Generally it is this time of year where we hear Congressmen and women coming back to their district touting the work they have completed in the past session. This year all I hear about is the list of unfinished business left back in Washington. It is the longest I have ever seen.
No Solution to the Fiscal Cliff
No Farm Bill
No Real Budget Reform
No Solution to the Debt Ceiling
No Defense Re-authorization
All these issues must now be dealt with in an abbreviated lame-duck session following the election. With leaving these issues to the election they are poised to be huge election topics. It is sad that policies that could help so many Americans are held up for no reason. In the past session we have seen healthcare repeal acts, that have gone no where, passed 33 times while other crucial issues such as the approaching Fiscal Cliff and the new Farm Bill have not received the attention that they deserve.
The Fiscal Cliff is the compilation of Bush Era Tax Cuts that are set to expire at the same time as $100 billion Spending Cuts go into effect. Many economic experts fear that these both will cause the US to fall into another recession. Legislators are on record calling for the needed action to prevent the Fiscal Cliff as soon as possible, yet nothing has been done. Now its up to a lame-duck Congress to sort out following November 6th.
Neither side is more at fault than the other for these issues not being completed in the previous session. The partisan bickering on both the Left and the Right have held up needed reforms for the bast 2 years. It is no wonder why Congress's approval rating is at 13%.
We truly need our elected officials to come back after the election and work together otherwise I fear even less will get done in the next session of Congress.
If pro is the opposite of con, is PROGRESS the opposite of CONGRESS?
ReplyDeleteOld joke, but relevant in this situation.