Sequestration is coming! Sequestration is coming! Sequestration is coming!

Politico’s on both sides of the political fence are telling everyone that the US economy will fall apart if we do not do something before the forced budgetary cuts take effect in January.

Senator Shaheen said recently, “It’s not a deficit reduction plan. We need to see some action in Congress, and we need to see it this year. When we get back, I hope people will be focused on this in a way that will help us make progress.”

Let me start by saying, yes America has a budget problem. Yes were are hugely in debt, and we need to work to solve this financial problem. Everyone knows this, and everyone is in agreement with these basic issues. The key differences are that the Democrats want to raise taxes while making budget cuts to balance the budget and reduce the debt. Republicans want budget cuts and then more budget cuts.

Congressman Frank Guinta know this. In the Fosters Daily Democrat he said

(The country needs to have a) “fact-based discussion around revenues and expenditures, both discretionary and mandatory.”

For two years since the TEA-Party revolution swept into the US House these Republicans, like Frank Guinta, have been saying we need to cuts and balance the budget.

“This notion that we can’t address, or we shouldn’t address, mandatory (spending) is false,” Guinta said. “You have to address it. You have to take this head on if you want to make sure that things like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid are preserved and continue for the long term.”

Now when cuts are becoming mandatory the TEA-Party is screaming that is the Democrats fault these cuts are coming. Except Congressman Guinta let the cat out of the bag when he said

“…(Harry Reid) and other Democrats insist tax rates must be a component of the conversation.”

And there we have it, the same problem that got us in this mess with the debt ceiling. TEA-Party extremists like Frank Guinta and so locked into no increase in taxes that they are willing to let the country fall back into recession.

What is enough? Is one trillion in cuts enough for Congressman Guinta to have a “fact-based discussion around revenues and expenditures, both discretionary and mandatory” that includes a tax increase? I guess not.

Matt Murray is the creator and an author on the NH Labor News. He is a union member and advocate for labor and progressive politics. He also works with other unions and members to help spread our message. Follow him on Twitter @NHLabor_News

Like this: Like Loading...