Fiscal Responsibility

This is information gleaned from a writer of Christian Century about the proposed Ryan Budget.

Most of the discussion has been about privatizing Medicare and Medicaid which is a less than stellar idea to begin with. I.  It also includes converting food stamps into a state administered grant; meaning less money for those in need. I. Eligibly in the underfunding Medicare program would also increase from 65 to 67 which ups the insurance costs for everyone.  I.It also eliminates the ability of the federal government to take over failing financial mega-firms and dissolved them in an orderly way.I. Finally in includes and 37% cut in the transportation infrastructure (that includes air control). My perceptive of all this is that it is moral irresponsible.

Even House speaker John Boehner has distanced himself from the GOP budget even after he successfully pushed it through the House.

On a personal note, most all of you know that I am a political and social liberal and pleased to be labeled as such. With that said I also place myself toward the middle left not the extreme. Though that may not be how I am perceived. [It reminds me of when I was in seminary and we were all given a test to see where we stood theologically; almost everyone was convinced the test would show that I was a liberal and I said, no, I am neo-orthodox and the test will likely show that. I further stated that many of them who considered themselves conservative were actually liberal. The test proved my assertions.] Politically and socially I regard myself as a fiscal conservative. Again, in the middle of that stance; meaning we should do what we can afford to do. But I also believe we can afford to do much more than we do. In the current political situation it is simple, raise taxes. If we went back to pre Bush tax breaks, most problems would absolutely disappear. If we went back to pre Reagan tax rates we could start dropping the national debt significantly.

Again, to whom much is given much is required. If we did that much of the financial debate would disappear, then it would amount to setting priorities and both Republicans and Democrats could return to their positions of yesteryear and the extremists would be silenced.