In January, 2014 The Affordable Care Act will be implemented. It will be a dumb-down version of the Act that was passed over two years ago. What's missing; a way to pay for it. The employer mandate is being delayed for another year and groups exempted are rising on a daily basis. So, how do we pay for the dumb-down version of healthcare for those who cannot pay for that healthcare?
The answer is simple; we will increase the national debt, which is now approaching $17 trillion. There is no question in anyone's mind that the national debt ceiling will be increased by congress when the continuing resolution is passed in September; probably the eleventh hour of the last day of September. Has anyone heard one member of congress mention NOT raising the debt ceiling? No, and you will not hear it.
The people who promised they would go to Washington and reduce the national debt are hoping you have forgotten they made those promises. There will be rhetoric and finger pointing on both sides of the aisle as to why it is necessary to raise the national debt. Each side will blame the other for the necessity to raise the national debt. The only spin that will be the same on both sides is the spin supporting the idea that we cannot shut down government.
How about taking another approach? Forget raising the national debt and focus on running the government with the revenues collected by the government? Congress says that will not work. Why not? Americans who are unemployed and under-employed are making it work in their households. The people who provide the revenue for government are running their households on the money they make. Why can members of congress NOT do the same thing with respect to running government?
Why do members of congress dumb-down their intelligence when it comes doing the things they ask other Americans to do? They must hold the line on the debt ceiling and force themselves and all other members of congress to come to the table with a budget that will work within the revenues currently received from the taxpayers who are managing their budgets.
Maybe they should start with pay cuts for members of congress, and cut backs in staffing. Why is that not a place to start? Many of the people who elected members of congress experienced pay cuts, and companies facing hard times in today's economy were forced to cut back in staffing. Why is government exempt from doing the same things Americans do during hard times? Why does the cost of government continue to rise while Americans are cutting back?
The approach of cutting back on government spending will be a tough job for congress, but all members signed up for that tough job when they asked us to vote for them. It is time for all of them to accept the job they signed up for and do that job. Otherwise, they should resign over the congressional recess so Americans can send someone to congress who will accept the job and do the job.
There are many issues to be addressed besides the Affordable Care Act, but it is the one getting all of the attention, because it is the one that is scheduled for implementation without a plan, or a way to pay for it.
Obviously, The Affordable Care Act will add to the national debt if it is implemented in January. The dumb-down version will not provide revenues sufficient to pay for the implementation. So, hold the line on the debt ceiling and let those who insist on implementation offer a way to pay for it, along with every other cost of running government.
Put the dumb-down version of The Affordable Care Act on a list with all other costs of running government and decide where to cut to keep from raising the debt ceiling. Americans who will have to pay off the national debt make cuts everyday. It is time for congress to manage the cost of government. Tough decisions and sacrifices must be made. Raising the debt ceiling is not the answer.
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