There are a lot of people who expect Washington to do its job; however, a lot of people are frustrated because it seems like our elected officials are spending taxpayer dollars to sit there and fit with each other. Every time someone looks up, it appears that the government is simply in recess once again. Then, when the scenery changes, they appear to be unable to come to an agreement on just about anything. As a result, some people are wondering if this is ever going to change. There are some groups who are working to bring an era of cooperation back to Washington, such as No Labels. While time will tell if anything ever actually changes in our government, big issues are already starting to emerge. What are some of the biggest sticking points that our elected officials are going to have to overcome?
What Is Going On with the Infrastructure Bill?
One of the issues that has landed in the spotlight recently is the infrastructure bill. The infrastructure bill has been a topic of debate during the past few months and it has been one of the top priorities of the new administration. The biggest roadblock in the bill is the scope of it. The party in power wants a bill that is wider in scope while the minority party wants to narrow the focus in order to save money. The common ground has to do with highways, roads, and bridges that have fallen into a state of disrepair. Anyone who has driven a car evenly has seen that the infrastructure in this country needs help.
What is the roadblock? The Democratic Party wants the bill to include other items as well, such as home health aides, that might not necessarily be thought of as infrastructure. While some people want them to go ahead and pass the smaller version of the bill, it is unclear if that is something that will happen.
What Has To Happen with the Tax Brackets and Rates?
Another major issue facing the country today is what they are going to do with the tax rates as they currently are. While nobody wants to raise taxes on anyone below the top bracket, there is some debate in other areas. The party in power is advocating for a higher tax bracket on businesses, raising the current rate to the halfway mark between the current rate and the rate under Obama. They also want to increase the top tax bracket by a fraction of a percent.
Another potential issue that has been floated is a wealth tax. There are a lot of people in the country who are advocating for a percent tax on every dollar over a certain number every year. While not everyone in the Democratic Party has pushed for it, some farther to the left have. Some people believe that the tax avoidance strategies have gotten so good that the government won’t get nearly as much as they think. Time will tell if this idea goes anywhere.
What About International Relations?
There are some people who are wondering what will happen to international relations. A major focus during the past few years has been China and the rapid rise of this country to the status of a global superpower. There has been some confusion regarding how to treat China and its human rights abuses. Right now, it has mostly amounted to harsh rhetoric, but sanctions have played a role in the discussion during the past few years. There is also a lot of concern that China has been interfering in our elections as well. With a new administration in power, how is this going to shift the current policy? Already, there has been a lot of debate. The parties have not been able to agree on what to do.
Will Abortion Be a Major Issue This Cycle?
Finally, even abortion has managed to make its way back into the spotlight. During the last election cycle, the GOP managed to fill quite a few seats on the Supreme Court, causing it to shift significantly. While this issue has yet to rear its head, there are some who are wondering if this could mean a shift in the laws in this country regarding abortion. Largely, the court has stayed out of the political fight. They did have the power to seriously entertain election conspiracies if they wanted to, but it did not vote, despite many new judges appointed by Trump landing on the court. What might this mean for some of the other flashpoint issues in the country, such as abortion? Time will tell and there are some who are concerned about what might happen.
Our Elected Officials Must Come Together
If anything is going to change, our elected officials have to come together. The entire country is depending on our leaders to do their jobs. There are a lot of major issues facing the country today. These include taxes, infrastructure, international relations, and more. If our officials are not able to find some common ground, then none of these issues are ever going to get solved, and the entire country is going to suffer. It will be incumbent on our officials to place country over party to solve these problems for the sake of the country and the world as a whole.
