An open letter to the US Senate: Stop the debt "crisis" lunacy
July 29, 2011
The Tea Party has been disproportionately effective at making their vision heard. The only way we can fight against their uncaring vision and for the good of all Americans is to make ourselves heard -- write your US Senators now as the Senate grapples with what to do about the debt limit crisis.
If you find this letter inspiring, feel free to use or adapt what I've written (especially since it is written toward the audience of a Democratic Senator). Additionally, you may share this letter with others on Twitter via the Tweet button below.
The Tea Party has been disproportionately effective at making their vision heard. The only way we can fight against their uncaring vision and for the good of all Americans is to make ourselves heard -- write your US Senators now as the Senate grapples with what to do about the debt limit crisis.
If you find this letter inspiring, feel free to use or adapt what I've written (especially since it is written toward the audience of a Democratic Senator). Additionally, you may share this letter with others on Twitter via the Tweet button below.
Dear Senator:
While I appreciate the need for mature, bipartisanship cooperation in order to decide weighty matters in general, the current debt "crisis" has moved beyond that point. The Republican Party, at least in the House of Representatives, has shown itself unwilling to negotiate in good faith on this matter. A party that was truly interested in the welfare of the United States would be willing to make concessions for the good of our country. So far, all we have seen from the House GOP is an increasingly unreasonable and unfeasible set of demands:
-- deep spending cuts during a period of continuing economic crisis, with no corresponding expiry of tax cuts for the wealthy to match the sacrifices being demanded of the poor
-- an amendment to the US Constitution requiring what no Republican administration has achieved for over 50 years - a balanced budget - to be rammed through Congress, during an election year, under threat of paralyzing not only the entire US legislative process once more, but also the world economy counting on the faith and credit of the United States.
This isn't even a debate any longer, this is one party holding the world economy hostage to a set of radical ideological demands. And if this even were a debate, it would be more properly addressed as a *budget* debate, not a threat to simply not pay the bills already incurred by previously approved budgets!
If House Republicans cannot and will not make concessions, *then it is time to stop negotiating.* One-sided concessions aren't even negotiations, they are merely stages of capitulation that will encourage the same hostage-taking tactics -- met once with success -- will be repeated over, and over, and over again.
I am writing to you to urge you to stop considering any "compromise" bill that contains no substantial concessions by Republicans, in particular no direct inclusion of revenues to accompany required spending cuts and caps. Instead, please urge President Obama to use other means at his and the Treasury Department's disposal (e.g. issuing coinage, selling options on government property, or direct invocation of the 14th Amendment) to avoid technical default and show House Republicans that Democrats and the American people will not be bullied by uncaring, self-righteous ideological crusaders.
Sincerely,
A Concerned Citizen
While I appreciate the need for mature, bipartisanship cooperation in order to decide weighty matters in general, the current debt "crisis" has moved beyond that point. The Republican Party, at least in the House of Representatives, has shown itself unwilling to negotiate in good faith on this matter. A party that was truly interested in the welfare of the United States would be willing to make concessions for the good of our country. So far, all we have seen from the House GOP is an increasingly unreasonable and unfeasible set of demands:
-- deep spending cuts during a period of continuing economic crisis, with no corresponding expiry of tax cuts for the wealthy to match the sacrifices being demanded of the poor
-- an amendment to the US Constitution requiring what no Republican administration has achieved for over 50 years - a balanced budget - to be rammed through Congress, during an election year, under threat of paralyzing not only the entire US legislative process once more, but also the world economy counting on the faith and credit of the United States.
This isn't even a debate any longer, this is one party holding the world economy hostage to a set of radical ideological demands. And if this even were a debate, it would be more properly addressed as a *budget* debate, not a threat to simply not pay the bills already incurred by previously approved budgets!
If House Republicans cannot and will not make concessions, *then it is time to stop negotiating.* One-sided concessions aren't even negotiations, they are merely stages of capitulation that will encourage the same hostage-taking tactics -- met once with success -- will be repeated over, and over, and over again.
I am writing to you to urge you to stop considering any "compromise" bill that contains no substantial concessions by Republicans, in particular no direct inclusion of revenues to accompany required spending cuts and caps. Instead, please urge President Obama to use other means at his and the Treasury Department's disposal (e.g. issuing coinage, selling options on government property, or direct invocation of the 14th Amendment) to avoid technical default and show House Republicans that Democrats and the American people will not be bullied by uncaring, self-righteous ideological crusaders.
Sincerely,
A Concerned Citizen
