Democrats’ 100-hour gimmick
Tags: Congress
By: rip
In the spirit of the ousted Republicans, it looks like a ton of legislative action will be pushed through by the Democrats without meaningful debate. The list details their January wish list…watch out for that veto pen.
1. Toughen House ethics rules
2. Restore ‘pay as you go’ budget rules
3. Adopt recommendations of the 9/11 Commission
4. Raise the federal minimum wage
5. Promote embyonic stem cell research
6. Negotiate lower Medicare prescription drug prices
7. Reduce interest rates on student loans
8. Roll back tax breaks for energy companies
January 15th, 2007 at 7:19 pm
All of the “wish list” sounds good to me.
January 17th, 2007 at 1:50 am
I’ll take 1, 2, and 6,
Big NO to 4 and 8,
the rest are either irrelevant or up for debate.
January 17th, 2007 at 3:14 am
After the past few years, the fact that we once had PAYGO seems unbelievable. I’d love to have it back, but seriously doubt it ever happens…
If taxpayer dollars must be spent, student loan interest rates are a pretty good destination (as I got hit hard on the last law change).
Agreed on 4, but why the strong feelings about 8? National security related?
January 17th, 2007 at 6:19 pm
Not a really strong feeling. Just don’t think that’s a first 100 hr thing. And anything in the first 100 hrs that focuses on increasing revenue by sticking it to “Big Anybody” just rubs me the wrong way.
Maybe “Big Tuna” should be a target. (kidding).
Tax breaks on energy companies might fit into the debateable category as well, but it’s definitely not something you put through in 100 hrs.
Personally I think every tax hike (rolling back tax cuts is a tax hike) should be accompanied by an expense decrease.
Think about it, if every time you wanted to go find money somewhere, you had to find a program to trim, or scaleback, or phase out…imagine how quickly the deficit would go away.
Increasing revenue or “revenue neutral” budgeting (passing on “Big Whatever” money to other taxpayers) is a useless exercise until we are no longer spending at a deficit.
January 20th, 2007 at 7:04 pm
#8 warrants strong condemnation.
January 21st, 2007 at 1:13 am
And it just passed the house…