Posted on 02/08/2011 8:34:50 AM PST by Hojczyk
The battle over the budget and the need to cut spending, quickly and deeply, has not gone well for the GOP in the early weeks of the new Congress. Lots of people are looking back to the Clinton-Gingrich showdown as a template for what is unfolding, but in fact this feels like the disaster of 1990, when Dick Darman talked George H.W. Bush into the end of his presidency and the collapse of faith in the GOP as a party that could be trusted. That moment led to the rise of Perot and the election of Clinton. And it all came about because the GOP blinked at the crucial moment because Beltway insiders refused --absolutely refused-- to trust the voters to understand what needed to be done.
If as many believe these deficits are sending us over a cliff, then the House has to act, has to throw the brakes and do whatever it can right now to stop the disaster from occurring. That means a showdown and a big negotiation, one in which the GOP turns to the public and says "Are you with us?"
That does not appear to be what is unfolding. This feels like Darman 2.0, but with devastating consequences for the Congressional Republicans, the GOP generally and the country. The New York Times is already editorializing in favor of a compromise, and blasting the "deep cuts" demanded by House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan. The MSM is doing its best to get the 2012 campaign started so that the focus will be off the Congress and the truly sickening deficits and the president's laughable pledge to cut $400 billion over a decade when the deficit along this year will be more than 1.5 trillion dollars.
So it is time for the base to let the Congress know that they are demanding the deep cuts, demanding resolve, and refusing to accept "we need to wait" as an answer. 202-225-3121 connects to the Congressional switchboard. Let your member, Speaker Boehner and Majority Leader Cantor know.
DC Chapter ping
Hugh Hewitt says our congress critters are going wobbly on budget cuts. Call them and let them know why you sent them to Washington, DC.
I see many factors converging out there which I fear will lead to Perot Redux
From Today's Examiner
I’m sorry to say that coming up with $58 Billion in spending cuts is not even a good try. Especially when the GOP has already signalled they will cave in and vote to raise the debt ceiling another $1 trillion or so. $58 billion is like $10 to you or me.
Last I read, the house was North of half a trillion dollars in cuts. I have not seen anything to contradict this as of now. When the caving starts, more will be made of it than just a guy with a funny name giving vague references.
Bloomberg cannot wait to peel voters away from a Palin candidacy. Obama’s playing hardball.
It wouldn’t hurt anything to call Congress and let them know that we ‘appreciate” what they are doing to cut the spending.
My only concern with a call to action now is over using it. If Hugh is right here, then by all means we should activate. I just worry that if this is over used, the impact of flooding the switch boards will have less of an effect and the passion and motivation we have on the right will burn out.
It is a really great tool we have in our arsenal and we know it will work with the crowd in Congress currently. Let’s be prudent with it.
I hope you are right but I don’t think so. My understanding is that Michelle Bachmann has come up with $450 billion, Rand Paul in the Senate has come up with $500 billion in cuts but basically the GOP is going with Ryan and his $58 billion in the House. Who knows what the Senate will do. Mitch McConnell is no reformer.
My comment was not a call to action to prod the Congress, it was a suggestion that praise for what they are doing may do more good than criticism.
Agreed.
I’ve called and written. Some Freeper wrote “They vote for the deficit, they own the deficit.” That’s exactly how I feel and exactly how our constitution meant it to be. Spending can’t happen unless the House agrees.
The next time I’m able to talk with DeMint or Gowdy, that’s exactly what I’ll tell them.
They vote for the deficit and they own the deficit.
Michelle’s is $450B over ten years. We need 3x that in per year.
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