The Politics Of Crisis
Crisis. Everything’s a crisis anymore. As political leaders in Washington seek a resolution to the restrictions posed by the Debt Limit, we are told it’s a crisis. Where is the crisis? Isn’t global warming a crisis? Isn’t HIV a crisis? We had (have) a subprime crisis. How many crises can we take? Maybe this really isn’t a crisis, but then again, maybe it is. If one considers that this is a politically decisive moment, we might consider it a crisis.
Senator Mitch McConnell, realizes President Obama is doing a yeoman’s job of attaching the problems of running into the debt limit on the Republicans and that might cause problems at the polls next year, for the Republicans. The story is Obama is avoiding making any recommendations about how to cut the deficit, for fear it might affect his position in the voting for president next year. And he hasn’t made any recommendations that the Congressional Budget Office can actually use to predict results. As the debt ceiling standoff makes for good theatre, it is easy to miss other parts of the story.
What of the Simpson/Bowles committee recommendations of early this year. Obama has made no recommendations of his own based on that committee’s work. Why do we pretend surprise? Long before Obama was elected his voting record as a Senator was available to all. He voted PRESENT numerous times. There are various reasons for that, but there are only two of value. One, he didn’t want to be held accountable for his vote on the subject. Specifically he didn’t want to have to defend his vote on that subject to someone in the future. Two, he wasn’t able to make a decision, which is almost the same thing. Because in making a decision and voting Yes or No, he might have to defend that decision.
Compare that with the Senate under Harry Reid’s leadership. It hasn’t passed a budget since 2009 although legally required to by the 1974 Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act. Here is a complete abdication of responsibility, yet nothing is done. The law has no teeth or, if it does, there is no enforcement. Certainly Harry Reid knows how to pass legislation. One need only remember the unusual way he got Obamacare through the Senate. The only thing the Senate has done about a budget is vote against President Obama’s 2011 budget proposal by 97-0. Not a single member voted to support the president’s budget proposal. Why have they not offered an alternative?
For that we must look to the House of Representatives. They offered a budget in a timely manner. Dominated by a different breed of politicians, the Tea Party is actually trying to do something for the nation, but is being excoriated by many because it is not something the left/progressives/liberals can support. The House offered a budget, but the Democrats in the Senate, led by Harry Reid with the support of Barack Obama, will not return the serve. In the meantime the debt limit approaches where the US government has to stop borrowing and live within its means. How is that a crisis?
The only people it will be a crisis for are those who will no longer get checks from the government. One can hardly consider it a crisis for the government itself, but maybe it will become one. Congress certainly won’t feel any economic pain. Representative Sue Myrick will vote to keep Congressional pay coming so long as military gets paid. So one must think she believes Congress is as important as the military. Taxpayers don’t necessarily feel the same way.
If he holds to his threat, Obama might decide not to send out Social Security checks. Now that could get interesting quickly and would come close to balancing the budget. He could also decide to sell the gold reserves the US holds. If he sold the 286 million ounces of gold currently hoarded, we could expect to pay off some of the debt or, at least avoid the debt limit for three or four months.
Obama could also sell some of the stocks the US holds in Government Motors and other companies. There are other options, but this is a political game so the politics will be played hard. If Obama follows the process we see locally every time there is a budget crunch, he will cut the things most painful to the voters. Teachers, libraries and firefighters are always threatened. We can expect the same from the Democrats in Washington.
Certainly this is a situation caused by all the parties. The debt wasn’t reached by Obama alone. There are many who have voted for more spending for special interests, a more convoluted tax code (for special interests) and not enough taxes to pay for it all. But that is the nature of politicians. For instance, Bill Clinton was long into a rich retirement when the results of changes he supported in the Glass-Stegall act came to roost. The subprime recession is as much his as anyones. But he is only one of hundreds, if not thousands, who have worked for his self-interest over the good of the nation.
Nonetheless, we are here. It is time for our leaders to lead. The budget could easily be balanced but President Obama, more than anyone, stands in the way. Instead of leading, instead of offering ways to actually balance the budget, he preaches about how those who oppose him are the devil. Instead of repeating what he learned from Jeremiah Wright, he could tell us that the Simpson/Bowles committee recommendations were a good starting point and describe specific ways to lead us out of this morass. He doesn’t. Senator Harry Reid could do the same. He doesn’t.
They both continue the political games both parties have played for years, kicking the can down the road to another time when their political careers are not at stake. The only leadership has come from the House of Representatives, where those elected with the support of the various Tea Parties have offered a real budget, to which the President and Senate demur.
Unfortunately Obama, like so many before him, is more concerned about his personal position than the position of those who have chosen him to lead. His promises and statements are empty. He makes no recommendations for a sound fiscal future. He pontificates. He kicks the can down the road. He tells us how wonderful everything will be if we “eat our peas.”
I like peas; I like them with cooked carrots along with mashed potatoes. Eating my peas is no problem. Obama need only tell us where they are.
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