After reading another plan by the administration to create yet another commission to study what to do about federal spending, I'm left wondering: why? Why do our elected officials want to forestall the issue of ramming through a solution by creating "study groups" and "commissions" and whatever other name for a group of people that will talk themselves into the chair's already predisposed conclusions?
We saw it with the so-called "catfood" commission. We'll probably see it again with a commission on the debt and taxes. And frankly, I'm fed up with it.
We don't need commissions. We need answers and actions based on the already available facts and opinions of reputable economists, those who work outside biased think tanks and have no dog in the fight.
My take on the government at large is that we have rapidly shifted to a kleptocracy organized by the rich and powerful, corporations and citizens alike. Politicians require contributions to get into office, and once in office, they have no reason not to try to stay there. So they become beholden to whomever contributes to their re-election efforts. Thus, everyday citizens are shut out of the process of honest decisionmaking by contributors and lobbyists.
We all know what this has led to: massive debt, unfunded mandates, and low to nonexistent taxes on corporations.
So the president wishes to have another commission on what to do about the debt and taxes. Let face it. This is just another exercise in attempting compromise and bipartisanship with people who are increasingly unreasonable and propose solutions that only affect those not very well off. It provides cover for the administration to say they tried working with the other party, but gosh darn it, the conclusions they came up with are just not doable, because we have to raise taxes.
There are reasons why our tax system is shifted the way it is. Low income families pay less. There are tons of deductions. Unless your income is below a certain threshold, it's often easier to hire someone else or get a computer program to do your taxes. Regardless of the method, greed is a basic part of human nature, and we all want to keep what's ours. Thus, we fight for every deduction. We cry when our taxes are raised. But hypocritically, we also complain when corporations and the wealthy don't pay the same amount we do.
The amount of debt we have will require sacrifices, especially on the middle class. There simply aren't enough rich people to tax the bejeezus out of to completely solve the problem of debt. So, I'm prepared to accept more of a tax burden, but only if those with higher incomes than me are willing to do the same.
But the debt commission will probably come back with half-hearted recommendations: don't raise taxes on the wealthy, but instead put a Value-Added Tax on everyone--a national sales tax if you will. Never mind that sales taxes affect lower income households disproportionately; that's a forgettable detail.
But we already have the CBO. We already have hordes of academic researchers in economics, each with their own political or apolitical views. I would love to see Paul Krugman advise the president on what he, as the president should drive through Congress over the Republican's concerns. Use reconciliation. Use whatever means are necessary. I don't care.
Just don't stall solutions by creating another freakin' commission.
It takes courage to make change. It takes even greater courage to make unpopular change. However, if our government is to promote the general welfare (as our constitutional Republican friends are so wanting to skip over on their way to the second amendment), then that courage is absolutely necessary. Now.