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Not a Big Enough Fight

By: Rep. Michele Bachmann (Diary)  |  April 8th, 2011 at 04:27 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

Since Republicans took the House majority in January I have been calling for our leadership to fight. We must answer the bell that was rung last November when the American people called us to fight for deep cuts in spending, for the full repeal of ObamaCare, for an end to taxpayer funding of abortion, and for a government that will live within its Constitutional boundaries. Those would be the kind of large-scale fights that could change the arc of history. Unfortunately, the fight that’s happening today in Washington is not even close to being on the same scale.

Our federal government spent $3.5 trillion last year, and is on a similar pace this year. On average, our spending adds about $30 billion to the deficit every week. Yet Washington is now embroiled in a pitched battle – that could lead to a government slowdown – over possible spending cuts of just $40 billion. Even the best case scenario would be cuts of $61 billion.

Don’t get me wrong, cuts in spending are a move in the right direction. House Republicans have brought about a change from the spending binge of the last two years. But it’s time to face the facts. This is the “small ball” battle that House leadership has chosen to engage. The current battle has devolved to an agenda that is almost too limited to warrant the kind of fighting that we’re now seeing in Washington.

Democrats only want to cut $33 billion of spending, while some reports say Republicans might settle for $40 billion. Either way, it’s not enough. We should be playing “big ball.” We should be fighting over trillions, not billions. We should be defunding ObamaCare, but we’re not.

I made a commitment to vote “no” on any Continuing Resolution that does not defund ObamaCare. That pledge to the American people remains unchanged. I believe that’s a battle we cannot walk away from. But, it’s not been an option in the recent government funding bills that House leaders have put up for a vote.

I am ready for a big fight, the kind that will change the arc of history. And, I’m hoping that when it comes to issues like the debt ceiling, ObamaCare, and the 2012 budget, House Republicans will take the lead, draw a line in the sand and not back down from the fight.

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COMMENTS

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  • drewk

    sincerely hope you win the Republican Presidential nomination.

  • fpete13527

    I hope your courage will start to rub off on more in Congress before the end of the millennium.

  • http://dreamsfrommyforefathers.com RoguePolitics

    enough namby pamby inside politics. this is serious.

  • Charlie

    I agree. We should be pushing for the elimination of entire agencies — not just trying to shave a program here and there. We need to unite and become firm on increasing the debt ceiling. No increase without a firm 19% spending limit.

  • rightwingmom52

    claim to speak for me (as part of the American public), but I am proud that you put a voice to what I think and feel about what has happened today. I appreciate your efforts to fight the Democrats with what seems to be little help from the Republican leadership on the hill. I have no reason to believe that Obama, Reid and the Democrats will keep their word on their “concessions” which will make Boehner’s sell-out even worse.

  • avgjo

    regarding your last sentence, we have no reason to believe that. And I can tell you, your party and therefore the country, is going to pay in ’12 for this capitulation tonight.

    Tell Boehner and Cantor, they may have just handed Obama and the dims victory in ’12.

    • http://moelane.com/ Moe Lane

      Fascinating.

      • avgjo

        Sorry, I don’t follow.

        • http://moelane.com/ Moe Lane

          NT

          • avgjo
  • Common_Cents

    Unfortunately it is up to us the American people to take immediate action to reign in the DC elites. Rep Bachmann and a few others cannot do it by themselves. We have been apathetic as Americans in holding back the power vacuum in DC.

    Rep Bachmann or staff, please, please take a look at ColdWarrrior’s posts/efforts on taking back the Republican party from precinct level on up grass roots. Also look at Ron Robinson’s online activist tool kits.

    The Republican party establishment has shunned these efforts. We need someone on the inside to champion these efforts and I believe they would make for rapid improvements for America.

    Keep up the good work!

    Steven
    Prior Lake, MN

  • http://reaganiterepublicanresistance.blogspot.com/ reaganiterepublicanresistance

    You do seem to “get it” to me… but you sure could use some more help from our side.

    And although you’re trying to respect Reagan’s 11th Commandment, I know that you also know this isn’t going to cut it… as “Charlie” above stated, we need to be eliminating entire agencies… BIG ones

    We simply don’t have the money… as you so often state.

    Only a fireplug like you can drag the rest of the part towards real action… and with new GOP majorities, it can happen- but we don’t have until 2012..

    Only trouble is, if the Republicans don’t display enough good faith towards TEA Party/Libertarian ideals NOW, they’re won’t be any GOP majorities… what will happen will be a viable third party, one that will likely result in another 4 years of Obama- in other words, a catastrophe for this country

    RR

  • NHConservative0227

    You are one fo the few good politicians in DC, We need more like you.

    It’s a shame you didn’t get nominated to a leadership position, but we all know the RINO elites in your own party wanted to diminish your influence and power.

    You should’ve been Speaker of the House!

  • http://undo4me.com WmCraig

    I have written separately on this and can summarize my take on the shut down battle and compromise this way: Republicans got their clocks cleaned and unless there is a leadership change we can look at four more years of Pelosi, Obama and Reed. Republicans taken themselves out of the game.

    It is a question of tactics. Take the President’s threat to stop military pay. Let him do it, it is an empty threat. He likes using his jet and helicopter way too much to cause any serious harm to the military.

    In Obama’s bible written by Saul Alinsky power rule number one states “Power is not only what you have but what the enemy thinks you have”. The shut down power is only a mirage. Our power was rubbing the Democrats nose in the mess they left, and taking advantage of the Presidents own words to do it: “We don’t mind cleaning up this mess the Democrats left but they shouldn’t do a lot of talking.

    Having a shutdown gave you an opportunity to put forth plenty of symbolic votes on bills that matter, funding for Seniors needs, funding for the military, funding for border security, etc. At a time when they would have gotten lots of media play. But that would have meant getting the media’s attention. So the shut down had to last into the work week, two three days into the work week at least.

    In the end we cannot reduce the size of government without confronting the assumed damage reduced government spending will have. In other words, taking back out country from Washington means shutting down large segments of the Washington Safety Blanket. And that is scary. Most people assume the world will end if Washington stops. That is how Washington wants it and I realize that at some level you too are part of that land at the end of the Yellow Brick Road.

    The only way to restore a proper perspective is to pull back the curtain and expose the myth. That means people have to get over Washington being critical, something the shutdowns will do.

    Sure the first one was over just a little bitty issue.We needed that to burst the fear bubble. As the issues get bigger and the shut downs get longer, people will realize they can do things for themselves, and step up to solve their own problems.

    Now isn’t that what the Tea Party is all about?

    WmCraig

    Who Won the Battle over the shut down http://bit.ly/i5MsWP

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