It is astonishing that after the results of last November’s election to think that some of Virginia’s Congressmen think that voters were just kidding. Here is a message: We were not kidding!
The more intelligent voters certainty understand that the house simply cannot pull an unrealistic number out of thin air that would, A) be impossible to implement without a serious negative impact on the country, and B) allow the Democrats to use any such ridiculous budget cutting number as proof of “bad faith” negotiations and grandstanding.
We get that.
But comments like these from The Daily Caller by an unnamed Republican staffer (referring to the Republicans that voted against the Continuing Resolution) demonstrate that a number of Washington’s elite still don’t get it:
“These people aren’t thinking clearly. Their logic doesn’t pan out. They have NO plan. What concessions were they going to get if it failed? They were going to shut down the federal government over Planned Parenthood?” the source said, “It was totally reactionary. These people got elected to lead. Instead they got jerked around by the political equivalent of music critics. If these people knew anything about governing, they’d be in Congress, not lobbing bombs from the cheap seats and sending out fundraising emails.”
The bold section “If these people knew anything about governing” is the crux of the matter.
What this staffer is saying is “If these people knew anything about business as usual…”
Which is exactly what the voters decided to change: The way business is done in Washington.
Sure, there is the art of negotiating to consider, but all these continuing resolutions have done is to perpetuate power for the Democrats. And it continues the irresponsible process that saw the Democrats lose in large numbers last November. On the other hand, we didn’t elect these Congressmen to shut down government, but to shut down the wasteful, unnecessary and unconstitutional parts.
And a couple of billion a week does not even pay the interest on the excess money the government is spending in the form of the budget deficit – let alone do anything for the national debt!
And Scott Rigell is the only Virginia Congressman to vote NO! on this continued irresponsibility.
(It should be noted that Virginia Congressmen Bobby Scott and Jerry Connolly, Democrats both, voted against the Continuing Resolution, but not because they wanted more cuts, but rather, more spending.
Below is a list of Virginia Republican Congressmen who failed Virginia with this vote:
Representative Eric Cantor (R – 07)
Representative J. Randy Forbes (R – 04)
Representative Bob Goodlatte (R – 06)
Representative Morgan Griffith (R – 09)
Representative Robert Hurt (R – 05)
Representative Rob Wittman (R – 01)
Representative Frank R. Wolf (R – 10)
These Congressmen promised to fix the huge fiscal problem this country is facing. And $100 Billion or $61 Billion is simply not going to make a dent in this problem. Neither will the pattern of kicking the can down the road and spilling out the equivalent of a cent or two. It simply is nothing more than a token gesture.
So what would fiscal conservatives and “TEA Party” groups have Congress do?
When Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is reluctant to cut Federal funding even for Cowboy Poetry Festivals and Nancy Pelosi somehow believes spending money we do not have is somehow moral, there is no doubt that this is a tough issue.
But accusing people like Mike Pence (R-IN) of voting against the latest continuing resolution with no alternate plan, or hoping to shut down the government is absurd. Pence has a plan: stop the excessive spending.
These continuing resolutions play into Democrats hands and prove the Republicans are unwilling to do whatever it takes to bring spending under control. It proves Republicans fear shutting down the government. It also proves that Democrats are very good at outsmarting Republicans, and using a threat of shutdown to keep Republican Leaders in check.
Republicans need resolve and a plan. Escalating cuts for each continuing resolution would be a start. Each extension should come with a higher and higher amount of money cut. There is so much waste in the budget that, if examined in the light of day, much of which even Democrats would find impossible to defend verses shutting down government. Would Harry Reid really shut down the government over Cowboy Poets? I am sure the NY Times and Washington Post would support Harry, but the average Joe struggling with higher food and gasoline prices will not see that as a must have.
And the GAO recently identified billions in waste that could easily be cut without missing a thing.
Make them defend specific programs that are as silly as Cowboy Poetry.
And de-fund Planned Parenthood, NPR, and the rest of these left wing front groups that shouldn’t have access to a dime of taxpayer money for any reason – with each and every CR. These should become bitter pills, not the useless tokens they have been.
Republicans should explain how we have items that are necessary, and items that are optional. Identify expenditures as necessary or optional (I know, that’s a matter of perspective), but paying for abortions and illegal’s college tuition is beyond the pale.
And all of this is absolutely useless without a responsible Republican budget proposal. Where every dollar has been scrutinized as if it were actually taxpayer’s money!
Only with a responsible budget in hand and meaningful and growing cuts in each and every continuing resolution will you begin to change the entrenched mindset that big government is somehow a good thing. Democrats have no incentive to work on a budget. The Republican Leadership has thus far been unable to lead. They have simply adopted the Democrat’s “kick the can” budget strategy.
Only when kicking the can is more painful than reeling in spending will true progress be made.
If John Boehner, Eric Cantor and Whip Kevin McCarthy are incapable of leading and producing a responsible budget and reversing spending, they should step aside and let serious Conservatives take over.
If the Republicans are not able to do better than this on the budget, then dealing with the real issues blowing the budget out of hand – Social Security, Medicare and other “entitlements” is truly an impossible dream and we are headed for a financial meltdown from which recovery will be impossible.
Article written by: Tom White
