Musings on Death and Taxes

Last night my family enjoyed our blended holiday celebration. We shared gifts, laughter and hugs and kisses just days after an entire community was devastated by the horrific act of a madman and less than two months after Superstorm Sandy cut a path of devastation through much of the New York/New Jersey area. There are 27 families in Newton, CT who will not be celebrating the holidays this year as they mourn the loss of their children or siblings or parents. And there are likely hundreds of additional families still homeless or trying to piece their shattered lives back together. It truly makes you appreciate life’s blessings and reminds you to never take them, or your loved ones, for granted.

This random act of senseless violence in the Newton massacre once again brings the issue of gun control front and center. It’s hard to understand how any logical, sane person can oppose the idea of keeping automatic and semi-automatic weapons of mass destruction out of private hands. The Founding Fathers, when they crafted the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution, never envisioned weapons such as these. There is simply no place for them in civilized society. Period. I challenge any gun advocate to reply with a cogent reason why those types of weapons should not be banned. It’s time for our politicians to stand up to the NRA, and the rest of the gun lobby, and loudly proclaim that enough is enough; that they will not be bullied any longer and that’s it’s time for a national debate on what weapons can and cannot be owned by private citizens. President Obama, if you’re reading this, since you are not up for re-election, it’s your job to take a stand and get something done.

And Mr. President, while I have your attention, it’s time to get a deal done on the Fiscal Cliff. Enough is enough. Both sides MUST stop the posturing, eliminate all the partisan BS and craft a compromise that the entire country can live with. It shouldn’t be that difficult. You all have to agree that taxes will go up on many, if not all Americans. And those tax increases will likely be tilted towards those Americans who make the most money. Republicans, just accept it and move on. And at the same time, the government must spend less. There is simply no alternative. Democrats, deal with it and move on. So lock yourselves in a room until an agreement is reached. Because if you can’t get this deal done, then as a nation we are truly screwed because the bigger debate is forthcoming.

What nobody is talking about is that the Cliff negotiations are just the first act in what will be a much more contentious debate over the big issues of what to do with Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security. Those expenditures represent about 41% of the entire federal budget. Throw in another 15% or so for the military and you see that those three programs account for a staggering 56% of the entire $3.5 trillion spent by our government. Cutting a billion here or a billion there is simply noise. We, as a nation, must accept that we have been living well beyond our means for far too long. That unless we want to leave our massive debts for our children and grandchildren to deal with, leaving them with far diminished prospects and lives to that which we’ve enjoyed for so long, we must all make sacrifices for the common good. As a society, are we ready to do that? We’ll find out. And in the meantime, let’s talk about it. Write to me and let me know what you think.