Here’s the short email I just sent to my senators and congressman regarding the “fiscal cliff” and the larger budget deficit and national debt issue. All three of them are Republicans.
The election has come and gone and as your constituent, I want to make sure you’ve clearly heard the message: It is time for the Republicans and Democrats to compromise when it comes to addressing our country’s debt and budget deficit.
This means that revenue increases (including both reforming the tax code to close loopholes and deductions as well as increases in tax rates) are necessary in addition to spending cuts. Every reputable economist agrees on this.
I understand that the Republican Party wants to steadfastly hold to its values, but you were sent to Washington to govern, not to stonewall. Please start behaving like adults and work with the Democrats instead of acting like spoiled children who throw temper tantrums if they don’t get their way.
Many thanks.
Honestly, it doesn’t seem to me that the country is well-served by either the Republicans or Democrats insisting on a “my way or the highway” approach to this issue. (Or any other issue, for that matter.) To tackle such a large issue, there is going to have to be give and take. All of us will have to sacrifice some of what we want in order to achieve a larger goal that we all agree is important: getting our fiscal house in order.
As near as I can tell, the idea that both parties need to compromise is a commonsense position that the vast majority of Americans agree with, no?
christao408 
While the parties quibble, the corporations that pay for their elections profit. It’s sad.
I agree with you entirely and with Secade. I am sending a similar letter!
I agree! I think we should all send letters to our representatives urging to work together across the aisles. You’ve insipired me.
I agree somewhat but the areas we need to cut are military and no one likes that idea.
Compromise is what makes marriages, friendships, and work life successful! I’m hoping compromise is brought from a dirty little secret into the light of true governance.
What makes me sad is that bad politics is a global phenomenon, even in different systems.
I never realized our country has such a hairy back.
yes, we all know compromise is good in theory. the problem is that politicians also want to be re-elected, so the last thing they can have on their record is not staying true to the demands of their party. they have to be able to claim that they fought for what their constituents wanted… even if the net result is that nothing gets done because no agreement can be reached.
Agree 100%. It is time for them to stop fighting like preschoolers and get their butts to work for the good of the country and the people, (all of the people.Well written.
True tax reform would solve most of our money problems. Sadly, I can’t see either party being courageous enough to tackle that.Instead of courageous, perhaps it is more realistic to say fool-hearty. We voters would quickly punish any congressman who considered eliminating our personal tax breaks (loopholes). Case in point: the home mortgage interest deduction.In short, we have met the enemy and they is us. (Pogo)
The fiscal cliff was arranged by the Congress as the result of “compromise.”Doesn’t anyone ever ask themselves where these sorts of crises come from?They come from Congress.This kind of crisis demonstrates failure. If they had even a scrap of honor, the entire Congress would resign in shame.
I don’t know if just writing a letter is enough. We can propose gradual slipping down the slope and also closing loopholes as we go along.I have read about a coal mine shutting down/firing workers. It is a dead end industry but hey someone is going to blink and we shall see if it is permanent blindness or just a blink.I look to Singapore as a model government at times. The guy in Hong Kong here on xanga gives only a sketchy report. I hope you look at other things and offer more suggestions. I admire some of your work and this blog strikes it rich.
My sentiments as well.
I’m glad you mentioned both groups behave childishly. I’m sick of some Demotrolls acting like they’re high and mighty and superior while they attack anyone who doesn’t vote like them. Although I do know there are always the kind exceptions. I don’t identify myself with any group. I always hated labels. I’m a Chinese American citizen, that’s all you can label me as when it comes to politics.
@Fatcat723 – @Grannys_Place – Thank you both for the rec.@xinq – “Demotrolls” – not sure name-calling helps the matter, but I think we agree with the broader point. Thanks for your comment.@PPhilip – Thanks for your kind words. The government of Singapore is certainly a model in many ways, but on certain levels Singapore is the antithesis of America. I’m certain Americans would not trade many of their freedoms for a stronger central government, even one that is as effective as Singapore’s.@PrisonerxOfxLove – Agreed that Congress is the source of the problem but I’m afraid there’s no option other than for them to be the solution, too. Here’s to hoping…@Inciteful – @kunhuo42 – You get right to the heart of the matter: we (voters) punish politicians who take responsible but unpopular positions. That’s one reason I think it is important for both parties to act now on compromises to address the big fiscal issues facing us. If they do it now, well before the mid-term elections, there will be time for the memory of who voted on what to fade, and for the positive effects of the votes to show. That way the politicians can take credit for a mature, workable solution. Gosh, I sound naive, don’t I? =D@Ricardo98 – Ha ha! Good one.@beowulf222 – Power corrupts…@murisopsis – If we all encourage our elected officials, maybe they will grow some spines.@Ikwa – Although the military itself has identified many areas that are ripe for trimming the fat. It we start with their own suggestions, it should provide cover.@awoolham – I’m honored to have inspired you!@secade – What? You don’t have your own lobbyist in Washington to promote your interests as a private citizen? (sarcasm…)
@christao408 – The solution to the fiscal cliff problem is easy and it comes from proven economics:1. cut tax rates across the board.2. cut federal spending back to 2007 levels3. cut federal regulations on industry and businessI learned those methods from JFK, Ronald Reagan and George Bush. All three men revived failing economies successfully with those three steps.Those methods are also in any reputable beginning economics book.But the Democrat Party has so demonized those proven methods that people actually think they are bad.And hell will freeze over before the Democrat Party compromises away the raw power of government that is brought about by taxation, regulation and spending.
I hate to do this i.e. associate with him but my representative is none other than Mr. legitimate rape, Todd Akin. But I am composing a mail to him as we speak.
@PrisonerxOfxLove – You seem to enjoy the politics of demonization, finding a group and making broad generalizations about them. Much easier to do that than to compromise, isn’t it? You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but I’m going to stick with the original premise of this entry: it is time for compromise. The “my way or the highway” approach has not worked for either the Republicans or the Democrats and it certainly hasn’t worked for the nation as a whole.@awoolham – He’s on his way out, isn’t he? But I suppose we can’t wait until then.
@christao408 – Justice cannot compromise with injustice.And me citing what is obvious from the news, the debates and Democrat politicians themselves is not demonization.You just accused me of demonization simply for expressing my opinion.Why would anyone want to compromise with that sort of lurid evil?
@christao408 – Lol, well I have no respect for people who have to insult others or put down others to get a point across. That’s why I call them that. I’ll call someone a liberal if they don’t write condescending insults to make a point. Oh, don’t worry, if there are liberals that are nice in the way they present themselves I won’t call them that. They call Republicans Republitards, even if people aren’t rude in making a point. It just amazes me at how hypocritical they can be you know? I’m not even a Republican. They just think anyone who doesn’t like Obama is Republican. This is like the Bush election all over again. Bush got in twice because they couldn’t put up a good candidate, John Kerry, haha.
I hope both parties remember how to compromise and to put aside the politics. Do you ever get responses to your letters from senators and congressmen?
exactly
@ElusiveWords – Most of the responses I receive are fairly canned, “thank you for your letter” type emails. From time to time, though, I do get a “position letter” from one of them, that spells out there thoughts on the subject – thoughts that are invariably the opposite of what I said in my emails to them!@xinq – Well, it goes both ways. I’m in favor of no name-calling. That’s what I learned in kindergarten and it has served me well! =D@PrisonerxOfxLove – No, I think perhaps you didn’t read what I wrote. I described your words as demonizing others not because you were expressing your opinion, but because you are characterizing a group of people as evil. In fact, you just described Democrats as “lurid evil” – that’s the dictionary definition of demonizing.
I wholeheartedly agree. I tell Ryan that they are like children fighting at school.