EDITORIAL: Lack of action shows lack of leadership

Martinsburg Journal

Sunday, October 3, 2010

The frustration expressed this week by U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito over Congress' lack of progress on key pieces of legislation represents the feelings of many West Virginians.

With the current state of our national economy, we can't afford to have Congress wasting two weeks without addressing this nation's largest problems. It says something about the priorities in Washington when the Congressional leadership is more worried about the election than the nation.

Here in the state's Eastern Panhandle, we need business growth and jobs. As Capito noted, without a decision on the continuation of existing tax breaks, the owners of many small businesses and manufacturing operations are left in limbo.

If West Virginians learned anything from our current economic woes, it's that we can't spend money we don't have. If there is a chance next year's tax bill will increase, it means there is less money to invest or spend this year. We have faith in our businesses and communities, but balancing the budget is the key to financial security.

Clearly, that's a lesson some members of Congress never learned. One of the few bills passed during the session (Capito voted no) was the "continuing resolution," which allows the federal government to continue spending at its current - and unsustainable - levels until after the election.