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I cannot remember a so-called bipartisan bill that has been passed in Congress that did not involve deficit spending, other than maybe naming a new federal building that was built with deficit spending. As Congress readies for their well-earned (sarcasm) holiday vacation, they will likely pass another jumbo bipartisan spending bill again with a large share left for the next generation to worry about. This week I received my Time magazine that featured Time’s person of the year. Not surprisingly they chose the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He is the one who often says the United States is not sending enough money and weapons for them to defeat Russia.
As happens many years, I think Time got it wrong. Their person of the year should be our children and grandchildren who are footing the cost of this proxy war with Russia. American taxpayers had been promised households making less than $400,000 a year would not have to pay more in taxes. American taxpayers should be paying for every cent the leaders we elect spend.
Patriot missiles cost between 3 and 4 million dollars each. If as a country, we believe this is a good investment, we should pay for it. The great American dream used to be making it into the middle class and owning a home. Most in my generation have achieved that goal. Now the dream should be that our children and grandchildren will have as good a lifestyle or better than we did. Unfortunately, that dream never took hold as the great American dream is now “something for nothing.” I think any congressional member who voted for the American Rescue Plan, the Inflation Reduction Act, or this spending bill being voted on now should be required to wear a paper bag over their heads.
Richard Ginn
Bucksport