Time to stop waste, not add more debt
I just read Tom Raum's article, "Carrying on U.S. tradition of debt." He states the mountain of debt could become the next economic crisis without firm action from Washington. Silly me, aren't we in an economic crisis due to the FIRM action of Washington?
Did the latest $787 billion stimulus cure anything, or did it just raise the level of debt? Did it save or create 3 million jobs as promised or is the unemployment almost 10 percent and climbing? It seems the only job sector growth is government, including the 33 new "appointed" czars.
Just where are the "shovel-ready" jobs and who exactly got the stimulus? Does anybody know? We were promised unprecedented levels of transparency. If taxpayer money was misspent, HE promised to "call it out and publicize it."
It was hinted recently by the vice president that a second stimulus may be necessary. NO WAY! Our government should not be in the business of owning/running car manufacturers, banks, interfering in our health care, or any day-to-day realities from what type of light bulb is permissible to how much water their toilet can hold.
Quit wasting our tax dollars! We are not a bunch of dolts who need a central government running every aspect of our life. Government's job is to keep our borders safe from attack, and illegal aliens out, keep the infrastructure in good repair, roads, bridges, dikes, etc. Government could promote and open up areas for oil exploration, kill the moratorium on nuclear plants, encourage clean coal production, let us be independent from foreign energy sources.
According to the article, interest payments on the debt is "the largest federal spending category after Medicare-Medicaid, social security and defense... And the treasury is finding it harder to find new lenders."
Sounds like printing more money, inflation and tax hikes to me, or will China purchase more debt?
Let those in Washington cut back their spending the way Joe Public has. Put a cap on congressional travel, ground the 16 military planes used by Congress, their families and friends, and the ridiculous amounts spent on hotels and food, which in 2008 was $13 million. Limit their expenditures. Did the IRS capture the back taxes and interest owed by some in Washington? Stop funding pork projects and special interest groups. How about line-item veto? How about truth and honesty in politics? Let our elected lead by example.
Patty Holland
Gurnee