Senator Judd Gregg allows himself to be used by the dominant ruling party in Washington, DC? Is this why the GOP is called "the Party of Stupid"? Is this type of thing why the GOP has been called "the tax collector for the welfare state"? Sigh. This just in from Liberty Central via RedState.com:
Judd Gregg, Kent Conrad Push Massive Tax Increases in Lame Duck Session
Cross-posted from Liberty Central.
Obviously, balancing the federal budget is a worthy goal – an extremely important one, in fact. Congress has massively increased spending, to the point that the United States is projected to run inordinately high deficits for years to come. The problem is one of historic proportions. It would be a welcome change if this Congress were to consider a package of spending cuts before the election, designed to restore the nation’s long-term fiscal balance.
But Congressional leaders and the White House recognize that it might be unpopular to push for spending cuts or tax increases before an election. They are deeply worried about the political impact of a controversial vote – one that might lead to catastrophic losses for the majority party. So rather than doing something gutsy, they are shifting responsibility to an unelected commission, and deferring a vote until a lame duck session of Congress:
Senate Budget Chairman Kent Conrad says a legislative session after the Nov. 2 election and before the new Congress is sworn in could be “one of the most significant lame-duck sessions in the history of the United States.”
In an interview with CongressDaily, Conrad referred specifically to the prospect of votes on the recommendations of President Obama’s bipartisan deficit commission, which is due to report on Dec. 1. Conrad, who is on the panel, believes it could help lead the country to a sounder fiscal path.
That sentiment is echoed by Senate Budget ranking member Judd Gregg, also a commission member. Gregg even suggests the lame duck could trump the historic vote on healthcare reform, which he opposed, if the commission’s recommendations are meaningful and Congress embraces them.
Then at RedState.com a New Hampshire conservative responds to the above study, weighing in on both Judd Gregg and Kelly Ayotte, the former dutiful servant to Democratic Gov. John Lynch:
"Judd Gregg voted to confirm Sotomayor. Kelly Ayotte also supported the Wise Latina. Seems to me that both Gregg and Ayotte are for banning of guns since they supported a radical to a Supreme Court justice who repaid them by voting against the 2nd amendment in the Chicago vs. McDonald case. That’s why if you support a radical to the SCOTUS it needs to automatically disqualify you! No exceptions!"
Well put.. –Tim Condon
