Bring Back The Good Ol' Days: Helpful Tips For New Super Committee

Impact

In the midst of all the negative commentary regarding our economic situation, it might be useful to consider what can be done on Capitol Hill to bring us back to the good old days of the 1990's. We all have different definitions of “the good ol’ days,” but mine includes: no wars; an annual budget surplus that will eventually lead to a meaningful reduction of our national debt; the ability to responsibly and thoughtfully meet our domestic social needs; a tax system that is fair for all; and much lower unemployment.

The new bipartisan “super committee” has a daunting assignment ahead. They must propose reduced spending and perhaps increased taxes, or the country will be subjected to draconian across-the-board cuts that will leave many crippled financially.

Decisions made by the committee will undoubtedly be met with great revulsion, so I have a few suggestions for those “lucky” enough to be chosen to the committee:

End the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan immediately, without qualifications. Our soldiers are still getting killed and wounded, and a large percentage of them are from poor families. We are still spending a bundle of money on these follies, and there is little hope that our investment to date will yield any tangible benefits.

Every special interest group can provide reasons why its mission is the most important and why it should be spared come time for cuts. And, I wonder whether there is anybody in our government with the courage to look past political pressure of lobbyists and do the right things for our country. Frankly, we are being mismanaged financially and this behavior will cause severe hardship in the near future if it does not change.

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