Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Fallout Follies

The news today was filled with various takes on the averted Fiscal Cliff.  The consensus seems to be that virtually all of us will see a tax increase.  What we won't see is reduced spending.

Washington will continue to ask for more and more of our money in more and more different ways.  Some taxes, like the Income Tax, are easily on everyone's radar.  Other taxes are less so.  Taxes on imports and exports, taxes on corporations, "fees" for virtually everything that we do -- all are taxes that ultimately hit the consumer's pocket.

The outcry over the fact that no vote was taken on relief for victims of Hurricane Sandy is another interesting piece of this Nation's fiscal puzzle.  Reliance on the government to bail everyone out, no matter the "disaster" is just one more contribution to the spend, spend, spend mentality in Washington.  After all, votes are at stake.  It isn't really about relief to people.  Certainly there are needs, but no one is starving and without clothing as a result of Sandy.  Local relief and charitable organizations are seeing to those basic needs.  Governor Christie is crying out to Washington for one reason only -- to tell "his" voters that he is looking out for their interests.

With the much bigger issue/deadline of averting sequestration, it was inappropriate for Congress to consider anything else.  I'm just amazed that they are in session. 

Why are people so blind to what is happening in Washington?  Is it that there are more people dependent on the government now than are not?  If that is the case, we have entered a downward spiral that ends only with failure as a nation.  I don't think we are there yet, but the rate of decent is frightening.

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