doing to our future, it would be well worth it.

I applaud Reps. Hultgren, Roskam, and Walsh for standing up for what’s right for our future even when it is not popular and could cause short-term problems.

John Behof

Kildeer