Republicans forced a shutdown in 1995 to balance the budget. Now they don’t seem to care about deficits, debt.

Deficit skyrockets

Until now, the longest U.S. government shutdown was from Dec. 5, 1995, to Jan. 6, 1996 (21 days), when Bill Clinton was president and Republicans controlled the House and Senate. Do you remember why? Republicans insisted that Clinton produce a seven-year budget that balanced. They were concerned about annual deficits and federal debt. At that time the federal debt was about $5 trillion, 65 percent of the gross domestic product.

We are now in the midst of the longest government shutdown in our history. Donald Trump is president, Republicans control the Senate and Democrats control the House. Republicans are insisting on including $5.7 billion in the fiscal year budget of the Department of Homeland Security for a border wall or barrier; Democrats do not want to include that $5.7 billion. The federal debt is more than $21 trillion, about 99 percent of GDP, and is projected to rise to about 109 percent in the next few years.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said that “a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds….” I confess my mind is small enough that I prefer consistency, but find none with respect to concern for annual federal deficits and federal debt.

Workers paying price

The inability of our elected leaders to compromise has led to the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. I am proud of my work as a federal employee in service to the country I love. Federal workers nationwide are forced to stay at home and wait for the government to reopen, and are no longer able to provide the services on which our fellow Americans rely.

Middle-class federal workers and their families are stretching their pennies until the shutdown is over. Even though pay will be restored eventually, bills still arrive on time even if paychecks don’t, and many federal employees are being forced to make difficult and unnecessary financial decisions to make ends meet.

Our legislators in Congress and the president need to stop playing political games with our government’s services and those who provide them. We are now in a crisis and our leaders must work to promptly reopen the government. We must call on them to reach consensus immediately so committed federal employees across the nation and here at home can get back to work for our country.

Democrats disrespect rules

The Democrats seem to think it’s perfectly OK for everyone to walk freely across our southern border into the United States and not be prevented, judged or questioned.

However, we know that we don’t allow anyone to enter an airport without going through the proper hallways, security screening and the exit door to enter the ramp into the correct airplane, all after you have purchased a ticket, shown your ID, taken your assigned seat. You must leave the airplane after reaching the destination for which you paid.

Very similar to going to a movie — you don’t just sneak in and stay in the theater for years, to watch every movie and eat free popcorn.

Those are the rules. Don’t break them.

Coal miners walled out

President Trump wants to build a wall because it was one of his presidential campaign promises. But how about Trump’s promises to give the miners jobs? Trump is fighting for a wall but not for coal miners.

Helping coal miners is far more important than building a wall. Miners are human beings with families; a wall doesn’t give long-term work for unemployed coal miners. Trump should act on the promise to help coal miners.

Congressional Republicans cowed

On Monday Donald Trump called the Russia probe a “whole big, fat hoax.”

Wow. In the spirit of his childish diction it’s so tempting to reply “takes one to know one” and stick out my tongue.

But he’s the bully in the sandbox, so you gotta keep quiet. I’m learning how to do that from the congressional Republicans. They’re such great kids.

Clarification: The author of a letter in Wednesday’s Herald-Leader is not the David H. Bowles who is president of the Kentucky United Methodist Foundation.

This story was originally published January 16, 2019 at 1:54 PM.