As our national economy teeters on the edge, cracks are showing. Some states are experiencing rising poverty rates, aging infrastructure, ballooning welfare rolls, high unemployment, and rising costs in health care. Some regions have 30% of their people living below the poverty line.
This isn’t some future dystopian event but is already happening today. Many states, mostly red (15 of the top 20), rely on federal funding. Does the federal government have a lot of wasteful spending? Yes, it has a lot of unnecessary bureaucracy, and fiscal spending should be more controlled.
Many people who work full time can barely survive, struggling to make ends meet and to provide enough food for their children. Charitable donations help but don’t come close to providing the relief needed.
Like it or not, federal government programs are necessary for some people to live. Who can stand by and watch a neighbor suffer or die? The Republican senator from Iowa can, but most of us can’t sit idly by and do nothing. I would gladly give a little bit more in taxes to help others. One of the government’s primary functions is to provide essential services and not just to generate profits.
Instead of just reckless cutting, like what is happening now, let’s make a plan to make it more efficient.
Rawn Swallow, Salt Lake City
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