Posted on 07/26/2011 4:39:45 PM PDT by kristinn
The Congressional Budget Office delivered the bad news to Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) on Tuesday evening that his deficit reduction proposal cuts just $1 billion from the deficit next year, sending staffers scrambling to rewrite the legislation.
Boehner spokesman Michael Steel said House Republicans are reworking the bill to make sure spending cuts exceed any increase in the debt limit.
“We’re here to change Washington: no more smoke and mirrors, no more ‘phantom cuts,’” Steel said. “We promised that we will cut spending more than we increase the debt limit, with no tax hikes, and we will keep that promise.
“As we speak, Congressional staff are looking at options to rewrite the legislation to meet our pledge. This is what can happen when you have an actual plan and submit it for independent review, which the Democrats who run Washington have refused to do.”
The CBO score appeared to add to Boehner’s troubles as he struggles to corral the House Republican Conference to back his bill on the floor Wednesday.
(Excerpt) Read more at rollcall.com ...
Even more oddly it’s another Michael Steele but one just as clueless and useless.
Here's his Facebook page, which he reads often:
Freeze or lower the debt limit. Do away with baseline budgeting; it is a lie and STUPID to assume the growth rates you assume. Vote on a Balanced Budget Amendment. Even if it doesn't pass, you have created a voting record to use against Democrats. Damnation do we have to do our jobs and your job too. Quit acting like pathetic losers for Pete's sake. Take out your hanky, wipe away your tears Wimpy, and borrow some gonads from Bachmann and Palin.
Including the American public- which is the real source of all our problems.
That's not true. Recent polling from lots of different sources indicates that something like 70% of the American people want Congress to roll back the spending and live within their budget.
Those who want to see taxes raised, and the spending spree to continue, are in the clear minority.
Why do you think there's such an impasse going on? The phone lines in DC are melting with angry calls from citizens, demanding that the Republicans hold the line, and make some real cuts.
I really like Laura Ingraham, but even she was pushing Boehner’s B.S. plan this morning on her show!?!? WTF!
I’m really surprised she was pushing the “let’s get behind the establishment” crap on her show this morning. Very disappointing!
Cutting whole departments is the correct approach in a second phase led by a conservative prez who can sell it against the onslaught of the media and liberal interest groups. But to ask a speaker to do something like this will be perceived by moderates as crazy. Trust me, I hear it from them all the time. They have not a clue that cuts to dep of education will improve education. And they will mainly hear the shrill and steady drumbeat from a prez and compliant press if the pubs try to do something like that. It has to be simple - which is what you are going for in cutting whole depts - but it has to be simple to sell. That is why I think the correct first step approach is not line item specific, but one of simple percentages. Say, we are leaving our priorities exactly where they are now, but we are reducing the size of the whole thing. That is sellable and simple and a first step. Then explain the second step is to then have a commission go through with a fine tooth comb and do give and take on certain line items in order to award programs that are worthy and perhaps sunset those that are not. Believe me there will be plenty of give and take in earnest at that point because then on both sides they will be forced to make relative decisions on importance. Right now, there is no agreement on exactly where the boundaries really are because the size of our budget has only been limited by the audacity of what a prez and congress has proposed. Every fight on every program is viewed as existential. Plus, they would do well to go back to the departments and sub departments and say, hey, you need to assume you will have 10% less next year, tell us what is important to preserve and what might be better to either postpone or pursue more slowly.
As much as I’m for the end result if it gets a good deal, it doesn’t give me a lot of confidence when the CBO has to tell him what’s in his bill.
I mean really? Either he didn’t know what his bill would really do or he did and is changing it because he got exposed. Which do you think and why should that give me confidence in him?
Bredeson here in tn took that approach when he first took office about 8 years ago. He said, we are facing a 10% shortfall, I want every dept to come back with their 10% cut budget. Easier sell since he was not making everyone argue about values first at least from a top line perspective.
The one man standing in the gap for America is Jim Jordan, 4th Congressional District, Urbana, Ohio. He is the leader of the Conservative Caucus. He is the closet thing we have had as a leader in D.C. for a generation. He is great. Pray for his continued stand upon principle. He and his posse is going to catch for the next week. He might be the Patrick Henry of our time. God bless him.
I am not asking you for confidence. Other than he is listening to the people and responding appropriately. Unlike what you saw in pelosi, btw. Just withhold despair at least for a little while longer. Now, personally, I think he should have hung his hat on ccb and told the dems to write their own scored by cbo that hit these parameters and then played chicken with Obama and the dems. That was an easier sale. But I think McConnell cob urn et al cut his legs off with their stupid and ill timed plans. Pubs needed unity between house and senate and it looks like they did not plan well enough to get it or keep it.
None of them really want to cut spending. I keep waiting for everyone to realize that.
I doubt that we will get any real cuts from Boehner and that crew. We are becoming Greece.
Mack has a plan that would work.
http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/politics/2011/July/Rep-Mack-Penny-Plan-Could-Save-Trillions/
It isn’t getting much press.
“social security is not a tax...”
Oh yes it is. The money come in and goes right back out. Prior generations voted for Congresses that would do just that...fund their welfare programs, public housing, NASA, Vietnam, etc, but NOT PAY FOR THEM through regular taxes, but instead let them get financed though Social Security ‘surpluses’. In other words, the money could really have been saved, just like trillions sit in 401k’s, but its already been spent so earlier generations could have their programs, but not pay for them.
I’m a parent, and I don’t see why my kids and their generation and their kids should have to pay for the above greed. That generation made THE CHOICE (via their collective voting) to SPEND, rather than save their Social Security - it is NOT the fault of my kids and they should not have to live in a THIRD WORLD nation because of it.
Sorry, don't buy it. People are for spending cuts in theory, the minute you actually ask them specifically what they want to cut you'll be down to foreign aid and prisons.
Those who want to see taxes raised, and the spending spree to continue, are in the clear minority.
Wrong. All polling shows people want both things. They want spending cut, but given the option they always fall for the tax the rich demagoguery. Ask people if they want to tax the corporate jet owners and the rich in general and a majority will almost always favor that in every poll.
Why do you think there's such an impasse going on? The phone lines in DC are melting with angry calls from citizens, demanding that the Republicans hold the line, and make some real cuts.
It's like you don't realize there is a very vocal left and frightened center that are also calling and demanding NO entitlement or social welfare cuts. You can even look at the comments on FR, there are a LOT of even otherwise conservative people that will not tolerate cuts to the entitlement programs they feel they've paid into and deserve to get.
Hussein STILL gets the support of roughly 45% of the American public, and far more like him personally. They WANT to like him, and when he spews his lies people fall for it.
If being right was enough we'd never be out of power. Unfortunately, people the world over fall for even the worst kinds of demagoguery. Hussein is an example of that and he will not be easy to defeat in this debt limit fight or the 2012 election.
By the way I am both a seasoned citizen and a combat veteran. While I could survive without a portion or all of my SS check, it would be very challenging to say the least if I lost the VA benefits I currently enjoy. That said, I would truck on as best as I could for as long as I could. What other choice would I have?
You and, hopefully, at least 100 million Americans feel the same way! I know one who does. . .ME!!
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