Sun Journal Letter to the Editor by CCTA Vice Chairman, Nancy Murdoch

April 28, 2011
On March 16, 2006, then-Sen. Barack Obama said, “The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. government can’t pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our governments’ reckless fiscal policies.”

It would appear that he is singing a different song these days.

Perhaps someone is celebrating a victory, but there’s no victory for the American people, especially for future generations. I figure it would be equivalent to a family earning $40,000 a year to make the decision to cut $400 from their annual budget in order to make ends meet. But it’s a moot point, as in the eight days that the budget was debated, $50 billion was borrowed — the cut was less than that.

The problem is not an income issue — it’s a spending issue. The poor and the wealthy are on the entitlement program. Tax cuts are given for raising vicuna and buying golf carts. Put in some solar panels and you get a tax break. Buy a hybrid vehicle and get a tax cut. The government subsidizes ethanol so we burn our food. The list seems never ending. Money is given to every special interest group able to gain access to an elected official. So much for having a government of and by the people; that’s a pipe dream now. And the sad part is that a number of our citizens refuse to see what is happening because so far their ox hasn’t been gored.

The problem didn’t originate in Washington, D.C. Our states, counties and cities are playing the same game. The usual excuse is “if we don’t get it (the federal money), then someone else will.” Do they think the money grows on the cherry trees in D.C.? For example, we have the Craven County “lottery.” Through some kind of unknown criteria, certain citizens get repairs made to their houses, and at times, even have said homes replaced — all on the taxpayers dime. The largesse of our elected officials is overwhelming. And I’m sure that this generosity with other people’s money is happening in every county in the United States.

There are no easy solutions, but if our country is to survive we better find one. Unfortunately, no political party has a monopoly on hypocrisy. Promises made while campaigning are soon forgotten, and reelection begins as soon as one enters office. We must diligently make our voices heard, and remember the words of Thomas Jefferson: “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.”

Nancy Murdoch
Havelock

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