Skip to Content

Left Turns

Will House Democrats Continue to Delay Troop Support in the Name of Government Bailouts?

The head of President Obama’s “fiscal responsibility” commission recently made headlines for stating the obvious: the nation’s $13 trillion (and counting) in debt is a “cancer” on our country.

Erskine Bowles, commission co-chair and former White House Chief of Staff for President Clinton, called for solutions to our debt crisis that address spending, saying, “I just want to see the vast majority come out of spending. I think that’s the right thing to do.” 

If cutting spending is the right thing to do, then why did House Democrats propose adding $10 billion in state bailout funds to a bill meant to support the troops? 



“Senate and House Democrats are headed for a clash this week over funding for U.S. troops in Afghanistan, as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) races to clear the schedule for long-awaited energy reform legislation.

“The Senate and House are squabbling over $22.8 billion House appropriators added to the supplemental bill. …

“Senate passage is complicated by a pending veto threat from President Obama. He objects to the House proposal to pay for the education fund by rescinding money for the administration’s ‘Race to the Top’ initiative, which rewards academically improved schools with grants.

“A Senate Democratic aide said leaders will nevertheless schedule a vote on the House legislation. If it fails, the aide said, ‘we’ll have to figure out what to do.’”


Bolton, “Spending showdown looms as Reid clears deck for energy reform bill, The Hill, 7/19/2010
 



Taxpayers already spent close to $100 billion in “emergency” state bailouts through the so-called stimulus bill. At the time, Democrats promised the stimulus was a one-time investment. The Department of Education advised recipients of stimulus cash to invest “thoughtfully to minimize the ‘funding cliff’” once the cash was gone. Now, taxpayers are expected to spend even more of their hard-earned money to prolong the Democrats’ failed economic policies.  

Through June of this fiscal year the federal government spent more than $2.6 trillion. Yet Democrats continue to fight over $10 billion in state bailout money, even if troops are denied the resources their top military officials say are needed now.  

Congress should support fiscal responsibility and the troops – and reject the Democrats’ latest bailout. 

# # #

Stay Connected