The Californian opinion page has been busy recently with contributors weighing in with regard to Rep. Kevin McCarthy. Some are in support, along with several detractors, some of which hold few punches. As an example, detractors point out Mr. McCarthy’s weakness of leadership, appeasement and lack of it, add in a gang of Putin-loving Republican radicals, and for extra spice insufficient climate change policy (otherwise known as the seasons).
It seems the main villain must surely be Rep. Matt Gaetz, the presumed leader of the gang. I have little knowledge of Gaetz; for all I know he may be a poor tipper, mean to his dog, and became a congressman only to get wealthy (he has much company).
Which brings me to the point: The iron in all the words spent during the whole affair appear missing in the above letters to the editor. As I recall, the iron, Gatez’s main point is U.S. public debt and the necessity to attempt to regain control of it via congressional appropriations. For reference, the U.S. is currently running war time deficits during peace time.
Therefore, had McCarthy done everything properly, according to his detractors, and still be speaker, would the U.S. government still be leading the nation briskly toward the insolvency threshold?
Doubters of this might check the parabolic tables and visualize $33 trillion in a rising interest rate environment (a couple of weeks ago debt reached $33 trillion, now at $33.5). What should be the scary part is the knowledge that Congress, and the president, are also fully aware (scary is not a strong enough word).
— Andy Wahrenbrock, Bakersfield
