We need to dig ourselves out of mess

I read Mr. Bliss’s letter that appeared in your paper Dec. 22. I am not a “right wing Tea Party” member, but I do have a question for him.

What “failed policies” is Mr. Bliss addressing? If he is talking about the “spend without regard to indebtedness” policy, I am in complete agreement with him. If any of us operated our finances in the same manner as the governments, we would be in jail. All we have to do is look at the economic crises in Europe to get a picture of where we are headed.

Shouldn’t we be doing something to avoid that, Mr. Bliss?

What should we do, you ask?

Ÿ Take a balanced approach;

Ÿ Raise taxes — Mr. Bliss was correct, we all had a part in allowing this system to get out of hand, and now we should pay for it. But we should also learn from the experience and be more responsible and attentive;

Ÿ Cut programs — Sometime we must realize we can’t supply everything to everyone. I realize it will be hard to find some people who haven’t got an ax to grind to get us back to fiscal responsibility, but we must try;

Ÿ Every government official should be required to live under the same rules and conditions that the citizenry must;

Ÿ Term limits on all government offices — this is to prevent entrenched officials who lose their connection with their bosses (the public.)

It is true, the public (me included) is frustrated with the government’s failed policies that are continuing to bankrupt the people of this country, but I don’t think it’s exclusively the actions of one party or the other. As Mr. Bliss stated, it’s our own fault.

Charles Peraino

Cary