Editorial: Cut the Debt - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

Editorial: Cut the Debt

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By John Shryock - bio | email

  • Editorials

  • Thursday, May 16 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-16 23:20:04 GMT
    In my editorial on Tuesday I chided our legislators for being the last state to pass a no-brainer  bill legalizing home brewing.  Today I want to challenge them to be one of the first states to pass another no-brainer;
    In my editorial on Tuesday I chided our legislators for being the last state to pass a no-brainer  bill legalizing home brewing.  Today I want to challenge them to be one of the first states to pass another no-brainer;

  • Tuesday, May 14 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-14 23:20:07 GMT
    Kudos, or perhaps, cheers to the Alabama Legislature for passing HB9, the home brewing bill. Legalized home brewing may not be up there with education reform or prison funding, but it was overdue. 
    Kudos, or perhaps, cheers to the Alabama Legislature for passing HB9, the home brewing bill. Legalized home brewing may not be up there with education reform or prison funding, but it was overdue. 

  • Thursday, May 9 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-09 23:20:06 GMT
    What was the old Pan-Am gas station at the corner of Bibb and Coosa is now no longer.  Last weekend that landmark was demolished with nothing remaining where it once stood other than the outline of a foundation. What
    What was the old Pan-Am gas station at the corner of Bibb and Coosa is now no longer.  Last weekend that landmark was demolished with nothing remaining where it once stood other than the outline of a foundation. What
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MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - Babies born today will face a grim reality by the time they are in college: interest on the debt and benefits for Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security will consume the entire federal budget.  There will be no money left for anything else.       

Clearly, we can't let that happen.  It will literally be the downfall of our country if we let it happen.  The time to prevent it from happening is now.  It will take backbone and hard choices from our elected leaders. It will also take pressure from us to make sure those leaders address the issue. 

To lower interest payments on the debt, we need to lower the debt. To do that, we need to cut spending.   The federal government is spending more than 100 billion dollars this year alone in Afghanistan.  That is not sustainable.  The double wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have cost us over a trillion dollars.  

Raising the retirement age to 70 will help address the Social Security benefits shortfall but unless health care costs decrease this sacrifice by those now entering the work force won't matter. 

The federal government can't live beyond its means any longer.  It is borderline unconscionable that we have allowed it to happen this long.  

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