Honestly, I’m not sure how much I’ve slammed Republicans here on WordPress. They’ve most certainly – and deservedly – been on the receiving end of my criticism on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. But here? Probably not a lot.
From John Boehner to Michelle Bachmann to Sarah Palin to Mitt Romney, the GOP seems to be but a shell of its old-self and the lack of true leadership and their inability to compromise is nothing short of amazing to me. They should be embarrassed and certainly deserved the ass kicking they got in November.
That said I think it’s time to, using the comical axiom known as the Fox News slogan, be Fair and Balanced.
Obama Sequester Speech In Virginia (image from businessinsider.com)
I believe President Obama and the Democrats need to shut their proverbial yaps – or at the very least change their tone – about how the so-called sequestration cuts that go into effect today will devastate the economy, cripple the middle class, hurt early childhood education, etc. This current mess (among oh so many in Washington) is NOT the result of the Republicans refusal to negotiate nor should blame be thrown the Republicans’ way.
Don’t get me wrong. They all, Republicans and Democrats alike, have (screwed) this up and should feel ashamed and an array of sadness. Yet when the debt ceiling needed to be raised, income tax cuts extended, and the so-called “super committee” cuts that were supposedly a result of bi-partisan agreement were to take place – while the Republicans were pricks the entire time – ultimately the President got his way most every time.
Now he’s at it again: continuing to use the same scare tactics and, some might argue, public bullying to get his way again.
Sorry, Mr. President. You (meaning you and the Democrats on Capitol Hill) knew this day was coming. You knew, and agreed to, these cuts months and months ago. It’s starting to seem rather obvious that there was little intent by anyone on the Democratic side of actually wanting to go through with these cuts in the first place.
There seems to be little doubt that these automatic cuts will hurt the economy. They will affect job growth. And sadly, they will negatively affect hundreds of thousands of at-risk children who need a solid early childhood education and Head Start services.
But enough with the repetitive public relations campaign placing sole blame on the other party. Quit the bickering and blaming. And stop with the “tough choices” rhetoric that has gone virtually nowhere.
The bed’s been made. Now either sleep in it or continue to wet it. Just do us all a favor and keep the door closed (and while you’re at it, wash the sheets when you’re done).
“All compromise is based on give and take, but there can be no give and take on fundamentals. Any compromise on mere fundamentals is a surrender. For it is all give and no take.”
Mahatma Gandhi
I might add that change for the sake of change is a questionable deed. If it ain’t broke, why fix it? The problem is pork barrel politics and spending beyond one’s means. I like how the legendary Davy Crockett spoke years ago, “In the early 1800’s Congress was considering a bill to give tax dollars to the widow of a well-loved military officer. Davy Crockett rose to address Congress after many speeches advocating the allocation. He said: “Mr. Speaker…. I will not go into an argument to prove that Congress has no power to appropriate this money as an act of charity. Every member upon this floor knows it. We have the right, as individuals to give away as much of our own money as we please in charity, but as members of Congress we have no right to so appropriate a dollar of the public money. We have no…. authority to appropriate it as a charity. I cannot vote for this bill, but I will give one week’s pay, and if every member of Congress will do the same, it will amount to more than the bill asks.”
Somewhere there is a red line covering government spending …