It’s easy to forget, among the fierce debates over cliffs, loopholes and tax cuts that we have to preserve the investments that uphold our ideals and make America great. That we watch out for our neighbors and protect those who are most in need. That we provide a strong safety net for our unemployed, create jobs with a living wage, and say no to failing schools. That we promise access to healthcare for infants and seniors and everyone in between.
And while everyone agrees that the national debt is a grave issue, we can’t force middle class families to bear the full burden. We must ask those who can afford it to help. That’s why we need Congress to let the Bush Tax Cuts expire on the top 2%. So we can afford to invest in our future.
But politicians are busy talking about “cutting government spending,” while never acknowledging what that means for real Americans. You can’t cut Medicare, Medicaid, and other social programs without cutting benefits to children, seniors, and working families who rely on those programs. Slashing the safety social net will diminish healthcare services to seniors, will deprive students of an education that would give them the opportunity to succeed, and send the message to working families that we no longer have a moral obligation to care for all Americans.