DeLay Spins GOP Congress Is Fiscally Conservative (Stop Laughing)

[JABBS]

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) said yesterday that Republicans can claim an "ongoing victory" as fiscal conservatives.

There is no fat left to cut in the budget, he suggested.

Not surprisingly, anti-waste groups laughed, then rattled off the thousands of pieces of pork the Republican-led Congress has approved. But they weren't alone. Fiscal conservatives had the same reaction. So did the conservative Washington Times. You're probably laughing now.

How empty is DeLay's spin? Since 2000, the Republican-led Congress has added $2 trillion to the federal deficit, including $303 billion (since 2001) for nonmilitary, non-homeland security spending. You may recall that there was a budget surplus prior to 2000.

This year's expected deficit is $331 billion, not including any money supporting areas ravaged by Hurricane Katrina ($62.3 billion thus far).

But that's didn't stop DeLay from offering empty conservative spin. "(A)fter 11 years of Republican majority we've pared (the budget) down pretty good."

Republican leaders have been under pressure to find ways to pay for Katrina relief. Some Republicans wanted to offer an amendment, including cuts, to pay for hurricane spending but were denied the chance under procedural rules.

"This is hardly a well-oiled machine," Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) told the Times. "There's a lot of fat to trim. ... I wonder if we've been serving in the same Congress."

American Conservative Union Chairman David A. Keene told the paper that federal spending already was "spiraling out of control" before Katrina. "Excluding military and homeland security, American taxpayers have witnessed the largest spending increase under any preceding president and Congress since the Great Depression."

Tom Schatz, president of Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), told the Times that if Mr. DeLay wants to know where to cut, "there are plenty of places to reduce."

His group soon will release a list of $2 trillion in suggested spending cuts over the next five years, and he said Congress also could cut the estimated $20 billion to $25 billion in pet projects that make their way into must-pass spending bills each year.

CAGW and the conservative Heritage Foundation also suggest rescinding the 6,000-plus earmarked projects in the recently passed highway bill. That was also suggested last week by Sens. John McCain (R-AZ) and Tom Coburn (R-OK).

***

This article first appeared at Journalists Against Bush's B.S.

[Charlie Brown]

1. This is worthy of the conservative idiots list n/t

[ingac70]

2. Is there such a creature as a fiscal conservative....

left in the Republican Party??

I thought the theocrats ate them all.

[Lasher]

3. I hate it when beer comes out my nose (EOM)

[TheFarseer]

4. Here's a clue Tom

if you want to be fiscally conservative, balance the budget. No excuses, no projections, just balance the budget. If you balance the budget, let me be the first to say you did a great job and that you are very fiscally responsible. Until then, STFU.

[ingac70]

6. You don't want Tom Delay to balance the budget...

To him "balance" means ZERO money for any domestic programs.

[Lasher]

5. I just sent an email...

to nominate this for next week's Top 10 Conservative Idiots. I really appreciate these weekly articles, by the way. I was in withdrawal 2 weeks ago because they were on vacation and didn't publish one.

[JABBS]

8. LOL

DeLay angrily told his personal banker: "How can I be out of money? I still have checks left?"

[Double T]

7. The GOP is conservative like a drunken sailor on pay day.......

show me the money, so I can spend it.

[blondeatlast]

9. DeLay was a leading proponent of the Balanced Budget Amendment. Doncha

LOVE hypocrisy?

Click here for 2 full quotes on Budget & Economy OR background on Budget & Economy.
Voted YES on restricting bankruptcy rules. (Jan 2004)
Supports balanced budget amendment & line item veto. (Sep 1994)

http://www.ontheissues.org/TX/Tom_DeLay.htm

[ZinZen]

10. n/t

:rofl:

[Toots]

11. Tom Delay is losing total touch with reality

Seriously, even the hard right is looking at him and scratching their heads. I know LIES have to be really really blatant to work well but come onnn......Tie Delay to all Republicans and watch them squirm....