The message below was sent to the White House on July 3, 2011, and published as a letter to the editor in the Bernardsville News on July 7.
Dear President Obama:
You did an excellent job at your June 29 press conference when you focused on the need to raise the federal debt limit. You were tougher on Congressional Republicans than you have been and I applaud this. Please don’t hesitate to increase this pressure.
You also took issue with complaints that you have not led on this issue and cited many meetings with members of Congress from both sides. Here you overlooked a fundamental fact: It is your responsibility to lead the American people. You have the bully pulpit.
I believe this is your most important responsibility. But you have not met it. You have failed to explain this critical issue to the people and why they must tell their representatives to act responsibly.
I totally agree when you say that any agreement to reduce the long term debt must be balanced and that there must be some increase in revenue. And I understand why you may be reluctant to pound the table in public and demand that Republicans capitulate on this issue. But at the end of the day they must capitulate, and you need to let them know this soon.
You expressed hope that a deal on the debt limit would be reached in time to avoid a crisis. But you can’t be sure this will occur. A responsible government will prepare in advance for this failure. Specifically: What will the government do on or before August 3 if there is no agreement?
Before you can lead the American people you must inform them. Surveys show that many, perhaps most, don’t believe it’s necessary to raise the limit. If an agreement is not reached by mid July, I urge you to speak from the Oval Office and outline what will happen on August 3 without one.
It would be unthinkable to not pay our bond obligations, and I understand that the revenue stream is sufficient to cover these in the short term. But the government will be low on cash and will have to reduce its payouts. This means furloughing many federal workers and cutting back on payments for social security and other things.
Will social security payments go to zero? Will all air traffic controllers and TSA inspectors be furloughed and commercial air traffic shut down? I don’t know, nor do other Americans. But the government you head must make a contingency plan. I believe the public should learn about this plan in advance and understand what is at stake.
Please inform and lead the American people, Mr. President.
Bill Allen
07-03-11