-
Obamacare Implodes
May 15, 2013 | 41 comments
-
Obama’s Rising Inequality
May 8, 2013 | 101 comments
-
Downsize the Liberals
May 1, 2013 | 53 comments
-
Fight Back! Privatize the FAA!
April 24, 2013 | 65 comments
-
Fallacies and Charades
April 17, 2013 | 14 comments
Special Report
The Coming Sequester Lies
You thought Obama would stop at the ones he’s told already?
(Page 2 of 2)
But here is the first coming sequester lie. When the economy turns down this year, Obama and his socialist Democrats will all blame it on the sequester spending cuts. Cut just the increase in government spending by just 1%, and that is supposed to be the roots of another recession. The great debate will be what caused the downturn, the spending “cuts” or the tax increases, (plus regulation, plus the cheap dollar, plus the exploding escalation of debt). That is if our party-controlled, new socialist media (stop calling them the mainstream media, nothing remotely mainstream about them) even allows the debate on the air.
Republicans Gaining Some Control Over
Spending
But one emerging truth out of the
sequester battle is that the Republicans are gaining some control
over spending. The sequester spending cuts over 10 years total $1.2
trillion, out of a 10-year budget of $47 trillion, or 2.5%. But the
next battle over spending presents opportunity for still more
spending restraint.
That is not the debt ceiling, which leaves the Republicans with little leverage, because Obama has already convinced the country that failing to increase the debt limit means defaulting on the national debt. Even Fox News reports on it that way, as if you can’t continue payments on what you owe on your credit card unless you get an increase in your credit limit. You see what I mean when I say our country is so dumbed down right now?
The opportunity is the continuing resolution (the CR in Washington parlance) to authorize government spending for the rest of this year. The current continuing resolution providing such authorization runs out at the end of this month.
The opportunity is for the Republicans to pass a new continuing resolution that provides for continuing discretionary government spending, or at least domestic discretionary spending, at the exact same levels as last year, minus the already enacted sequester spending cuts. The Republicans and the conservatives then need to drive home to the public two simple points.
One is that the continuing resolution involves no new spending cuts. It just continues government spending at the same levels as last year. This can successfully counter the Democrat media theme that crazed radical Republicans want to tear the federal government to pieces, destroying the economy and the safety net for the poor, sick, weak, and vulnerable in the process. But such an effective spending freeze even on just discretionary domestic spending will add up to serious savings over time.
The second point then is that the Republican House has already acted in passing the continuing resolution to keep the government open and operating. If the Democrats don’t agree with the continuing resolution that the Republicans have passed, their job is to pass their own continuing resolution through the Senate. Then any differences and compromises can be worked out in the House Senate Conference. The Republicans can and should talk to President Obama if he wants, but that must not prevent them for acting and explaining the process to the American people.
The Republicans have to be focused in driving this point home, because the Democrat-party controlled media at NBC, CBS, ABC, the New York Times, the Washington Post, etc. will definitely not keep the public informed as to what is happening in Washington with their federal government. I have read two Washington Post columns this past week by closet Marxist revolutionaries E.J. Dionne and Dana Milbank who misinformed readers that the Republicans failed to act to do anything to pass an alternative to the sequester, when the truth is the Republican House passed two alternative sequester bills that rationalized the spending cuts, and the Democrats failed to take any action. If you or anyone you know is subscribing to the Washington Post, that is part of the problem causing the decline and fall of America. Ditto that for the openly Marxist New York Times. (I read the columns in Investor’s Business Daily).
Moreover, this current dumbed down American public cannot be counted on to know the process for passing legislation in Washington. The American public today does not recall their high school civics teaching that the process for passing federal legislation is the House and Senate pass their bills, then they go to Conference Committee for compromise, and then the President either signs of vetoes the legislation.
This process will force the Democrats to take a stand in the light of day that they want to increase spending, deficits, and debt still more, even while the country is careening towards bankruptcy. The whole point of the Democrat Senate failure to pass any budget in the past four years is to hide this from the American people. Forcing the Democrats to act in public where they can be held accountable will frame the issue for the public correctly.
The Republicans and the conservatives need to drive this second point home also so that the public can understand who to hold accountable for any government shutdown. The President has the bully pulpit, and the party-controlled media, so artfully informing the public of the truth is critical.
House Republicans can help their case for controlling government spending immensely if they will hold aggressive oversight hearings on government waste, fraud, and abuse. When the Democrats wanted to slash defense spending, they held hearings about the Defense Department buying $100 hammers and $500 toilet seats. OMB and GAO have already documented failed government programs not accomplishing their stated laudatory goals, and at least $125 billion in waste, fraud, and abuse. Holding hearings to communicate and dramatize that would put Democrat socialists on the defensive. Sure the Democrat party-controlled media will not cover it. But the alternative conservative media will, embarrassing the party hack media in the process.
But here is the second coming sequester lie. If the Republicans are successful in these spending restraint strategies, you know of course Obama will take the credit. After the 25% increase in government spending in year one of Obama’s term, the spending increases Obama can get through from that base with the Republican-controlled House may appear negligible, especially in percentage terms. The Democrat party-controlled media will then sing Obama’s praises as the most restrained government spender since Eisenhower.
Photo: WhiteHouse.gov
About the Author
Peter Ferrara is Director of Entitlement and Budget Policy at the Heartland Institute, General Counsel of the American Civil Rights Union, Senior Fellow at the National Center for Policy Analysis, and Senior Policy Advisor on Entitlements and Budget Policy at the National Tax Limitation Foundation. He served in the White House Office of Policy Development under President Reagan, and as Associate Deputy Attorney General of the United States under President George H.W. Bush.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (22) | Leave a comment
More Articles by Peter Ferrara
More Articles From Special Report
http://spectator.org/archives/2013/03/06/the-coming-sequester-lies
Follow us:
ADVERTISEMENT
Current Issue
- Razing Reagan
- Self-Righteous Republic
- Downton’s Class System — and Ours
SPONSORED LINKS
FLASHBACK TO: 1995
-
Pope Culture
A man of faith in a godless age is hitting Americans where it hurts.
-
Why the GOP Does Not, Like, Totally Suck
Mr. and Mrs. American Spectator Reader, let P.J. O’Rourke talk sense to your kids.
-
Dames at Sea
-
In the Absence of Guns
In Britain, defending your property can get you life.
-
The Metaphysical Martini
-
Counting the Costs of Clintonism
The debacle of this president’s administration is both a cause and a symptom of the decline of American values. Unless Congress impeaches him, that decline will go on unchecked. An eminent jurist surveys the damage and assesses the chances for the recovery of our culture.
-
Chuck McHagel
It won’t take long for conservatives to scratch this presidential wannabe off their 2008 scorecard.
-
The Legacy of Old John and Mother Fresh-Roasted
-
It’s the Best Time of the Year
The American Christmas, like the songs that celebrate it, makes room for everybody under the rainbow. Is that why so many people seem to be hostile to it?
-
The Bush Crack-Up
Was the President done in by the economy, or by the politics of the economy?
Clip of the Day
ADVERTISEMENT
Intelligent Design| 3.6.13 @ 7:57AM
Secretary of State Kerry announced Sunday that the U.S. is giving $250 million to the Muslim Brotherhood government of Egypt. This along with $1 billion in military jets Obama has already given his Muslim friends. Sequester???
It is widely known that the Muslim Brotherhood is the parent of the terrorist group Hamas, which is trying to kill Jews and destroy Israel. It is also true that the Muslim Brotherhood advocates full utilization of sharia law in Egypt (most Egyptians want it). It is also true that in February 2011 the Director of the FBI, Robert Mueller, told the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence that the Muslim Brotherhood supports terrorism. And we know that a key documented goal of the Muslim Brotherhood is "the destruction of Western civilization from within."
Giving cash and military assets to the Muslim Brotherhood government of Egypt is the same as giving aid to Muslim terrorists, with whom we are at war. Sequester???
TLP| 3.6.13 @ 10:28AM
You left out the 300 FREE Abrhams Tanks he gave Morsi, to go with those FREE F-16s.
But, don't worry.
He's the Best Friend Israel's ever had.
Just ask Chuckie Shylock Schumer.
Or, any other Democrat Jew Politician.
TLP| 3.6.13 @ 1:28PM
That should've read "Jewish", not "Jew".
Shalom.
mike 3/505| 3.6.13 @ 6:41PM
Salaam alaykum
Hardcard| 3.6.13 @ 8:24AM
Sequester ?? No treason. Obamao jdingo's pal chavez left this world without the 2 billion he stole from his people, a true collectivist, socialist, marxist, he collected from his people as much as he could lay his thieving paws on and redistributed it to his personal stash. How rich will our dear leader be when he takes a dirt nap? No sequester in Egypt. Keep looking upward to the sky, you could be next on the HIT PARADE, drone on, eric the red says it's okeydoaky for dear leader to terminate with malice, all of you unpatriotic right wing nuts who might not be happy about the theft of your freedom and wealth by dear leader and regime. What me worry? Hey you didn't build that !!!!
Sjccoach| 3.6.13 @ 9:12AM
More big government conservative nonsense from Mr.Ferrara. The federal government has no business in education. Federal government education spending does not have positive economic growth effects. It is money poured down a rat hole to fund the teacher's unions.
markenoff| 3.6.13 @ 7:46PM
It's not education it's indoctrination.
Von Mises Jr| 3.6.13 @ 9:48AM
The Republicans stand for nothing and they will continue to stand for nothing.
The CR and Debt Ceiling will be raised. If the economy tanks, the liberals will try to blame Bush, Boehner and McConnell and they may succeed.
But the loss of jobs due to ObamaCare and Dodd Frank cannot easily be blamed on the Republicans. And most of all, OBAMACARE BELONGS TO OBAMA.
If you haven't noticed, they now want to call it the "affordable Care Act." But it is not. It is OBAMACARE. And when people lose their coverage, premiums necessarily skyrocket, fines of 1% to 2.5% start to kick in 2014 and people's mother get a pill instead of a procedure; the liberals are going to have a hell of a time blaming OBAMACARE on the GOP.
They will try, but good luck with that.
Stephie| 3.6.13 @ 11:36AM
But Boehner still wants to fund the monstrosity. They have the ability to NOT fund it but willingly give barry what he wants.
Von Mises Jr| 3.6.13 @ 11:59AM
The OsamaCare Exchanges and Medicaid Expansion are not in the Budget. So if Boehner and McConnell fund it, then they are for it.
That confirms my theorem that the GOP prefers the Statist, socialist kabuki dance with the Democrats and is selling the conservatives and the Constitution down the river for their share of the power.
Watch what Boehner does, not what he says. If we haven't learned that from barry yet, we are fools.
Russel| 3.6.13 @ 10:04AM
Even a hardcore socialist liberal has a wallet , and they are quite stingy about its contents . Ya gotta howl with laughter when even dumb -as a-post Donna Brazille complains about O'Bummercare . The coming attractions can't obscure that fact . It's going to be a headliner , not more cuts . Mr. Boner , get up and yell to the American people these are NOT cuts , but a diminished increase .
Bob Grant| 3.6.13 @ 10:27AM
You sometimes wonder if republicans' incompetence/ineptitude is by design?
Santiago| 3.6.13 @ 10:41AM
"If you want a booming capitalist country following the policies of Reaganomics, move to formerly socialist Canada."
Or Singapore, or Chile, or New Zealand, or Switzerland, or Hong Kong..............even Colombia has made strides in reducing violent crime while increasing business freedoms in the last 15 years.
Al Adab| 3.6.13 @ 11:13AM
The coming lies are being designed to cause as much harm and fear in the population as possible. The administration is more concerned with political gain than with governing the nation. Why else would DHS release illegals in custody while purchasing over 2500 light tanks and APVs? Can we expect DHS to use those vehicles on the border? Hopefully the public is not buying the doomsday scenario as they did back when Clinton faced the government shutdown. Public panic caused the tactic to fail. Too bad> It would have been better to face the spending issue then than now with the situation of deficit and debt worse.
Bob K| 3.6.13 @ 11:21AM
SEQUESTER THIS!
http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?post=218374
PolishKnight| 3.6.13 @ 2:04PM
What the sequester fiasco demonstrates is the relationship Obama and his minions have with the public. If their expenses are cut by 5%, and this is in increases in spending (not current projected spending), they go for the jugular and will cut the most personal or essential services or stuff they don't want to do in the first place. So instead of cutting back on staffing at DC offices, they delay travelers at airports.
On the other hand, for years they've been getting 5% increases overall for decades and what has the public gotten for it? Roads with potholes, bridges crumbling, space programs relying upon Russian rockets, poor educational performance, etc. while the office staff bloats.
It's like the way one of Tony Sopranos minions responded to a customer complaint about garbage collection: He said they didn't pick up his trash that week. So they gave him double his trash back. That's what he got for complaining. Just be happy they bother to EVER show up and don't take ALL your money away.
Bill8472| 3.6.13 @ 4:44PM
Two days after sequestration kicked in, the stock market hit its highest level since before the recession began.
It shows how hard the economy is struggling to bring prosperity to all of us, and also how hard the government is working to hold that economic growth back.
cicero| 3.6.13 @ 5:18PM
So, Obama has already convinced the public and the Republicans that it will be necessary to raise the debt ceiling? That was no great achievement. After all, he convinced 51% of the citizens voting in the last election to vote for him. The boobocracy reigns supreme. Not only that, but 4 million Republican voters stayed home and pouted because Romney was not their favorite to win the nomination. The only chance we will have of reegaining this country is if Obama, Biden, Pelosi, and Reid all break their necks falling off their bar stools, laughing at the country who has put them in power. Or maybe they will drown in the plunder they are wallowing in. Fat chance, eh?
Pecos Pete| 3.6.13 @ 5:33PM
If Hugo could accumulate $2 billion, I can't imagine how much has been siphoned off in the USA with multi-trillion $ spending over the past 6 years.
JD| 3.6.13 @ 9:43PM
It's Orwell's Ministry of Truth in action. Right is wrong, and wrong is right.
Witness CNN's recent article about the surrogate mother who refused to abort "Baby S" - chock full of reader comments condemning the woman for "cruelly playing God" by NOT slaughtering her baby.
So too, they speak of "cuts" that "harm the economy". But they're not talking about tax increases, which truly harm the economy by truly taking money out of the economy. No, they're talking about spending cuts necessary to AVOID tax increases - they think THOSE are "cuts" to the economy! How backwards!
hrgfue | 3.7.13 @ 7:56PM
Thank you for your New post on that site.which is the best blog for us.we are enjoy it and will show them to everyone.
Ralph Novy| 3.9.13 @ 10:18PM
My word.
Do you not have at least SOME little shred of honesty/intelligence/decency in you?
What a filthy, totally idiotic screachy screed this was!
Go off for a while and rethink what it means to be a decent human being, eh?
Sheesh.