Posted on 04/06/2006 7:44:36 PM PDT by SierraWasp
House GOP budget talks collapse
By William L. Watts, MarketWatch Last Update: 9:06 PM ET Apr 6, 2006
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Divided by disagreements within their own party and unable to attract Democratic support, House Republican leaders shelved efforts Thursday to bring a $2.7 trillion budget outline for fiscal 2007 to a vote ahead of a two-week Easter recess.
"We owe it to American taxpayers to craft a budget that spends their tax dollars wisely, and it is unfortunate Democrats would refuse to consider a fiscally-responsible approach rejecting the failed policies of more taxes and more spending," said House Majority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio.
House Democrats and Republicans engaged in an acrimonious debate Thursday over rules governing debate of the resolution, but disagreements among Republicans appeared to be the key factor in the split.
"We've got members who want to spend more, members who want to spend less. It's no different than any household in America, where one spouse wants to spend more and one may want to spend less," Boehner said earlier Thursday.
A budget resolution doesn't have the force of law but does set crucial parameters for congressional tax-writing and appropriations committees. Boehner said he remained committed to pursuing a vote when lawmakers return from the two-week recess.
Republican moderates have sought to increase spending on discretionary spending by $7 billion, but have said they are open to offsets from elsewhere in the budget. Conservatives have sought deeper spending cuts.
Also, Republican members of the House Appropriations Committee chafed at measures designed to limit disaster-related spending.
"I cannot and will not support a (budget) that greatly diminishes Congress' ability to respond to national disasters," said House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., in a statement, according to the Associated Press.
Democrats were ecstatic.(emphasis added) "The Republican budget was red ink as far as the eye could see, and betrayed our national security by slashing funding for crucial initiatives to keep our country safe. Those are the wrong priorities and keep our country headed in the wrong direction," said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
With Thursday night's planned adjournment, Congress will also be unable to finish work before the recess on a package that would extend around $70 billion in tax cuts over the next five years, largely through extending measures passed in 2001 and 2003.
I've already done it! Anybody care to join me in that unique form of harmless, but possibly effective protest???
Republican moderates have sought to increase spending on discretionary spending by $7 billion, but have said they are open to offsets from elsewhere in the budget. Conservatives have sought deeper spending cuts.
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2.7 trillion ? (faints dead away)
and the moderates want more? lol Go figure. ;-)
Back in the 90's Chronicles Magazine put out an issue whose cover said "Please don't vote, it only encourages them. (that was during the reign of Ted Pappas)
Some people's moderates are a bunch of other peoples passengers on a ship of fools in a parallel universe with the Titanic!!! It's just like CA politics! It ain'ta gittin no bedder!!!
We're gittin this because "The Hammer" is leaving! We're gittin the capitulation to our own "insurgents" because "The Hammer" is leaving! Dummies are rushin in to fill the leadership vaccuum!!!
I tried pondering life in parallel universes but my train of thought kept getting lost.
Mine gits derailed!!!
A new Hammer will arise but it may be a while.
The Gang that couldn't Shoot Straight!
I protest by telling their phone banks to convey the message back to the GOP...NO MORE MONEY!!!
About three years ago, I started sending back their silly fundraising letters, cleverly disguised as 'questionairres', with CLOSE THE BORDERS written in fat sharpie across the page.
Eventually, they stopped sending them.
Haven't these fools figured out yet that they better start at least acting like they're trying to please their base if they hope to stay in office?
These morons have completely abandoned conservativism. And why the bloody #@$#@ do you run for office if you're not inspired by a particular ideology?
Geez, we seriously need a President Mike Pence to act as the gatekeeper. Someone who will just say, "Give me a budget cut, or I'm vetoing." That would be the end of story right there. We'd get the budget cut. Meanwhile, our Presidente sits atop the Oval Office and grins from ear to ear holding up an invisible ink pen.
Geez, I think things are terrible, and then I listen to Err America tonight and realize how vulgar, nasty, and illogical things could get if we ever let the Rats take control again. I'm sorry, John McCain is Ronald Reagan returned compared to Feingold and his ilk. I don't care if they did write a bill together.
Yes, it would be quite effective in allowing "moderates" to control the primaries. Not exactly productive, however, in the way you claim to want.
As usual, you guys with "that pat answer" are always right! But why is it that your answer always leaves me cold and feeling like the little Dutch boy with his finger in a failing dike, Huh??? (hope I spelled that right!)
Don't know - maybe you should see a doctor.
Now how long since you've had a check up, sport???
We're gittin this because "The Hammer" is leaving! "
Yup. much less party discipline.
But OTOH, the Hammer was one the big-spending side, relatively speaking... since 2000, GOP House was a much bigger-spending body than from 1994-2000, before the Delay era.
Right now, is the growing pains of trying to get back
into fiscal discipline after years of being in drunken-sailor mode... . Some GOP leaders want to start now, but some RINOs say "my diet starts tomorrow"
"...a $2.7 trillion budget..."
Huh? These idiots call this a "budget"? Makes me want to scream!
Maybe if your opinions were not as far Right as they are you would not be so pessimistic. That goes for me as well but I clearly recognize that my views and the views of FR are FAR to the right of the rest of America hence its influence/enertia overwhelms mine and yours in the short run.
But the glacier is moving and will only keep moving as more Republicans are elected. Otherwise all progress will stop on any agenda beneficial to the United States. It should not be forgotten that this party is not monolithic and candidates must cover a broad spectrum of views in the different states in order to get elected.
Patience is a virtue in all important matters.
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