Many of the Republicans in the House have committed to cutting discretionary spending this year by $100 billion. That’s a pretty big chunk out of the $477 billion total, and because the Federal fiscal year is well under way, this would amount to a thirty plus percent cut in current spending.
(to track how they’re doing, bookmark PolitiFact’s Pledge-O-Meter)
Leaving aside the obvious…difficulty in cutting almost a third of current non-military, non-entitlement or debt discretionary spending, I’m struck by the rather dramatic change demonstrated by this interest in cutting spending, especially as much of it comes from the same guys and gals who voted for the Medicare Part D program, the drug benefit with no dedicated financing, no offsets and no revenue-generators – the entire cost – which is now around sixteen trillion dollars – simply added to the federal budget deficit.
Heck, the fiscal fighters in the GOP could cut $62 billion this year alone just by canceling Part D – but wait, that would alienate seniors, whose votes are critical, and getting more so.
Among the hawks – now salivating at the chance to show their fiscal responsibility credentials – who voted in favor of an unfunded $16 trillion addition to the deficit are current Speaker Boehner, Barton of Texas, Cantor, Issa, Hoekstra, Hensarling, Nussle, fiscal hawk Ryan, Rohrabacher and LaHood.
We have a problem – a huge, and growing problem. Cutting a hundred billion from current non-military, non-entitlement, non-veterans, non-debt service spending is a great political sound bite. It’s also fiscally irresponsible.
If these politicians are really interested in cutting the deficit, they should kill Part D.
Jan
4
When will the public and Politicians realize that gov’t spending should satisfy what is good for the country, not just for personal, state or party interests? Maybe the Tea Party is right. Certainly there is fraud, error in payment, misappropriation, etc that can be eliminated.