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The Party of Smaller Government (wink, wink)

By stcynic on September 16, 2005.

A truly astonishing statement from someone alleged to be an advocate of smaller government:

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay said yesterday that Republicans have done so well in cutting spending that he declared an "ongoing victory," and said there is simply no fat left to cut in the federal budget.

Mr. DeLay was defending Republicans' choice to borrow money and add to this year's expected $331 billion deficit to pay for Hurricane Katrina relief. Some Republicans have said Congress should make cuts in other areas, but Mr. DeLay said that doesn't seem possible.

"My answer to those that want to offset the spending is sure, bring me the offsets, I'll be glad to do it. But nobody has been able to come up with any yet," the Texas Republican told reporters at his weekly briefing.

Asked if that meant the government was running at peak efficiency, Mr. DeLay said, "Yes, after 11 years of Republican majority we've pared it down pretty good."

Unbelievable. At a time when the Federal budget has gone off the charts, piling up massive amounts of debt, the House Majority Leader declares that his party has pared down the budget? What kind of bizarro universe does this guy inhabit?

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"What kind of bizarro universe does this guy inhabit?" That's easy, the land of make believe. When it comes to our money Republicans and Democrats are the same, they just give it to different constituencies in different proportions.

By Anonymous (not verified) on 16 Sep 2005 #permalink

I'm sorry that anon was me.

jcw wrote:

When it comes to our money Republicans and Democrats are the same, they just give it to different constituencies in different proportions.

And sometimes to the same constituencies in different proportions.

Ed,

Thanks for correcting that, what you added was what I was trying to get at.

Just to let you know, any American who hasn't internationized his investments has to be an idiot. Most corporations headquartered in the US are actually international corporations.

As we have seen over the last day or two, two more US airlines, Delta and Northwest, have filed for Chap11 bankruptcy protection, primarily to get out of their pension and healthcare obligations. The only remaining major US carrier, American, won't be far behind.

When you say 'are the same', you mean 'one balances the budget and makes sure to raise money (taxes) if they want to spend money and the other spends like a drunken sailor with a Visa', right? We are all supporters of empirical reasoning, yes?

NBarnes said, "When you say 'are the same', you mean 'one balances the budget and makes sure to raise money (taxes) if they want to spend money and the other spends like a drunken sailor with a Visa', right?" No, I was commenting on the fact that Democrats and Republicans both vote for larger government. In that they 'are the same'.