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Four more years of
Obama
That’s My Opinion
By Bob Robinson
July 28, 2011
If I understand the mixed messages correctly, in five more days – at
midnight – the world comes to an end.
Assuming of course that our “father,” Barack Obama, President of the
United States of America, vetoes the House budget as promised (and
assuming it gets through the Senate). It is supposed to have the
approval of Senate leaders.
I find it interesting that the only budget Obama has suggested was
roundly defeated by his own party in the Senate. I find it interesting
that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has read the writing on the wall
and has worked with House Speaker John Boehner to come up with a budget
that both sides can agree on… yet the orator-in-chief would
“reportedly” veto it because it might not make the “super rich, like
himself, pay a little bit more” or it might not get him past the 2012
November elections unscathed.
It is interesting that Obama continues to blame Republicans for giving
him a ‘mess’ two and a half years ago. He is – and has been - in
charge, and for the first two years his own party controlled Congress
and gave him everything he wanted.
It is especially interesting that Boehner has complained that he and
the president were on track for a “deal” last week when the president
changed the ground rules… again. Obama makes no mention of this.
As a result, Mr. Obama has promised us that Social Security checks may
not be paid, Medicare bills may not be honored and those putting their
lives on the line in war zones on the other side of the world may not
get paid. Scare tactics that I found abominable.
These commitments would be the president’s choice to honor or not, not
Congress’ as he would have us believe. We might not be able to continue
borrowing 40 percent of our spending, but the other 60 percent in
actual receipts would meet all three obligations, plus pay our debt
service.
It’s his decision, not that of the House Republicans he continues to
blame for his dilemma.
Far right bloggers and some TEA Partiers say “let it happen!”
Reality check, folks!! Americans changed the face of the House but they
didn’t of the Senate. We still have the most liberal president to ever
“grace” the Oval Office for another two years, and his party controls
the other half of Congress.
Ohio has turned the state budget crisis around with the election of
conservative Republicans to all statewide offices, plus both Houses of
the General Assembly. Gov. John Kasich promised to close an $8.5
billion budget gap for the new biennium, and he did.
He did so, according to many, primarily at local government expense.
Partially true.
I’ve often said that change has to start at the bottom and work its way
up. In Darke County, some of the actions of the past may have come back
to haunt our elected officials.
Can Greenville retract the raises it gave out when public finances were
still okay (despite a slumping economy) to maybe save a job or two? I
doubt it. I understand that more cuts and layoffs are coming. I’ve
heard nothing about increased fees in any area and tax increases are
out of the question.
Same thing about sales tax increases in the county… they ain’t gonna
happen! Commissioners raised the Real Estate Transfer Fee despite the
additional hardship it would place on individuals, seniors and families
trying to get out from under properties with drastically decreased
values.
I have no idea what other options they have that don’t require a public
vote. In the meantime, they passed a 2012 “working” budget with a
$300,000 plus shortfall.
Did they expect things to improve in the next six months? I doubt it.
So why didn’t they address those shortfalls now, as they were quick to
point out they’d done in the past?
Yes, most departments are working on shoestrings… county, city and
village. I am fully aware of it and I respect the challenges. I’ve been
there (in the private sector). But there’s a problem. It’s called “no
diñero.”
The Wagner Avenue complex continues to haunt the commissioners. When I
was running in 2010, I pointed out that it was in the red. Not only
have they lost valuable tax revenue, its 2011 bottom line is still in
the red. The Darke County Auditor has advised them that they can no
longer roll over the notes… they must start paying on the principle.
We have no excuse for the problems we face in Darke County’s local
funding. We knew it was coming… it had to come if we were to survive as
a community, state and nation. Kasich and the TEA Party were the
catalysts that did it. While I agree there are many counties worse off
than ours, there are also counties, such as Warren, that seem to be
handling these funding decreases in stride.
Washington is more complicated. In our infinite wisdom we elected a
tax-and-spend government unheard of in our history in 2008. We were
only able to correct one third of the problem in 2010.
The other two thirds still want more money to support a massive federal
appetite. Hopefully the Senate has finally seen the light… not sure
about our President.
This is the reason we are facing the so-called “crisis” at midnight
August 2. I have no idea how much of a crisis it will be… it depends on
who you listen to, especially in light of the fact that 99.999 percent
of the comments are political rhetoric.
Partisan politics is, once again, screwing things up. But it is also
time for our nation’s TEA parties to wake up and smell the roses. I
support you – I am a proud member of the Darke TEA Patriots - but I do
not support your timeline. It isn’t doable in the current climate.
What took us decades to create cannot be undone in one year.
Concentrate on your local governments, keep your state governments in
line and continue to work on the D.C. establishment.
But let Boehner do his job. He’s our best hope to get through the next
year and a half. Then get out the vote!
Our next opportunity to change the national landscape occurs on Nov. 6,
2012. Don’t blow it. Do NOT split the conservative vote… unless of
course you want four more years of Obama.
That’s my Opinion. What’s yours?
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