In today’s Omaha World Herald, Representative Lee Terry explains why he voted against the fiscal cliff deal just approved by Congress a few days ago.  It is because “raising taxes with little to no spending cuts does not make for a balanced agreement.”

Of course he is entirely correct in this assessment.  But will he stand firm in the next two months as a new deal is negotiated to either implement or replace sequestration which makes across the board spending cuts?  Will he stand firm when conservatives complain about cutting defense and liberals complain about cutting social programs?  Will be stand firm when the AARP complains about cutting entitlements?  We need to do all of these things and more!

House Speaker John Boehner has said that Republicans will be “singularly focused on the deficit and the debt” in the next two months.  But the President has said that he will not “play games” with raising our nation’s debt limit.  Will Mr. Boehner, Mr. Terry and the Republican majority in the House be prepared to withstand withering criticism from the mainstream press if the default deadline grows close without agreement for significant spending cuts?

We are rapidly approaching the moment of truth.  The future of our country depends on the fiscal responsibility of our national leaders.  Let’s hope that enough of them are made of the right stuff!