Speaker Boehner Owes Us an Explanation
Does he ever. And right now.
At the Wall Street Journal, the editors have been examining the deal the Speaker cut with the White House and Senate Democrats last week. Thirty-eight billion in cuts? Not even close.
From today's editorial page:
After separating out the accounting gimmicks and one-year savings, the actual cuts look to be closer to $20 billion than to the $38 billion that both sides advertised….
The whopper is declaring $6.2 billion in savings by not spending money left from the 2010 Census. Congress also cuts $4.9 billion from the Justice Department's Crime Victims Fund, but much of that money was tucked away in a reserve fund that wouldn't have been spent this year in any event….
An estimated $17 billion comes from one-time savings in mandatory programs. The cuts are real, but the funding gets restored by law the next year, which means Republicans will have to refight the same battles.
As I mentioned yesterday, I'd been taking the Speaker at his word--and supposing, I admit, that Mark Levin, Rush, and Ricochet's own David Limbaugh--the sainted David Limbaugh--were simply pushing for too many cuts too fast.
Now this.
Speaker Boehner, I now believe, needs to answer a couple of questions--immediately.
Did he know the deal he cut last week amounted, in very large part, to a sham?
If not, why not?
If so, why did he mislead his own members--and the American people?
- Comment (54)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (5)
Comments :
Jan '11
Re: Speaker Boehner Owes Us an Explanation
Well, to be fair, Boehner does acknowledge that people have questions about it. NRO's Daniel Foster has a post that points to Boehner's blog site. I agree with Foster's take, however -- Boehner's replies aren't really slam dunk answers.
May '10
Re: Speaker Boehner Owes Us an Explanation
Yes, he has some serious 'splainin' to do. On the other hand, the Senate votes on the riders (especially the Planned Parenthood issue), could give us plenty of good material to use in competitive Senate races next year in Missouri, Virginia, Montana, North Dakota and Florida. I'm willing to give him a chance to make it up to us by effectively pushing Congressman Ryan's pathway - but I feel my patience growing short.
Mar '11
Re: Speaker Boehner Owes Us an Explanation
This morning, a caller on Rush's show said that the Republicans have an opportunity to be obstructionists and they are blowing it by trying to cut deals. This is exactly right. Republicans have a chance to show America just exactly what the Democrats are about, and they are letting the opportunity slip away because they're afraid of what people will say about them.
It was so predictable that we unsophisticated Tea Partiers predicted it.
Mar '11
Re: Speaker Boehner Owes Us an Explanation
Next prediction: The 6.2 Trillion Ryan Plan will get whittled to some miniscule, pointless number and Republican leadership will wave some papers around in front of the cameras and say, "We made an historic deal for the American people," while excusing the pathetic effort by saying that there was no way they could have done any better with a Democrat Senate and White House.
We don't need deals right now. We need to call the liberals onto the carpet, cut their silly rhetoric to ribbons and give the voters real choices in 2012. Remember that "Dear Woman" video? That was Republican leadership "negotiating" with the Democrats.
Sissies.
Apr '11
Re: Speaker Boehner Owes Us an Explanation
When the Tea Party brought in new candidates to remove less-than-conservative incumbents in the GOP, they were ridiculed and told that these rookies couldn't win. Any Tea Party loss was pointed at as proof.
Meanwhile, here is Boehner showing why 2010 happened. Many Americans aren't merely fed up with Democrats, we're fed up with politics as usual. There's a growing sense that we cannot continue the path we're going down, yet the establishment seems -- to our perception at least -- convinced that we can keep going if we just pace ourselves.
Deals like these only confirm Tea Party suspicions. Reading the most of the Constitution out loud to begin the new Congress is mere theater. It's actions that count, and so far Boehner's actions seem to be lacking.
The political situation may look good for Republican gains and poor for Pres. Obama's re-election, but the established GOP could easily sabotage themselves.
Jul '10
Re: Speaker Boehner Owes Us an Explanation
20 does not equal 100!
They stab you in the back every time! Never Trust a Republican!
Jul '10
Re: Speaker Boehner Owes Us an Explanation
Romulus Augustus in 2012. Let's just end it now.
Edited on Apr 13, 2011 at 11:09amMar '11
Re: Speaker Boehner Owes Us an Explanation
Peter, you’re absolutely right. If we needed any more proof of the necessity for simplification and transparency in taxing and spending, this is it. While it’s heartening that it took only a couple of days to see past the smoke and mirrors, it shouldn’t have taken even that long.
I think Boehner got rolled. He wanted to avert a shutdown so badly he didn’t subject the deal to the kind of accounting scrutiny he should have. I don’t blame him for not seeing through this charade personally. Few politicians have the skill set to do so. All the more reason to agree to nothing without giving the green eyeshade types a chance to truth test the offer.
Apr '11
Re: Speaker Boehner Owes Us an Explanation
Gus Marvinson: Next prediction: The 6.2 Trillion Ryan Plan will get whittled to some miniscule, pointless number and Republican leadership will wave some papers around in front of the cameras and say, "We made an historic deal for the American people," while excusing the pathetic effort by saying that there was no way they could have done any better with a Democrat Senate and White House.
We don't need deals right now. We need to call the liberals onto the carpet, cut their silly rhetoric to ribbons and give the voters real choices in 2012. Remember that "Dear Woman" video? That was Republican leadership "negotiating" with the Democrats.
Sissies. · Apr 13 at 10:49am
I think you've got a point there. It seems fear is guiding Boehner.
And as we all know: Fear is the mind-killer.
Dec '10
Re: Speaker Boehner Owes Us an Explanation
To those saying Boehner was tricked: Why are you saying that? What is giving you faith/hope that Boehner didn't know exactly what he was doing. Everything I am seeing leads me to believe that Boehner knowingly lied about the size of the cuts and hoped that the battle over the debt ceiling, Ryan's Budget, and the President's Budget would take up so much of the news cycle we wouldn't notice.
Apr '11
Re: Speaker Boehner Owes Us an Explanation
I'm more in agreement with you, Nyadnar17. Essentially, I can see Boehner and the GOP promising cuts, using a few tricks to produce "cuts" which look great on paper if you don't look at the footnotes.
Sep '10
Re: Speaker Boehner Owes Us an Explanation
Boehner is a politician who has been in DC for twenty plus years and he is acting like – well like a politician who has been in DC for twenty plus years. The only question I have is why would anyone be surprised? Naturally the 100 B. cuts turned into 60% fiction, 20% bull, and 20% cuts. What did you expect from a person who has been growing the government for the last 2+ decades?
Aug '10
Re: Speaker Boehner Owes Us an Explanation
It's not Democrats versus Republicans.
It's Washington, DC versus the American People or, in other words, the political class versus the unwashed masses.
Jul '10
Re: Speaker Boehner Owes Us an Explanation
As I pointed out in my posting on FROGS, the Republican Leadership is still learning the Wrong Lesson!
What Boehner didn't understand about November 2010 is that the Tea Party didn't want Republicans in office to have Republicans in office.
They wanted RESULTS.
If the Republican Leadership continues to "Play to Not Loose" instead of Playing to Win they are going to find that Christine O'Donnell was not an anomoly, but will become the Rule.
We can get a Leftward March with Democrats in charge, when we vot to move the other way, simply veering a little less left ain't gonna cut it.
Basically, Peter, I never took Boehner at his word because I knew the word of a Republican isn't worth the cost of the air expended to utter it.
Apr '11
Re: Speaker Boehner Owes Us an Explanation
In general, it can be summed up thus: I'm not surprised; I'm just disappointed.
Nov '10
Re: Speaker Boehner Owes Us an Explanation
Peter,
Remember last week when you were so concerned about the political effects of a shut down? It's sophistry of this ilk that makes the shut down mandatory.
Jun '10
Re: Speaker Boehner Owes Us an Explanation
This is making me very angry. Once again they think we are stupid. I have zero respect for Boehner. How can I? He is either a fool or a liar. What the heck was he thinking...noone would notice?
Mar '11
Re: Speaker Boehner Owes Us an Explanation
I think it wise not to attribute to conspiracy what can be explained by stupidity or ignorance. When it comes to cutting spending, Occam’s razor is not irrelevant.
Oct '10
Re: Speaker Boehner Owes Us an Explanation
There will be scant answers, why expect anything else ? Grim... The enconomic rubberband will snap soon....
Dec '10
Re: Speaker Boehner Owes Us an Explanation
Ah, the Republicans.
Ever spry and on guard to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
We are completely and totally hosed, people.
Completely, totally, unavoidably, and irredeemably hosed.
I'd like to formally welcome the entire United States of America into the LOTB (Loyal Order of the Terminally Boned).
Will the last person to starve to death please turn out the lights?
Thanks.