Ham on Wry Award-The House and the Senate's Ineptitude

Representative John Boehner with President Obama

Senator Harry Reid

Ham on Wry blasts both the House of Representatives and the Senate for different reasons this week, but please note that the House Republicans deserve the wrath of the American public for stretching the debate about raising the debt ceiling far more than the Democratic Senators, who allowed a two-week shutdown of the FAA because they wanted to preserve funding to regional airports.  More specifically, Ham on Wry considers the Tea Party wing of the Republican Party the most heinous culprits in the protracted negotiations to allow the country to handle its financial obligations by raising the debt ceiling.  In the end, Tea Party representatives' machinations came to naught, because Medicare and Social Security were spared for the moment.

Taking the United States down to the wire the last day before default, shows massive ignorance on the part of those who didn't understand the implications of their actions.  Moody's did not lower the country's AAA rating, but it did cite a negative outlook, which might signal an eventual downgrade.  In addition, skittishness developed in foreign markets as a result of the potential debacle in the US and contributed to this week's precipitous drop in the stock market here.  Yesterday, the market spiraled downward to hit its lowest value since 2008.

The Senators who refused to budge on FAA funding caused a loss of $400 million in taxes to the federal government.  However, that amounts to an almost infinitesimal portion of the damage done by the House.  Last evening, lawmakers reached a bipartisan agreement on a bill that President Obama signed today.  Whew!  At least that issue won't dominate the news for months.

American voters should have learned a valuable lesson in watching Congress in action this session. Take an interest in learning about the people you vote into office. Next year, representatives are up for re-election. Make certain to peruse their voting record, which you can do online or with the help of a local librarian. Pay little attention to ads that come from sources other than the candidates or the party to which they belong, and view even those with skepticism.  This takes work, but it's one of the most important responsibilities you have as a citizen. Shame on the members of Congress who gave us so much angst! Shame on us, if we allow this to continue!