Coming together to get out of debt

By Rep. Reid Ribble (R-Wis.) - 02/06/12 09:19 AM ET

The Hill Newspaper

Both Republicans and Democrats have said that our country’s staggering $15 trillion debt is a serious issue. Instead of fixing the problem though, we continue to stumble from debt crisis to debt crisis without adopting legitimate, viable solutions. Even the president, who vowed to cut the deficit in half by the end of his first term, could not fulfill this promise.

Our country is now drowning in debt, which was further underscored in the Congressional Budget Office report last week that stated deficit spending in 2012 is slated to be $1.08 trillion - the fourth year in a row in which deficits top $1 trillion. 

Worse yet, our government’s gross debt is now 100 percent of GDP and the CBO is predicting it to remain there. These are serious figures that require serious attention; the time for lip service on our debt and deficit problems is over.

Our country’s debt is not something that can be solved over night. It is going to take hard work and dedication from both parties, both chambers, and the president. Congress cannot continue to play “keep away” with possible solutions. Whether through Cut, Cap and Balance or a balanced budget amendment, we have the capability to bring our deficits under control, but each option presented so far has been rejected.

The House has passed a budget, will pass another one this year, and has presented multiple bipartisan plans to address the debt problem. The Senate, however, has not passed a budget in over 1,000 days and preemptively ends almost every piece of legislation before it gets the chance for debate or a vote. As a small business owner for more than three decades I can safely say that I have never seen such blatant and unapologetic counter-productivity than I have in the past year in Washington. 

Cooperation is a key factor in moving forward.  We got into debt in a bipartisan fashion over many years and it will take that same bipartisanship to bring us out of debt. Placing blame on one party will not help in the effort to rein in spending and enact real solutions. We must set aside partisan antics and be open to all ideas and concepts … and most importantly, discuss them like adults instead of five year olds looking to score political points. 

Democrats and Republicans have contributed to this deficit mess and now both parties must help clean it up. It’s not enough to give our children and grandchildren some mops, a pat on the back and a say good luck. It’s our responsibility to fix this and our time to act is now. We can’t keep putting this off and blaming it on other circumstances, such as a lack of a Republican-controlled Senate, or in the opposite view, a Democrat-controlled House. The fact is that no side will likely ever have the perfect situation, and I didn’t come to Washington to sit around and wait.

As member of the Budget Committee, a co-author of Cut, Cap and Balance, and someone who still has hope for this country, I will remain steadfast in my goals. I came here to help bring some sanity back to our nation’s financial chaos and try and fix the broken systems in Washington that have contributed to our country’s economic decline. I hope all of my colleagues, both Republican and Democrat, join me in this effort because our country’s future and well-being is certainly worth it.

Reid Ribble represents the 8th Congressional District of Wisconsin. He is a member of the House Budget Committee
 

To read the full article in The Hill, click here.