Underhandedness in the House

Congressman Paul Ryan

"The incoming Republican majority in the House of Representatives has laid out a series of changes it would like to make to the House rules, including replacing the current “pay-go” rules — which require all spending increases to be offset with spending cuts or tax increases — with a rule called “cut-go,” which requires that new spending programs — but not new tax cuts — be offset with spending cuts. The GOP has also proposed a new rule requiring that each piece of new legislation include a statement justifying the legislation’s constitutionality.That’s not all, however. 

"As National Journal reported today, 'a little-noticed detail in the new rules proposed by House GOP leaders would greatly increase the power of Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., the incoming chairman of the House Budget Committee.' Indeed, under the proposed rules, if the House and Senate do not agree on a budget resolution (a distinct possibility with a divided Congress), Ryan will be able to unilaterally set spending levels that are binding on the House, and any attempt to lessen the impact of these cuts can be ruled out of order." Think Progress, December 30, 2010.

The proposed "rules" by the incoming House are bogus. Tea party Republicans are shoring up to legitimize their underhandedness to impede President Obama's agenda. This is a scheme to further enrich themselves and their donors. They are endeavouring to constitutionally empower themselves against the power of President Obama.

Tea partiers who screamed they want a smaller government may get their wish. Republicans see Social Security and Medicare as entitlements, and they plan to put them on the chopping block. I remember President Obama saying several months ago that he would see how serious Republicans are about decreasing the deficit when it's time to cut programs. The President told them in advance that they won't be able to sit on their hands and say "No!" Or as John Boehner screeched in a drunken stupor on the Senate floor: "Hell no!"

Of course tea party Republicans will swim upstream  to transfer their weaknesses and ineptness onto President Obama and Democrats.