Parties Go Toe-to-Toad on Budget

Washington Update
April 4, 2011
By Tony Perkins

Most federal workers are wondering if they'll be in the office next week. Not President Obama.

He's more worried about being in the office for the next four years.

With everything that's going on in Washington, it seems like very bad timing to announce the President's reelection campaign.

Yet despite all the pressing issues and distractions, the White House chose this week to officially narrow the 2012 Democratic field to one.

To many, the announcement of Obama's candidacy only highlights how out of touch he and his administration seems to be on our country's biggest problems.

If there is a race that Americans care about this week, it's the race to Friday's budget deadline.

"I find it kind of ironic," said Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.), "that the week we're trying to engage the President, the Democrats, and the country with an honest debate about our budget... the President is launching his reelection campaign."

Congressman Ryan is certainly doing more than his part to engage the Hill with an ambitious plan to slash $4 trillion in spending over the next 10 years.

The proposal, which the House Budget Chair will roll out on Tuesday, is a stark contrast to the President's budget for 2012.

For starters, it cuts the deficit by more than even the debt commission's plan.

Over the weekend, Rep. Ryan also hinted that his "Path to Prosperity" includes a massive Medicaid overhaul.

More details will be released tomorrow, when Republicans post the budget's particulars.

In the mean time, Congress will have its hands plenty full with the plan for the rest of this year.

In the ongoing negotiations, Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) insisted the two parties were "only" a few billion dollars apart.

"[We're] just really, in Washington terms, a few dollars short of being able to do this."

That's the problem. Americans don't deal with dollars "in Washington terms." They deal with them in reality, where debt and waste have consequences. Where spending $600,000 on fairy toad sculpture doesn't exist--except in punch lines.

Yet here we are, $14 trillion deep in IOUs, and the government is spending the equivalent of seven years salary on a 10-foot frog!

If Congress can make room for gurgling art, then there's room for bigger cuts.

To the rumors of a House-Senate "compromise," Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) repeated in his weekly radio address that there is "no deal."

And it's unlikely there will be one anytime soon if Democrats continue to hold the government hostage over its demands for abortion subsidies.

Liberal leaders are so deeply entangled with groups like Planned Parenthood that they're willing to shut down Washington to subsidize them.

Contrast them with the current crop of GOP presidential hopefuls. Eight of the potential nominees are on the record opposing Planned Parenthood's government gravy train.

Each one pledges to fight against sending the organization another single taxpayer cent.

Help them get an early start on that promise by asking Congress to defund Planned Parenthood in the current budget!

Time to Act: How big government is fiscally and morally bankrupting America

When most Americans make a purchase, they actually have the money in their accounts.

Big government, however, operates on different rules.

Apparently, spending your money on abortion, bailing out failed corporate giants, and funding the new health care law take precedence over responsible financial stewardship.

If the problem were only fiscal it would be bad enough, but the moral impact of saddling our children and grandchildren with the financial burden of our irresponsibility is something we cannot afford to explore by experience.

One of the greatest threats to America's well being is not a government slowdown, but an economic meltdown brought on by a failure to stop the out of control spending in Washington.

Join us Tuesday, April 5, at 8:30 p.m. EDT, for a free special program where policy experts, Members of Congress including Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), conservative leaders, and the FRC Action staff join Tony Perkins to discuss the issues facing American and her future generations with respect to the budget crisis.

During this video webcast, you'll be briefed from the front lines of the budget debate, and find out what you can do to help advance a responsible government approach to spending.

We want to hear from you! We'll answer your questions live on-air as we're able. Send your queries to questions@frcaction.org or ask via Twitter to @frcaction.

http://frcaction.org/timetoact