By now everyone is in mourning together over the tragic incident at Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. It’s not even possible to fully comprehend an event like this but it does help to put into perspective the petty and immature handling of our current economic problems by our elected officials.
I can see already how the fiscal cliff is being handled in a very specific way and that when lawmakers finally come together on a deal that they will stand together hand in hand in front of the cameras to announce how tirelessly and bravely they and their colleagues rose to met the immense challenges of putting together an acceptable financial package. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Instead, all of us are being mislead, manipulated and held hostage to a group of egotistical and irresponsible representatives who should never have let it go this far in the first place. It has individuals nervous and left businesses of all sizes wondering how it might affect their future. And all because the spirit of bipartisanship left Congress and the White House a long time ago.
Its not only the lawmakers who should feel ashamed. Throw in the networks who devote endless time and energy to the fiscal cliff so they too can ramp up the scare meter and sell advertisements. I even saw one network yesterday with a “fiscal cliff countdown”; I couldn’t make this stuff up.
Of course when news of the horrible situation in Newtown came up that’s all the media cared about; all of the sudden the fiscal cliff was shoved into the background, where it belonged in the first place. Even the president was brought to tears by this unspeakable event and perhaps this solemn occasion will actually be what it takes for the “adults” representing us to come to their collective senses and work out a deal that will provide the most benefit to the most number of people in our country.
If I offend anyone by making my point by referring to such a horrific event, I apologize. But maybe things can be put in perspective here as we move into what is supposed to be a festive and joyous time of the year with a quick resolution instead of the shameful circus it has become.
