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Jewish World Review Jan. 3, 2013/ 22 Teves, 5773 More of the same By Cal Thomas
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Everything that everyone loathes about As with previous congresses, this one (again) delayed the debt issue for two months and will have to face it again, along with what to do about the debt ceiling. Only expletives that can't be printed in a family newspaper accurately characterize this bunch, so I'll have to settle for pathetic, unprincipled and irresponsible. This "fiscal cliff" was a construct created by
We've seen it all before. Democrats play this game more effectively than a nimble-handed magician. According to Americans for Tax Reform, in 1982, congressional Democrats promised It was the same with President George H.W. "read my lips, no new taxes" Bush. In 1990, "...Bush agreed to Democrats run this play so often you would think by now Republicans might have devised a better defense. But just like the smear that Republicans are anti-woman because they oppose spending tax dollars on free contraceptives and abortion, or lack compassion for the poor because they oppose increasing federal programs that don't actually help the poor become less so, Republicans get trapped into voting to increase taxes in exchange for more empty promises to cut spending ... eventually. And the country is the one that loses. Conservatives sent a large number of "tea party" members to the House in the 2010 election, hoping to fix government. It hasn't worked because the political culture there has been contaminated by an untreatable virus and even those with the best intentions soon acquire the infection. Eighty-five Republicans voted for the monstrous bill (151 stood on principle and voted against it) because their leaders said that if they didn't it would hurt the party's chances in the next election. Think of how the media would treat them. One didn't have to be in the room to "hear" what was said because it's always the same. Give up your principles because the next election is paramount. And after the next election and the one after it, nothing changes. The country should make up its mind. Do we want a government that lives within the boundaries of the Constitution -- limited, financially stable and spending only on what the Constitution says it should -- or, do we want a nation whose initials should be changed to ATM, dispensing goodies to any and all without regard to the financial health and welfare of this and future generations? Passage of this bill seems to indicate the choice has been made and ATM has won. It is a sorry affair for which we, and future generations, will be sorry, indeed.
JWR contributor Cal Thomas is co-author with Bob Beckel, a liberal Democratic Party strategist, of "Common Ground: How to Stop the Partisan War That is Destroying America". Comment by clicking here.
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