Pauls have the answers

The congressional supercommittee was tasked with proposing $1.2 trillion in budget cuts over the next decade. The 2011 deficit was $1.3 trillion and 2012 is projected to be $1.1 trillion, so the committee was being given 10 years to cut what has become the average annual deficit. Chump change.

So far this illustrious committee, co-chaired by our own dear Sen. Patty Murray, has been unable to formulate a plan, even when the solution has already been given to them.

Earlier this year Sen. Rand Paul proposed a plan that cut $500 million the first year and would balance the budget in five years. It’s on the Web. More recently presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul presented his Plan to Restore America, an even better plan that cuts $1 trillion the first year and balances the budget in three years. A summary of his plan is on his website.

Neither plan raises tax rates, which should satisfy Republicans. Neither plan cuts Social Security or Medicare, which should satisfy Democrats. Neither plan cuts the Department of Veterans Affairs. All the supercommittee had to do is pick one of the two plans and run with it. What’s the hold-up?

David Wordinger

Medical Lake