So far in the debt ceiling debate, the White House has only “agreed” (quotation marks to indicate that nothing is in writing) to cut $2B from discretionary spending – less than one half of one percent of its total shopping list for the next fiscal year. Worse, that is only a cut on its increases – not a cut to bottom-line spending.
Lets put this in terms that relate to the average American family, shall we?
Mary and Jack decide they want to buy a new car, and Jack is eyeing that Corvette he’s wanted since high school. Even though they already have credit card debt and loans totaling $25,000. Mary rolls her eyes, but agrees to go to the Chevy dealership – until they find out the new Corvette is $85,000.
Not wanting to give in to political correctness and drive a “green” dishwasher with wheels, they instead opt for the reasonably priced Hyundai Santa Fe that costs $25,000 — and take out a loan on the full value.
In Mary and Jack’s world, they just added $25,000 to the family debt. In Obama’s world, they cut spending by $60,000.
Earlier this week, GOP Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s “compromise” plan to force the White House to submit spending cuts in writing to Congress gave many Conservatives heartburn. Although most understood his intent was to force the President’s to put his cuts on an actual piece of paper with a non-robotic pen, many on the right were squirming in their seats in fear that McConnell’s move could be a sign of Senate GOP-ers going wobbly on holding the President to serious spending cuts.
Such doubts were completely obliterated today however, when Leader McConnell became a full co-sponsor of the Senate’s Cut, Cap, Balance Act that already has 32 Senate Republican co-sponsors.
The Act, originally introduced by GOP Senators Pat Toomey (PA), Mike Lee (UT) and Rand Paul (KY) is designed to do exactly as it says – cut current spending, cap future spending (as in no more raising the debt ceiling) and balance the budget (as in only spend what you take in.) The Act was in response to the Cut, Cap, Balance Pledge circulated on the Hill over the last month by IWF, Let Freedom Ring, 60 Plus and a number of other conservative groups.
If this was a brilliant strategy by McConnell to shut down his own compromise plan, it was brilliant indeed.
As the House moves forward – likely tomorrow – with its version of CCB, the addition of the Minority Leader in the Senate and the rumor that he is actively touting the Act to members of the GOP caucus could not have come at a better time.
Any recalcitrant House Members just ran out of excuses.
With the Cut, Cap, Balance activity on the Hill and public pressure from taxpayers who President Obama recently disparaged as not being quite clever enough to understand this whole budget, spending thingie, the White House will be forced to get serious about offering specific cuts in significant amounts.
A smaller version of Mrs. Obama’s garden or a little less stimulus money to “green” industries just ain’t gonna cut it.
Leadership in the House and the Senate is rock solid on the need for spending cuts and a balanced budget, and the power to cure the debt crisis rests in the White House as it always has. McConnell’s name on the CCB Act is huge.
Kudos to the Senate Minority Leader and a little advice to all the taxpayers’ friends in both Houses: Hold, hold hold.