We are in a state of stupor over the federal budget.
No, it’s not we citizens. But, rather, it’s our federal elected officials who are responsible for clear-sighted and resolute leadership on taxes and spending.
Nothing much was achieved by the “successful” juke to avoid the fiscal cliff.
Poor leadership is taking a toll on the businesses and individuals who participate in our economy. Inaction is not an option. And the recent legislation averting the fiscal cliff, while not inaction, was wholly inadequate to address the immediate challenge and associated tasks we face. We long for the bipartisan days of House Speaker Tip O’Neil and President Reagan.
For months leading up to the Jan. 1 deadline, the private sector, particularly small businesses, voiced concerns over economic and political uncertainty; they sidelined investment and delayed plans to hire. Gridlock in Washington prevented any real progress. And the ultimate last-minute deal punted on the tough decisions to rein in the federal debt.
Though Congress and the Obama administration managed to eke out a deal to avert the fiscal cliff, the agreement does little to boost confidence in the short-term. And it does nothing to seriously slow down the unsustainable trajectory of our national debt.
Simply put, the future cost of our entitlement programs far outstrips our tax code’s ability to fund them. And we’ll need major reforms on both sides of the ledger in order to close the yawning gap between revenues and outlays.
If Congressional Democrats and Republicans really want to help economic growth and job generation, they need to stop focusing on outmaneuvering each other and start focusing on bipartisan solutions to our long-term fiscal problems.
Businesses rely on policy and economic certainty, and a comprehensive plan to that bends down the trajectory of our long-term debt and ends the status quo of lurching from one crisis-induced mini-deal to another would help immeasurably.
Such a plan must address the problem from all sides. This includes smarter spending as well as entitlement and tax reform. Additionally, these changes need to be implemented gradually to avoid creating shocks in the economy.
The parties need to return to the negotiating table now and show the courage to work together on a deal that does not simply represent the lowest common denominator, but is big enough to stabilize the debt and put it on a downward path.
They have a chance to demonstrate Washington can still compromise to help restore confidence. Most importantly, it would reassure the country’s businesses, large and small, and help stimulate growth and investment.
We need to let our elected representatives know that we support them in making the hard decisions. But we also expect them to do what’s right. For that reason, more than 2,500 small businesses all over the country – at least 50 in every state – have joined the Campaign to Fix the Debt. The coalition is made up of budget experts, political leaders from both parties and more than 340,000 concerned citizens from every corner of the country. And we are asking lawmakers to work together and do it now.
We have a long way to go to get our fiscal house in order. And it will take time to iron out the specifics of a comprehensive deal. If we stay focused, it will provide the boost that our nation’s small businesses need to put America back to work.
