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This is my current definition of the word “politician.” Politicians, for the most part, are men and women who attempt to invoke the sympathies of their constituents to succeed in their elections, only to falter to the standstill that is Washington D.C. Earlier this month, I highlighted the reckless approach our elected representatives have undertaken in allowing the sequester cuts to go into effect. As John Avlon said in his Daily Beast article, they are playing a high-stakes poker game. Only problem is that we take all the risk.
President Obama decided it was a good idea to finally meet with House Republicans on the day before the cuts went into effect (mind you he hadn’t met with anyone but Speaker John Boehner since a 2010 retreat). After less than 1 hour of “talks” both sides decided that a compromise couldn’t be reached.
1 hour.
That’s what Americans are worth.
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney and other White House employees stressed the “doomsday” consequences in allowing the sequestration cuts to begin. When pressed by news correspondents that the cuts would be less than 2% of governmental budgets, Carney pressed that the cuts would severely stunt the country’s economic “resurgence.” Earlier this week, President Obama sat down with ABC News George Stephanopoulos and told him that “there is no debt crisis.”
I guess the president was talking about another country. Otherwise I’m utterly perplexed by his nonchalant comments. It is glaringly apparent that NO ONE is taking this seriously. Again I ask “why should they when their entitlements are secured?” Imagine how much would get done if our politicians were paid minimum wage. What if they had to live on food stamps? Imagine how much would get done if they didn’t have countless recesses (a.k.a vacations). We could imagine many things. Unfortunately these scenarios won’t come true and it doesn’t seem likely a deal will get done in the near future.
A deal won’t get done because it doesn’t directly affect our politicians. Where are constituents protesting outside office buildings? Where are people demanding that they pass a compromise? With no threat of losing their reelection prospects they have no incentive to alter their current work ethic and productivity.
Politicians might think that meeting for lunch is some type of grand achievement, but I certainly don’t. Not only do they refuse to execute their duties, but they decide to waste more taxpayer money in expensive lunches. Why don’t they meet up at Capitol Hill and get food from McDonald’s (or any other fast food restaurant)? Do they really have to golf to get the job done? I read that most of the recent and sparing compromises have surmised during work out sessions at their private gym.
These are the people we’ve elected and continue to allow to run this great nation.
How do you feel about that?
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Twitter: @adrakontaidis & @talkrealdebate
