House republicans have vowed to cut the federal budget piece by piece, across the board but they say defense spending is off limits. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has proposed to cut defense spending by over $70 billion and gave congress the information as to why and how it can be done safely without affecting our national security. The republicans in an effect to continue their propaganda as being strong on defense are saying no way.
Past actions by the republican party tell the true story of their game plan, and it is not about balancing the federal budget. They had their chance under Bush 43 when they controlled both houses of congress and failed to balance one federal budget despite having inherited record surpluses from the Clinton administration. Instead of reducing spending on their watch, they voted for a massive increase in spending and gave the country massive deficits and debt.
The true story of the republicans budget cuts that they will propose is to continue the failed policies of Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43. Their aim is to bankrupt those programs that are vital to our country and its people while promoting tax cuts, incentives and other goodies for the wealthy. They have already met with industry lobbyist to kill regulations and promote corporate Americas agenda.
The best chance for a balanced budget is the democratic way. President Obama is the only President besides Clinton in the last 31 years to pay attention to and publicly tell the people the deficit problem has to be addressed and dealt with. Obama's state of the union speech laid out a plan to continue to address and act on the deficit. As the economy continues to improve, federal revenue will increase and help reduce the deficit. Is it interesting to note the republicans were silent the 20 years Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 ran up those massive deficits.
As I noted in a previous commentary here in politidose, Reagan was the first President to preside over a trillion dollar budget. Bush 43 was the first President to preside over the first two and three trillion dollar budget. It took the country 15 years to go from a one trillion dollar budget to a two trillion dollar budget, but it took Bush 43 only seven years to go from a two trillion dollar budget to a three trillion budget. Conservative Presidents? Not on your life.
The country has been void of any true conservative leaders for over 30 years. Their leadership has been right wing radicals who care nothing about moving the country and its people forward. Their anti-American ideology is to tear down everything that has made America great. Every day their actions prove they are incapable of engaging in a debate of the real issues. President Obama and the democratic party are still in the forefront of having the best policies of moving the country and its people forward to reverse the economic damage, record job losses and record deficit spending and debt of the previous administration. It will once again be democratic policies that will bring spending under control.
