THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE, USA
An Online Journal of Political Commentary & Analysis
Volume XIII, Issue # 89, April 7, 2011
Dr. Almon Leroy Way, Jr., Editor
Government Committed to & Acting in Accord with Conservative Principles
Ensures a Nation's Strength, Progress, & Prosperity
FISCAL ARMAGEDDON LOOMS, WHILE DEMOCRATS PLAY GAMES
By Christopher G. Adamo
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY & AMERICA'S NATIONAL BUDGETARY CRISIS: DEMOCRATS NOT SERIOUS ABOUT
DEALING WITH THE COUNTRY'S FISCAL CRISIS -- DEMOCRATS SEEKING TO EXPLOIT THE CRISIS FOR WHATEVER POLITICAL
GAIN THEY MAY GLEAN FROM IT -- DEMOCRATS EXHIBITING COMPLETE CONTEMPT FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE & THE
FUTURE OF THE U.S.A. -- CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS, LOCKED IN THEIR DEVOTION TO THE GLORIOUS PAST TIMES OF
RAMPANT GOVERNMENT EXPANSION & SPENDING, ONCE AGAIN SEEKING TO PORTRAY THEMSELVES AS THE GENEROUS
BENEFACTORS OF SOCIETY -- THE ROLE BEING PLAYED BY PRESIDENT OBAMA IN THIS GAME -- WHAT REPUBLICANS IN
CONGRESS SHOULD DO TO SALVAGE FROM THIS MESS SOMETHING THAT WILL BENEFIT THE COUNTRY
FULL STORY:
By their own words, Washington, D.C., Democrats are daily proving that they are not serious about dealing with the
nation’s budgetary crisis. Therefore, it must be concluded that they never have been. Rather, they remain doggedly in
the mode of seeking to exploit the present situation for whatever political gain they may glean from it. In so doing,
they exhibit complete contempt for the American people and the country’s future. Apparently, among Liberals, apart
from any impact on their political standing going into the 2012 elections, nothing else matters.
Occasionally, they voice their supposed concern over fiscal matters, such as their much touted “cuts” of one hundred
million dollars from the U.S. federal budget during the early days of the Obama administration. Yet, in comparison to
the nearly unfathomable squandering of the national treasury that they have perpetrated in the past few years, that
amount, enormous as it is, hardly registers on the federal ledger. Nobody who is sincere about reining in federal
spending would dally among such trivial percentages for any reason, other than to deflect attention from the trillions
that are concurrently being wasted.
Indeed, America’s irresponsible level of spending now approaches an impasse. The abominable situation will either be
honestly addressed, or the national economy will implode. But, rather than working sincerely and diligently across
party lines (It was not long ago that we were told of the glorious virtues of “bipartisanship”) in order to make wise
budgetary decisions that would continue to fund worthwhile duties of government, while preventing an economic
meltdown, Democrats caterwaul of a likely government “shutdown,” seeking to vilify congressional Republicans, as if
any honest government officeholder has the option to continue profligate spending at the current rate.
Inarguably, some worthwhile federal programs will need to be cut if the budget is truly to be salvaged. However, that
would be a far preferable alternative to allowing the present behemoth to continue spiraling out of control, at which
point all programs, both good and bad, necessary and unnecessary, will cease to function. No less significant is the
appalling fact that much of the current federal budget is bloated beyond reason, for the sole purpose of amassing
power at the federal level, and thus could be eliminated with no real harm coming to the citizenry.
The Republican Congress, having been brought to majority status -- in the U.S. House of Representatives -- as a
result of last November’s elections, is making some headway towards truly addressing the problem. But this
undertaking reveals significant negative, as well as positive, points. On the downside, House Speaker John Boehner
refuses to invoke necessary measures to prevent a staggering one-hundred billion dollars from being committed
towards the implementation of Obamacare. Boehner’s reasoning is that doing so would entail a significant deviation
from House rules, which he is unwilling to make.
In a time when Republicans have been empowered specifically to confront and correct the abhorrent abuses of power
perpetrated by their Democratic Party rivals, it is dismaying that they refuse to take up the challenge. Democrats
desecrated every vestige of constitutional law and principle, not to mention public trust, in order to implement
Obamacare. Sadly, Boehner and his colleagues are now willing to sacrifice the integrity of the U.S. Constitution in
order to restore and preserve the sanctity of House rules.
On the positive side, Representative Paul Ryan (Republican - Wisconsin) has unveiled a bold plan that could actually
put the brakes on the current budgetary dysfunction. Ryan plans to trim spending over the next ten years, while
ensuring that the nation returns to solvency. Admittedly, for his regimen to work, it would have to be studiously
followed. And Washington has been notoriously bad at sticking to promises of any sensible limitation on its actions.
So, at this most critical milestone in the nation’s history, what are the terms of the debate that ought to bring about a
restoration of sanity in the way government functions? According to Chris Van Hollen (Democrat - Maryland), “The
Tea Party has hijacked the Republican Caucus.” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called the effort “A path to
poverty for America’s seniors and children.” Incoming Chair of the Democratic National Committee Debbie
Wasserman Schultz (a virtual Pelosi clone, minus the charm and sex appeal) has accused Ryan of creating “a death
trap for seniors.”
Locked in their devotion to the glorious past times of rampant government expansion, with never a thought of any
day of reckoning, Liberal Leftist Democrats, once again, seek to portray themselves as the generous benefactors of
society. Conversely, those on the political Right reflect a cold and miserly attitude, refusing to share even a tiny bit
of the limitless supply of money that would otherwise flow so freely from Washington out to the “little people”
across the land.
Of course, President Barack Obama had to get in on this game, demanding that the Republican dominated House and
Democratic controlled Senate come to some sort of agreement (but one that he, as the ostensibly “neutral” overseer,
could accept). And, in true leadership fashion, he claimed to have found common ground with Republican House
Speaker Boehner on $73 billion in budgetary “cuts.”
Interestingly, Boehner bluntly refuted that claim, asserting that, as of their latest meeting, Obama could only agree to
less than half that amount. Yet, consider either number against the vast backdrop of the $1.5 trillion deficit, for this
year alone, that will ensue from current federal spending excesses. In more comprehendible terms, Obama’s
courageous budgetary reduction is the equivalent of trimming forty-eight dollars (or nineteen dollars and change, if
you believe Boehner’s number) off of a thousand dollar bender. In plain terms, neither the White House nor its
co-conspirators on Capitol Hill have any intention of engaging in responsible governing.
In stark contrast to the manner in which this dilemma is being portrayed on the nightly news, the situation at present
does not constitute a liability to the Republicans, if they can remain committed to the principles they espoused in
their “Pledge to America.” What the nation is currently seeing is the chasm dividing the two political camps. On the
one hand, the Republicans recognize the impending danger and, for the sake of the nation as a whole, are
endeavoring to deal with it. Conversely, the Democrats display their intentions to shamelessly sidestep any real effort
at avoiding catastrophe, while reverting to their standard tactics of instilling fear and panic among the citizenry, which
is their primary method of preserving their current hold on power. And ultimately, that is their real goal.
LINKS TO RELATED TOPICS:
Fiscal Policy: Taxation & Government Spending
American Government & the U.S. Congress:
Congressional Legislative Politics & National Public Policy
The American Political System:
Politics & Government in the U.S.A.
The American Political & Cultural Left:
Liberals, Statists, Socialists, Marxists, & Other Leftists:
The Democratic Party, Academia, & the Mainstream Media
Political Economy -- Philosophies, Systems, & Public Policies:
Government, the Economy, & Economic Prosperity
Liberalism Versus Conservatism in American Politics
-------------------------
POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY & POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES:
COMPETING SYSTEMS OF POLITICAL THOUGHT
Conservatism
Traditional Conservatism: Questions & Answers
Conservatism: Attitudes, Types, & Present Status
Constitutional Conservatism: American & British
Liberalism
Classical Liberalism: Intellectual Foundations
Classical Liberalism: Conservative Liberalism
Manchester Liberalism & Social Darwinism
Modern Social "Liberalism": Statist "Liberalism"
Radical & Totalitarian Ideologies
Radicalism, Utopianism, & Totalitarianism
Christopher G. Adamo is a resident of southeastern Wyoming. He has been involved in politics at the local and state
level for many years. His contact information and article archives can be found at www.chrisadamo.com
Return to Top of Page
Go to the WEBSITE INDEX
Return to Beginning of
THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE, USA,
Public Issues & Political Controversies
Return to Beginning of
THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE, USA
Most Recent Articles
Return to Beginning of
THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE, USA,
Volume XIII, 2011
Return to Beginning of
THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE, USA,
Subject Matter Highlights
Return to POLITICAL EDUCATION Homepage
CONTACT & ACCESS INFORMATION
This is not a commercial website. The sole purpose of the website is to share with interested persons information regarding civics,
civic and social education, political science, government, politics, law, constitutional law and history, public policy and political
philosophy and history, as well as current and recent political developments, public issues, and political controversies.
POLITICAL EDUCATION, CONSERVATIVE ANALYSIS
POLITICS, SOCIETY, & THE SOVEREIGN STATE
Website of Dr. Almon Leroy Way, Jr.
Government, Politics, Public Policy, Legal Issues, Constitutional Law, Government & the Economy, Cultural Values, Foreign Affairs,
International Relations, Military Defense & National Security, Geopolitics, Terrorism & Homeland Security, American National Interests,
Political Systems & Processes, Political Institutions, Political Ideologies, & Political Philosophy
INDEX FOR THE ENTIRE WEBSITE
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE, USA
An Online Journal of Political Commentary & Analysis
Dr. Almon Leroy Way, Jr., Editor
Conservative & Free-Market Analysis of Government, Politics & Public Policy, Covering Political, Legal, Constitutional, Economic,
Cultural, Military, International, Strategic, & Geopolitical Issues
Conservative Government Ensures a Nation's Strength, Progress, & Prosperity