The Democrats Won't Reopen the White House

The Senate voted this afternoon on an amendment to the bill for funding the government for the rest of this fiscal year which would have allowed the National Park Service to devote $8 million to keep the White House tours operating.  It was voted down along party lines 55-45 with the Democrats saying no.

How can it be that the senators cannot put aside partisan differences long enough to let them restore tours of the White House?  Indeed, how can it be that America cannot afford those tours anyway.  Even with the recent sequestration, the government will still be spending more this year than last year.  That means that we spend more but have to suffer cut backs?  It makes no sense.  Where does the additional money go?  It is not going for salary increases, since salaries make up only 5% of federal expenditures.  It is not going for new programs at the national parks, since there are none.  So why is the National Park Service getting more this year than last but still undergoing cuts in service?

The truth is that this entire sequestration exercise is one big deception.  These is no need for service cuts of any sort when there is more money this year than last.