What's lost in all the nonsense

Everyone can agree that the country should reign in the debt. But then why is the Trump Administration pushing a budget that extends tax cuts for the extremely wealthy and raises the debt ceiling to four trillion dollars?

Lost in all the nonsense circulating about supposed “waste, fraud and abuse” is the fact that the Trump Administration fired many of the Inspectors General (the people responsible for investigating actual waste, fraud, and abuse). All of these seemingly random cuts potentially have disastrous consequences for our community: Medicaid and Medicare cuts could gut Coulee Medical Center’s budget. Cuts to education could seriously impact Lake Roosevelt Schools. Cuts to the Bureau of Reclamation can affect dam operations, irrigation waters, and the local economy. Cuts to the Bonneville Power Administration would threaten the security of our electrical grid and put upward pressure on electric rates. Cuts to the tribes is on the table. And that’s just a start.

It’s true that President Clinton presided over the elimination of 377,000 federal jobs. That was done thoughtfully and effectively, using a combination of attrition and buyouts. The cuts were conducted over the eight years of his administration and with an eye towards smaller and more efficient government, not random firings that have no logic or reasoning behind them and which do not realize the savings that they promote.

In short, we are being lied to.

Sparsely populated regions like ours depend on government programs and services much more than the population centers. That’s the simple reality of our situation.

It behooves all of us to take what is going on in our country seriously and not spread disinformation from the White House, dubious media platforms, or the loudmouth at the bar. We must convey our concerns to elected officials and not be afraid to speak up in our community.

Courage is contagious, and our way of life depends on it.