Posted on 08/02/2011 4:10:15 PM PDT by A Cyrenian
Did the conservatives come out on top on the debt issue?
I'm not going to pretend to be an expert. But I think the conservatives in the House of Representatives did a hell of a job. Considering the hand they were dealt.
The liberals control the Senate & Monkey ears Huessin. So we're down 2 - 0.
If we had control of the Senate and/or the presidency, I would had loved to see more.
But, with the current situation, I think we won. And I'm surprised there's not more celebration on Free Republic.
Have we been beaten down so much that we can't be excited about our accomplishments?
What do you think?
Very interesting (and sadly accurate) observation.
No. We are still spending huge amounts more than our revenues - which means we are borrowing to pay the rest - which means the debt is increasing. As we print money in order to borrow, we are undermining the value of the dollar and inflating costs of essential goods and services.
The only way out of this mess is to treat the debt like a mortgage. Take our revenues and subtract the interest and scheduled payments on the debt principal. Then devise a budget to perform Constitutional functions that lives within our means. Yes, good programs that are needed by individuals will have to be cut, but we simply can’t afford them through government. They will have to come through the charitable sector.
Next, remove about 3.4 of the regulations that are choking business and setting a huge amount of natural resources aside and watch the U.S. blossom in global competition. A great many of these regulations are specifically designed on the International level to redistribute wealth to third world countries by severely handicapping US business.
Congress needs to put its big boy pants on, grow a pair and take our sovereignty back.
Hell no!
Congressman Tom McClintock represents the CA Congressional district adjacent to the one I am in. He once ran opposite Schwarzenegger for Governor in the primary. I have been so impressed with his intelligence, candor and integrity in the several meetings I have attended with him. He is a true Conservative and my pick as a candidate for President:
Dear Friend:
This evening, the House voted on the Budget Control Act of 2011, which, pending Senate action, will increase the statutory debt limit. Please find a short note explaining my vote below.
S. 365 – “Budget Control Act of 2011:” NO. This act increases the debt limit by between $2.1 and $2.4 trillion, the biggest explosion of debt in American history. It allows the government to avoid spending reductions for the next two years while squandering our last best hope of averting a sovereign debt crisis.
I am opposed to this measure for the following reasons:
1.The purported cuts, even if realized, are far below the $4 trillion deficit reduction that credit rating agencies have warned is necessary to preserve the Triple-A credit rating of the United States Government.
2.It blows the lid off the House budget passed in April by more than a half-trillion dollars over ten years.
3.It makes no significant spending reductions for at least the next two years, essentially freezing spending at an unsustainable level. While the debt increase occurs this year, deficit reductions are to be spread over many years and could be reversed by future acts of Congress.
4.The spending caps are easily circumvented by declaring appropriations to be an emergency, a response to a “major disaster,” or necessary for the “Global War on Terror.”
5.The balanced budget amendment provisions are illusory because the amendment is completely undefined.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any thoughts or concerns through http://www.mcclintock.house.gov/contact.
Sincerely,
Tom
Hmm, sadly, I do ;(
It was a mild win. Our share of the divided government allows no more then that.
It sets the stage for much better legislation after the 2012 election if the bratty foot-stomping of the absolutists don’t mess it all up. I don’t think they will. The numbers aren’t there for them.
I hear you. But, I have to believe that if we make our presence felt it will have an impact. How can they continue to read the polls and not realize that they are working AGAINST the will of the majority of the nation?
You are talking about lobbying for conservatives on this Committee. Less representation—instead of the entire House and Senate, we have 12 members in total control???? I admit I don’t know all the facts about this Super Congress...but the more I hear, the more concerned I am.
Think for a minute about this new form of Super Congress Committee...What is this about? Since when do we start appointing committees that have such authority? Never had anything like this before outside of reconcillation conference...They are just making recommendations, but they seem to be making policies...edicts...This committee was proposed by GOP Boehner and is a political solution—he gets cover as do all the others. Is this Committee even Constitutional?! House is supposed to have power of purse...This Committee is taking authority away from congress. 12 Members? President will have input at least on dem side.
As I understand it, their recommendations will be binding up or down yes or no vote...no amendments....So they get to declare what cuts occur or what can be administered. I heard that to override their will require a 2/3 majority to overrule and no filibusters? Hard to change...
I am not sure about all of their authority—just what I have heard a a little about what i have read, but I am concerned—seems the deck will be stacked, and typically, the more power we give any group in Washington the worse things go.
I will call Boehner, but I think this is a flawed process and plan, so outcome will be flawed.
You are kidding, right? Obama got his wish to raise the debt limit for the remainder of his tenure. He is the one celebrating, and off to his birthday bash.
This “new committee” they are talking about now will increase taxes. Again Obama gets what he wanted.
No, we fiscal conservatives have nothing to celebrate. We are in mourning for our country, at this juncture.
Agree with you.
Too many FReepers are blasting the vote because they have apparently forgotten that the House is only 1/2 of the Legislature and the other half and the Executive is ruled by the Dems.
What good would it have done to pass an excessivly conservative bill from the House only to see it squashed in the Senate?
At least this bill didn’t contain any overt tax increases, which Obama was insisting on, and it has automatic triggers of spending cuts if the bi-partisan House-Senate committee doesn’t provide recommendations in November; recommendations that have to be put to the vote in both the House and Senate.
Conservatives complain that there were not enough spending cuts (and I agree with that), while the Liberals complain that there weren’t income tax increases to permit more spending.
The gnashing of teeth and vitriol I’ve seen on FR the past couple of days about this subject is irrational, IMO.
Raising the debt ceiling only allows the US to borrow more money. It does not give Obama another $2 trillion to “spend as he wishes”, as so many posters on FR have said. Spending authorizations have to be approved by the House and then the Senate, so the debt ceiling increase is not a slush fund for Obama and his Communist handlers.
Thanks my friend, you win.
Ping
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.