Bill Wright: How I See It

As I write this essay, the federal government is essentially shut down because the Democrats refuse to accept the Republican budget. They will not accept Republican leadership that resists allocating more money to illegal immigrants. At the same time, they want to roll back Medicare reimbursement rates to pre-COVID levels.

What we need is a federal budget that stops outspending our anticipated income and begins to reduce the existing $38 trillion national debt. It will take at least a decade of fiscal discipline to bring that under control. As I write, thousands of Americans are not receiving their paychecks. Meanwhile, we continue to provide medical support, food, and housing to millions of illegal men and women.

We must have a budget that does not exceed our income—one that allows for a targeted reduction of debt, even if it means increasing taxes. I don’t pretend to know exactly how the budget is developed, but I do know this: we must create one that covers essential needs and does not expand beyond them. If additional programs are added, new taxes must accompany them. This is not optional—it is mandatory.

Today, the interest we pay on our national debt exceeds the amount allocated to our military. That is a clear signal that the balance is unsustainable. If we are to remain strong at home and respected abroad, we must stop adding costs and start restoring financial stability. Both parties have exceeded budgetary limits.

There will always be more people who need food, medicine, and care, and more things we want to do than we can afford. Once a benefit is granted, it isn't easy to take it away. An early visitor to America observed that once you give people something, it becomes almost impossible to take it back.

A wise person once summarized it this way:

“The first time you give someone something for free, you create appreciation.

The second time, anticipation.

The third time, expectation.

The fourth time, entitlement.

The fifth time, dependency.

And the sixth time, when you stop giving, you create hatred.”

That, in a nutshell, is where our nation now stands. We must confront reality, live within our means, and preserve the strength of the dollar—and of our country—for generations to come.

At times—such as during natural disasters—we may need to exceed our budget temporarily, but we must begin paying down the costs immediately. Much of our growing medical expense comes from the actions of the recipients themselves: tobacco use, alcohol abuse, poor diet, and neglect of personal health. Are we, as a nation, supposed to pay endlessly for those who refuse to take responsibility for their own well-being?

America must restore fiscal discipline by living within its means, reducing debt, and ending the unsustainable expansion of government spending and dependency. What do you think?