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Behind the Scenes, Boehner Saving Taxpayers Millions
Townhall.com ^ | April 27, 2013 | Daniel Doherty

Posted on 04/27/2013 10:32:32 PM PDT by Kaslin

House Speaker John Boehner took a lot of heat in January when he rubber-stamped the president’s job-crushing tax increases. Indeed, an entire movement sprang up on Twitter -- symbolized by the hashtag #FireBoehner -- in the weeks prior to the “compromise” urging conservative members of Congress to oust him from his position of leadership in part because he publicly proposed tax hikes as part of the negotiations. The initiative failed, of course, but that didn’t stop Republicans from bristling at Boehner’s supposed betrayal and questioning his leadership. Now, it seems, that’s all water under the bridge -- at least for now.

Today, however, and unlike the president, the leader of the lower chamber is actually serious about cutting operational spending -- which is estimated to save taxpayers some $400 million by January 2014 (via USA Today):

The House of Representatives will spend 15% less on its own operations this year than it did three years ago under a cost-cutting effort launched by Speaker John Boehner that is on pace to save taxpayers more than $400 million by the end of this year

When Republicans took control of the House in January 2011, Boehner, the new speaker, said cutting House spending would be a priority.

Since then, House lawmakers have seen a nearly 20% decrease in their office budgets. Three years ago, the average lawmaker had an annual $1.5 million budget, which is down to $1.2 million. Those budgets — which vary by office — cover everything from staff salaries to district office rent and bottled water.

The graph below illustrates just how serious House Republicans are about cutting spending under Boehner’s leadership:

 photo HouseSavings_zps4e18a22e.png

I imagine that serving as Speaker of the House in 2013 is no easy task. In many ways, the Republican Party is fractured along ideological and political lines, and thus finding compromise on every issue is probably difficult. That Boehner was about to find a way to unite his party (namely, by cutting wasteful federal spending) is commendable -- especially because Democrats in the Senate are refusing to implement the same exact cost-savings measures. Go figure.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Editorial; Government
KEYWORDS: budgetandgovernment; johnboehner; spendingcuts
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1 posted on 04/27/2013 10:32:32 PM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

When we are spending 3 billion more than we take in, in ONE DAY, 200 million, really doesn’t dent anything.

We are dealing with a trillion (a million million) dollars a year overages. It’s like saving 200 dollars but overspending a million dollars. The principle is fine but if the best we our side can do is only save 200 bucks, our side isn’t really doing anything to fundamentally address the overspending.

He’s in control of the House. This is where the purse strings are supposed to be. Saving 200 million but overspending by a trillion, I just cannot applaud this.


2 posted on 04/27/2013 10:38:34 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (I can neither confirm or deny that; even if I could, I couldn't - it's classified.)
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To: Secret Agent Man

Boehner is a useless drunk


3 posted on 04/27/2013 10:42:52 PM PDT by Psiman (PS I am not a crackpot)
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To: Kaslin

uh huh yeah right , that’s the ticket


4 posted on 04/27/2013 10:53:32 PM PDT by yldstrk (My heroes have always been cowboys)
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To: Psiman

I’ve always figured that he was on the take from the libs.


5 posted on 04/27/2013 10:56:13 PM PDT by SIDENET
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To: Secret Agent Man

He’s in control of the House. This is where the purse strings are supposed to be. Saving 200 million but overspending by a trillion, I just cannot applaud this.


Rather than fight the Dems the Gutless Old Party has just decided to declare victory over them on some issues. It started with the sequester and this is just more of it.


6 posted on 04/27/2013 11:00:26 PM PDT by lodi90
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To: Kaslin

“to save taxpayers $400 million by 2014”.

Bullshit.

How many taxpayers are there in America? Anyone know off hand? Let’s arbitrarily say that there are 50 Million taxpayers. Divide that into $400 Million and that comes to a grand savings total of $80.00 per person.

I’m always lousy at math but that seems to be the whole deal. Somebody check my math and correct it if necessary.

50,000,000 into 400,000,000 = 80.

Shit, I’ve saved the taxpayers almost that much in just two cases I helped win for the government, and I didn’t get any extra reward for it.

Boehner is a useless, gutless, jellyfish who has got to go before any re changes can take place within the GOP. If not, 2014 is a wash, and the Tea Party will become the new second leading political party in the US.


7 posted on 04/27/2013 11:45:01 PM PDT by MadMax, the Grinning Reaper
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To: Kaslin
BULL!
Bonehead Boehner is one of the biggest problems the "has-been" GOP has.

In short, the GOP is full of VILE members who'll sell us out in a heartbeat!

Here are the ones that I know about.
What do we do when our side is full of TRAITORS?
I submit the following for proof.

Check out this link, "Senate Republicans Willfully and Knowingly Lie to Their Constituents (vote to fund Obamacare)".And let's not forget Sen. John McCain, one of Conservatives worst enemies, saying 'I don't understand' GOP filibuster on guns.
Thanks to Cyropaedia for this:
8 posted on 04/28/2013 12:00:22 AM PDT by Yosemitest (It's Simple ! Fight, ... or Die !)
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To: Kaslin

$400 million!? And we are supposed to be impressed or pleased with Boehner? I think that he is in cahoots with President Obama. He could be doing so much more to stop the profligate, relentless and ever-increasing spending of the Obama administration and he is not doing that. This is like the way that Obama asked his cabinet members, early in his administration, to find $100 million of combined cuts that they could make (they failed, by the way). Meanwhile, he is increasing our spending by trillions.

Boehner has demonstrated that he is part of the problem and not part of the solution.


9 posted on 04/28/2013 12:00:46 AM PDT by Piranha
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To: Kaslin

I have been trying to find the results of his re-election campaign in 2012. How did he do, and who was his opponent? As far as I can see, he won in a landslide, and if this is true (please, someone, confirm this or correct me) I think it is compelling evidence that the Democrats believe that Boehner will advance their agenda. Otherwise, they would have slated a candidate and done their get-out-the-vote effort against him.


10 posted on 04/28/2013 12:02:44 AM PDT by Piranha
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To: Kaslin

I know a simple way he could save a ton of money for the American tax payer, SECURE THE FRIGGIN BORDER!


11 posted on 04/28/2013 12:11:45 AM PDT by Mastador1 (I'll take a bad dog over a good politician any day!)
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To: Kaslin

Sorry, but I’m not impressed in the least. Weeper is still a present danger to conservatives and the country. Let him go back to Ohio and run his family saloon. The nation will be safer this way.


12 posted on 04/28/2013 1:01:54 AM PDT by princeofdarkness (The GOP is the present version of 1940 France and it will only get worse.)
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To: Yosemitest

Boy, Marco Rubio sure did lie down with dogs (McCain,Graham, Flake). How do you say fool in Spanish?


13 posted on 04/28/2013 1:04:50 AM PDT by flaglady47 (When the gov't fears the people, liberty; When the people fear the gov't, tyranny.)
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To: Kaslin

“The House of Representatives will spend 15% less on its own operations this year than it did three years ago under a cost-cutting effort launched by Speaker John Boehner that is on pace to save taxpayers more than $400 million by the end of this year.”

This would be an impressive number, IF THIS WAS FREAKIN’ 1935!


14 posted on 04/28/2013 1:08:35 AM PDT by princeofdarkness (The GOP is the present version of 1940 France and it will only get worse.)
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To: flaglady47

Believe it or not it is “TONTO”.


15 posted on 04/28/2013 1:13:02 AM PDT by princeofdarkness (The GOP is the present version of 1940 France and it will only get worse.)
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To: flaglady47
Boy, Marco Rubio sure did lie down with dogs (McCain,Graham, Flake). How do you say fool in Spanish?
"Florida voter" or a more recent translation "Rush Limbaugh".

He announced his intention for his "Dream Act" before he was elected.

His Chief of Staff is an open borders dimwit, but I'm sure Rubio had no idea before hand.

16 posted on 04/28/2013 1:18:02 AM PDT by lewislynn ( We bet on the black, it came up red.)
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To: Kaslin

$200 million saved?

We are spending $7 million each minute. Every minute. That is $420 million per hour.

Boehner just saved us a half hour of spending.

Whoopee. We are saved. Crisis averted.


17 posted on 04/28/2013 2:17:50 AM PDT by Freedom_Is_Not_Free (Free goodies for all -- Freedom for none.)
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To: MadMax, the Grinning Reaper

50 goes into 400 eight times not 80


18 posted on 04/28/2013 3:48:11 AM PDT by hattend (Firearms and ammunition...the only growing industries under the Obama regime.)
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To: flaglady47

“Boy , Marco Rubio sure did lie down with dogs (McCain, Graham, Flake). How do you say fool in Spanish.?”

Perhaps his fellow Gang of Eight member Menendez will take him on a stress relief trip to the Dominican Republic.

Rubio has sold out for the Sunday talk show circuit today and the promise of higher office in the future. The Senate is a pay your dues club with an entrenched hierarchy. Freshman senators only get the kind of exposure Rubio gets if they are doing the bidding of those with big money and real power. Rubio is the GOP’s Barack Obama. The question is who is controlling him? Beware.


19 posted on 04/28/2013 4:10:08 AM PDT by Soul of the South (Yesterday is gone. Today will be what we make of it.)
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To: Mastador1

The Boston Marathon Bombers didn’t come in through the Mexican border, and one was a naturalized citizen


20 posted on 04/28/2013 4:54:13 AM PDT by Kaslin (He needed the ignorant to reelect him, and he got them. Now we all have to pay the consequenses)
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