Letter: Back to work, members of Congress

The United States of America has tens of thousands of military men and women serving around the world, some in very dangerous environments, who will not be home for Christmas.

Like the members of the U.S. Congress, our military is paid by “we the people.” Unlike our members of Congress, the military take their jobs very seriously and remain on duty regardless of the conditions or circumstances.

I think we, the people, have a right to demand, given the high rate of pay members of Congress receive, that they remain on duty, in Washington, during Christmas in order to get their job done.

Unless, of course, it is already done and they are just posturing for their constituents.

Robert Bloodworth

U.S. Navy, retired

Baton Rouge

Comments

1) Comment by nimby? - 26/12/2012

freeze their salaries , assets . lock them all in one room , not quite big enough . turn off the AC/heat . feed them stale finger sandwiches and TAB . no communication in or out , with anyone(white house included) until a deal is done , signed and delivered , period .

2) Comment by Spudaroonski - 26/12/2012

Social Security is not responsible for our deficit problems. It is independent of the deficit and it is solvent for decades. The CBO has projected it can pay 100% benefits until the year 2039 and after that 75% benefits and that can easily be fixed by raising the payroll tax cap. Social Security should not be in the deficit discussion at all.

3) Comment by agagent - 25/12/2012

We cannot continue to ignore the trillion dollar annual deficits, the $16.4 trillion national debt, and that programs like Social Security, welfare, Medicaid and Medicare are not sustainable in their present forms. To compound the problem the federal government has its own fiscal vocabulary. A budget cut in DC-speak is really a reduction in the rate of increase and not a real decrease. DC believes that federal programs cannot continue with less money than it received the previous year. DC has not treated this fiscal crisis like the real crisis it is, but they are playing their typical DC games.

4) Comment by DMJ - 25/12/2012

Unfortunately, one of our major political parties is invested in the notion that government can't do anything right...so they get elected and then prove it.

5) Comment by agagent - 25/12/2012

used the "d' word

6) Comment by agagent - 25/12/2012

Two years ago Obama wanted an increase in the debt ceiling beyond the 2012 elections so his administration proposed what is now called the fiscal cliff. He introduced the plan through the office of Senate leader Reid. Obama signed a two year extension of the tax cuts saying raising taxes would be bad for a struggling economy. The economy is still struggling and Obama’s spending will cause us to hit the debt ceiling again before the end of 2012. Obama wants higher taxes on the “rich” in the name of “fairness,” even if it hurts the economy. Since Congress and Obama could not decide on the budget cuts we now face the automatic cuts and tax increases on January, 2013 and we reach the debt limit before the end of the year.

7) Comment by agagent - 25/12/2012

****Comment Removed for Violation of Terms of Use****

8) Comment by agagent - 25/12/2012

"the top 1% of earners in the United States paid 38% of federal income taxes; the top 5% of earners paid 59% of federal income taxes; the top 10% of earners paid 70% of federal income taxes; the top 25% of earners paid more than 86% of federal income taxes the top 50% of earners paid more than 97% of federal income taxes; and the bottom 50% of earners in the United States paid less than 3% of federal income taxes."--American Thinker

9) Comment by twinkie1cat - 25/12/2012

The hypocritical non-leader of the Republican party, John Boehner keeps whining that President Obama needs to present "a plan". He has done been done that. He ran on his plan to reduce the deficit and improve the economy by creating jobs and requiring modest tax increases for the wealthiest Americans. That is the plan. His campaign was not about "gifts" for "special interest" groups. They could not give him the election by themselves. The American people have spoken. They liked Obama's plan so they re-elected him as their president. Now the Republicans need to fall in line and pass it.

10) Comment by twinkie1cat - 25/12/2012

We would not have the fiscal problems we do if the Republicans had not started wars on a credit card, allowed large companies to take our jobs overseas and cut taxes for the rich. The wealthy businessmen became job destroyers. "Job creators" is just Orwellian doublespeak. They have hoarded their money long enough. Now it is time for them to pay. Rich people. Rich Republicans. Not the poor and middle class. Benefits do not need to be cut. The wealthy need to pay their fair share.

11) Comment by slye753 - 25/12/2012

i see sugar cane trucks passing this morning to save one mans crop. i see policemen passing to protect us. so many people have to work through the hollidays. but not the president or one congressman or woman will work today to save America.

12) Comment by Mygulfbleedsforu - 25/12/2012

Here we go again: you are government; therefore I find you despicable and you don't deserve to have a Christmas holiday. Yeah, merry Christmas to you, too, Mr. Bloodworth. Everyone's salary is paid by we the people.

13) Comment by lovemykids - 25/12/2012

It is a shame when adults can not play well together and make everyone else suffer because of it.

14) Comment by Bighug - 25/12/2012

As a group, our leaders in Washington are the worst in my memory. They are leading our country to ruin while being concerned only about their party affiliations. We could hardly be worse off if Iranian politicians were allowed to replace them. Maybe they won their elections, but they are still losers.

15) Comment by twinkie1cat - 25/12/2012

I agree that Congress needs to get back to work . Two days is enough for Christmas and they can go party New Years Eve if they get their work done in time. Most of the Republicans probably prefer debauchery over celebration of God's birthday anyway. It is time to pass the president's bill and stop the foolish pandering to Republican campaign donors. Boenher is always talking about how the president needs to show leadership and present a plan, but the president presented his plan to improve the economy and take care of the bills DURING his campaign. One more time, just like in his first term, he is trying to do what he said he would do. The people elected Obama because they LIKED his plan of making the wealthy more responsible for the economy they messed up in the first place with 30 years of trickle down economics and outsourcing wars on a credit card. For 30 years, ever since Ronald Reagan we have heard about nothing but cuts while the rich got richer and the poor got poorer. The only president until now, who seemed to be able to slow our descent into third world status and the Second Coming was Bill Clinton. Shut up Republicans! Boenher, pick up your manhood and put the teapartiers in their place. Tax the wealthy just a bit more and give the middle class a chance to recover. If you don't you are looking at the descent of the GOP into nothingness and the rise of Malia Obama as President as soon as she gets old enough.

16) Comment by simbatigercat - 25/12/2012

To Big Hug: Right on! To Mr. Bloodworth: The posturing of which you write is being done by elected officials on both sides of our government be it either the right wing pandering to the teapartiers, etc. etc. or the left wing pandering to the national health care advocates, environmentalists, etc. etc. The real deals in Washington are being done by special interests and the big money elite. But it is we the people who pay for it all.