United States – Budget Deal Prevents Government Shutdown

April 9, 2011

By Padmini Arhant

Congressional members under the leaderships of the House Speaker John Boehner, House minority leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority leader Harry Reid and minority leader Mitch McConnell passed the budget providing federal funding to last until Thursday April 14, 2011 that averted the government shut down.

The stopgap measure allows government functionality and further time to complete the required tasks i.e. federal funding for the remaining year and the fiscal year 2012 budget approval.

Budget deal is claimed to have achieved $78 billion savings against deficit reduction without social issues holding up the legislation and the political gridlock serving none except news discussion.

As stated earlier the debt reduction is necessary but not at the vulnerable population expense.

The other areas consuming significant proportion of spending with negative returns are to be targeted rather than aiming at life saving programs and essential investments guaranteed to boost economic growth in the immediate and long term future.

The negotiation methods leading to a general consensus on the budget could be emulated in the coming week to avoid any delay or threats to government operation.

The elected representatives to public office bear greater responsibility to diligently engage in meaningful debates and reconcile the differences for a desirable outcome in legislative matter.

Again disagreements for political reasons are detrimental to national interest with an inevitable electoral backlash common in a democracy.

Identifying the unreasonable and unaffordable causes effectively benefitting all could facilitate better environment in public policy engagement.

Although every elected official is inclined to serve their respective constituency and political party,

The national legislation especially fiscal management is always contentious and requires rationality as well as balanced approach resisting political appeasement for universal benefit.

Every American is part of the society. Therefore health, education, jobs, housing and environment problems experienced as individuals or communities has ripple effects.

Poignantly denying funding for Planned Parenthood involved in women’s health care and wellness contributes to the national health care costs overriding deficit containment.

The Republican lawmakers and conservative democrats opposed to Title 10 related to funding for Planned Parenthood are requested to focus on the wide range of health benefits received by women in lower income category that otherwise could deprive them from healthy living standards not to mention the economic liabilities exceeding the fund provision for preventive care.

Such unnecessary opposition is deflective from the objective to reduce national debt.

Besides the political position could generate gender bias perception usually reflected in the electoral outcome.

Change promised on the campaign trail could be realized upon cooperation, acknowledgment of issues in the broader sense and sincere commitment to serve the people and nation at large.

Working in harmony could alleviate partisanship attributed to legislation failure.

Adopting a strategy to exchange ideas and recommendations at various levels to improve American lives while leaving behind the political ideology found in the legislation blockade would enhance performance and fix the broken system in Washington.

Nonetheless the renewed teamwork displayed in the budget agreement is commendable.

President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, The White House Staff, Congressional leaderships and members’ perseverance in this regard is greatly appreciated.

Hopefully similar actions will prevail in the week ahead becoming the new resolution rejecting obsolete practices in Washington politics.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Written by Padmini Arhant · Filed Under Featured, International Politics 

Comments

Got something to say?

You must be logged in to post a comment.