I mentioned the YouCut site a few days ago. Week one’s winner was put to a vote last night and it failed 177-240 with all Republicans and 9 Democrats voting for the spending cut. For your amusement, here are the Texas Democrats that voted against the spending cut.
Cuellar
Doggett
Edwards
Gonzalez
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Hinojosa
Johnson, E. B.
Ortiz
Reyes
Rodriguez
You can add them to the list of people who need to go because they obviously do not have the education or wisdom to make good decisions. Here is why I say this….an excerpt describing the cut…
“In 1996 Congress and the President joined together to implement a bipartisan reform of our nation’s welfare system. Since then welfare caseloads dropped by an unprecedented 60% as work and earnings by low-income parents rose by record levels. Despite the bipartisan support for the 1996 reforms, some Members, led by reform opponent Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), included several provisions in the 2009 stimulus law to undermine the successful welfare reforms – including a new “welfare emergency fund” designed to promote welfare dependence. The welfare emergency fund provided States with up to $5 billion in new Federal funds in 2009 and 2010 if they increase welfare caseloads, among other outcomes. Of that $5 billion thus far $2.4 billion has been spent; including, $1 billion for “basic assistance” (i.e. welfare checks), $1 billion for “non-recurrent short-term assistance,” and under $400 million (16%) for “subsidized employment.” Here is just one example of how States spent this money on “non-recurrent short-term assistance.” Last summer New York State used welfare emergency funds to make one-time $200 per child “back to school” payments to welfare and food stamp recipients. But many recipients didn’t use the money for back to school supplies. As CBS News reported, the funds were used in many cases to purchase “flat screen TVs, iPods and video gaming systems;” and convenience stores in certain areas “noted marked increases in beer, lotto and cigarette sales.” Despite the documented waste of taxpayer funds, the majority in Congress is proposing to continue the program for another year and add another $2.5 billion in new money. As the YouCut vote winner, the proposal put forward by Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) and Rep, Jim Jordan (R-OH) to terminate this program will be brought up for a vote in the House this week. Members of Congress – from both parties – will have the opportunity to vote as to whether or not this program should continue or whether it should be terminated the savings used to reduce the deficit.”
Even worse, here was the statement from Representative Alcee Hastings (FL) on the YouCut program.
“First this is not American Idol or Dancing With the Stars…This is America’s legislature. For all we know, on YouCut, Osama bin Laden could be voting. Please know that not handful of organized gotcha Republicans are going to control this legislature.”
What an embarrassment. An embarrassment to his family, the 23rd district of Florida, and America in general. Ok…maybe that is harsh, but I think you get my point. It is one thing to respectfully disagree with a spending cut. It is another to make statements like the one above. He clearly deserves another job. The same can be said about a Congress who is unwilling to make any spending cuts and refuses to even try to pass a budget. Maybe a reminder is due of what they themselves think of such a travesty.
In 2002…[failing to pass a budget] “hurts America’s children”. - Nancy Pelosi
In 2006…”Republicans are now on the cusp of failing to meet the most basic responsibility of governing.” - Steny Hoyer (who recently announced they would not pass one)
In 2006…“If you can’t budget, you can’t govern.” – John Spratt (chairman of the budget committee)
Of course, their counterparts in the Senate are not any better. They have now passed the permanent bailout of Wall Street bill. Ignorance of this magnitude has not been seen since the times of FDR. In my recent post on this legislation, I had some very good additional reading that gives some insights into why I would make such a statement. For our part, I say continue to vote in the YouCut project and tell your friends about it. Maybe the Osama bin Laden’s of the world can call Congress on their reckless spending.
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