The Fierce Fight over Flys*#t (updated)

George Rebane

From listening to all the talking heads this weekend going on about the $38.5B spending cuts in the FY2011 budget, we hear that both sides are taking full credit.  And both the Dems and Repubs have declared victory … but over what??

It is clear that the tea parties are the only ones getting it.  Before Friday night's compromise, Tea Party Patriot co-founder Mark Meckler was in the lion's den on CNBC with a white-haired, fast-talking progressive loudmouth who kept interrupting Meckler while trying to get him to say something silly about various social issues involved with the proposed cuts.  Meckler wisely stuck to his guns stating that the TPP stood for fiscal responsibility, and was promoting the originally promised $100B spending cut in the budget for this year FY2011.  He emphasized that it was the amount that is important to us as a nation in the global community (a position long held in these pages).

Other countries with whom we trade, borrow from, and convince to keep the dollar as the world's reserve currency don't give a rat's butt where we reduce our spending to become fiscally responsible; they just want us to do it.  Actually, our enemies are siding with the Dems, and want the train wreck to happen sooner than later.  In any event, it is only the spending cut AMOUNTS that matter, and it is only the tea parties, led by the TPP, who started us on this responsible path that has now led to the Paul Ryan FY2012 budget proposal.  And it is only the tea parties that are still holding the politicians feet to the fire on an adult approach - cutting trillions in spending to reduce trillions in deficits - to a feasible fiscal soft landing.

As a TPP member, I see no reason to dance in  the fly pucky and celebrate the smidgeon announced last Friday night.  IF IF IF that leads to a clear-headed approach needed to negotiate a meaningful basis for raising the debt limit in May, and then adopting a real FY2012 budget – a la the Ryan Plan – to demonstrate good faith, THEN maybe I'll tap my toe quietly to the celebratory parade that everyone from Obama to Boehner to Reid is trying to lead.  But getting excited today is a mite early.  The sobering figure below explains.

[update] And Ramirez is always able to summarize succinctly.

Comments

[Russ Steele]

Boehner: Next fight to be about trillions, not billions, see OP-ED in the USA Today here.

The budget by Chairman Ryan has set the bar.

[Barry Pruett]

We were going to borrow $1.65 trillion this year. Now we are only going to borrow $1.60 trillion....and these guys in Congress are breaking their arms oatting eachother on the back. Cut a trillion, and then I will be moderately happy. Balance the budget and pay down the debt for the first time, and I will be elated.

[John Galt]

George, this diagram is very helpful. It would make a nice bill board too.

I think Boehner needs some training from Trump on how to negotiate.

[Jack McClure]

I agree that the cuts we got are nothing more than a fly speck. However, have you noticed that even the liberals are talking about spending cuts now that they were forced to accept some, as small as they may be. There is a new paradigm in Washington because the Tea Party movement forced the spending cuts issue. Don't overlook this. Lots more cuts will be coming because we made them listen. The goal is to keep up the pressure through 2012 and beyond. It really doesn't matter who takes the credit as long as the American people win.

[George Rebane]

Yes indeed JackM, that we have busted the cherry on spending cuts was the motivation for this post (pardon my French). To maintain what momentum has been achieved requires that we keep a keen eye peeled on the measure of our achievements going forward. Our celebrations should be in proportion such achievements.

IMHO, current celebrations are excessive and divert attention from the brazen fact that we don't actually have the FY2011 budget yet nailed down - the back-patting is clearly premature. And the big battles of FY2012 and raising the debt limit have yet to begin. Keep the cork on the champagne bottle.

[Mikey McD]

I agree "I think Boehner needs some training from Trump on how to negotiate. "

and the proverbial debt football gets punted to my generation (again).

[Dixon Cruickshank]

The Dem always " talk" about stuff - this works well for them until something is put on paper and becomes real and then "that can't be cut" becomes the talking point. Just like Planned parenthood - deflect and change the subject, we see from our 3 amigo's all the time.