Posted on 03/02/2009 1:28:55 PM PST by cc2k
Monday, March 2, 2009
‘We need to step back, look at the bigger picture, and think about what we’re doing. And that means slowing down before we spend another $410 billion’
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following statement on the Senate floor Monday regarding the Omnibus Appropriations bill:
“The Omnibus Appropriations bill that just arrived from the House is an important piece of legislation, but it’s not an emergency. Congress approves this spending every year. There is no need to rush something that we do every year.
“In fact, in January I recommended several times to the President and to Democrat leaders in Congress that we move the Omnibus before the Stimulus. By determining what we would fund in an Omni first, Democrat leaders would have been encouraged to be more timely, temporary, and targeted as they put together the Stimulus. Instead, they reversed the order — and the result is that now we have significant double spending showing up in both the Stimulus and now the Omnibus.
“We have known about the Friday deadline for months, so no one should suddenly point to it now as a reason to rush $410 billion in spending. Americans are getting whiplash from all the spending we’re doing around here. We need to slow down and consider the consequence of every dollar we spend.
“What we know about this bill already is cause for serious concern:
“There is no reason for us to rush through this massive bill when the White House has already promised that it won’t sign it without the requisite five-day review.
“So I would suggest as we begin this debate that the House prepare a short-term Continuing Resolution. There is no reason for either the Senate or the American people to feel artificially rushed, particularly on a bill of this magnitude.
“It may seem quaint to some people, but a month ago many of us were concerned about $1.2 trillion deficit. Then we watched it grow as we passed a $1 trillion Stimulus bill and $33 billion for SCHIP. Then, last week, the President proposed a $3.6 trillion budget, including a $634 billion ‘down payment’ on health care reform, and major tax increases on small businesses. We expect to be asked to spend $1 to $2 trillion to stabilize the financial sector. And we’ve been told that the Administration’s housing plan, which is set to start this week, will cost more than a quarter trillion dollars.
“We need to step back, look at the bigger picture, and think about what we’re doing. And that means slowing down before we spend another $410 billion.”
I wasn't aware of this promise. Seems like if the government will shut down after March 6, that would be an "emergency" and the White House wouldn't wait 5 days. Heck, someone might read it in those 5 days and find something objectionable. They couldn't have that.
“There is no reason for us to rush through this massive bill when the White House has already promised that it won’t sign it without the requisite five-day review.
I have a better suggestion. Let's move on to the 2010 Budget. Pass a continuing resolution/spending freeze through September 30, 2009. That way you can move forward to the 2010 Appropriations bills which are going to be difficult enough to get done by September 30.
“So I would suggest as we begin this debate that the House prepare a short-term Continuing Resolution. There is no reason for either the Senate or the American people to feel artificially rushed, particularly on a bill of this magnitude.
Might I suggest you take your lead from our president. Apply some good old Chicago "persuasion" to Sens. Snowe, Collins and Specter. Otherwise, you have no chance of slowing it down.
Sounds like more wishy-washy crap from McConnell. Sick of that guy. How about saying you’re going to fight to kill this bill and will do everything you can stop it?
McConnell “I recommended several times to the President and to Democrat leaders in Congress that we move the Omnibus before the Stimulus”
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Sorry buddy, but for Democrats that might mean funding the Police Department before funding frivolous pork barrel spending
Do you I see a shadow of a spine in the cat scan of McConnell? Or is it just a smudge on the viewing screen?
Democrats want to run over the child in the road.
Republicans only want the car to slow down.
Rush wants the dems to fail (in trying to kill the kid)
Steele looks at it all and attacks.....Rush.
Sigh........
Great post! That is a keeper!
I really don’t see what all the fuss is about. They had no problem voting on Porkulus that was twice this amount. Hell they voted on it and never read it. I have no respect for any of them. They are all idiots. If I had been in the Senate when they asked me to vote when I hadn’t read it, I would have walked out and started hitting the media outlets.
I am sick of the entire repubic leadership and FReepers that take up for their sorry a$$e$!!!
LLS
Ditto!
Steele has targeted a friend and now made him an adversary.
Michael Steele, set your own course and re-establish our party ON REPUBLICAN PRINCIPLES and don’t pick fights with friends.
Have you emailed Steele at chairman@gop.org and told him?
Telling him right now. Thanks.
Are you crazy?!!!!! With your attacks on Rush, you can count on me sending money to the RNC. immediately after hell freezes over!
This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification.
Delivery to the following recipients failed.
chairman@gop.org
Maybe they've gotten so many emails, the system crashed.
Got the same email.
ON THE INTERNET:
ON THE INTERNET:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/SCHIP_Public_Review/
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:HR00002:@@@R
SHUT THE FREAKIN GOVERNMENT DOWN!!!
As for McConnells spine...just a shadow or a smudge...there is nothing there in any of them...move on, nothing to see here.
Thanks Mitch, but you don’t really care about spending. If you did, you would have been against it when it was Republicans spending. Now you are good and truly screwed, as is the country, because you and your fellow Republicans chose party over principles.
What do those links have to do with the topic of this thread?
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