Get it Together

 

As I’ve said before, this isn’t the place to visit if you’re looking for insightful political analysis, or even just ongoing commentary about the state of our democracy.  However, every now and again, I have to get something off my chest, and today is one of those days.

 

  As the threat of sequestration draws nearer, I become increasingly annoyed with our elected officials.  Now, let me say right up front, that I don’t have all the answers to the financial problems facing our country.  But then, my lack of knowledge on those types of issues is what prevents me from blogging about them regularly; it’s sure as hell what prevents me from throwing my hat in the ring to be part of the leadership of this country.  So, my bias is that if you chose to be part of that group, you ought to know more than I do, and you ought to be putting that knowledge to work.

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

But, I don’t see a lot of that going on.  I don’t see leaders stepping up and leading.  What I see is a bunch of whiney brats in a schoolyard test of wills, where someone always ends up taking their ball and going home, screwing over everyone else in the process.  I’m pretty sure that’s not what I elected anyone to do.

Sure, budgets are hard; just ask anyone who’s ever had to keep a household running from one paycheck to the next.  But it doesn’t get any easier with a bunch of finger-pointing and name-calling. Working out a resolution for the greater good of our country should not take a back seat to being right.  Or even being re-elected.  The folks in Washington—on both sides—have got to stop posturing and pretending to be interested in a bipartisan solution.  Instead, they need recognize that one side can’t do anything alone, learn to put their differences aside, and sit down together like adults to work things out.  That is what they’ve been elected to do. 

Image courtesy of rattigon at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

My household is currently a one-income entity, and that income comes from a civilian defense employee.  I suppose we’re in a better position than some, because with Brian’s seniority, there is virtually no chance his actual job is in jeopardy.  But we are looking at furloughs, with the talk at his base currently leaning toward a minimum of one day a week.  That’s a 20% pay cut, which isn’t exactly a minor impact.  None of it is final, of course, but it seems like it’s probably pretty accurate, if sequestration comes to pass.  And I have no reason to believe that it won’t.  I mean, they’ve had over a year to get this whole budget thing hammered out already, but as near as I can determine, they aren’t any closer to an agreement than they were when we started.  That’s ridiculous.  Even kids on the playground eventually realize that nobody gets to have any fun if they don’t find a way to play together.  Surely our legislative branch can be at least as wise.