McConnell: No Alternatives To Budget

[babylonsister]

Run time: 02:59 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRPzr5itTKU   Posted on YouTube: March 15, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: March 15, 2009 By DU Member: babylonsister Views on DU: 771

 
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/03/15/mcconnell-budget/

McConnell Bumbles When Asked For GOP Alternative To Obama’s Budget: We’re ‘Getting Down In The Weeds’

Since President Obama unveiled his budget last month, Republicans have been relentlessly attacking his comprehensive proposals. Last week, Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) said that Obama “should be focusing on the ‘economic crisis,’ as opposed to holding four-hour meetings on health care.” Today on ABC’s This Week, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) kept up the drumbeat, saying, “It taxes too much, it spends too much, it borrows too much.”

However, host George Stephanopoulos repeatedly pressed McConnell for a comprehensive Republican alternative budget. Each time, McConnell simply attacked Obama’s plan. He said that he and his colleagues would be offering amendments to “reframe” what the Democrats have proposed, but don’t plan on offering a comprehensive plan:

McCONNELL: {W}e are going to offer a number of amendments to the Democratic proposal. <…>

STEPHANOPOULOS: But shouldn’t you have a comprehensive approach that lays out the trade-offs? If you just have rifle-shot amendments, you don’t have to make all the trade-offs that you have to make in an overall budget.

McCONNELL: Well, we’re just sort of getting down in the weeds here about procedure. :eyes: Through the amendment process, we would absolutely reformulate the Democratic plan. Whether you have a comprehensive approach or whether you offer an amendment is something a parliamentarian can debate.

As the New York Times has pointed out, by not offering a full counterproposal, Republicans have made a decision “that will spare them from outlining potentially painful decisions required to bring federal books more in line with their call to hold down spending, cut taxes and reduce the deficit.” What they are instead offering is “a steady stream of complaints.”

In many ways, their strategy is a repeat of what they did during the economic recovery debate. Republicans largely opposed Obama’s plan for political reasons, picking out small provisions as excuses to oppose the entire bill. The Progress Report has more here on why, despite McConnell’s complaints, it is possible walk and chew gum at the same time.

[Hulk]

1. One lame ass senator representing a lame ass political party....

Their days are washed up. The "grand obstructionist party" has no ideas...only cut taxes and cut spending, which is damn hollow since they've cut taxes on their wealthy buddies and spent like drunken sailors for the past eight years. I still think it's worth mentioning....IRAQ WAS UNNECESSARY!!

How the people of KY could re-elect this lame douche bag for another term is beyond me. There must be a LOT of dumb ass people in that state. I can't stand to even look at this old blood hound or boehner...or whatever his name is. PATHETIC stuffed shirts!

[L0oniX]

2. Lame and senile.