Our solutions more than a sound bite

I saw tea party supporter U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh on TV the other day. He had gathered local businessmen in a small conference room, apparently to get a quick civics lesson from them. He asked them what they wanted from their government, but he specifically didn’t want thoughtful or considered answers. He almost shouted at them, “I want quick answers. Go!” and he started pointing around the room, not giving anyone more than a couple of seconds to respond.

It struck me that this sort of thinking is at the heart of the movement that is sweeping the country to cut budgets and taxes at all costs. The new Republicans are not interested in what government actually does, whether it is effective, or how it can be more effective. They are interested in sound bites and quick fixes.

Problem: “I don’t like paying taxes.” Solution: “Let’s cut taxes.”

Problem: “But we’re running a deficit.” Solution: “So let’s cut the budget.”

Problem: “But are these programs really useless? Don’t our kids need the best education possible? Don’t we have a moral responsibility to help the poor, the needy, the elderly? Will cutting investment in our future hurt us in the long run? Who will do this if the government doesn’t?” Solution: “Huh? I just got the funniest video of a squirrel chasing a ball. Check it out.”

Problem: It seems that our national attention span is reduced to the length of a text or a tweet, and it is clear that tea partyers are comfortable with that, while most Democrats are not. Solution: Those of us who care about a government that works for all need to insist that our more impulsive friends stop and think whether making deep and arbitrary budget cuts in a fragile economy is really the way to go.

Guy Rosenthal

Wheaton