They can’t seem to stop

There seems to be an epidemic of addiction that is affecting our nation, but more specifically, Washington, D.C. It is not the kind of addiction related to drugs, alcohol or gambling; it is an addiction to unrestrained spending.

Our nation is in the midst of an economic crisis, and the solution from Washington is to spend our way out by continuing to throw hundreds of billions of dollars at the problem, all the while increasing the role of government in the private sector.

We have all heard the Chicken Little, sky-is-falling cries from the politicians claiming that drastic action is needed immediately or our economy would certainly collapse.

The likes of Henry Paulson, then Secretary of the Treasury, said that the answer was to throw more than $300 billion into the banking market so that credit can begin to flow again, spurring economic recovery. So we did. And nothing changed.

Hundreds of billions are gone, and the economy continues to founder. No traces of accountability for how the money was “spent.” No provisions included in the handout that required a full disclosure of where the taxpayers’ money went. No repercussions for the politicians who allowed such unprecedented actions to take place.

Our politicians seem to be shrugging their shoulders in manner that says “well, that didn’t work; what can we try now?” They have yet to be held accountable for their negligence in turning a blind eye to the problem for years or, worse, enacting policies that have actually fueled the crisis and devastated the economy.

Now, they’re at it again, only this time under a new administration that promises fiscal restraint. Yet the devil is in the details and, once again, the proposed “new” economic recovery plan is loaded with unnecessary pork, special interest payouts and irresponsible spending.

They just can’t seem to stop. While Obama admonishes corporate executives for their greed associated with bonuses and company jets, he ignores the same reckless and inexcusable behavior exhibited by free-spending politicians as they load the “new” recovery package with unneeded spending and indefensible pork-barrel add-ons.

Why isn’t Obama talking about spending cuts? Where is the elimination of inefficient and ineffective government programs? Why do we continue to bail out corporate giants that have engaged in irresponsible and often negligent business practices? Where is the tax relief for small businesses and their employees?

Irrational thinking is taking over, and we continue to hear the same refrain from Washington: Their solution is more spending and bigger government. While the private sector is shedding jobs by the thousands, a new report was recently published that shows that the payroll of the federal government has significantly increased. If this continues, all of us will either be on the federal payroll or be dependent on government handouts.

Is this the “change” we were promised?

Dan Sinas
Dothan