I’ve written quite a bit about government spending. It started with Is Debt a Problem? I took a look at the (then) $34 trillion debt. This is an unfathomable number so I tried to put it in a context that I could understand. Read the post, it’s fun.
I updated this a year or so later (here) with a call to write to congress. I included a copy of my letter.
And in Monday’s post this week, with the US national debt closing in on $38 trillion, I included some fun facts.
What Do We (the US Government) Spend?
You can see all of this real time on the debtclock. It’s worth a look.
Some Back Up
But what the hell do I know. I’m a retired finance and technology guy who writes a blog that’s visited occasionally by my half dozen readers.
So I was pleased yesterday to see that someone else is singing the same tune. In yesterday’s edition of the Tangle News, in an article about the shut down, I particularly liked this point.
That’s what I’ve been saying!!!
I’m pleased to see that some writers with more readers than me feel the same way.
But Wait There’s More…
So this has been running through my head this week. I’ve been pretty adamant that congress is to blame for the shut down. Funding the government is their responsibility and the shut down is the result of congress being unable to come up with a budget, which means they have chosen not to do the job that they’ve been elected to do.
I’ve sent more letters, but haven’t heard back.
Anyway…so I was excited to see this in my inbox when I got home from a delightful day on the golf course yesterday. Here’s a copy
My Response
Unfortunately I did not save a copy, but I clicked to share my story. I told Jim I have a story but it may not be the one he’s looking for. I think it is misleading to send an email to constituents to get them riled up about healthcare when congress does not have a plan to fund this.
I was much more eloquent and witty in my response, but unfortunately, only Jim will get to enjoy it.
We Are Pawns
I voted for Jim, I’ve gone to hear him speak, and I believe he really cares about his constituents. But that said, the battles fought in Washington are battles for power and influence. And we are just pawns.
Get us worked up about healthcare. Get us to write letters to tell our stories. Use this as a battering ram to attack the other side.
ACA
The Affordable Car Act, or ACA, or Obamacare is a particular sticking point for me. ACA has never been financially viable. Don’t believe me, here’s what the Tangle article has to say.
The Tangle article also references a Washington Post article with some thoughts on the shut down and ACA. Read here.
Short Memories
We have short memories. And honestly, most of us have families, kids, grand kids, jobs, hobbies, sports, and all sorts of other things in our lives that take precedence over politics. And in my opinion, that’s exactly how it should be.
But our politicians use this to their advantage, like getting us worked up about one party taking away a benefit that was never funded in the first place.
This is not new, but it affects all of us.
Wrap Up
I write about fiscal responsibility. Creating a budget, saving, making hard choices. It’s awfully hard to make people believe when their elected officials won’t follow the basic rules of fiscal responsibility.
And even worse, even the best of our elected officials are trying to rile us up and get us screaming at the other side.
Screaming will not likely solve any of our problems.
I really appreciate writers like Isaac Saul at the Tangle who keep score, who remember, and do the research to remind us how things really happened.
The national debt and the madness on Capitol Hill are a real problem. And while we need to be aware and we need to let our elected officials know they’ve let us down, don’t forget to play golf, spend some time with the kids and grand kids, and catch a Pats game.