Martha's Blog
Democrats Mortgage Our Future...AgainOne of the reasons I decided to run for Congress is to restore fiscal sanity to Washington, and its days like yesterday when this decision gets reinforced. Yesterday, Democrats (yes, just Democrats…not a single Republican voted for it) in the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to raise the nation’s debt limit by nearly $300 billion, to $12.394 trillion. If you had any illusions that this was an emergency, one-time fix, just remember this is the fourth time they’ve done this in recent months. And let’s also try to wrap our heads around how much money $300 billion is. I could give you $1 million dollars each day, and it would take over 800 years to reach $300 billion. According to House Majority Leader Hoyer (D-Md.) raising the debt ceiling was the only option, saying “In a world of alternatives, that's the one we have.” Sorry, Mr. Majority Leader, but there’s always a choice. You can choose to tighten your belt and cut expenses, just like families are doing across the country right now. Even some Democrats recognize the problem. Rep. Allen Boyd (D-FL.) gave perhaps the most telling statement about their approach, saying, “We don’t have the will here in the Congress to discipline ourselves.” My experience on the Montgomery City Council has taught me that cutting spending is never easy. However, as an elected steward of taxpayer money, it is my duty to see that the taxpayers’ money is spent wisely and efficiently, and that we live within our means. That is why, during the last budgeting cycle, I worked to cut $9 million from the city’s budget, while placing $3 million into the city’s depleted rainy day fund. I pledge to fight against the reckless tax, spend, and borrow mindset in Washington, just as I have in Montgomery. It is time for Congress to stop placing the burden of their poor fiscal decisions on us, our children, and our grandchildren. |
