The Outrageous Obamacrats

Day after day, stories come out of Washington that people describe as outrageous. The word is used so often as to lose its real meaning. Today, however, the Democrats in the Senate have managed to restore "outrageous" as a truly appropriate description for their conduct. the subject, of course, is the enormous appropriations bill that the Democrats want to cram through the Senate in the next week of the lame duck session. In a normal year, there are about 13 appropriations bills that cover spending for the various sections of the federal government. Even with those 13 separate bills, it is difficult for most senators and congressmen to keep track of the actual spending levels on individual programs. The committee staff responsible for the bills do much of the leg work and in some instances are the only ones who truly know hwat is in the bill. Now, the Democrats want to combine all 13 bills into one two thousand page monstrosity that also includes billions of dollars of earmarks as a bonus attraction. After an election in which the winners pledged to cut spending, end earmarks and rationalize the federal budget, this bill is yet another slap in the face of the American people by the Democrats. Maybe someone needs to remind them of the former favorit saying: "Elections have consequences and we won!"

Hopefully, the Republicans in the Senate will refuse to allow consideration of this bill. The Democrats cannot move forward under reconciliation, since they failed to even pass a budget this year, a prerequisite for that procedure. The Senate Republicans should announce that they are prepared to pass a continuing resolution that will fund the government for another two months at current levels. that will give the new congress the chance to come in an begin cutting the gargantuan budget. There is no need for a government shutdown; two more months should be just about right. The Democrats made this mess by failing to carry out their duties to pass spending bills so that they could hide their true intent from the electorate. Such actions have consequences. There is no way that the GOP should allow the Democrats to push through another year of profligate spending now as a going away present.