Sixteen trillion dollars is owed by America. To the uninitiated it sounds like Joe Manchin editorial suggests the Simpson-Bowles Commission's recommendation would correct most of our spending problems. But the trick used by politicians is to use deficit reduction figures based on cuts over 10 years instead of a single year. Those suggestions can be set aside by any future Congress. Each Congress must be held to account.
What a $4 trillion, 10-year, deficit reduction plan actually does is cut the deficit less than half (meaning we only spend $500 Billion more than we have each year) resulting in the debt continuing to rise but at a reduced rate-from one trillion to a half trillion per year. It is worthless in resolving the long-term debt since it only reduces the deficit but does not cut total debt.
The only answer available to save America from a debt default should include beginning the long painful process of making actual reductions in the size of government to the tune of about $1.5 trillion per year or more. That translates in politi-speak to $15 trillion over 10 years.
How? Eliminate entire departments, programs, waste, fraud, abuse, and dead wood in the federal government. What has the Department of Education done to improve our schools? What has the Department of Energy done to reduce our dependence on foreign oil? With just those two lines on the budget, you have cut $100 billion plus from the budget. The much-maligned EPA is a duplication of efforts already existing at the state level-more billions.
There is no constitutional mandate for federal involvement in the environment or the Departments of Labor, Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Resources (look what a mess they are making of our Health Care).
Washington needs representatives who understand this. John Raese deals with budget issues daily. He knows what the process takes. He is far better able to help make the hard decisions than a career politician like Manchin.
Joe has done little to lead on spending cuts, fighting Obamacare (another $1 trillion waste), or standing up to the EPA. He left West Virginia saddled with its own version of cap and trade that has yet to explode in our faces, but will.
For the sake of everyone, elect John Raese to the Senate. A professional will help with real solutions; a politician won't.
Tom Stark
Parkersburg
