We are currently in a war against an enemy we cannot see. If there is a time for the government to extend itself, this is probably it.
The unknown of the full extent of the Coronavirus pandemic and the decisions coming down from the federal government to combat it will involve spending like we haven’t seen before from “emergency” situations. This is what is going to happen, whether you feel it is the solution or not.
How are they paying for it? Simply put, they aren’t. The US debt is quickly climbing towards $23.5 trillion. The 
deficit spending spiked with Franklin Roosevelt and his WWII spending and beginning of the large welfare state. The end of the Carter administration saw an upward spending trend that has been a runaway train, no matter who controlled congress or the presidency.
Each subsequent congress and president has gotten out-of-hand with their spending but the smallest increases have generally been with Democrat presidents and Republican congresses – showing that gridlock can at least slow the rate of debt. Each human is automatically $72,000 in debt all things being equal.
No president has been innocent. While President Trump has reduced regulations and cut taxes, his early efforts in blocking another “stop-gap” measure resulted in a government shutdown and citizens became angry and blamed him. He relented and has supported reckless spending ever since. One of the current problems with coverage of the current president is that he will be blamed for literally everything – including the global Coronavirus.
Unlike every family, congress doesn’t have to deal with a budget. Per usual, the House of Representatives passes a budget that is bloated, but often fought on ideological lines and is better or worse based on party control. Then, it passes the senate of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) with very little resistance. The US Senate does not miss an opportunity load a bill with goodies and pass. McConnell is hardly the exception but he is the ringleader.
The ridiculous things that end up being written into the spending bills range from funding for abortion providers to all kinds of scientific university studies for things you simply wouldn’t believe. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) has repeatedly introduced the “Penny plan” that would reduce spending for a meager one percent each fiscal year. This has been rejected by large margins each time he has introduced it.
Back to the original point. We are in a situation where the government may have identified an essential need in a time of crisis. What do we have? A government who bankrupted us a long time ago and is contributing to the in undoubtedly bad economic times ahead. It may be wishful thinking, but it is time for everybody to get involved in re-emerging from the cliff we’ve fallen down.
Preston Baines is a Political and Policy Consultant from Chapin. He can be reached at @prestonbaines on Twitter and prestonbaines@gmail.com.
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