The spectrum of politics boasts the diehard conservatives on one end and the staunch liberals on the opposite end, with the bulk of the population in the middle. A little over a week ago, Congressman Ryan and Senator Murray attempted the almost impossible – creation of legislation through bipartisan efforts at compromise rather than through limited attempts to placate their political bases. While both have been criticized for their efforts, they produced a bill with modest victories that need to be cited. Forbes noted that, among its credits, “It cancelled some of the most objectionable parts of the sequester which were threatening immediate harm, especially in defense spending. It replaced those lost savings with small reductions in mandatory spending and small increases in fees.”
Baby Steps
To put the gains in further perspective, Forbes observed – “Even better, it was a two-year agreement. To move from no budget to a 2-year budget is nearly miraculous. The debt ceiling problem aside, government closures seem to be out of the picture for 2 years. It probably does not signal a sea change in Congressional comity, but it does give the Appropriations Committees a chance to perform as they are intended, both in FY ’14 and in FY ’15.”
Sometimes small victories are the cornerstones needed to win the war.
