With Majority in Disarray, GOP Launches "Butcher Shop" to Spotlight Pork Projects in Year-End Spending Bill
Democratic Infighting Further Delays Action on Laundry List of Must-Do Priorities
Washington,
Dec 11, 2007 -
It’s exactly two weeks until Christmas Day, yet the Majority can’t seem to get its act together. The laundry list of priorities this Congress still must address is long enough to fill an entire year, not just two weeks. Among the “must-do” items before the Christmas break begins: protecting 23 million Americans from a massive tax hike, enacting fiscally responsible spending bills, and passing vital funding for troops and veterans. Instead, Democratic leaders are literally fighting among themselves over what to do – and when to do it. Just take a look at today’s headlines:
· “Dems Head Back To Square One After Latest Plans For Omnibus Deal Scuttled,” Congress Daily AM, December 11, 2007
· “Democrats Postpone Vote on Domestic Spending,” New York Times, December 11, 2007
· “Spending Bill Stalls in Congress,” Associated Press, December 10, 2007
· “Democrats Rethink Endgame Strategy,” Congressional Quarterly, December 11, 2007
And today’s Wall Street Journal rehashes the Democratic in-fighting – among leaders and liberal allies alike – in great detail:
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“[T]he proposal has suffered from a clumsy introduction by top Democrats leaders and hostile reception from the White House, which issued a veto threat Saturday even before reading the bill...
“Mr. Obey’s anger seems directed not just at the administration but at some of his colleagues. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) was described by one top Democrat as ‘livid’ after comments last week by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D., Md.) that triggered stories suggesting a year-end bargain trading unfettered war money for domestic funds.
“Liberal blogs Monday attacked the Democrats for engaging in any such tradeoff; while Mr. Obey said he was only speaking for himself, he had talked with Ms. Pelosi prior to his comments and often reflects her feelings as well.” |
While Democratic leaders throw temper tantrums and fight amongst themselves, congressional Republicans remain united behind a fundamental principle: Congress must spend taxpayer dollars wisely – and responsibly.
With that in mind, GOP leaders have assembled a virtual “Butcher Shop” to find and publicize scores of wasteful earmarks, pork-barrel spending, and harmful policy that will undoubtedly find their way into the Majority’s “omnibus” spending bill. The “Butcher Shop” is sure to be a busy place because the omnibus is being crafted in secret and outside of regular legislative order, meaning none of the pork – including an untold number of completely new wasteful earmarks – will ever see the light of day once the final legislation is introduced. This amounts to a massive earmark cover-up from a Majority that promised more disclosure in how the federal government spends taxpayer dollars.
So, with congressional Republicans lining up against an irresponsible spending scheme, will Democratic leaders finally keep its promises of fiscal responsibility by reaching out and working in a bipartisan way to pass a responsible spending bill? Or will they continue to fight – and further delay action on countless priorities that have gone unaddressed all year by a Congress that has consistently put politics before accomplishment?
