Rep. Paul Ryan has a new budget plan out this week – this one proposes to balance the budget in 2040.
It’s being attacked by Democrats as viciously as if Republicans were proposing to shut down Washington for good.
Which raises the question: Why aren’t Republicans more aggressive in proposing cuts in borrowing and spending?
This Ryan plan is even more timid than his previous one.
My theory is that Republican leadership really doesn’t want to cut borrowing and spending very much. In fact, as I have pointed out many times, Republicans have had multiple opportunities to stop borrowing cold since they captured control of the House of Representative in 2010. They squandered those chances. All they had to do was vote no on raising the debt limit. There would be nothing Democrats in the Senate and the White House could do about it. Immediately, massive cuts in spending would have to be made to bring the budget into balance. Entire departments and agencies and entrenched bureaucracies would need to be eliminated – overnight.
But Republican leadership doesn’t have the stomach for that.
We keep hearing about how government is headed off a cliff, but Republicans seem satisfied with putting forth budgets that require approval by Democrats. No matter what they propose, Democrats won’t compromise.
Republicans refuse to play hard ball – even when they’ve got the power to make a real difference.
Even if Republicans only used their veto power over more borrowing as political leverage they could exact drastic cuts in borrowing and spending. But they are not even willing to do that. They hold a political nuclear weapon in their hands, but they haplessly announce to the world and to their political opponents they have no intention of using it.
Does this make sense?
Are you, like me, tired of hearing about the latest Republican budget plan that is going to change the culture of Washington in 2040?
It’s a sad joke.
It’s a sham.
It’s a scam.
It’s 2012, and the stake are high. Don’t tell me Barack Obama is destroying the fabric of American society and fight back like a bunch of pansies. It’s time for Republicans to stand up like men and fight back with the power Americans have already given them.
That’s what I have been saying since January 2011 when Republicans took control of the House.
They should refuse to borrow any more money. Period. End of story.
But it doesn’t look like they’re getting the message – even after we have inundated them with more than 1 million letters promoting the No More Red Ink plan.
Maybe they need a million more between now and Election Day.
Let’s face it. If we can’t get the Republicans to do the right and responsible thing, is there any hope we’re going to persuade Democrats?
If we can’t persuade Republicans in control of the House now to stop borrowing and spending, is there any hope of getting a future Republican Senate to do it?
If we can’t persuade Republicans in control of the House to use their constitutional power to cut the size of government so it can live within its means, why should we even bother electing a Republican president?
If you agree with me that it’s time for Republicans to start living up to their rhetorical commitment to limited constitutional government, you need to make your voice heard with the Republicans who have the power to do it right now – including Paul Ryan and John Boehner and the rest of the GOP House leadership.
There’s an easy, economical and fast way to do it – and to magnify your voice a thousand-fold.
Take part in the No More Red Ink campaign that demands today’s House Republicans say no to any more hikes in the debt limit. They’re going to get yet another chance to do that this fall.
No more business as usual. No more 28-year plans. No more stalling. No more political posturing.
Tell them to just stop borrowing – now.
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