If you remember that this report is written a week or at least several days before you read it in the paper, it doesn't sound so much like old news. But the big topic in our nation's capitol this week is a budget to keep our government functioning. When I think of all the people and businesses who are affected by a "shut-down" and consider the very simple reality that everyone in government knows when the existing budget runs out, I can't help wondering "why?" How can supposedly responsible people we elected from all across our nation allow a condition, or circumstance, of this kind to come about? What have we done wrong that has allowed selfish, egotistical, partisan politics to run our country?
It is no secret that our nation runs on money collected from businesses and individuals in various taxes. One can go on line and read numbers that try to establish how large the nation's budget really is, but that number is like our nation's debt -- it keeps changing, generally upward and always is an estimate. No matter how much our government takes in, we just find a way to spend it -- on new roads and bridges, health care, salaries, military equipment and so forth. Those are all necessary and meaningful expenses, but the decisions of spending priorities are made by economists and the wealthy donors to the major political parties.
When I listen to the news and hear the things that hold up the passing of a new budget, the operative word seems to be a need for "bipartisan" cooperation. This seems to mean the people preparing the budget need to agree on certain issues so both parties can vote in favor of a final budget. This sounds a lot like Government 101 in high school. But, high school didn't give us a really clear picture of the real world. It was easier to explain through the rose colored glasses of our youth.
All too frequently I find it difficult not to believe the two major parties actually orchestrate these crisis situations to try to embarrass each other. They are aware that they gain news coverage by the threat of a shutdown. They then have an opportunity to blame each other on national TV. Is that in the best interest of America?
The Republican Party (the Grand Old Party) currently holds the office of President (at least Trump was elected as a Republican). The Republicans also have a majority in the Senate, slim though it may be, and the majority in the House of Representatives. The promises of President Trump and the members of Congress were accepted as the gospel during their election and we have been looking for the promised miracles since the inauguration. The current situation with the lack of a budget is proof we aren't even close to seeing the benefit of our trust in the Republican Party. To the contrary, we hear that operative word "bipartisan" in every excuse after every disappointment. Health care reform will continue to be a work-in-progress and tax reform is actually a tax cut for some, depending on who you are, how much you make and where you live, rather than anything even resembling reform.
We are approaching the end of a year for the new members of our legislative branch to bring Mr. Trump's promises to fruition. It seems in spite of his success in resorts, golf courses and apartment buildings, when it comes to overcoming political party lines it doesn't follow a script like television's '"You're Fired!" And, 'The Art of the Deal," his book on how to negotiate, seems not to be as effective as his promises for political change.
Apparently there is a snag in the political game that hides behind this operative word "bipartisan." Rather than doing first things first, like those that are critical to our nation, the key is to sell your party platform's issues as chips in a game called "passing legislation." This holding back of votes works best when a vote's passage must be a number greater than a simple majority -- such as 60 percent or two-thirds or whatever is dictated by law. The word actually becomes a safety net for both parties. To the party in power as the Republicans are now, it is a way to blame the Democrats for not cooperating when they need support to pass legislation. For the Democrats, as the minority party now, it is a"heavy, heavy hangs over thy head" situation and you must give me something to get my votes.
Currently the price of cooperation, the thing we thought our government was all about, seems to be attaching the Dream Act to the budget. Please tell me what an immigration issue has to do with funding our government. Where did we go wrong? When did it happen? How do we bring about the needed change?
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Editor's note: Leo Lynch, an award-winning columnist, is a native of Benton County and has deep roots in northwest Arkansas. The opinions expressed are those of the author. He is a retired industrial engineer and former Justice of the Peace.
Editorial on 12/13/2017