On June 7, I attended a presentation titled "You Cut" by our U.S. Representative Greg Walden. Its subtitle was: "A product of the economic recovery group."
While I applaud any politician in Washington, Salem or for that matter Bend who is attempting to lower the cost of government for us citizens, I could not stop the thoughts flowing through my mind.In brief, their plan is that each week, the House Republicans will post on the Internet a list of five proposals to reduce wasteful spending. Then we the citizens are to vote online or via cell phone for the proposal they would like to see Congress take up next week. I believe it also gives us a chance to suggest cuts. Then, the following week, the House Republicans will force (if you send in enough e-mails) the House to vote on whether or not to take up and debate the bill. Notice it does not force a vote on it, just a debate. Now let's assume the idea catches on and they receive 20,000,000 e-mails and after debating, they vote to pass the cut. WOW we won one, but what have we won? I can see a couple of problems here.
ONE: This is another feel-good activity so the citizens can feel they have expressed themselves, but the likelihood of it being successful is mighty slim. In the meantime, the citizens have spent their time here instead of studying the true problem.
TWO: The five examples on his handout only total a mere $30,072,800. Keep in mind that only the one we choose will be presented to the House. But being generous, let us see how that fits into the 1.4 trillion budget for 2011. Ah, that comes to 0.0021 of the budget. While that is in the right direction, it is not a significant amount.
I liken our country to a man dying of thirst in the middle of the desert. While he is watching the buzzards circling overhead, knowing full well they will be picking at his bones soon, he still is swatting at the fleas that are bothering him at the moment. Friends, we need a real rescue mission to save the American dream.
One possible solution is GOOOH: Get Out Of Our House - whose motto is, "Politicians are the problem; Go is the answer." GOOOH.com.
Or come online any Thursday at 5pm local time and discuss it. www.talkshoe.com/tc/70823.
