On Nov. 2, the U.S. voters returned majority control of the federal House of Representative to the Republicans. We now have an opportunity for the Republicans and President Obama to reinstate “Pay as You Go,” wherein federal government programs must be fully funded and paid for with taxes, and budgetary deficits can no longer be used.

The federal government is $14 trillion in debt and running $1.3 trillion yearly budgetary deficits. This is not sustainable. These deficits and debt must be significantly reduced.

To the Democrats, if you want to increase social programs then they will need to be paid for with raising taxes or reducing other federal government programs.

To the Republicans, if you want to lower federal taxes then you will need to eliminate federal governmental programs by the same amount.

Is the deficit spending party over? Do the Republicans have the intestinal fortitude to do the above or will they revert to RINOs and big-government Republicans and renege upon their values and principles?

The next two years will show if the U.S. people are willing to make the sacrifices to keep from bankrupting our nation or continue to live on deficits and debt.

Mark Johnson

Nine Mile Falls