Departing congressional republicans' scorched earth strategy - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

DoctorDawg · 12-07-2006, 07:23 AM

Interesting read in today's Wall Street Journal (hardly a liberal Democratic mouthpiece!). Basically, what these cowards are saying is "F--- you, America." Even my five-year-old grandson knows he has to clean up his own mess before he goes to bed.

Some Republicans Take a Scorched-Hill Tack

Leaving Budget Decisions
To Democrats Could Disrupt
New Leadership's Agenda
By DAVID ROGERS
December 6, 2006; Page A8

WASHINGTON -- Like a retreating army, Republicans are tearing up railroad track and planting legislative land mines to make it harder for Democrats to govern when they take power in Congress next month.

Already, the Republican leadership has moved to saddle the new Democratic majority with responsibility for resolving $463 billion in spending bills for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1. And the departing chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Bill Thomas (R., Calif.), has been demanding that the Democrat-crafted 2008 budget absorb most of the $13 billion in costs incurred from a decision now to protect physician reimbursements under Medicare, the federal health-care program for the elderly and disabled.

The unstated goal is to disrupt the Democratic agenda and make it harder for the new majority to meet its promise to reinstitute "pay-as-you-go" budget rules, under which new costs or tax cuts must be offset to protect the deficit from growing.

"I think we're trying to get an accommodation," said Speaker Dennis Hastert (R., Ill.) last evening. "You're digging a hole now and filling up with money from '08," he said of Mr. Thomas's demands. "He says he's trying to move away from that."

But with Mr. Hastert dismantling his office, House Republicans appear to be operating in a post-election leadership vacuum. The White House is watching with alarm, as are many Senate Republicans, who have a greater stake than the House in maintaining relations with Democrats.

"There are individuals who want to blow up the tracks, and there are more of those individuals in the House," said one Senate leadership aide.

The collapse of the appropriations process will be felt soon in the Justice and Commerce departments, food-safety agencies and veterans' health care. "It's not just a mess. It's a mountainous mess," complained Wisconsin Rep. David Obey, the next House Appropriations Committee chairman.

In the Medicare dispute, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles Grassley (R., Iowa) has aligned himself with Democrats against Mr. Thomas and House Energy and Commerce Chairman Joe Barton (R., Texas). Talks continued last night in hopes of reaching agreement this morning on the physician issue and a larger $38 billion tax-and-trade package important to business.

"Failure is not an option," warned John Engler, president of the National Association of Manufacturers. New York City and Wall Street have a major stake in $682 million in tax provisions important to transportation infrastructure and redevelopment of the World Trade Center area. And the trade package, as introduced by Mr. Thomas last night, runs from Vietnam and Andean countries to a set of expired general preferences for developing countries around the globe.

"We are fairly close," said Sen. Max Baucus (D., Mont.), the next Finance chairman. But given the still-uncertain Republican support, the Vietnam trade bill could yet be sacrificed, Mr. Grassley warned.

With Congress turning off the lights this week, there seems no chance of saving the appropriations process. Instead, most of the government will remain on a stopgap bill through Feb. 15, and in kicking this can down the road, the Republican leadership has no idea where it will stop rolling.
"It's a demonstration of the irresponsibility of Republicans that they would leave this country with this mess," said the next House speaker, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.). "But we won, we will deal with it."

Democrats could simply extend the stopgap resolution again in February and set themselves up as a budget appeals court of sorts, to which the administration will have to come for relief. "I think we can work through it, but it is not our preference," said White House budget chief Rob Portman. But the administration admits it could yet pay a price if the spending issues become entangled with President Bush's spring supplemental-spending request for military operations in Iraq.

The stopgap resolution, which the House expects to take up today, allows no growth above 2006 spending, and as a rule, any spending cuts from 2006 levels voted by the House this past summer prevail. On balance, annual funding is about $6 billion less than the president's budget request -- without always reflecting his priorities.

In the course of the House floor debate, for example, general administration funds for the Justice Department were cut to $35.4 million, less than half the 2006 funding level and a nearly 70% cut from the president's request. House members were gambling then that at least some of the money could be restored in final talks with the Senate, but since the appropriations process has collapsed, those talks never took place, and the Justice Department must live with the results.

Mr. Portman will have greater discretion to apportion funds to deal with the crisis. But the gaps are too big in some cases to easily work around. Food-safety inspections face a $17 million shortfall by Feb 15. Veterans medical care will be funded at an annual rate $3.1 billion less than most of Congress agrees is needed, and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R., Texas) is demanding changes in the stopgap bill to recognize this shortfall.

"What a sad mess," said Sen. Robert Byrd (D., W.Va).

NMCB3 · 12-07-2006, 08:10 AM

Since the Dems have been playing obstructionist for years,now the loser Republicans want some payback.What a sad commentary on our government.What ever happened to doing what was best for the country?Our government is a vile cesspool of corruption,party politics,and special interests.It needs to be pumped out. Unfortunately the ballot box doesn`t have enough suction. It always leaves some dung at the bottom of the tank.

mullanman · 12-07-2006, 08:17 AM

I don't really see what the mess is...

A new leadership is taking over, bills that were under way under republican leadership are no more or are being carried over...

I think this is a mountain out of a molehill...This crap happens every year when congress leaves home for the holidays..

Remember just a few years ago, congress ran out of money and was running on stop gap bills until they got their sh*t in order.

Nerves · 12-07-2006, 08:34 AM

All these mother F@ckers make me sick!!!!

bd · 12-07-2006, 08:38 AM

You expect "The Do-Nothing Congress" to start now?

This is what we get for $165,000 a year and all they can skim off the top.

Sore Losers.

bd

DoctorDawg · 12-07-2006, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mullanman

This crap happens every year when congress leaves home for the holidays..

Indeed, stopgap funding resolutions do happen now 'n again. But it seems to me there's a big difference between saying "Hey, we ran into some snags...no sweat, we'll be back in January to fix it" and saying (as here), "To hell with it; I'm goin' to Disneyland..." (or to K Street, or to Halliburton, or to General Dynamics, or whatever), "...next year's deficit is the Dems' fault!". Starting a war that leaves tens of thousands of American kids wounded and then failing to fund veterans' healthcare is nothing short of chickenpoop. Slashing food safety inspections while E. coli outbreaks are poppin' up like daisies is plum nuts. Declaring a war on terror, rolling back constitutional protections, and then eviscerating the Justice Dept.'s admin budget is nothing short of Kafka-esque.

Oh, heck, I guess it's just as well that these clowns do as little as possible before they get the hellouta Dodge; that much less to clean up after 'em.

NewXD40fun · 12-07-2006, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nerves

All these mother F@ckers make me sick!!!!

Have you considered returning the tax cuts you received in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005? This would be a great way to show your disgust instead of taking the easy way out by just throwing expletives. Just think how good you will feel by returning the money you saved....that'll teach'em, right?

Tom

FrankRizzoXD40 · 12-07-2006, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NMCB3

Since the Dems have been playing obstructionist for years,now the loser Republicans want some payback.What a sad commentary on our government.What ever happened to doing what was best for the country?Our government is a vile cesspool of corruption,party politics,and special interests.It needs to be pumped out. Unfortunately the ballot box doesn`t have enough suction. It always leaves some dung at the bottom of the tank.

Very well said. I agree with just about all of that. Term-limits might possibly be a good solution to this. It would help get rid of the "career politicians". Limits have their drawbacks though. I agree with what you are saying though.

Good post!

Frank

DoctorDawg · 12-07-2006, 08:45 AM

I'm pretty sure that comment had a point, Tommy...or at least a blunt end, or somethin'. I think.

NewXD40fun · 12-07-2006, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoctorDawg

Indeed, stopgap funding resolutions do happen now 'n again. But it seems to me there's a big difference between saying "Hey, we ran into some snags...no sweat, we'll be back in January to fix it" and saying (as here), "To hell with it; I'm goin' to Disneyland..." (or to K Street, or to Halliburton, or to General Dynamics, or whatever), "...next year's deficit is the Dems' fault!". Starting a war that leaves tens of thousands of American kids wounded and then failing to fund veterans' healthcare is nothing short of chickenpoop. Slashing food safety inspections while E. coli outbreaks are poppin' up like daisies is plum nuts. Declaring a war on terror, rolling back constitutional protections, and then eviscerating the Justice Dept.'s admin budget is nothing short of Kafka-esque.

Oh, heck, I guess it's just as well that these clowns do as little as possible before they get the hellouta Dodge; that much less to clean up after 'em.

Don't forget that the Federal government is the most wasteful institution in this country. I would bet that if every government department (except the Military) had its budget slashed 35% there would be no reduction in services. Did you ever hear of a Federal employee Union going on strike for higher pay and increased benefits?

Tom

12-07-2006, 07:23 AM	#1
DoctorDawg XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: If you need to ask, you don't need to know... Posts: 638	Departing congressional republicans' scorched earth strategy Interesting read in today's Wall Street Journal (hardly a liberal Democratic mouthpiece!). Basically, what these cowards are saying is "F--- you, America." Even my five-year-old grandson knows he has to clean up his own mess before he goes to bed. Some Republicans Take a Scorched-Hill Tack Leaving Budget Decisions To Democrats Could Disrupt New Leadership's Agenda By DAVID ROGERS December 6, 2006; Page A8 WASHINGTON -- Like a retreating army, Republicans are tearing up railroad track and planting legislative land mines to make it harder for Democrats to govern when they take power in Congress next month. Already, the Republican leadership has moved to saddle the new Democratic majority with responsibility for resolving $463 billion in spending bills for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1. And the departing chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Bill Thomas (R., Calif.), has been demanding that the Democrat-crafted 2008 budget absorb most of the $13 billion in costs incurred from a decision now to protect physician reimbursements under Medicare, the federal health-care program for the elderly and disabled. The unstated goal is to disrupt the Democratic agenda and make it harder for the new majority to meet its promise to reinstitute "pay-as-you-go" budget rules, under which new costs or tax cuts must be offset to protect the deficit from growing. "I think we're trying to get an accommodation," said Speaker Dennis Hastert (R., Ill.) last evening. "You're digging a hole now and filling up with money from '08," he said of Mr. Thomas's demands. "He says he's trying to move away from that." But with Mr. Hastert dismantling his office, House Republicans appear to be operating in a post-election leadership vacuum. The White House is watching with alarm, as are many Senate Republicans, who have a greater stake than the House in maintaining relations with Democrats. "There are individuals who want to blow up the tracks, and there are more of those individuals in the House," said one Senate leadership aide. The collapse of the appropriations process will be felt soon in the Justice and Commerce departments, food-safety agencies and veterans' health care. "It's not just a mess. It's a mountainous mess," complained Wisconsin Rep. David Obey, the next House Appropriations Committee chairman. In the Medicare dispute, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles Grassley (R., Iowa) has aligned himself with Democrats against Mr. Thomas and House Energy and Commerce Chairman Joe Barton (R., Texas). Talks continued last night in hopes of reaching agreement this morning on the physician issue and a larger $38 billion tax-and-trade package important to business. "Failure is not an option," warned John Engler, president of the National Association of Manufacturers. New York City and Wall Street have a major stake in $682 million in tax provisions important to transportation infrastructure and redevelopment of the World Trade Center area. And the trade package, as introduced by Mr. Thomas last night, runs from Vietnam and Andean countries to a set of expired general preferences for developing countries around the globe. "We are fairly close," said Sen. Max Baucus (D., Mont.), the next Finance chairman. But given the still-uncertain Republican support, the Vietnam trade bill could yet be sacrificed, Mr. Grassley warned. With Congress turning off the lights this week, there seems no chance of saving the appropriations process. Instead, most of the government will remain on a stopgap bill through Feb. 15, and in kicking this can down the road, the Republican leadership has no idea where it will stop rolling. "It's a demonstration of the irresponsibility of Republicans that they would leave this country with this mess," said the next House speaker, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.). "But we won, we will deal with it." Democrats could simply extend the stopgap resolution again in February and set themselves up as a budget appeals court of sorts, to which the administration will have to come for relief. "I think we can work through it, but it is not our preference," said White House budget chief Rob Portman. But the administration admits it could yet pay a price if the spending issues become entangled with President Bush's spring supplemental-spending request for military operations in Iraq. The stopgap resolution, which the House expects to take up today, allows no growth above 2006 spending, and as a rule, any spending cuts from 2006 levels voted by the House this past summer prevail. On balance, annual funding is about $6 billion less than the president's budget request -- without always reflecting his priorities. In the course of the House floor debate, for example, general administration funds for the Justice Department were cut to $35.4 million, less than half the 2006 funding level and a nearly 70% cut from the president's request. House members were gambling then that at least some of the money could be restored in final talks with the Senate, but since the appropriations process has collapsed, those talks never took place, and the Justice Department must live with the results. Mr. Portman will have greater discretion to apportion funds to deal with the crisis. But the gaps are too big in some cases to easily work around. Food-safety inspections face a $17 million shortfall by Feb 15. Veterans medical care will be funded at an annual rate $3.1 billion less than most of Congress agrees is needed, and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R., Texas) is demanding changes in the stopgap bill to recognize this shortfall. "What a sad mess," said Sen. Robert Byrd (D., W.Va). __________________ If humans evolved from monkeys, how come there's still monkeys??? Huh? Huh????

12-07-2006, 08:17 AM	#3
mullanman XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: New Mexico Posts: 1,909	I don't really see what the mess is... A new leadership is taking over, bills that were under way under republican leadership are no more or are being carried over... I think this is a mountain out of a molehill...This crap happens every year when congress leaves home for the holidays.. Remember just a few years ago, congress ran out of money and was running on stop gap bills until they got their sh*t in order. __________________ USPSA L2683

12-07-2006, 08:34 AM	#4
Nerves XDTalk 2K Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Jacksonville, Fl. Posts: 2,028	All these mother F@ckers make me sick!!!! __________________ \"WHEN YOU PUT ON YOUR GUN LEAVE YOUR MIDDLE FINGER AT HOME\" NRA Member IDPA Member--Wilson Combat CQB (CDP) USPSA Member--New XD 9 Tac & G34 (Production ) IPSC Open Major--STI Trubor Grandmaster CCW's: -- XD-45 ACP 4" with Truglo TFO's & M6 Laser/Light --Kimber Tactical Pro II, ...Many More

12-07-2006, 08:45 AM	#9
DoctorDawg XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: If you need to ask, you don't need to know... Posts: 638	I'm pretty sure that comment had a point, Tommy...or at least a blunt end, or somethin'. I think. __________________ If humans evolved from monkeys, how come there's still monkeys??? Huh? Huh????

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12-07-2006, 08:10 AM	#2
NMCB3 XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Alaska Posts: 333	Since the Dems have been playing obstructionist for years,now the loser Republicans want some payback.What a sad commentary on our government.What ever happened to doing what was best for the country?Our government is a vile cesspool of corruption,party politics,and special interests.It needs to be pumped out. Unfortunately the ballot box doesn`t have enough suction. It always leaves some dung at the bottom of the tank.

12-07-2006, 08:38 AM	#5
bd XDTalk 3K Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 3,864	You expect "The Do-Nothing Congress" to start now? This is what we get for $165,000 a year and all they can skim off the top. Sore Losers. bd