US Senate – We do not Care about the Future.
The GOP Senate is expected to announce its disregard for the future of the United States by voting to increase the deficit by $1 trillion.
The Republican-controlled United States Senate is expected to pass later today a 2-year budget and spending bill agreed to in principal by both parties yesterday. The bill will then be sent to the House of Representatives in yet another last-minute attempt to avoid a government “shutdown.” In spite of the far-reaching goals of the bill, it would keep the government “open” only for six additional weeks, requiring, presumably, at that time yet additional debates and spending agreements.
With the GOP controlling the White House, the Senate and the House, one would think such a budget bill would not only maintain limits on spending and borrowing but would reduce them. Such thoughts, however, would be in error.
The United States Senate, with this vote, has declared itself not only fiscally irresponsible, but essential anti-future. (There will come a time when the United States government will not be able to fulfil its financial obligations, with no ability borrow more money.)
In fact, the federal Department of Revenue announced this week it expects to borrow nearly $1 trillion this year along. This means, the federal budget deficit will be nearly $1 trillion in 2018, double what it was last year. During the Obama years, Republicans moaned and groaned about spending under a Democrat President, but now are spending more money per year than the government has since the early Obama years.
Apparently for the GOP, increased deficit spending is appropriate only if a Republican is in the White House.
Do you see how hypocritical everyone in Washington is? If you complained about spending during the Obama years you had had best complain even louder now – or you will stand complicit in this hypocritical spending.
The national debt doubled during the Obama years and continues to balloon during the Trump years. Today the debt stands at $20.6 trillion and will continue to grow, especially in light of the new spending and borrowing limits.
After the Senate vote, the House will consider the bill. Speaker Paul Ryan announced this morning he believes he has the votes to pass this Senate bill, although he will be relying heavily on Democrat votes for victory. Calling it a bipartisan bill, Ryan and those voting in support of the bill will demonstrate the same thing – they care not a whit for the future of the United States and the eventual inability to pay even the debt service on the national debt.
All for the sake of seeking to win elections later this year. Perhaps? Perhaps the GOP should look to history – when Republicans act like big-spending Democrats, they lose elections to those same Democrats. The only way Republicans will win elections is to return to their fiscally and socially conservative ways. (But this is a topic for a different discussion.)
The only group actively opposing this increased spending appears to be the House Freedom Caucus, a group of about three dozen conservative representatives.
The Hill reports that:
House conservatives on Wednesday revolted against a massive bipartisan deal to raise the debt ceiling and bust spending caps, complaining that the GOP could no longer lay claim to being the party of fiscal responsibility.
And further:
“I’m not only a ‘no.’ I’m a ‘hell no,’ ” quipped Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.).
Are there only 36 real fiscal conservatives in all of Washington? What a scary thought!
Beware of promises and statements that additional spending, in the billions and trillions of dollars is good for the nation. Such malarkey is poppycock regardless which party makes the claim.
