Have you heard the old saying, "Nero fiddled while Rome burned"? Nero was a Roman Emperor, and many Romans believed he casually fiddled his lyre after he himself started a fire in order to clear land for his palatial complex. It was said all he cared about was himself, and gave no thought to the plight of his subjects.
That's about what's happening right now in Washington. If Congress does nothing, major spending cuts will go into effect in January and the Bush era tax cuts will expire, hiking taxes. It seems that more than 40% of businesses cited this upcoming "fiscal cliff" as a major reason for their spending and hiring restraint. Equipment isn't being manufactured and sold and people desperately in need of work aren't being hired because Congress won't work together to put an end to this stalemate.
In fact, they've "abandoned ship", turning out the lights and going back home while the country goes down the tubes. Of course they'll tell you they are going back home in order to "consult with their constituents", but honestly all they're doing is fund raising. Right now the only jobs they care about are their own.
Most everyone agrees spending needs to be cut, but both parties have drawn lines in the sand and refuse to let their (special interest's) pet projects be cut. By default automatic across-the-board cuts will go into effect in January, and they are draconian. They refuse to get together and negotiate, everyone giving up a little for the benefit of the whole. The same with the Bush-era tax cuts....Republicans insisting the rich keep their tax cuts, too, while the Democrats only want to extend cuts to the middle class. They bicker....we suffer.
They're waiting until after the November elections to see how the power paradigm changes. If there is a major shift, the big winner will dig in even more and beat the other to death to get what they want. They're playing a game where one side wins all the marbles and the other is crushed. Not exactly a good way to bring the country together is it?
Leaders would sit down together and work something out for the good of the country. Ideologues see thing in black and white..."we win, they lose". We don't have leaders. Our politicians are a despicable bunch.
S
