Posted on 12/19/2005 8:55:00 AM PST by Gipper08
The year 2005 will be remembered as one of good intentions, bad disasters and promises kept. This spring, Congress adopted the toughest budget since the Reagan years and, under the leadership of Chairman Jerry Lewis, the Appropriations Committee reported one bill after another on time and on budget.
Then came the heartbreak that was Hurricane Katrina -- 90,000 square miles of the gulf coast destroyed. Congress responded by speeding relief and recovery funds totaling $60 billion in six days to rebuild the families and communities destroyed by this storm.
After the storm, many in Washington thought that fiscal discipline was the last thing Congress should be thinking about -- preferring raising taxes or the national debt to making tough choices. But not this majority.
Seeing that a catastrophe of nature could become a catastrophe of debt, dozens of House conservatives challenged the Congress to offset the cost of Hurricane Katrina with budget cuts. And I will always believe that their effort, known as 'Operation Offset,' sparked a national debate that propelled us to this moment.
The American people wanted Washington to pay for Katrina with budget cuts, and Washington got the message.
In direct response to President George W. Bush's call for offsets, Speaker Dennis Hastert unveiled the bold plan that we will consider tonight: to find budget cuts from every area of the federal government. And tonight, the Hastert plan, with an across-the-board cut and more than $40 billion in entitlement savings, will become a reality.
For Americans troubled by a rising tide of red ink in Washington, Christmas will come early this year as this Congress demonstrates the ability to make tough choices in tough times to put our fiscal house in order.
But with a national debt of $8 trillion, nearly $26,000 for every American, completing the task of putting our fiscal house in order will take time. And tonight the task begins.
In 1994, the American people said yes to a vision of fiscal discipline, limited government and reform. Some called it the 'Republican Revolution.' With the passage of this Deficit Reduction Act, including an across-the-board cut in federal spending, the 'Republican Revolution' is back.
Tonight the Congress will renew our commitment to the principles of fiscal discipline and limited government that minted this majority and, in so doing, begin the task of ensuring the continued prosperity of our nation for our children and grandchildren.
Yes these are just reductions in growth,BUT they were already law.Congress reopened the budget(that had already passed and was law) and slowed the rate of growth.So in that sense they are real cuts.
"and 90% are only "projected" reductions in future budgets?"
in the next five years.we will get 41.6 billion.
It's nice to have a little bit of good news.
Congress reopened the budget(that had already passed and was law) and slowed the rate of growth.So in that sense they are real cuts.
I appreciate your optimism. God bless people like you who always find the bright side.
It's a bit frustrating, however, that the republicans are using the same word games as the democrats. A cut in the rate of growth is not a cut in spending, it's an increase.
In general, I'm underwhelmed, it's not even really a good effort. Realistically, I'd characterize this as lip service.
Fortunately for the incumbents, the massive earmarks should generate sufficient "quid pro quo" campaign donations to assure reelection..............
cynically yours,
blue Super Bowl that is...hehehe.
Pinging Indiana to comments by Mike Pence.
See above comments..
$40 billion in cuts, just in time for $720 billion in increased Medicare prescription drug subsidies.
There is no "soul" of the Republican Party! How many flavor-of-the-month Republican heroes whored themselves out at the first opportunity, only to have us be told "this next guy, he's really on our side!"
Feh.
The problem is that it means absolutely nothing whatsoever to claim you're a Republican. What immutable principles will a Republican fight to the death to defend? What can you count on, unequivocally, from the Party, its representatives or candidates? Tell us, what are the core principles that define Republicanism?
No support for political hacks and parasites. Not ever.
marking
Sorry.....I don't buy into that line of thinking(?) at all. Only in DC or certain political circles can you spend more $ from one year to the next and yet somehow spin it into a "cut". That's the kind of delusional mindset that has given us an almost unpayable national debt as well as over 50 trillion in unfunded fedgov liabilities.
You know, maybe rootin' for the Browns all these years has got you used to expecting for the worst.
Guess I've learned not to trust Republicans or their party. I've see what they do.
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