Editorial: Default averted - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

Editorial: Default averted

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By Mark Wilder - 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) -

Another fascinating episode in American politics ended this week as Congress finally came to a compromise agreement on raising the national debt ceiling. 

Under the plan, the debt limit increases some $2.1 trillion over the next two years.  Spending cuts will take longer… the first 900 billion over the next 10 years, and another 1.4 trillion yet to be determined. 

It does not address long term spending cuts of Medicare, Medicaid and defense, the programs which drive our debt. Nor does it address revenue increases with higher taxes. In typical Washington fashion, the tough decisions were put off until after their election in 2012.  Unfortunately, this same issue will come up again in early 2013, so be careful who you vote for next year.

But lest we be too critical, consider this.  We as a nation are about half Democrat and half Republican.  We elected Congress and the president to fight for our views on complex issues like this…and they did.

Neither Democrats nor Republicans were completely happy with the deal. But they did what they had to do, albeit at the last minute, to keep the U.S. from defaulting on our debts.  Had they not accomplished that, then we really should complain.

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