On Debt Ceilings, the President, and the military

A few months ago the Congress couldn't get it together and pass a budget. Military pay was put in jeopardy. In one particularly telling phone call to one of my Sentators about the issue, his aide told me that he totally understood my point of view (that military should be paid first in a war) because he was going to go without pay too. I told him that I really wasn't worried about whether he didn't get paid, after all his biggest risk was an infected paper cut. Our men and women are getting shot at in Afghanistan. It's different. I don't want one of them getting killed because they are worried about their families not having money for rent or food, instead of being focused on the mission.The exchange left me angry and frustrated, but it was a pretty telling example of how the a large segment of general public views the military (i.e. unimportant).

Here we are a few months later and my parents are calling me because they are worried they won't get their social security checks if the debt ceiling isn't raised. I pointed out, just as I did to the Senator's aide, that our men and women in uniform are under the same gun, only they don't have the luxury of going and getting another job. People don't get this. Congress definitely doesn't seem to understand this.

I am personally over the political jockeying going on in Congress over the debt ceiling issue. Everyone agrees we cannot default on our debt. Republicans are trying to sell the idea that they are being fiscally responsible by being the party of "Hell No". "Hell no" in this case refers to being unwilling to raise taxes on the upper 1% of income earners in the US. I personally find this funny, because people have no problem requiring 1% of Americans to pay the price for all of our Nation's defense. Why then can the 1% of richest people in the US pay a little more taxes? It's not like they go hungry. Republicans are playing with political fire by being utterly unwilling to negotiate and pitching a fit like a 2 yr old. Surely there is value in hammering out a compromise for the good of the country? Afterall, they raised the debt ceiling multiple times under Bush, so it's not like this is the first time that the debt ceiling has been raised.

So what does this have to do with the President? The President has offered 1.8 Trillion Dollars in benefit reductions over the next decade to try to reach a compromise with the Republicans in Congress. They still won't budge (It's their way or the highway). Now, they are saying they will pass a resolution that will allow him to raise the debt ceiling on his own, in the hopes that Republicans can say he's put America further into debt. Obama will likely raise the debt ceiling on his own, so that we don't lose our credit rating as a country and the military continues to get paid. Businesses, the Federal Reserve, the IMF, and everyone in the world agrees it is what must be done.

This brings us back to the third piece of the puzzle. Military families will continue to argue that Obama and his wife don't care about the military, that only Republicans do, even as Republicans are willing to ask our servicemembers to fight without pay. This is ASININE!  I'm sorry, but it really is! Obama will protect military pay by raising the debt ceiling. That's a win for our community and we do owe him some respect for not screwing with military pay.

At the same time, Mrs. Obama has worked really hard to raise awareness of the issues facing military families, but on Military Spouse Magazine's message boards, military spouses attack her and Dr. Biden, who is a military mom herself. They are defamed for working hard for military families. I find this sick and ironic because Will and Kate breeze into town and military families are falling all over themselves in gratitude. What's the difference? Will and Kate are not Democrats, so military families feel free to be grateful for their efforts. I'm sorry, but that is really wrong.

As a community, we need to put aside unfettered allegiance to any political party and start supporting people who support us. If you're religious, then you'll know this phrase: "By their works ye shall know them." If you aren't: "If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck." Maybe, just maybe, we should stop voting for parties and start voting for the people who show their support by actually doing things to try to improve our lives. In this case, President and Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden have worked really hard and continue to raise awareness for military families and help us acquire things we need. They deserve at least a modicum of respect for their efforts.

When Obama unilaterally raises the debt ceiling this week, remember, it's benefiting us directly. Meanwhile, Republicans are holding your pay hostage. Think about it!