Hey all you politicians, both state and federal. How about making an honest effort to find common ground with each other? That’s what true patriots who honor the U.S. Constitution are supposed to do.
Uh huh. That’s right. Our Constitution created a unique form of government that depends upon political opponents being able to find common ground. Dying in the ditch to get your way may be politically popular, but such behavior aligns more with tyranny than liberty.
As it often does, the Bible gives us guidance on this: “Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it, but the instruction of fools is folly” – Proverbs 16:22.
In times of crisis we need our state and federal governments to function with good sense. So, risking a federal government shutdown last week made no sense whatsoever; nor does state government hoarding federal COVID-19 relief money.
Even less sensible is the bickering over the national debt and risking a U.S. government default – potentially cutting off payments for all sorts during this time of crisis.
A little recent history. Under President Donald Trump when Republicans had majority control of government, tax cuts and unfunded spending created a lasting $1 trillion annual deficit. Then came COVID-19 and its enormous costs. Republicans with Democrat help suspended the debt limit allowing a nearly $8 trillion increase in the national debt under Trump.
Once Democrat Joe Biden became President, Republican concern about the debt suddenly reappeared. Using the same single-party process Republicans used to pass Trump’s tax cuts, Democrats passed Biden’s $1.9 trillion follow-up COVID-19 relief bill. Though It got zero Republican votes, many of those Republicans went around touting different aspects of the bill – including some of ours.
This plus the $1 trillion a year deficit Trump left for Biden now require new action on the debt limit as the current suspension expires. According to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who pushed through the earlier suspension, no Senate Republican will support any debt limit increase, though Democrats helped him with the earlier suspension. He and his colleagues take this stance despite their role in creating that $1 trillion annual operating deficit.
Now, McConnell knows the pending bipartisan, and much needed, $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill and the pending over-the-top $3.5 trillion Democratic package of freebies have nothing to do with the current debt limit crisis, but he uses those to justify the Republican intransigence.
Good sense says failure to lift the debt limit to pay current obligations makes no sense for either party.
Mississippi got $1.8 billion from Biden’s COVID-19 relief bill. As reported by Mississippi Today, most of that money is just sitting in the state Treasury. Despite lingering health and related issues from COVID-19 and pleas to begin utilizing the money, Gov. Tate Reeves and most other Republicans in control of state government seem happy to just hold on to the money. Only Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann has come forward with proposals to put some of this money to work.
Good sense says hoarding these funds makes no sense.
A little patriotic effort to seek common ground would easily resolve these issues. Instead we get just seem to get pathetic effort.
Crawford is a syndicated columnist from Jackson.
26 comments:
Good luck convincing all of those narcissistic politicians to do that.
Yeah good luck with that. And since when have you ever seen a democrat that wasn’t for spending trillions of taxpayers money on programs for those who don’t contribute? Perhaps had the democrats not wasted the entire Trump administration trying to cut his throat with bullshit investigations republicans could find common ground. But that ship has sailed as democrats have taken up the Marxist cause.
"Wouldn't it be loverly?"
Unfortunately, the middle, upper middle and lower upper classes( the latter thinking they are rich in their comfort) will suffer the worst. When the " hordes" come to your door ( which will happen whether it's right or left wing hordes), it's your " stuff" and "your position" that they will reap. That will be true ( as Lenin and Marais discovered) even for some leaders.
Poor Mitch, Cruz, Hawley, Greene , Rand, and the pedophile supporter coach among others, don't seem to " get it". The overreaching male ego and insanity are deadly flaws.
How does one meet Demwit Socialist/Communists, bent on destroying the country, halfway?
Should Biden volunteer 1/2 Alaska to Putin and 1/2 Taiwan to Xi? Why, no, he'd give 'em both the whole thing like he gave all of Afghanistan and hundreds of American hostages to the Taliban.
Only Rinos could dirty themselves by accepting any part of Biden's despicable, catastrophic agenda.
Thank god for the chasm that separates Conservatives from those swine.
Your being the right’s bitch kingfish…..
Crawford,
tell me one thing, just one, that this budget will do that will make life better for me and people like me. That is, producers and not parasites.
You're deluding yourself if you think there is any real difference between Republicans and Democrats. Likewise if you think there are any real conservatives in Washington. It's all for show to keep the sheeple thinking someone is fighting for them.
When are they going to realize that tax cuts won’t make them rich or add to their wealth.
@ 2:26pm
Yours is a popular and repeated, albeit unsubstantiated, sentiment. So name the GOP communists in Congress? Tell me which GOP politicians are sops to China like Blinken and Biden? Which GOP traitors lied to the FISA court? Who are the GOP supporters of CRT, trans gender & NAMBLA training of children? Which GOP politicians advocate an open border for millions of third world peasant invaders?
There's a whole world of difference between the DNC commie symps who want to grow government dependency and tyranny to enforce anti-freedom tyranny vs authentic GOP patriots, like Trump, who fight to create and protect freedom and opportunity for all.
Nice try Bill, but wrong.
McConnell doesn't use the two bills as contributing to the debt as a reason to oppose the debt limit increase.
He uses, and has said multiple times (I guess you are too deaf to hear what comes out of Republican mouths, only hearing your side or that reported to you by Mississippi Today and its national counterparts) his leading the Republican opposition to the debt limit increase is because the Democrats are passing these massive spending programs without any consulting or input from the Republicans.
As McConnell has said - if you want us to help with the debt limit, let us be involved in these massive spending programs.
OR, put the debt limit in the reconcillation bill, which the Democrats don't want to do.
Your opening comment should apply both ways, Bill - but you seem to only drive down a one-way street. If the Democrats want to decide on the spending by themselves, then they can raise the debt limit by themselves. But your group, led by Schumer and Pelosi, are driving the train and not trying to get consensus on the spending, only wanting it on the limit.
You also failed to note that the $1.2 trillion infrastructure (true infrastructure, not child care, fre education, paid family leave, etc) there was bi-partisan cooperation. If that same process were to be used on this massive social program overreach - the attempt to out LBJ's purchase of Americn voting blocks - maybe there would be cooperation on the debt limit.
But - Schumer wants it both ways. He wants Republican votes for the limit increase, but doesn't give a damn about their opinions on the way to spend that money.
And Bill, you know this - but choose to skip over it. Maybe you ought to go back to your previous profession and become a journalist again. You would fit quite well in today's media elite.
When the Republicans implemented their massive spending, who did they consult?
And out come the purists, in response to a column calling for our leaders to seek common ground.
You lost me at 'pedophile supporter coach'.
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"When the Republicans implemented their massive spending, who did they consult?"
Huh? Show me a remote comparison - Then we'll talk.
I'm hoping Tater returns the $1.8 billion to the U.S. Treasury. Mississippi does not need that money.
Yeah, and many counties are sitting on a pile of PPE money that had a specific way it suppose to be spent ! 22 million.
It's to late to make pleas to our leadership to do what's right. The devil is steering the ship folks.
Although 'common ground' will never again be seen in any of our lifetimes, 3:33 is dead-ass on the money!
I have sort of a parallel I'd like to draw, if I may. At one time, maybe fifty-seventy years ago, a football team consisted of eleven on the field at a given time. Each and all of the eleven had common goals and the goal was teamwork, comradery, all for one, rarely if ever I, I, I, me, me, me. Nobody danced in the end zone, nobody spun the ball on end, mid-field, nobody chose their own sock and shirt colors. And the men on the bench pulled for the other eleven as if there were only ONE on the field. Look at it today. Is there a parallel?
Agree with 9:09.
But I compare it to Shopping carts not being returned to receptacles and FaceTime talkers.
It is a ME ME ME world.
I don't care if this cart hits your car.
I don't care if you don't want to hear me scream talk my dumb gossip phone call.
There is no consideration for one's fellow man.
It affects every level of society negatively, from the government down and you cant police humans into being decent.
Latest Associated Press Poll: Biden approval with Black voters TANKS dropping from 86% to 64%.
Oh...debt...geez...that Communist, Bill Clinton had 0 debt and the alt right hero, Trump, had 3trillion.
A communist or Nazi is anyone that doesn't agree with party extremists.
Those of you falling for party propaganda aka spin and sales are hopelessly naïve or brainwashed.
Bill never suggested Democrats practice bipartisanship when Republicans were in the majority.
Bill Clinton added $1.396 trillion of debt.
Growing up playing baseball and football, I had coaches who preached the importance of doing the little things well. It took a long time to really sink in, but I’ve come to believe it’s true.
In the context of this post, that means to me paying attention to how I treat the people I interact with on the most basic levels throughout the day, every day.
And, 9:03, never catch the elevator at the Baked Bean Convention hotel.
Donald Trump added 6.7 trillion to the debt and just about everyone went along with it!
6:13 : Trump is a lifelong liberal NY Dem. He won because he is a capitalist. The weird part is how that isn't a party yet.
4 parties IMO . Conservative(R) Liberal(D) Progressive(I) Moderate(I)
Obama added $8.588 trillion to the debt.
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