fromtheeditor Rough Road Ahead
MOAA highlights the issues the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform will consider as it figures out ways to help manage the country’s roughly $13 trillion debt.
W
arning! The contents of this issue of Military Officer might frighten you. No, I’m not talk- ing about a Halloween
prank or scary tale like “A Nightmare on Elm Street.” Unfortunately, the story we have to tell is all too true. But the night- mare isn’t on Elm Street. It’s on Capitol Hill. And it soon might be lurking on every neighborhood street. Unless you’ve been cut off from all news sources, you’re probably aware of the hype about the national economy and the budget crisis. You might say, “OK, this is just the usual political posturing.” Well, this time, that might not be the case. In fact, I was of that same persuasion until I read the story “Dealing With the Deficit,” page 50, written by MOAA’s Government Relations Department staff. Today, our national debt stands at more
than $13 trillion. In two years, it has grown from 40 percent to 62 percent of the GDP. What are the consequences of this vast increase in the national debt? Where is all that money going? Our story provides a clear explanation of how our country got to where it is today and — more important — what the outlook for the future might be. What could it mean for each of us, per- sonally? The possibilities are not pretty. The story also outlines the challenges
for an organization commonly known as the debt commission. Its formal title is the National Commission on Fiscal Responsi- bility and Reform. Earlier this year, Presi-
1 0 MI L I T A R Y O F F I C E R O C TO B E R 2 0 1 0
dent Obama appointed this bipartisan, 18-member com- mission to take on the thank- less task of making tough budget decisions. The com- mittee is supposed to provide recommendations for actions to address the deficit prob- lem by Dec. 1. MOAA will report on the commission’s actions in future issues of the magazine and through its site and e-newsletters. A key component of the
budget crisis is health care. Any recommendations for change are likely to affect this critical service. In his column, “Keeping Faith,” page 14, MOAA President Vice Adm. Norb Ryan Jr., USN-Ret., dis- cusses the issue of military health care costs and what MOAA is doing to find solutions. What can you do to help? Well, if
you’re reading this column, you’re already on the right track. Stay informed. Lend your voice to organizations like MOAA that work for military people. Pass the word to friends who might not be as well informed as you. And keep sending those cards, letters, and e-mails to your law- makers, as we urge. Your comments really make a difference!
— Col. Warren S. Lacy, USA-Ret. PHOTO: STEVE BARRETT
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