Unfortunately, it will not be a happy New Year for all. There has been a feeble effort to clean up some of the mess left behind in 2012, but when will we get around to working on the urgent needs of 2013? This past year, our country has suffered through unheard of conditions and events. As we begin the New Year, we are immediately reminded of our mistakes made at last year’s election. Why did we return anyone who failed to do their job last term?
As I see it, our two party system has totally failed. I for one cannot find either party worthy of support. On the second day of 2013, we were greeted with news that bills had been passed to avoid our country’s slide over the financial cliff. Wow — this was a big deal after our elected officials had spent more than a year dealing and debating the actions needed.
Breaking News? What news? Members of the Senate and House passed only temporary patches to allow them to put a raise in their pockets.
I believe our government needs to be reviewed and judged right from local boards up to the top of the federal legislative offices. Our elected officials buy and sell their own votes. They agree to vote in favor of a proposal if they can garner votes for their own bills to support unheard of activates. During the vote to avoid going over the cliff, deals were made and entered into that had nothing to do with the proposal being voted upon. Added items, referred to as “pork” are tagged on a bill, which is simply stealing. The theft of our money to support individual projects that have absolutely no relationship to the vote at hand needs to end.
The big celebration of a “temporary, partial” passing of bills on the floor that have languished there for months is a farce. It actually came at the expense of citizens that are suffering the affects of Sandy. A separate bill in the pack was supposed to send millions of relief dollars to New York and New Jersey, but that part of the bill was not included in the “cliff” deal that passed. Our politicians simply ignored their responsibilities.
The bills passed on Jan. 2 are said to include raising taxes on some while cutting taxes on others; cutting government spending and extending unemployment to many. Hopefully the unemployment will go to families truly in need.
What about those on the east coast who not only lost their homes and all their possessions? Their daily needs were swept away by Mother Nature through no fault of their own and no way of preventing it. They either have no home — it cannot be found or they cannot go into their home. They have only the clothes donated to them. Those in their demolishevd homes have no running water, electricity or heat. Many have not had a shower since the storm destroyed their lives. These are basic items we all take so for granted.
Many lives were lost during the storm and many who survived need medical care but have no access to it. Many of us believe FEMA will help, but Katrina proved how ineffective that agency performed. They have no budget to deal with the extreme needs of the people suffering from Sandy. In fact, those people who received help from others during Katrina are traveling to the northeast to give back.
Why can’t our government help our own people? We send billions of aid overseas — why not send some to New York and Jersey? I’ve heard numerous complaints about our elected officials; if you look closely, perhaps in the mirror, you may find those who kept the officials in office. It’s time to contact those we elected to work for us and tell them to help our citizens.
One of the main problems cited for why legislation cannot be passed is, “Government is too big.” I surely agree with that statement. We should be allowed to vote to eliminate some of the government positions or at least remove those on the payroll doing the elected officials jobs. They need to do what we elect them to do — not hire aids to do it.