“The most significant threat to our national security is our debt.” — Admiral Mullen, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff on August 27, 2010“[O]ur rising debt levels…poses a national security threat…. And it also sends a message of weakness internationally.” — Secretary of State Clinton on September 8, 2010“Our nation is on an unsustainable fiscal path. Spending is rising and revenues are falling short, requiring the government to borrow huge sums each year to make up the difference.” - National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, The White House December 1, 2010
If the most pressing issue for our country is the rising and unsustainable level of national debt, what are we doing about it? First, there was a bipartisan commission led by Simpson and Bowles. Their recommendations were largely ignored. Then there was the super-committee that failed to develop any meaningful plan to fix the debt crisis. This debt, which is increasingly driven by mandatory spending on social security and medical programs, threatens to cripple our country’s future and force future generations to suffer. This crisis requires a call to action.
Watching Senator Paul conduct a filibuster today to get information on drone strikes, one has to wonder why nothing like this is being done on the Senate floor to call attention to the larger problem of the debt. While everyone acknowledges the problem and no solutions are forthcoming, will one Senator take a stand and go down in history as the one person in this country who started to turn the tide of rising national indebtedness? The upcoming votes on a Continuing Resolution and the debt ceiling will provide two opportunities to take a stand on this all-important crisis. All we need is one Senator willing to bring attention to this problem until meaningful and comprehensive measures are implemented to address mandatory spending.
If you think that the debt is a problem for this country, and you think that something needs to be done about it, pass this message on. Also, write to your Senator to encourage action on the most critical issue of our day.
Doing nothing is no longer an option if we do not want to crush future generations in debt because of our inability to make hard choices.
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