Both the left and right alike are deeply disappointed in the "compromise" debt bill that Congress passed and President Barack Obama signed this week. While averting default, which would have likely disrupted the U.S. markets and global economy, the deal hammered out by congressional leaders and the vice president could end up harming the country just as much, if not more so. Republicans who opposed the deal did so because they felt the budget cuts – $1 trillion by this November alone – weren't enough. We agree with the Democrats and more liberal-minded political leaders who complained loudly that increasing revenues was missing from the legislation.
What the country saw during the failed votes, backroom maneuvering, and constant statements from the president during this weeks-long debacle was simply this: the 46 Tea Party caucus members in the House of Representatives took control of the debate and basically forced a bill through with no tax increases, even though only about half voted for the final bill. A cuts-only budget also means that government spending is effectively cut off, which is about the worst thing that can happen in a depressed economy such as ours. There is little private sector hiring – that much is obvious in the dismal monthly unemployment rate figures – and plenty of people have been unemployed for a year or more. But the immediate cuts will come from discretionary domestic programs, meaning that they will affect the poor and other vulnerable Americans.
People living with HIV/AIDS also will be affected. The HIV Medicine Association and the Ryan White Medical Providers Coalition issued a joint statement this week on the debt-ceiling bill, warning of far-reaching consequences for not only PWAs, but also those at risk for HIV infection in the U.S. and abroad.
The groups point to scientific advances this year that offer "a clear path to make real headway against HIV disease in the U.S. and around the world." The groups also note that HIV care and treatment "not only saves the life of the individual with HIV infection but also reduces HIV transmission by 96 percent."
"Yet only 50 percent of people with HIV in the U.S. have reliable access to HIV treatment, and as many as 1.5 million people in developing countries wait for access to lifesaving therapy," said Dr. Kathleen Squires, chair of HIVMA, and Jim Raper, co-chair of the Ryan White coalition.
Both urged Congress to seriously consider the human impact of the funding and policy decisions they will be making.
The debt bill calls for a "super committee" made up of Republicans and Democrats to determine the cuts. Those will be subject to an up or down vote in November and if they don't pass, severe cuts will be implemented across the board.
We're left shaking our heads that tax increases were left off the table. Not only are taxes at their lowest point in quite some time, there are plenty of corporate tax loopholes (think about the billions of dollars in oil company profits) that could have been closed, leading to increased revenue.
Much like California's budget process this year, which resulted in cuts because four Republican lawmakers could not be found to vote to maintain an existing sales tax hike and other revenues, Congress has been hijacked by a small group of Republicans who are hell-bent on reducing the size of government. The problem is that such drastic measures, taken in the midst of high unemployment and stagnant growth, won't help get the economy back on track in the short term.
We certainly hope voters remember that next year when those Tea Party members will be up for re-election.