Editorial: Mostly happy endings for Congress in 2010

At the end of 2010, the government passed judgment on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” START, the DREAM Act, and tax cuts. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” START, and the tax cuts were all accepted to become law, but the DREAM Act was not.

The “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) military policy was repealed in the last few days of the year, to the great joy of thousands of service members who were either discharged from the military or remained in the service under the constant stress of keeping their secret. The Olympian supports the repeal of DADT, because it allows our fellow Americans to serve the country they love.

Russia and the United States have agreed to lower the number of nuclear weapons that each country keeps for protection in the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, also known as START. The Olympian agrees with the government’s actions for the most part. While we feel a bit uneasy about the inspections, because they allow Russia to know exactly where our intercontinental ballistic missiles are, it will stabilize the arms race. On top of that, this smaller number of nuclear weapons still has the power to destroy the world several times over, so our “safety” is not being compromised in signing the treaty.

Another issue that went through the government’s hands this past December was the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, or DREAM Act. This act, which did not pass, would have allowed the children of illegal immigrants to attain citizenship.

Considering the fact that the children did not have the choice of coming to our country illegally or not, The Olympian supports the DREAM Act. The children would become citizens of the country and have to pay taxes like any other American, which would benefit our economy and those who would join the military would serve our country in that way as well.

While we do not want to encourage illegal immigration, because it is illegal and we won’t pretend it isn’t wrong, the children have lived here for a good portion of their lives and may not even know their original homeland. However, the national government disagrees and the act did not pass.

The final issue was tax cuts, an always interesting topic for taxpayers. The cuts for everyone including the wealthy passed, and will stimulate the economy while not aiding the growing national debt.

The Olympian chose to support the cuts for everyone but the wealthy, but unfortunately, it passed only because it included the rich.

The Olympian believes that with or without these tax breaks, the rich will remain rich, and the country cannot afford to give them cuts that they would easily be able to go without. Although we disagree with giving the wealthy a break that isn’t necessary for them, we believe that the middle and lower classes needed the cuts.