red states rule
05-09-2011, 03:22 AM
Looks as if Obama nd the Dems have not learned a simple economic principal. Government does not create wealth it only confiscates it
snip
The Democrats' first opportunity was during the lame-duck session of Congress in December. Senate Democrats sought to boost 2011 spending—fiscal 2011 had begun the previous September—by $19 billion. Their bill was studded with earmarks and pork-barrel expenditures. But it wasn't until Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell lined up Republican votes to block the measure that Democrats gave up. Spending in 2011 remained frozen at the 2010 level.
The second chance for spending cuts came in February when Mr. Obama unveiled his 2012 budget. The president said he had made "tough choices" but avoided "symbolic cuts this year that could endanger the recovery." His budget (now superseded) would have increased spending by $41 billion.
The third chance (mentioned above) came a few days later when the House voted to cut $61 billion from 2011 spending. Senate Democrats responded with roughly $4 billion in cuts. Both proposals lost in the Senate, but the $61 billion plan got more votes than the Democratic alternative.
In early March, Democrats had a fourth opportunity when the government's stopgap authority to spend—known as a "continuing resolution"—was due to expire, threatening a government shutdown. Mr. Reid attacked the Republican response to cut $2 billion while extending spending for two weeks as "reckless." But he grudgingly agreed to it.
Democrats soon had another shot at getting in front with a spending plan for the remainder of fiscal 2011. They hung back. When the House attached $6 billion in cuts to a three-week extension, Democrats again went on the attack. They made no counteroffer. Eventually they went along with the Republican cuts, missing their fifth opening.
At this point, Democrats saw they were losing the 2011 spending battle piecemeal. They abandoned any hope of a spending freeze. A freeze, by the way, isn't a cut. They settled with Republicans for $38 billion. This was the sixth opportunity they failed to seize.
In April, Mr. Obama acted, involuntarily. His 2012 budget had been widely bashed, even by his supporters in the media. The president presented a new plan that he said imposed twice in spending cuts what it would collect in tax increases. The reverse is closer to the truth, though Mr. Obama was so vague that it's impossible to know. Another opening to propose a series of major cuts—No. 7—was wasted.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703992704576305332480567882.html#a rticleTabs%3Darticle
snip
The Democrats' first opportunity was during the lame-duck session of Congress in December. Senate Democrats sought to boost 2011 spending—fiscal 2011 had begun the previous September—by $19 billion. Their bill was studded with earmarks and pork-barrel expenditures. But it wasn't until Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell lined up Republican votes to block the measure that Democrats gave up. Spending in 2011 remained frozen at the 2010 level.
The second chance for spending cuts came in February when Mr. Obama unveiled his 2012 budget. The president said he had made "tough choices" but avoided "symbolic cuts this year that could endanger the recovery." His budget (now superseded) would have increased spending by $41 billion.
The third chance (mentioned above) came a few days later when the House voted to cut $61 billion from 2011 spending. Senate Democrats responded with roughly $4 billion in cuts. Both proposals lost in the Senate, but the $61 billion plan got more votes than the Democratic alternative.
In early March, Democrats had a fourth opportunity when the government's stopgap authority to spend—known as a "continuing resolution"—was due to expire, threatening a government shutdown. Mr. Reid attacked the Republican response to cut $2 billion while extending spending for two weeks as "reckless." But he grudgingly agreed to it.
Democrats soon had another shot at getting in front with a spending plan for the remainder of fiscal 2011. They hung back. When the House attached $6 billion in cuts to a three-week extension, Democrats again went on the attack. They made no counteroffer. Eventually they went along with the Republican cuts, missing their fifth opening.
At this point, Democrats saw they were losing the 2011 spending battle piecemeal. They abandoned any hope of a spending freeze. A freeze, by the way, isn't a cut. They settled with Republicans for $38 billion. This was the sixth opportunity they failed to seize.
In April, Mr. Obama acted, involuntarily. His 2012 budget had been widely bashed, even by his supporters in the media. The president presented a new plan that he said imposed twice in spending cuts what it would collect in tax increases. The reverse is closer to the truth, though Mr. Obama was so vague that it's impossible to know. Another opening to propose a series of major cuts—No. 7—was wasted.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703992704576305332480567882.html#a rticleTabs%3Darticle