House GOP Leaders Support Additional Spending Cuts
by Robert BlueyHouse GOP leaders are lining up behind the conservative Republican Study Committee to support additional spending cuts next week when the 2011 continuing resolution reaches the floor. But even with leadership on board, will it be enough to hit the magic number of 218 votes?
Under a process not seen in years, members will be able to offer amendments to the CR under an “open rule.” Conservatives, lead by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), will offer one that achieves a full $100 billion cut in non-security discretionary spending. Last week GOP leaders put forth a plan that cuts $58 billion from the current fiscal year.
The RSC got a boost yesterday when Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) announced he would vote for additional cuts beyond the GOP’s initial $58 billion proposal. Last week his spokesman singled out the RSC as a group likely to propose additional cuts that Cantor would support.
“There has been a lot of talk on our side that members want to cut even further, and most of us welcome that talk and will be supporting yet even further cuts,” Cantor told reporters yesterday. He later added: “I’m going to be supportive of a lot of the amendments.”
It’s likely that Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) would support additional cuts, but he has not declared his intentions because members are still drafting amendments.
Other GOP leadership offices have followed Cantor’s lead. Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Conference Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-Tex.) and Chief Deputy Whip Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) all favor more spending cuts.
That’s good news for the RSC. But it still might not be enough to push the RSC’s $100 billion amendment over the top.
Assuming the RSC has the backing of its 175 members, it will need to pick up an additional 43 votes. While some moderate Democrats might be inclined to support the RSC amendment, Republican appropriators could play spoiler.
Yesterday 27 Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee backed the leadership plan. But there were two notable defections: Reps. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) voted against the bill because the cuts weren’t deep enough.
Now that it heads to the floor, it’s unclear how those appropriators will vote — or if they’ll be nudged by leadership.
Then there’s the additional challenge of competing against potentially hundreds of other spending cut amendments, many of which won’t come close to what the RSC plans to propose.
Regardless of how much is ultimately cut, Cantor celebrated the fact that the tone had already shifted in favor of spending cuts.
“We said we were going to change the culture in Washington and I don’t think any of us can really remember a time in which we were really bickering about the levels of spending cuts,” he said yesterday. “We were always faced with an environment where we were growing spending. So in that way I do think we have begun to make some progress on our commitment to change the culture in Washington.”
That much is true.
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55 Comments
Try as they may, at least they are trying.
Hopefully some substantial gains are made with their efforts. But I doubt any thing productive will transpire in the next two years, other than good campaigning talking points, unfortunately.
It will be interesting to watch the left squirm nonetheless…
Time to trim the hell out of that extremely fatty steak, and turn it into a fillet mignon!
I wonder why Eric Cantor won't cut the welfare program we have for foreigners who have repeatedly attacked and betrayed us?
I wonder why Eric Cantor is given so much authority so soon completely out of step with his lack of seniority?
Who all is pulling strings?
No, Americans are not entitled to US tax dollars but foreigners of Cantor's liking….are.
Most Israelis take a YEAR LONG vacation. Do you get that benefit? You pay for Israelis to enjoy that.
This is music to my ears.
I welcome their efforts but will also pay close attention to their actions……
When you hear Dhimmicrats and members of this administration start to bitch, moan and groan…..you'll know the GOP's efforts were well-worth the effort. I welcome more cuts down the road….it's way past time for it….
How many billion do they plan to cut? Puh-lease.
http://www.pagetutor.com/trillion/index.html
Guys, you have to cut 1.5 trillion just to stay even in 2011. Get with it. Next cut all subsidies and all foreign aid until we are out of debt. If we are going broke, we are unable to help others until we get our own finances in order.
OK, good start. But only a start.
it's the jooosss! They are spying on you too! Quick, unscrew all the light bulbs! Stick your fingers in the electrical outlets to keep them from crawling in! Better yet, set your whole house on fire so they can't sneak in! And set your hair on fire so they can't send in the jewish head lice to control your brain!
Year-long vacation? REALLY?!?
Smedley, please go bugger a duck, K?
Why is there a picture of Ronald Reagan here? Reagan GREW the size of govt with the creation of the largest federal beauracracy at the time, the Dept of Veteran Affairs. We Libertarians call that the Dept of Empty Office Space Management.
Even if they adopted Rand Paul's plan to cut $500 billion we would still be left with a deficit of $1 TRILLION! They're trying to put out a fire by spitting on it and every one of them has a case of dry mouth.
Don't get me wrong, I applaud their effort, but I think we've reached the point of no return and will not get things under control until long after the total collapse of the country. Not being pessimistic here, just realistic.
If they cut a trillion I'd get excited, but so far they haven't even cut 10% of the EXTRA spending that was laid on last year alone.
Please. This is bullcrap. The Republican Party is just a corrupt bunch of appropriators looking for political cover. The Tea Parties need to go their own way as this will be the only way they will get the message across to the Republicans and Democrats that the game is over.
AGITATE FOR SECESSION AT YOUR NEXT TEA PARTY MEETING! DON'T FALL FOR THE PHONY CUTS GAME!
The real power of the house is its ability to cut and restrict funding. That is what both the senate and administration fear. To be effective, the GOP has to be willing to use its authority and power as guaranteed by the Constitution.
Think how successful a state or small group of states could be without the Federal government looting all our money and actually following the Constitution.
I just don't see the downside to this given the current state of affairs.
The federal govervment in many ways is long past out of control.
Eric Cantor, about to $#iT his pants says;
"We said we were going to change the culture in Washington and I don't think any of us can really
remember a time in which we were really bickering about the levels of spending cuts."
Well Eric, since you've been in CONgress a while, I'd think you'd have sense enough to shut your damn
mouth. After all you were there, you were part of the ''go along, to get along'' Republican crew of the past.
Anyone else remember that feeble Republican effort by the name of U-cut? What a joke!!! IMO nothing
more than a public relations tool…
My heart sings at the prospect that our TEA Party freshmen are following through, applying pressure to
the RINO establishment. Bless them all, and be sure to email them that we appreciate their effort.
FIGHT on PATRIOTS!!!
.
DEFUND ANYTHING NOT AUTHORIZED IN THE CONSTITUTION!
And then EXILE ALL LIBERALS AS THE TRAITORS THEY ARE!
LIBERALS BETRAY AMERICA…AGAIN!
http://theantiliberalzone.blogspot.com/2011/02/li...
THE ANTI LIBERAL ZONE
Funny, your sister loves my jewish tea bag.
Wrong again, Smedley. Money quote:
Bet all those anti-Semitic rants get you lots of dates, huh?
This is the most frightening story I've seen today. I already knew the factual content, but the admission by Bernanke is scary.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/41491193
I hope this is just the warm-up! Maybe next month they'll really get to work and cut some agencies!
Where is Israel getting cut?
Mr. Speaker;
Defund the DOE completely, reign in the EPA, and defund all barry's czar's now then move on to cutting every department by 20% at a minimum.
Central Banks Now Creating Hyperinflation?
http://www.thedailybell.com/1735/Central-Banks-No...
"The time is near at hand which must determine whether Americans are to be free men or slaves."
George Washington
"When you hear Dhimmicrats and members of this administration start to bitch, moan and groan…."
Ah, yeah. When is it that they ever STOP bitching, moaning and groaning?
They damn well better cut spending or we’ll fire then in 2012, we are watching.
So NOW he's worried! Watch the other hand!
Totally off topic, but…
Congresswoman Giffords is supposed to be doing much better. She is reportedly eating 3 times a day and has even spoken to request specific foods.
Could the peeps at the Big sites give us an OT-style place to use as a "Get Well" card? Maybe we could even keep it 100% clean and forward it to her? Anybody agree?
Sorry to threadjack ya here Sweet Corn, but I know lots of people read your wisdom…
Silly me, thinking we could actually tell the difference in this case……
Not the jooosss, it's the gingers.
The Republicrats are too CHICKEN$HIT to make real cuts.
Try to stay in the real world, please.
Welcome GaltFan, I think your idea is terrific! I also heard that she had made requests for specific
foods.
It would be great if BG or BJ would do a story on her and let us reply with our well wishes and prayers
for her speedy recovery. She is truly a ''miracle woman'', IMO.
.
"…….The RSC got a boost yesterday when Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) announced he would vote for additional cuts beyond the GOP’s initial $58 billion proposal. when Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) announced he would vote for additional cuts beyond the GOP’s initial $58 billion proposal. ……'
$58 billion,…..58,…..58,……???????
Tea Party: "that is not what we had in mind"
"……The RSC got a boost yesterday,…….."
You know where you can "boost" that 58 there congress.
The ones that don't support the cuts shouldn't be surprised when we the people don't support their bid for an additional term.
That is a MARVELOUS idea…!!
Anyone know anyone to get that moving…?
Tell that to George Washington.
Cut the fat…or you're next…
This is Congress. It's theater. Irrespective of party, just look at what the Democrats passed that didn't stand a chance in the **Democratic controlled** Senate, last session. Again, I say its vote-buying, brand-building, theater. They don't even have the Senate.
Don't fall for 58bb 580bb, or a trillion, unless its delivered to a President. Your focus should be on the debt ceiling vote that all the Republicans Senators rejected in 2010 and the integrity that will soon be on the line with another 'Nay'. That is the vote that will count. Write them. The have the power and Obama's pen won't matter.
I'm suprised Breitbart isn't following Rand Paul's 500 billion dollar proposal that came out this week. Do his think-tank puppeteers want you folks to look only at the House? http://tinyurl.com/49mg8rz
Voters know how to cut – D and R s won't protect you anymore. The Tea Party has only begun to influence WDC.
True, but if they cut all 1.5tt at once we would be in an immediate depression of 10-15% of GDP. People in the private sector would stop buying stuff and put it under their mattresses at twice the rate they did in the first quarter of 2009 (-7% GDP), and that would immediately deliever the monetary response and collapse you think is inevitable.
Rand Paul needs to be taken seriously. He's one of the few straight shooters, and the Republicans (and Breitbart) are ignoring him: http://tinyurl.com/49mg8rz
All the credit goes to GaltFan, he's the one who conceived the thought and proposed it,
demonstrating what a truly thoughtful person he is. I'm fortunate to call him friend.
I have no idea how to go about getting it moving, perhaps someone on the ed staff will
read one of our comments or replies and run with the idea.
; )
With you, it's always about the Joooozz.
You're a certified Anti-Semite, mental midget: http://i53.tinypic.com/fx8dqv.jpg
Yeah, that makes it ok? LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here's a little tip for you – the money we give them for the military is money they can save and spend on their economy. Likewise, the money we give them is money taken OUT of our economy.
Memo to the GOP:
It doesn't take a magic decoder ring to figure out the term DEFUND!!!
http://i53.tinypic.com/fx8dqv.jpg
http://i53.tinypic.com/fx8dqv.jpg
http://i53.tinypic.com/fx8dqv.jpg
GOP / TEA Party comity looking up. Good start, Boehner/Cantor, et. al.
http://libertyatstake.blogspot.com/
"Because the Only Good Progressive is a Failed Progressive"
I love how you get negatives for speaking the truth.
Some of you get it. I hope your buying silver til your ears bleed.
Eliminate every single federal department, agency, or program, except what is SPECIFICALLY allowed by the Constitution. This would probably leave us with only the military as the remaining federal department. I would even support keeping tax rates the same, and all non-defense revenue going into the federal government would be used to pay off the debt. You will see our debt disappear very shortly after that, and this country will be back on the fast track to prosperity. All that we would need to do would be to make sure that we don't allow Washington to go back to its old ways, and instead keep it under strict Constitutionalism and have the idea of State's Rights come back. If this were done, the only thing China would be good for would be to clean up our dust as we leave them in it.
But my confidence in those idiots in Washington is not high. If fact, it's so low that I doubt this will ever be done. I'm starting to wonder if it's almost time for Texas to become a Republic again.
Wow, referring to yourself in the third person on a website, you are a freak.
To be honest I consider Boehner and Cantor RINO's because of comments made by them.
BUT maybe I'm wrong. Let's see if they walk the walk. I would be very happy to be wrong on
this, and man enough to admit it. We need to hold the politicians feet to the fire on spending
and get things straightened out. It won't be easy.
"That much is true"
Only if they get the actual cuts all the way through. It's not so hard to say you want cuts and even to vote for some cuts, if there is little chance that the actual cuts will be made.
I'm not jumping up and down for joy until it's a done deal.
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