Rev. Al Sharpton's Weekly Blog

The GOP Doesn’t Care About Us

As debt talks between Congress and the president resume this Sunday, the situation hits a disturbing new level as the GOP reaches an all-time low. Instead of working towards a compromise as the president has been diligently pushing for, Republican Congressional leaders would rather leave the American people out to dry while they continue to protect the rich. It's a tired tactic they have utilized for decades, and it's beyond time we call them out for their hypocrisy, their aversion for the working-class and poor, their blatant support for the wealthy and their desire to risk anything in order to attack the president -- including our nation's future.

Faced with a looming deadline of Aug. 2nd to raise the current debt ceiling, President Obama has been pulled into an unfair game of theatrics as GOP representatives refuse to raise the limit without cuts in essential programs. And not only are they insistent on slashing things like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, but the GOP is ardent in their stance to never raise taxes on those making the most among us. In fact, even before yesterday's meeting, Speaker of the House Boehner emphatically stated: "Everything's on the table -- except raising taxes".

Consistently aligned with big oil, Wall St. fat cats and millionaires & billionaires who are nowhere near feeling the pinch during these still tough economic times, the Republicans openly says they are willing to reduce vital American programs just so long as their friends and cohorts are not affected. At a time when families struggle to feed their children, maintain a roof over their heads, see a doctor, put food on the table and survive, GOP leaders think it's perfectly OK to take away necessary structures for those already bearing the brunt of the recession. What sort of society do we live in where it is acceptable to continue taking from the poor and hard-working American people and reward the wealthy?

During the presidency of George W. Bush, the national debt ceiling was raised umpteen times. And many of the same GOP leaders that are so adamantly opposed to raising it now didn't hesitate to increasing it during the previous administration. So why the sudden about face? The reality is, these individuals will do anything to oppose and disparage this president, even if that means holding the rest of the nation hostage. In an effort to 'see him fail', Republicans continue to prove that they will allow us to default on our debt, eliminate fundamental programs or anything else that hurts the American people.

It is a new low, even for the GOP. As the president resumes talks with Congressional leaders this weekend, the fate of the nation literally hangs in the balance. Just yesterday, President Obama announced adjustments to the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) requirements that will require servicers to extend the forbearance period for unemployed homeowners to 12 months. As he works to seek solutions for the most under-privileged among us following a catastrophic downfall that he did not cause, the president now faces challenges from people who don't hesitate to let us suffer for their own agenda.

It is reprehensible, it is deplorable and it is down right un-American.