G.O.P. Rebellion Threatens to Derail Efforts to Adopt Budget

[papau]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/15/politics/15budget.html

March 15, 2005
G.O.P. Rebellion Threatens to Derail Efforts to Adopt Budget
By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
and DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK

ASHINGTON, March 14 - As Congress debates President Bush's $2.57 trillion budget for 2006, House and Senate Republican leaders are facing a potential revolt among their own members, with pressure coming from both the center and the right.

In the Senate, where debate over the budget began on Monday, moderates are pressing to reinstate language opposed by the leadership and the White House that would make it more difficult for Congress to extend President Bush's tax cuts; they want to require that the cuts, as well as any spending on new programs, be offset with savings in other areas. Last year, the fight over these "pay as you go" rules prevented Congress from adopting a budget, a fate the Republican leadership hopes to avoid this year.

In the House, meanwhile, an alliance of Republican conservatives and moderates is also pressing for new rules, in this case to make it harder for lawmakers to approve spending that exceeds the limits set by the budget. The House Republican leader, Representative Tom DeLay of Texas, is fighting the changes, but on Monday evening, Representative Roy Blunt of Missouri, the Republican whip, was trying to negotiate a compromise before lawmakers took up the budget on Wednesday.

The Republican disputes could have far-reaching political effects if they derail adoption of a budget. Republicans have said for decades that they could tamp down the growth in spending, if only they could get Democrats out of the way. As spending and the federal deficit continued to rise, that promise became a theme of last year's election campaign.

Now, with a Republican in the White House and the party more firmly in control of Congress, the 2006 budget has become a test of Republicans' ability to make good on their vow.<snip>

[grumpy old fart]

1. Dems are always attacked as "tax and spend" liberals.....

yet the GOP "Cut taxes and Spend" party seems to always get a pass from the public on this fiscal issue....go figger.

[tanyev]

3. I like to think of them as the

Borrow and Spend party.

[ProfessorGAC]

7. Credit Card Conservatives

It's alliterative and rolls off the tongue, nicely.
The Professor

[kk897]

8. Professor, I like! Let's try to work it into conversations. n/t

[ProfessorGAC]

10. I Used To Use "Red Ink Republicans"

But, a couple years ago, folks in GD discussed which was best. Someone else here thought of Credit Card Conservatives and everyone, including me, liked the alliteration, so i switched.

I still like Red Ink Republicans, but the C.C.C. name is better.
The Professor

[w4rma]

9. media, not public. Democrats poll favorably against Repugs on economics

in the public.

[BrklynLiberal]

2. It's about time THEY were the ones to form a circle a start shooting.

[natrat]

4. wow i thought republicans were totally disingenuous

could there possibly be some that are responsible

[snippy]

5. Republicans are bigger spenders than democrats.

A comparison of government spending and the annual federal deficits accumulated since 1960 under republican presidents and under democratic presidents shows that republicans are bigger spenders than democrats. Bush has been about average as a big spender for republican presidents. If Bush was a democrat he would be the biggest spending democrat since WWII.

The Kennedy/Johnson administrations accumulated deficits of $53.5 billion or $269.9 billion in constant 2000 dollars. Annual spending by the federal government averaged 18.8% of GDP and the annual deficit never exceeded 3% of GDP.

The Nixon/Ford administrations accumulated deficits of $265.5 billion or $798.5 billion in constant 2000 dollars. Annual spending by the federal government averaged 19.9% of GDP and the annual deficit exceeded 3% of GDP 2 times.

The Carter administration accumulated deficits of $252.7 billion or $519.4 billion in constant 2000 dollars. Annual spending by the federal government averaged 21.2% of GDP and the annual deficit never exceeded 3% of GDP.

The Reagan administration accumulated deficits of $1,412.2 billion or $2,082.3 billion in constant 2000 dollars. Annual spending by the federal government averaged 22.3% of GDP and the annual deficit exceeded 3% of GDP 7 times.

The Bush the Lesser administration accumulated deficits of $1,035.8 billion or $1,241.5 billion in constant 2000 dollars. Annual spending by the federal government averaged 21.9% of GDP and the annual deficit exceeded 3% of GDP 4 times.

The Clinton administration accumulated a surplus of $62.5 billion or $15.9 billion in constant 2000 dollars. Annual spending by the federal government averaged 19.6% of GDP and the annual deficit never exceeded 3% of GDP.

The Bush the Liar administration has so far accumulated deficits of $947.5 billion. and projects additional accumulated deficits during his administration of $1,612.5 billion. Annual spending by the federal government has averaged 19.7% of GDP and the annual deficit has exceeded 3% of GDP 2 times and will once again this fiscal year.

Thus, of the slightly more than $3.9 trillion in accumulated deficits since 1960, more than $3.6 trillion has been accumulated under republican presidents while only about $244 billion has been accumulated under democratic presidents. In constant 2000 dollars the numbers are more than $5.8 trillion in total accumulated deficits with about $5.1 trillion accumulated under republican presidents and about $700 billion accumulated under democratic presidents. And of the 15 times since 1960 that the annual deficit has exceeded 3% of GDP, every single time it was under a republican president.


http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2006/sheets/hist01z3.xls (Note: The first year of a presidential term operates under the budget and appropriations of the last year of the preceeding presidential term, except for any supplemental appropriation bills passed during such first year. The summary above does not include any such supplemental bills.)

[catmandu57]

6. So all this noise

about fiscal responsibility is just that noise. If you're just a poor fucking peon trying to keep your head above water then it's your responsibility.
These "people" are the biggest bunch of whining blame someone else hypocrites. Someone ought to tell them you can only squeeze so much out, if they want more then the fucking tax cuts have to go.