Thursday
Feb042010
GOP Doesn’t Mind Being ‘Party Of No’ On Spending
Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 12:45PM
With Democrats in the Senate getting set to put forth a jobs bill, perhaps as early as Monday, their counterparts across the aisle are saying ‘no’ to more spending.
“We have a situation now that’s just too serious to continue to handle that way,” said Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) on Thursday. “It’s not an exaggeration to say our country is on the edge of a financial cliff.”
DeMint and fellow GOP Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and George LeMieux (R-Fla.) unveiled their party’s latest attempt to restore fiscal responsibility to Washington, calling on Congress to support a one-year moratorium on earmarks along with a Constitutional Amendment to balance the federal budget.
“What we’re doing here today, is to try and challenge everyone in the Senate -- Republican and Democrat -- to join us in those steps that we can take...to address our growing deficit,” said DeMint.
“Everything is gonna get cut...it’s gonna be painful, but I guarantee you that we can cut the agencies of government...by 20 percent even, maybe 30 percent,” added LeMieux.
McCain, a noted opponent of federal earmark spending, blasted President Barack Obama for supporting using unspent Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) funds to fuel a jobs bill which could total over $100 billion.
“The President says he’s gonna have a spending freeze next year, and in the very next breath proposes a hundred billion dollars in new spending called a ‘jobs bill.’ It’s out of control.”
The hard part now for the 11 cosponsors of the measures will be to actually practice what they preach. Graham, for example, has a known record of not being averse to requesting earmarks. As recently as 2009, he helped secure nearly 10 million dollars to fund construction of a fitness center inside Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina.
Graham, however, said he’s willing to bite the proverbial bullet in the short-run.
“It would be tough for us all, but it’s the right thing for the future. So I don’t mind an earmark system in the future that’s transparent, that’s logical and fits within a balanced budget.”
“We have a situation now that’s just too serious to continue to handle that way,” said Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) on Thursday. “It’s not an exaggeration to say our country is on the edge of a financial cliff.”
DeMint and fellow GOP Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and George LeMieux (R-Fla.) unveiled their party’s latest attempt to restore fiscal responsibility to Washington, calling on Congress to support a one-year moratorium on earmarks along with a Constitutional Amendment to balance the federal budget.
“What we’re doing here today, is to try and challenge everyone in the Senate -- Republican and Democrat -- to join us in those steps that we can take...to address our growing deficit,” said DeMint.
“Everything is gonna get cut...it’s gonna be painful, but I guarantee you that we can cut the agencies of government...by 20 percent even, maybe 30 percent,” added LeMieux.
McCain, a noted opponent of federal earmark spending, blasted President Barack Obama for supporting using unspent Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) funds to fuel a jobs bill which could total over $100 billion.
“The President says he’s gonna have a spending freeze next year, and in the very next breath proposes a hundred billion dollars in new spending called a ‘jobs bill.’ It’s out of control.”
The hard part now for the 11 cosponsors of the measures will be to actually practice what they preach. Graham, for example, has a known record of not being averse to requesting earmarks. As recently as 2009, he helped secure nearly 10 million dollars to fund construction of a fitness center inside Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina.
Graham, however, said he’s willing to bite the proverbial bullet in the short-run.
“It would be tough for us all, but it’s the right thing for the future. So I don’t mind an earmark system in the future that’s transparent, that’s logical and fits within a balanced budget.”
Reid: Jobs Bill Will Reach Senate Floor Monday
Legislation aimed at boosting job creation will reach the Senate floor Monday, according to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.)
“For Senate Democrats, creating jobs is job number one,” said Reid during a press conference Thursday
Reid, along with Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Bryon Dorgan (D-N.D.) presented the ‘Democratic Jobs Agenda.' The three page agenda lacks detail, but outlines tax incentives for businesses that hire new employees and provide greater access to credit through lending programs.
“We support programs to help small businesses more easily access the credit they need to expand and hire more workers, to export their products to foreign markets and to create a Small Business Lending Pool to help community banks more quickly lend to small businesses,” according to the text of the agenda.
In reference to losing a Democratic seat to Massachusetts Republican Scott Brown, Schumer said that Democrats have "heard the message of Massachusetts."
“The message wasn't 'don’t do health care.' More than half the people polled said they liked health care and we should do it,” said Schumer. Instead, Schumer said, the message was to "focus immediately on jobs, the economy, helping the middle class.”
“This is a good faith offering on the Democratic side. We are inviting our friends on the Republican side to join us. Bring your best ideas forward,” said Durbin. “Let’s put these on the floor and move on them with a sense of urgency. It is of highest priority of the people of this country. It should be the highest priority in the Senate.”