No Guts, No Balls

This morning I heard a well presented rational discussion of the origins of the current “debt crisis”. Not surprisingly the conclusions of conservative and liberal analysts were consistent with common sense: The initiation of two wars without any revenue increase to cover the costs, and the massive tax cuts which failed to stimulate the creation of jobs to cover the reduced income to the Federal Government are the direct causes of the ballooning debt. The legacy of these two actions remains with us today. Further, they agreed that if the Bush era tax cuts are not allowed to sunset on schedule, an additional minimum of 2.5 trillion dollars in debt will be piled up in the next ten years. That is IN ADDITION to the already substantial increase projected as a result of the weak economy.
The causes and results are clear, and the action needed to correct the problem is also clear: cut spending where possible, increase taxes from the current low rate to higher rates, and let the tax cuts expire.
The problem is this: congress doesn’t have the will to act. “Why” is a more problematic question. I think the answer lies in the corrupt relationships between members of congress and the very powerful financial interests that fund their reelections in the case of people like the Koch brothers, or threaten to oppose them in the case of Grover Norquist and his ilk. In other words, many in congress have no balls, no guts and no concern for the electorate. Only themselves and their handlers.
What a sad and poor way for a wonderful country to fail.
Image: http://www.lpstuff.com/shop/images/uploads/535congressmen.JPG