You say: letters to the editor
Change debt ceiling law
The concept of the debt ceiling is schizophrenic because it involves debt incurred for spending already approved by Congress, not future spending. Under the Constitution, all taxing and spending must be approved by Congress. If Congress fails to raise sufficient taxes to pay for spending it has approved, the executive (treasury) must borrow. Otherwise, the government must decrease operations or default on existing obligations.
The debt ceiling law improperly puts the burden to obtain an increase on those who wish to avoid government shutdown or default. They must get a majority vote in both houses of Congress to approve the increase. The rule should be changed so that the president can incur debt as necessary to pay for spending Congress has approved, unless Congress votes to stop it. This limits the ability of one side or the other to threaten U.S. Government default every few months, without limiting congressional prerogatives.
Board backs ignorance
Ironically, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst laments the lack of ‘job-ready’ graduates in a state that has a school system including a Board of Education that promotes ignorance. This should, however, lower the cost of textbooks, as geology, paleontology and archeology books will only need to cover the past 6,000 years and the biology books will be the size of The Watchtower. You reap what you sow.
Spending is the problem
Why is President Barack Obama so obsessed with raising taxes on our job creators (“the wealthy”)? By harping on that one issue, he can avoid discussing spending reductions. But depending upon who is crunching the numbers the additional revenue generated by his rate increase would fund the government for anywhere from five to eight days. Not months, not weeks. But days. Not enough to put a tiny dent in our huge deficit.
Tax rates are not the problem — spending is. So how will punishing the successful and the high achievers somehow make them work harder, expand their businesses, and hire more employees? Raising taxes on job creators is counterproductive. More expenses equal layoffs, stagnation and no expansion. No nation at any time anywhere on this planet has ever been able to tax its way to prosperity. And killing the goose that lays the golden egg will surely not do it.
Quality of life ignored
Re: Dec. 4 commentary, “Get more from Visa incentives.”
Why does the Austin City Council think it’s desirable to pay Visa, or any company, to move to Austin to create jobs? We do not have the infrastructure to support more jobs. The city is overcrowded, with traffic jams a constant feature of life. Productivity of many Austin businesses and their ability to create jobs locally is restrained by the congestion. More jobs will make matters worse. Before voting in favor of paying any more businesses to move to Austin, each council person should spend at least two hours a day for a week driving around Austin during rush hour or any other time. We do not need more jobs. Quality of life is the issue, not jobs. We need more infrastructure so that local businesses can function efficiently and we need council members with some common sense.
Obama plan blackmail
Re: Dec. 5 commentary, “GOP outcast to his party: Where’s your courage?”
President Barack Obama says he’ll let us go over the fiscal cliff unless he gets his wealth redistribution plan. This is extortion and blackmail. Dana Milbank believes it is “morally indefensible” to use blackmail and extortion but somehow turns the tables and blames the Republicans for holding 98 percent of Americans hostage. Really? Because they won’t pay the demanded ransom?
Milbank thinks Tom Cole should call Obama’s bluff, oddly believing that Obama has any intention to cut spending (except military) or reduce deficits and debt. His current offer is to consider it later but in the meantime get $50 billion for more “stimuli” spending in 2013 — more than half what the tax-the-rich plan would bring in. He’s as subtle as a train wreck. He claims a mandate because a lot people say he should tax someone else besides them. Duh! Unlike most holiday season offerings, wishes don’t cost anything. Do you have a wish for something that would make this year special? Why don’t you share it with the rest of our readers? We’re soliciting your holiday wishes for this year for publication on Dec. 25. Please limit your submissions to 150 words. Send your submissions by Dec. 14 to letters@ statesman.com or to: Letters to the Editor PO Box 670 Austin, Texas 78768 Please put “Christmas letters”in subject line of emails or on the envelope. The Austin American-Statesman encourages email and faxes from readers. Please include a full name, address and daytime and evening phone numbers.We edit letters for brevity, grammar, style and clarity. Edited letters address a single idea and do not exceed 150 words.Anonymous letters will not be published. Letters become property of the Austin AmericanStatesman. Send emails to letters@ statesman.com. Mail to: Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 670,Austin,TX 78767.