Federal Foolishness

 
           My vaguely cute reliance on alliteration is not the only juvenile behavior in front of us. We have word of elected officials not returning each other’s phone calls and supposedly walking out of meetings. As these leaders of the free world gather to discuss plans to avoid the USA defaulting on its debt, investors pale and millions of people wonder if they’ll receive their much-needed stipend. 

            I understand the talks around the debt ceiling and the deficit are critical and deserving of much thought and much discussion. In our community alone, one of the possible budget deal’s repercussions is already being anticipated by UNC Healthcare. This is serious business, folks, and I wonder if the men and women in Washington who are acting more like boys and girls know that?

  
          Do any of them remember learning why we have both a U.S. House of Representatives and a U.S. Senate? My 7^th grade social studies teacher taught me the two legislative bodies were born out of a compromise. What? A COMPROMISE? Washington, did you hear that word? Do you know what it means? If you don’t, you’d best find out because I daresay not one of you was elected to destroy this economy and the default deadline is one week from tomorrow: August 2^nd.

            Something else I learned back in what used to be called “junior high school” (now known as middle school) is that no one has a monopoly on being right. It’s frightening to me that I find myself asking our leaders to reach to the level of middle school. Now is not the time to behave like an obstinate toddler. 

           Now is the time to be brave: Be leaders; not politicians.

           I don’t claim to have the answers but I do expect our leaders to be working toward one. The time for posturing has ended. Let me know I’m not alone in my frustration and anger by either commenting below or writing to me at Donnabeth@Chapelboro.com. I’d suggest writing to those at the negotiating table but I fear they’re not checking their messages.