I read in The New York Times today that the time is not suited to a “grand bargain.” But the reality is that we must control expenses, for which much detailed study and cutting need to be done. This will require extensive reductions in force because there is an incredible amount of duplication and waste in government; therefore an agency, such as the General Accounting Office, needs to do extensive study, and Congress and the president must act. These trillion dollar deficits just can’t continue long. This isn’t a matter of our children and grandchildren—our economy is already depressed because of the burden of national debts and obligations.
The fiscal cliff presents an opportunity, but regardless of the outcome, the increasing debt and obligations will continue to hurt us—the poor and middle class the most.
We need leadership from the White House and the huge executive branch supporting the president. It’s time to cut, cut, cut—not so much the military, but practically everything else; entitlements must be reformed. The federal work force compensation must be examined and brought into line with private industry, considering medical and pension benefits.
Everything that the federal government does to address that annual $1+ trillion deficit must be done with kindness. Federal workers who are laid off should be given optional occupational interest tests and ability tests and placement services by private contractors. These services should also be open to the unemployed general public. Self-employment for all these individuals ought also to be encouraged and fostered.
The federal government is bloated and overpaid and we just can’t afford it any longer. Our nation can have a bright future if we come to our senses and innovate in our federal government. We must be united to do this—on a bipartisan basis it can be done. It must be done!
A strong America—economically and militarily—is a crucial force for good in the world. The world is at a point that if it can evolve through trade, communications, spiritual harmony, travel—the many interconnections that have never been present before—we can become a world full of democracies. A world full of robust, stable and prosperous democracies will be a world of permanent peace—a goal that humankind has longed for throughout our existence.
The federal budget must be brought under control. Our economy is limping under this burden and the uncertainty that it causes. Excessive regulations of all forms are also at fault for the poor performance of our economy, long after the initial impact of the great recession.
Too many people—including many elected politicians—have little understanding of our economy and the dangerous state in which we find ourselves. President Obama’s Joint Chief of Staff—our top military person—said that our biggest national security threat was our national debt. Our credit rating has been downgraded. James Baker said on Charlie Rose that “we’re broke.” Now, we can continue to limp along as we bleed $1+ trillion per year, or we can face reality. I’m facing reality personally. Why can’t the federal government do it?
The federal government, led by President Obama and Congress, ought to be given a mandate for a government-wide review of waste and duplication and a fast track method for action to eliminate it. Entitlements ought to be reformed, and our tax system should be scrapped for a flat tax. Regulations should be drastically reduced.
The politicians in Washington know the solutions. All must take courage and join in a bipartisan effort. The debt won’t just go away. Neither will that $1+ trillion deficit. These will bring us down much sooner than later.
Each citizen has a role. We must not only reach for financial literacy personally, but also seek the truth about our economy as a whole and our federal government’s role in it. We are sorely lacking in both respects as a nation.
Winston Churchill told the English people early in World War II that he had nothing to offer but “blood, sweat and tears.” That’s the type of speech our politicians should be making to educate our citizens about the fiscal danger right now, not twenty years from now.
I wonder if the House of Representatives met today and whether the Senate passed a bill yesterday. I certainly would like to see a complete reform of our taxes, entitlements and regulations, as well as a complete restructuring of our bloated federal government. In carrying out these reforms, we must be united and bipartisan and kind.
All of our politicians—President Obama, Vice President Biden, senators and congresspersons—must summon all their courage and lead. Congress needs to let the General Accounting Office loose and let it screen the bloated federal government from top to bottom. In his study Senator Tom Coburn found $3 trillion over ten years that could be saved from duplication and waste. I was in the federal government for twenty years, and believe me, the Senator is certainly on the right track.
What is our role as a citizen of the United States of America? Quite simply, our role is very similar to all adults and even children on earth: to seek truth. We should not overly shield from ourselves because of self-interest. The thing that too many people don’t understand is that “trickle-down government” doesn’t work. It was tried in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe and simply failed.
President Obama is an experienced community organizer. Although I don’t question his character, I do wonder whether he has a genuine understanding of capitalism tempered by democracy and free, fair trade—the formula that made us the biggest economy on earth.
With our credit rating going down, our debt so high ($16+ trillion or about $51,000 per citizen), and our high entitlement obligations (about $120 trillion), we must make some adjustments. Practically everyone in Washington with any sense at all understands this. And they know the answers, maybe not in detail, but on an overall basis.
Those of us who understand our government and our economy are crying out for leadership. I’ll say that again: we are crying out for leadership. I hope you heard that, Mr. President.
I see what needs to be done in our government. But what can I do?
I’m not a political hack. I’m one who seeks truth and a Heaven on Earth. I believe that all of humankind has a stake in what we do, because a strong America—economically and militarily—is a force for good in the world. We must ensure that our government acts, and acts responsibly. We can and we must!
