It takes a conservative – If only we could agree what that meansBy W. James Antle III
web posted September 19, 2005
Big government conservatism, anyone?
Explaining the decision to add the entire $62.3 billion cost of two post-Katrina hurricane-relief bills to the $331 billion deficit rather
than seek offsetting spending cuts, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) declared "ongoing victory" in the battle to bring the federal budget under control.
According to the Washington Times, DeLay claims there is just no more fat left to cut. This despite the 6,371 pork-barrel projects in this year's swollen transportation bill. Or the $24.5 billion the federal government spent in 2003 that it couldn't account for. The Heritage Foundation's Brian Reidl notes that $154 billion was appropriated for programs a White House review deemed ineffective or unable to demonstrate results. Citizens Against Government Waste plans to release a list of recommended spending cuts totaling $2 trillion over five years.
And DeLay, mind you, is one of the most consistently conservative members of the Republican congressional leadership.
The GOP is ostensibly the party of low taxes and less government, but even many conservative Republicans today campaign like Barry Goldwater only to outspend Bill Clinton. George W. Bush has presided over the biggest inflation-adjusted increase in federal spending since Lyndon Johnson. Even excluding defense and homeland-security expenditures, he is the biggest-spending president in 30 years.
More of this "confessional"
http://www.enterstageright.com/archive/articles/0905/0905defconsv.htm