Posted on 05/04/2011 9:33:49 AM PDT by jazusamo
(CNSNews.com) – As the Obama administration demands another increase in the U.S. debt limit, Americans taxpayers are demanding spending restraint, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) told the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday.
He said Congress must attach fiscal reforms to legislation increasing the debt ceiling. Hatch also warned his fellow lawmakers what could happen if the fiscal reforms, once enacted, “fall prey to gimmicks, are waived or otherwise undermined.”
“My sense is that the people will come to this Capitol with pitchforks and torches they will be so upset. And they'd be right to do so,” Hatch said.
History shows that fiscal reforms can leave people feeling betrayed and disappointed, when Congress inevitably goes back to its big-spending ways, Hatch said.
For example, he mentioned the pay-go rule, which was supposed to curb deficit spending but ended up costing billions of dollars in additional deficit spending, as Congress found ways to get around the law.
Hatch said that’s just one example of how Congress has responded to calls for spending restraint – and then done an end-run around those restraints.
“This time must be different,” Hatch told the committee in his opening remarks. “This time we must make meaningful and lasting reforms. We must make the fundamental changes to our spending programs that might be tough today, but that will make maintenance of budget discipline easier in the future.
“The fact is, we can’t be having this debate again in another 5 years,” Hatch continued. “We are already nearing a point where it is too late to enact the changes that the markets demand. And failure to act now will have a lasting detrimental impact on families, businesses, and the economy.
“No matter what happens with the debt ceiling, we need to make sure that Congress and the President stick to the fiscal reforms attached to the (debt ceiling) legislation. Both parties must accept responsibility, buckle down, and make the tough decisions, even when it hurts,” Hatch said.
Hatch noted that this is the third time the Obama administration has asked Congress to raise the debt limit. And he pointed to polls showing that the American people believe the problem is too much spending, not too little revenue.
“There is no pulling the wool over the eyes of the people on this issue. There is no spinning the people into thinking that our problem is a lack of revenue. And there is no convincing taxpayers that the solution to out-of-control government spending is giving the government more money to spend.”
As CNSNews.com has reported, some conservatives – Sarah Palin among them – say Congress should refuse to raise the debt limit.
A CBS News/New York Times poll conducted last month showed that 63 percent of Americans oppose raising the debt limit, while only 27 percent support doing so.
Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) agreed that deficit-reduction measures should accompany an increase in the debt ceiling.
Wednesday’s hearing focused on “budget enforcement mechanisms” that would trigger an “automatic response” if certain benchmarks are reached.
Baucus said those automatic responses could include an “across-the board reduction in spending, an increase in revenue (taxes) or a reduction in tax expenditures, or some combination.”
The Finance Committee is hearing testimony on how those automatic triggers might work.
don’t get me wrong, I’m not jumping on his bandwagon — and I am not blind to the fact he may be getting election year religion.
There’s two ways to skin this cat: put better people in there, and until that can be done, make the people in there better. I’ll take victory where I can get it.
Like I said, a step, ONE step, in the right direction.
Nice sentiment, but we don’t use pitchforks and torches any more. Despite the attacks on the 2nd Amendment, some have prepared.
But officer... Senator Hatch said it was OK to bring these.
My hardware/garden store has Pitchforks, but where in heck do you get torches these days?
C. Edmund Wright wrote:
A step in the right direction for Hatch. Maybe he’s getting the message.
also
E. Pluribus Unum wrote:
Let me guess; Orvel is up for re-election in 2012, so now he’s a populist.
Hatch is a politician who sees the writing on the wall. He is desperately trying to avoid the fate of Bennett. The Ruling Class (Hatch is a card carrying Ruling Class Republicrat member) is scared they are losing power.
The Republican Party subsidiary "TEA Party," Dick Armey's TEA Party Express, has Orin Hatch campaign staffers in the upper echelons. They are trying to recast Hatch as the "TEA Party guy" in Utah. I pray the citizenry out there is smart enough not to fall for this.
There's an old saying here on FreeRepublic, "Don't count your Hatch before he chickens." Hatch has a history of compromising his principles (or possibly lacking any principles to compromise). He often voted with A. Spectre (former senator, R|D, Pennsylvania), L. Graham (R? South Carolina), J. McCain (R? Media) and the libeRal "sisters" from Maine. His new found conservatism is refreshing, but it does not match his long term voting record.
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