A recent letter to the editor criticized Congressman Chuck Edwards of not supporting the needs and values of his constituents, mentioning culture war issues of immigration and abortion [“Rep. Edwards Fails to Represent Us,” Jan. 31, Xpress].
But largely out of view of corporate and social media, he voted to advance HR 5779 out of the House Budget Committee. If the Fiscal Commission Act of 2023 makes it into law, it creates a way to cut the federal budget, including Medicare and Social Security, largely behind closed doors and without allowing Congress to modify the text of any bill advanced by only seven voting members of the commission.
The devil is in the details, but some highlights are:
• The committee’s bills are made public 24 hours after being issued.
• The House and Senate then have two-11 days (it’s complicated) to vote on the bills, without amendment, not allowing points of order or procedural issues to be raised.
• Two hours (you read that right) of debate are allowed in the Senate and House.
• If the president vetoes it, then 10 hours of debate are allowed during an override attempt.
Follow this closely and ask Rep. Edwards what spending will be targeted by this commission.
— David Dixon
Asheville
This bill -if it makes into law- is just more of the undemocratic agenda that the MAGA GOP is determined to follow through with ….Edwards is just a water boy for the powers behind all of this. And Social Security, that’s flat out socialism ..and despite their highly disingenuous claims to the contrary, they’re dead set against it ( and have been since its inception in 1935 under Franklin Roosevelt). Edwards and his ilk are absolutely sickened that they’re forced to pay an additional 15% of the lordly wages they pay their employees there at McDonald’s to the Social Security administration in order to fund the program. The Fiscal Commission Act of 1923 is another [big] step towards the alleviation of all social services programs administered by the federal government… including Medicaid and Medicare. A free and unfettered market that has zero federal oversight ( also now known as predatory capitalism …can you imagine how well this will turn out?) is their holy grail. I kid you not.
sorry: that should have read: The Fiscal Commission Act of 2023 is another [big] step towards the MAGA GOP’s goal of alleviating all social services programs administered by the federal government… including Medicaid and Medicare.
…..and, of course, that completely communist program foisted on the unwitting American people known as Obamacare has got to go. ..sigh
And a lot of fat dumb fools wouldn’t need to go to the doctor quite as often if they didn’t feed their faces with (un)Happy Meals…Ground Chuck has gotta go!
I can’t speak to Congressman Edward’s ulterior motives, but I do know that this country is in deep trouble from a fiscal standpoint. And both parties are part and parcel to the problem. Ultimately, we, as citizens are the problem. We have come to expect too much.
We need to seriously cut military spending. We need to thoughtfully modify SS, Medicare and Medicaid to make them more economically sustainable. If that means benefit cuts to higher wealth citizens so be it.
We need to seriously reduce much of the government bureaucracy and accept more risk in our lives.
The problem of course, is that the government IS such a large part of our economy now. Cutting government will cut our employment.
Ultimately, making these very hard spending cuts is going to result in a severe and long term recession or even depression. Alternatively, we will reach the same result if we continue on without change, only in that instance our society will see much less control over the unwinding.
…what we need is universal healthcare …like every other first world country has. And, the last thing we need to do now is lower our military spending …unless of course you want to live under the gentle guidance of Russia/ China et al ( where your ability to express your opinion and write comments to publications like the MtnX won’t exist. period.)
I think universal healthcare is a good approach; however, everyone would need to be willing to accept less than what the current system provides. That said, I would support it. Our current healthcare system is a financial disaster.
On military expenditures, your opinion very much surprises me. The American military industrial complex has unfolded just as Einsenhour predicted. Look at all the crazy expensive weapons systems that exist. The Osprey, the billion dollar fighter jet programs. And now we’re seeing that $500 drones can be very powerful. Regarding Russia and China, what….are they going to take over the world? Let’s get real. The only but signficant threat they present is being fed up with the glutonous abuse of the dollar by the US. If you don’t understand how this country can live so far above it’s productive means, then you don’t understand the truth behind our hundreds of military bases and installation around the world. We have become an empire! And we will fall just like every other empire. But it won’t be militarily. We will go bankrupt.
“Let’s get real.” Really? Okay, well first.. our current healthcare “system” isn’t a “financial disaster” …it’s a colossal money maker that is by some estimates now 20% of the US economy, It’s an inhumane and humanitarian disaster of rapidly growing proportions.. plain and simple. Funny how you missed the mark so completely there… hummm. And sure, military spending waste is very real…. absolutely need to clean that up for sure. As for the supposedly unreal concept of China taking over the world… you had better get out of your little bubble and see what’s happening in Southeast Asia, Africa and South America. Ditto for Russia and the Ukraine of course… along with north Africa, and Central Asia (that was formerly part of the Soviet Union and will be again if all goes to plan). Honestly, your whole “empire” thing is so outdated and Don Quixote-ish. Time for your little peace-nik tribe to wake up and see the world for what it is …in the/our time of 8 billion plus folk, climate change and rapidly diminishing resources ( like food and clean water for starters). I’m happy to live under the western model of “empire” ( ..think the EU, Japan, Australia et al) rather than the Russian, Chinese, North Korean, Iran, Myanmar, Venezuela regimes any day of the week. And the US… well sure, it’s undoubtedly a failing “empire” …and the whacked out fringes -MAGA and WOKE- which seem to becoming no longer the fringes but the majority of folk here sure seem hell bent on it happening sooner than later …but you’re way more familiar with that agenda/ deal via the “glutonous abuse of the US dollar” et al …WHAT??? But yeah, we’re screwed for sure, congrats.
…and getting back on subject: your man Edwards that you’re so unclear about regarding his “ulterior motives” …jesus. His motives are precisely the same as his messiah, the Rump… money and power at any cost. Democracy is abhorrent to them …and they and theirs won’t quit until they get their way and our so called democracy won’t even be able to be so called. Let them abandon the Ukraine as per Putin’s and Xi’s wishes… next will be Taiwan. They’ll sell anyone out for some of those “gluttonous US dollars” of yours. And, our failing “empire” that your so looking forward to expiring will look like the good old days once it’s gone and your “fed up” China and Russia are in charge. Btw, it’s Eisenhower ..whom I think would be right in line with Benjamin Franklin’s oft quoted take on it all: “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”
Edwards is not “my man”. I pretty much loathe both parties; they’ve both sold us out.
You are correct that i am very pessimistic about our country’s future. But it has more to do with what has happened to our values and culture than enemies abroad. As I stated before, empires virtually always implode from within. We have more than enough defensive capability with 1/2 our of military. What we need in this country is to return to core values of hard work, the greater good, and community.
Social Security is schedule to run out of reserves in 12 to 13 years. At that time you will receive 76% of what you expected then after that?
Spending more than you take in want work long term.
In February last month the US spent over twice as much as they took in and you know we set a new record for treasury income every year.
The open border policy, social spending policy will end. Venezuela’s economy was the 5th largest in the world when socialist took over now dog catchers aren’t needed. They just go in the pot.
Ask him what you what but don’t expect an answer.
I recently contacted his office and when it finally got around to replying several weeks later I got a canned response that didn’t have much of anything to do with the topic I contacted him about.
Still, I guess that’s better that Sen. Ted Budd who never replied at all. (Sen. Thom Tillis got back to me within 24 hours with a reply that was connected to the topic.)
I’ve heard that they do their business “behind closed doors” because they’re ashamed of themselves.