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Is There Really a Difference Anymore?

By: Daniel Horowitz (Diary)  |  January 2nd, 2013 at 06:54 AM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

Twelve voices were shouting in anger, and they were all alike.  No questions, now, what had happened to the faces of the pigs. The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.  [Animal Farm, last paragraph]

Republicans were ushered into power in 2010, buoyed by limited government populism spawned by the Tea Party.  They publicized a document called the GOP Pledge to America.  You should take some time to read it.  There are many interesting declarations in there.  You’ll find lectures about the need to let the legislative process work; about the 3 day legislative transparency rule; about not spending most of the time on banal suspension bills; about cutting taxes; about getting rid of Obamacare; about cutting spending.  Interesting indeed.

Republicans began their session in 2011 promising an immediate cut of $100 billion in spending.  They lied.  Ultimately, they only cut $352 million off of the FY 2011 budget.  How fitting it is for them to end the 112th Congress by increasing spending by $330 billion…along with hiking taxes, letting every aspect of the Obamacare tax hikes slide, and obviating our leverage with the debt ceiling by agreeing to a sequester trap to coincide with the next battle.

Yes, we know…wait until March, and they will really extract concessions from Obama…just like they did $2.1 trillion ago.  Except that they have already said they will never “allow us to default,” and they have communicated that fact to the Democrats.

Here is a spreadsheet of the voting tally from the Madison Performance Index.  Take a look at it, and try to decipher the pigs from the men.  Many of those who got us into this mess in the first place, including Cantor and McCarthy, joined the free ride and gave out hall passes to vote no.

Parting question: will Cantor and McCarthy purge themselves from their committee assignments for voting against the leadership scorecard?

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  • commonsenseobserver

    I can’t imagine all of you really think that the purpose and goal of the TEA Party was to make taxes rise as much as possible under current law, with little more in spending cuts…

    Because of the Democrats’ stubborn behavior, and Senate Republicans’ weakness, and then the votes against adding spending cuts, the choice was clear for many, keeping taxes as low as possible or allowing them to skyrocket on all, which would only *force* more people into government dependency. And I recognize many House Republicans were stuck because they supported the spending cuts but didn’t get them, and could have ended up voting against, which is a legitimate position in that case, but those who voted for the best alternative deserve some understanding, for having had the good sense not to basically vote to raise taxes on everyone and expand welfare rolls because of the lack of spending cuts which the Conference itself had rejected.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    You would say that. You’re wrong pretty much every time you comment.

  • checkmate2012

    Yep, we now have a one-party system. It’s called the ruling class and we the people are their pawns.

  • ntrepid

    “The past not only changed, but changed continuously.” (1) Just try to follow the monthly labor reports and revisions to previously reported lies. Every doubleplusgood reaction to a small dip below 8% in unemployment demands total disregard of the Gell-Mann Amnesia Effect.

    The more insidious ends: “The voluminous State Encyclopedia in my father’s house was a constant reminder of the malleability of Soviet history. Every few years, after a high-profile death or trial, our family received official pages of revision. We were advised by the authorities to put those pages in the appropriate place and burn the ones earmarked for removal.” (2)

    Surely the reliably incurious press wouldn’t stand for this…and would see it coming. Then again (from the very next paragraph): “For those living in a free society, the idea that a state would try to thoroughly brainwash its subjects is particularly difficult to grasp. On my first trip to America I met with the publisher of Random House, a vociferous critic of the Soviet’s human rights record. He asked me whether people in the Soviet Union could freely enter bookstores and buy books. At first, I couldn’t believe he was serious. Then I understood that he simply had no idea how a fear society worked. I explained to him that we were free to go in, but that the books were not.” (2)

    At least we are far from the makings of a fear society. We do not rely on the Federal Behemoth for food (40-odd million on foodstamps), we can protect ourselves (no beltway interest in taking our guns), and we have free market access to health care. Nope, no fear here.

    Remember to look for the “With an Iron Fist, We Will Lead Humanity to Happiness” (3) sign on the office door during your first “rendezvous with the government functionary who will weigh your age and health against the expense of whatever medical procedure you will need” (4)…don’t dare call it a death panel…because it may be the last visit you are allowed.

    Thanks for the reply.

    Ntrepid
    Proud Redstate Member since April 2006…?

    (1) Nineteen Eighty-Four, pg 82

    (2) The Case for Democracy – The Power of Freedom to Overcome Tyranny & Terror, by Natan Sharansky, pg. 56-57.

    (3) Reported sign seen while entering Solovetsky high-security prison in 1933. From Gulag – A History by A. Applebaum, pg 175.

    (4) http://ricochet.com/main-feed/Trading-Their-Birthright-For-An-Obama-Phone

  • DavidS1787

    A Reminder to the people who voted for this bill ” You need to be called out and challenged in the next primary .” You work for the people not for yourself!!!!!!

  • WmCraig

    Blue state Republicans are not the same as Red State Republicans. They have much more at risk, they have to be defensive. They have to think first about protection. And there is little chance they can do anything to expand Republican influence. They should NOT hold leadership positions on committees and especially the Speaker’s position.

    I am a blue state Republican myself, and quite frankly I wouldn’t want my family and friends exposed to what it means to hold a leadership role against these people. I will never trust a Blue State Republican with a leading role for the party. I will elect them to govern, but I don’t want them setting policy for the country or the party. Think of my favorite blue state Republican who is also my governor, Chris Cristie and you will understand why I think Boehner needs to step down before there is nothing left to save.

  • plh

    No, my friend. Thank YOU.