Women must fight for fiscal restraint

Ninety years ago, women won the right to vote. The constitutional amendment granting women this right was the result of years of hard work by brave, dedicated, informed women who refused to accept as fate the status quo. We should use this occasion to recommit to actively shaping our government and our country’s future. The need for an informed, engaged citizenry has never been greater.

As a woman business owner, I know first hand that the past three or four years have been tough for American businesses. But there was always a strong sense that, if we could just hang on for a bit longer, the economy would bounce back and things would get better.

Regrettably, I’ve felt this sense of hope about the future increasingly give way to uncertainty and fear about what is to come — and admittedly, a fair amount of resentment about what has already occurred.

American business owners like myself have spent the past few years pulling our belts ever-tighter in a fight to survive: we cut corners, cut pay, cut benefits, laid off or let go of good employees. We did whatever it took to keep the doors open and to position ourselves for the future.

But as it turns out, while we in the private sector were making the painful choices necessary to stay afloat, our federal government was spending our tax dollars like they were play money.

Of course, this behavior isn’t new. Years of irresponsible governing by both parties — particularly habitual overspending — has landed our nation in more than $13 trillion of debt. With the economy continuing to struggle, and millions of baby boomers beginning to retire and collect benefits, the situation will just get worse.

What is Washington’s plan? Incredibly, it doesn’t have one. In fact, for the first time since 1974, the House of Representatives failed not only to pass a budget — but even to write one.  Can you imagine trying to run your business without a budget? Your government is running your country without a budget, and both parties are to blame!

No wonder we’re in such a mess, and no wonder our economy is still floundering. With no idea what Washington will do next, businesses are afraid to act. We’re holding on to whatever resources we have with clenched fists. And that makes it pretty tough to grow and create jobs.