Tom DeLay declares 'victory' in war on budget fat

[quaoar]

What an ass!

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20050914-120153-3878r.htm

By Amy Fagan and Stephen Dinan

THE WASHINGTON TIMES
September 14, 2005

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay said yesterday that Republicans have done so well in cutting spending that he declared an "ongoing victory," and said there is simply no fat left to cut in the federal budget.

Mr. DeLay was defending Republicans' choice to borrow money and add to this year's expected $331 billion deficit to pay for Hurricane Katrina relief. Some Republicans have said Congress should make cuts in other areas, but Mr. DeLay said that doesn't seem possible.

"My answer to those that want to offset the spending is sure, bring me the offsets, I'll be glad to do it. But nobody has been able to come up with any yet," the Texas Republican told reporters at his weekly briefing.

Asked if that meant the government was running at peak efficiency, Mr. DeLay said, "Yes, after 11 years of Republican majority we've pared it down pretty good."

[Norquist Nemesis]

1. ummm...There was plenty of pork in that Highway Bill, Tom.

Not to mention the Energy Bill.

[Don Claybrook]

3. They're looking reality in the eye and flatly denying it

This congress, this administration, has spent more money on pork than any other time in history.

PS: if DeLay wants ideas on where to cut spending, cut the Pentagon budget by 50% and DeLay's salary by 100%.

[catnhatnh]

5. No...the republicans never call it "pork"...

...though they occasionally refer to it as "our other white meat" or the "mother's milk of our party"...

[myrna minx]

13. yeah- I hear there's a bridge being built to nowhere in Alaska, Tom. n/t

[MaineDem]

2. And Bush declared "mission accomplished" in Iraq

Neither is correct.

[LSK]

4. ummmm, what about that $300 billion in military PORK n/t

[shoelace414]

6. lets see.. a $200/mil bridge for 50 residents.

[quaoar]

7. That bridge is vital to the national interest

What is a Category 5 hurricane were to travel from the Gulf of Mexico across the Rockies and threaten Alaska? How would those 50 people escape?

[Clark2008]

8. Cutting spending?

I guess if you count gutting FEMA, aid to poor families and education, well, yeah.

But, their little war and all the 9/11 small business loans the government gave to businesses who weren't even effected (and some in other states!) by 9/11 and their pork for Alaskan highways that go nowhere kind of off-sets all that "spending" they've cut.

HYPOCRITES!

[ComerPerro]

9. I'd hardly call it effecient when you rack up over 300 billion in debt

each and every year.

[quaoar]

15. War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery

Debt is Frugalness

[AllegroRondo]

10. According to Robert Reich this morning (NPR)

the budget in the mid-90's averaged around 2,000 pork projects per year.

this year - over 14,000 pork projects.


that hardly what I call "pared down"

[shoelace414]

11. I heard that

that is a great stat to show how corrupt the goverment is because of who is running it.

[Raster]

12. Memo to Tom: Call the White House, see if you can borrow the banner.

[TheFarseer]

14. One more quote to bash him over the head with

True conservatives love the idea of cutting pork. You know there are some prime examples of pork in this budget that true conservative would foam at the mouth over. Compare his statement to some juicy examples of that pork and see how they react.

[quaoar]

16. Found this at the National Review disputing DeLay's BS:

• The federal government cannot account for $24.5 billion spent in 2003.
• A White House review of just a sample of the federal budget identified $90 billion spent on programs deemed that were either ineffective, marginally adequate, or operating under a flawed purpose or design.
• The Congressional Budget Office published a “Budget Options” book identifying $140 billion in potential spending cuts.
• The federal government spends $23 billion annually on special interest pork projects such as grants to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, or funds to combat teenage “goth” culture in Blue Springs, Missouri.
• Washington spends tens of billions of dollars on failed and outdated programs such as the Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Geological Survey and Economic Development Association.
• The federal government made $20 billion in overpayments in 2001.
• The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s $3.3 billion in overpayments in 2001 accounted for over 10 percent of the department’s total budget.
• Over one recent 18-month period, Air Force and Navy personnel used government-funded credit cards to charge at least $102,400 for admission to entertainment events, $48,250 for gambling, $69,300 for cruises, and $73,950 for exotic dance clubs and prostitutes.
• Examples of wasteful duplication include: 342 economic development programs; 130 programs serving the disabled; 130 programs serving at-risk youth; 90 early childhood development programs; 75 programs funding international education, cultural, and training exchange activities; and 72 federal programs dedicated to assuring safe water.
• The Advanced Technology Program spends $150 million annually subsidizing private businesses, and 40% of this goes to Fortune 500 companies.
• The Defense Department wasted $100 million on unused flight tickets, and never bothered to collect refunds even though the tickets were reimbursable.
• The Conservation Reserve program pays farmers $2 billion annually to not farm their land.
• Washington spends $60 billion annually on corporate welfare, versus $43 billion on homeland security.