My Turn: An open letter to Rep. Peter Welch

Keith Stern of North Springfield, who ran for congress in the last election, offers his former opponent in the race some words of advice on the current state of the U.S. economy.

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20110622/OPINION02/106220314/My-Turn-An-open-letter-Rep-Peter-Welch?odyssey=nav%7Chead

My Turn: An open letter to Rep. Peter Welch
9:55 AM, June 22, 2011

A compulsive spender deep in debt goes to the last bank in town look­ing for one final chance to borrow enough money to stay afloat. The lending officer agrees to a loan with the condition that the borrower attend Shopa­holics Anonymous. The lender refuses and leaves without the money.

How insane is that?

You could be compared to that shopaholic because, in effect, that's exactly what you and most of your fellow politicians are -- you have spending addictions. Your insistence on raising the debt ceiling without addressing debt reduction is either insanity, total apathy, or incompetence.

So let me ask you, when do you think it is time to take the impending financial meltdown seriously? When the debt reaches $20 trillion? Maybe $25 trillion? When people start getting turned down for Social Security and Medicare because there just isn't enough money to pay the bills anymore? When people end up freezing to death in their homes because there isn't enough money for fuel assistance? Or maybe after you leave office so it won't be a problem you have to deal with?

Is borrowing 40 cents for every dollar spent acceptable to you?

Also, what about today's youths? What will the future look like for them as an increasing portion of their taxes will go to paying the interest on the nation's debt and our dollar continues to weaken against foreign currencies? Do you care in the slightest about them or are you only concerned with people who can vote you back into office now?

It doesn't have to be draconian cuts to entitlements. It can be a commitment to ferret out wasteful duplication of services, organizing a new Grace Commission to find ways of reducing spending, bringing troops back from countries we don't belong in, and looking for new, innovative ways of streamlining programs to be more efficient. You don't have to have solutions, but you need to listen to those that do and act on them. In other words, show the voters that you care about this country's financial future.

As people know it doesn't take skill to run up massive debts, but it does take elected officials who are committed, fiscally responsible and courageous enough to face the challenge head on, willing to do the hard work to restore fiscal sanity to this country. You obviously aren't one of those people. I hope for this country's sake, for my grandchildren's sake, you don't seek re-election next year so we have a chance to elect someone of courage and fiscal responsibility that is willing to meet the challenge forcefully and effectively.

Keith Stern lives in North Springfield.