How action on deficit may mean nothing

Michael K. Casler, Las Vegas

Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2010 | 2:03 a.m.

This letter is directed to all Republican supporters. Everyone has watched Democrats and Republicans not address spending and the deficits over many years. Now in a recent appearance on “60 Minutes,” incoming House Speaker John Boehner told Leslie Stahl that the first thing he is going to do is cut by 5 percent (wow) the amount of money House members spend on their “operations.” The savings will amount to $25 million (wow)!

Then Boehner will submit one simple (one or two page) bill a week that addresses the debt and deficit (wow). Stahl questioned whether $25 million would make a difference when our debt and deficits are so large, and Boehner said, “You have to start somewhere.” Say what?

We are like a swimmer who is 500 yards offshore and tiring and Boehner tosses us a life preserver with a hole in it that lands 200 yards from where we are drowning! I will never understand how people can support either of these parties.

In case anyone is wondering, here is what is going to happen: Members of both parties in Congress will support legislation that makes “symbolic” cuts in spending and the deficit. None of them will actually make a difference. All they will do is allow both parties to falsely claim that they did address the debt and deficit, and to say the only reason the problems still exist is because the “other party” is just evil and didn’t do what needed to be done. Please spare me.