Friday, February 4, 2011

Still Waiting For Republicans To Govern

“Washington’s spending spree is over.”  So declared Republican Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan in announcing his party’s plan to cut federal spending to 2008 levels.  In an effort to fulfill yet another campaign promise the party of the “Haves” will once again push to cut services to the “Have Nots”. According to the Associated Press the hardest hit agencies will include the departments of Commerce, Housing and Urban Development, Food and drug Administration and Agriculture.  The White house says that the Republican plan will lead to widespread furloughs of federal employees, force the less fortunate off subsidized housing, reduce services in national parks and slash aid to schools and local police and fire departments.  This on the heels of a $900 billion extension of the Bush tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires.
Since they took control of the House Republicans have been long on style and short on substance.  They have spent their time orchestrating meaningless votes on the repeal of health care reform but have offered no specifics for replacement legislation.  They have danced around entitlements and refused to offer any substantive cuts in defense.  They have pounded their chest bemoaning the rising deficit but offered no solutions other than a reduction in taxes for the wealthy.  Their campaign mantra of “Jobs, Jobs, Jobs” has yet to be addressed.  And now forced to finally put some substance behind their fear mongering rhetoric they offer a measly $35 billion in cuts that focus on those who can least bear the burden.
It is easy to make campaign promises.  It is quite something else to fulfill them.

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