Letter to the editor: Government Shutdown

Letter to the Editor:

 On October 1, 2010, the United States Congress failed to pass a federal budget. Since then, it has passed seven stopgap funding bills, causing all federal agencies and departments to operate at the previous years’ budget levels. As a soldier in the United States Army, the gross negligence of our elected officials affects me more than most. It is imperative to note, however, that a government shutdown would affect all of us, and bring the most important elements of our economy to a halt. Small business loans would cease to be processed; tax returns would sit on a desk in Washington--your return wouldn’t be in the mail, or in your pocket, but in the Treasury of a government that can’t or won’t find a responsible way to spend it.

For members of our Armed Forces (myself included), we would be ordered to work without pay; bills and debts, time and energy be damned, while those same senators and representatives--who can’t find the intestinal fortitude to pay us and help you-- earn ( at a minimum) $174,000 a year, budget or not. On the other hand, I make $22,993 annually, on the expectation that I fight and die, if necessary, to protect the Constitution and the land and people it governs.

It disgusts me to think that you could find no group more willing to profess their undying admiration for “ the men and women in uniform” than those people working within the Beltway, and yet they are too caught up in their petty games and self-aggrandizing politicking to see that we even get paid on time.
I have a solution to the aforementioned game-playing, and it isn’t a creative, or even a new one; if Congress and the President fail to pass a balanced budget, they forfeit their salary and yearly COLA; why pay them for a job they’re not doing, when they can’t even pay us for a job we are?

Call Sen. Klobuchar (202-224-3244), call Sen. Franken (202-224-5641), and call Rep. Walz (202-225-2472). Tell them to do the job they’re still getting paid to do, and pass a reasonable budget. We’re still doing our jobs, and if they don’t act soon, we’ll be doing it on our own dime. Our country’s future and security are too important to be used as political pawns.
   
        Very Respectfully,
        SPC(P) Cody Pogalz
        United States Army