NEW CASTLE —
Perhaps failure is having an impact in the nation’s capital.
After weeks of finger pointing and drawing lines in the sand, there are indications Washington’s politicians are now behaving in more mature fashion.
News out of the capital this week describes a House Republican plan that not only creates some flexibility in the recent sequester budget cuts, but also is intended as a road map for avoiding a future government shutdown.
Typically, one would expect loud condemnations of any GOP fiscal plan by Democrats. However, the response has been muted, aided perhaps by the fact Republicans acknowledge Senate Democrats will amend what they are proposing.
It’s what those of us out in the real world call compromise.
Meanwhile, President Obama has scheduled informal gatherings with various congressional Republicans. It’s presented as a way to get some essential dialogue going between the White House and Republicans on Capitol Hill.
Will it work? It’s too early to tell. But we get the sense both sides are duly chastened and perhaps a little embarrassed by what happened with the sequester.
As you may recall, last year the two parties agreed to significant and unpopular budget cuts that would kick in if they failed to reach a meaningful debt reduction accord. The cuts were intended to be so severe that they would force the parties to the bargaining table.
But it didn’t work. And the cuts, known as the sequester, went into effect at the start of this month. And they are working their way through various government offices.
During the lead-up to all of this, Republicans and Democrats naturally blamed each other for the failure to resolve differences. This rhetoric seemed to take precedence over hammering out areas of disagreement and reaching a resolution. It was a shameful performance all around. If you are looking for heroes in this process, there aren’t any.
Yet official Washington has ample reason to learn a constructive lesson from the sequester. It’s difficult to assess general public opinion in regard to what is happening with federal fiscal matters — other than general disgust. But we don’t see either side gaining political advantage from Washington’s inability to compromise.
And in many ways, the sequester is a warning of things to come. Federal officials need to find ways to agree to keep government operating. Plus, there is a raft of longer term issues involving tax policies and entitlements that are far more complicated to address than the sequester issue.
The broader public concern ought to be whether Washington is capable of tackling these serious matters. The track record of late is not encouraging.
But perhaps there are signs that things are changing. With enough citizen pressure, perhaps Washington will get around to doing its real job.
Editorials
Our Opinion: Washington shows signs of willingness to talk
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Our Opinion: Lousy voter turnout is a missed opportunity
Tuesday’s primary in Lawrence County had its share of winners and losers. But — based on the numbers — the biggest winner has to be voter apathy. Countywide, voter turnout in the primary was a whopping 17.1 percent. In case you missed it, our use of the term “whopping” is sarcasm.
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Our Opinion: Pennsylvania’s primary system is controlled by parties
Should Pennsylvania’s primaries be open to independent voters? That’s an interesting question and one we have explored in the past on this page.
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Our Opinion: State audit says city school district failed to collect from non-residents
Audit information about non-resident students who didn’t pay tuition at New Castle raises more questions than it answers. At least so far. We expect more details when the Pennsylvania auditor general’s office completes its report and the New Castle school district provides its response.
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Our Opinion: Make the most of your power to vote by casting ballot tomorrow
So what kind of turnout will there be for tomorrow’s primary? Recent history suggests somewhere between low and lousy. This year’s elections are devoted to local races, and there are few major ones being contested in the primary.
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Our Opinion: Privatization of county jail is worthy of examination
Generally speaking, we support government efforts to seek more efficient ways to provide essential services. So we have no problem with the decision by the Lawrence County commissioners to solicit proposals for the private operation of the county jail.
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Our Opinion: We endorse candidates for New Castle board
The New Castle school district is often a study in contrasts. There are complaints about the district on everything from taxes to nepotism, from test scores to ethical slights. Yet at the same time, plenty of students within the district excel. It’s a tribute to the hard work of those students, their families and the educators who support them.
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Our Opinion: You should be frightened, outraged by IRS abuse of power
When people talk about government posing a threat to citizens, a common topic these days is unmanned drones. But a more credible threat may be the Internal Revenue Service. This agency, responsible for collecting taxes and enforcing related rules, has the ability to make life miserable for the average individual.
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Our Opinion: Our endorsements for City Council race
The city of New Castle needs help. Financially distressed and operating under Pennsylvania’s Act 47, New Castle must find ways to reverse its population loss and fiscal challenges.
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Our Opinion: Court frowns on gerrymandering, but only slightly
Pennsylvania legislators have received the green light to put their own political interests ahead of yours. That’s a key point in the latest Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling on legislative apportionment in the commonwealth.
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Our Opinion: Study says distracted driving deaths are under reported
Suppose you operated a piece of heavy machinery at your job. And suppose it’s machinery that moves quickly with little effort. What would happen if you decided to take one hand off that equipment — while it was still in motion — and instead focused your attention on a telephone call?
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