Editor’s note: In her Saturday newsletter, Mirror editor Jenifer Frank criticized the small group of “right wing radicals” in the U.S. House whose actions led to the recent government shutdown. Mirror reader Suzanne Marinan disagreed.
Ms. Frank, I take great exception to your Oct. 19th editorial. I did not see the recent government shutdown as a “crisis,” but, to the contrary, it gave America a breather from overspending, or more precisely, borrowing, some $4 billion per day. Like the sequester, it allowed the country to actually reduce the deficit somewhat because of the slowing of government spending.
I do not consider the 80 or so right wing radicals, as you call them, to be the problem. I am glad we have those in government who, hopefully, will bring more attention to the real problem this country is facing: entitlements.
The problem is our $17 trillion debt, and how we add to the debt $1.2 trillion each and every year. Everyone knows that this is a completely unsustainable situation, but the administration’s solution is to call Republicans names? And like most of the liberal media, did you even mention that what Congress is doing is only kicking the can down the road so that they may continue to borrow to spend even more?
What makes us believe come January that anything will be any different than the past few weeks? We now collect more federal tax revenues than ever, yet we still cannot live within our means. Isn’t that the biggest problem? It’s not about who won the recent shutdown battle, but how about sending the troops (our elected representatives) to the frontline to win the war? That’s why we elect them, to reach solutions, not create more problems.
Democrats have been in control for 5 years, yet we still don’t have a budget, that IS required by the Constitution, nor do they want to slow down any spending (we just added the largest of our national entitlements, Obamacare). Instead of hurting the American people by shutting memorials, national parks, etc., couldn’t they have cut some aid to foreign countries (especially those who hate us such as Egypt, Libya, and Pakistan to name a few)? Of course it was obvious the administration was being political and only interested in hurting Americans.
Is this really the time for partisan digs by our senators? Wouldn’t it be great to hear that someone is willing to face this huge problem? And where is our media these days but trying to put blame on those who have real concerns for our country? The liberal media is so obviously biased and apparently in love with big government, that I wonder who will be able to bring our real problems to the forefront, and pressure our government to get serious about our budget and spending problems.
I am disappointed that CTMirror couldn’t see the bigger problem looming past this temporary shutdown.
Our founding fathers never wanted the country to become a welfare, nanny state, nor do I.