OPINION:
I am happy the government is now reopened; many innocent people were hurt by this shutdown, and I hope this reopening brings them the opportunity to move on. I am sad, however, that it came to this point.
What angers me is that we haven’t fixed anything. We just kicked the can down the road. Both houses of Congress and both parties seem to love going to the brink and only then taking action. We have a $17 trillion debt that has to be managed and reduced. Time is money, and it’s our money Congress and the White House is playing with.
We have a divided nation. The way our government was meant to function means that you negotiate in doing the work of the people. So Congress, get on it. No more vacations, no more coming in and doing half days and no more waiting until the last minute. You have three months to deal with a budget and appropriations reforms. Do what the rest of us have to do at our jobs: Get to work and bust your behinds until you get things done.
Governing by crisis is not governing. The only entity with the boot to the neck in this was the American taxpayers. It’s time Congress and the president do something resembling work.
GARROD SIEVEKING
Georgetown, Ind.
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