With Democrats Failing to Propose Plan for Cuts, When Will Matheson Step Up?
March 3, 2011
| FYI, a similar version of this release below went out to the following districts: Jason Altmire (PA-04), John Barrow (GA-12), Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Tim Bishop (NY-01), Dan Boren (OK-02), Leonard Boswell (IA-03), Bruce Braley (IA-01), Dennis Cardoza (CA-18), Russ Carnahan (MO-03), Ben Chandler (KY-06), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Jim Cooper (TN-05), Jim Costa (CA-20), Mark Critz (PA-12), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Peter DeFazio (OR-04), Joe Donnelly (IN-02), Raul Grijalva (AZ-07), Martin Heinrich (NM-01), Brian Higgins (NY-27), Jim Himes (CT-04), Maurice Hinchey (NY-22), Ruben Hinojosa (TX-15), Tim Holden (PA-17), Rush Holt (NJ-12), Jay Inslee (WA-01), Steve Israel (NY-02), Bill Keating (MA-10), Dale Kildee (MI-05), Ron Kind (WI-03), Larry Kissell (NC-08), Rick Larsen (WA-02), David Loebsack (IA-02), Jim Matheson (UT-02), Carolyn McCarthy (NY-04), Mike McIntyre (NC-07), Jerry McNerney (CA-11), Michael Michaud (ME-02), Brad Miller (NC-13), Chris Murphy (CT-05), Bill Owens (NY-23), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Ed Perlmutter (CO-07), Gary Peters (MI-09), Collin Peterson (MN-07), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), David Price (NC-04), Nick Rahall (WV-03), Mike Ross (AR-04), Loretta Sanchez (CA-47), Kurt Schrader (OR-05), Heath Shuler (NC-11), Adam Smith (WA-09), Betty Sutton (OH-13), John Tierney (MA-06), Niki Tsongas (MA-05), Pete Visclosky (IN-01), Tim Walz (MN-01), Anthony Weiner (NY-09), David Wu (OR-01), John Yarmuth (KY-03) With Democrats Failing to Propose Plan for Cuts, When Will Matheson Step Up?
Utah Democrat’s Party Has Not Announced Budget Plan With Necessary Cuts Washington — Although a government shutdown was avoided this week, Jim Matheson and his Democrat leaders have yet to propose a plan to cut spending over the remainder of the year and beyond, which will need to be addressed over the next two weeks. In addition, a recent U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report outlined billions of dollars of waste and overlap, putting the cut-averse Democrats such as Matheson in a difficult position. If Matheson is serious about downsizing government, reducing the debt load on every American, and creating a positive environment for private sector job growth, he would urge his Democrat leaders in the House and Senate to take action and reverse the devastating spending spree they presided over.
“With two weeks left to avoid a government shutdown, Jim Matheson and his Democrat leaders seem content to drag their feet by rejecting proposals to remove the uncertainty that our country’s enormous debt burden is creating for small businesses,” said NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay. “As a non-partisan government report out this week showed, the Democrats’ stubborn defiance against common-sense spending reductions is completely unfounded. When will Jim Matheson take the lead and urge his Democrat leaders in the House and Senate to get serious about cutting our bloated federal budget?”
With the ball now in their court, Senate Democrat leaders are dragging their feet on proposing an actual plan to cut spending for the rest of the fiscal year: “Contending with sharp internal splits about how far to go in cutting spending and a reluctance to show their hand, Senate Democrats have not made public any specifics on their ideas for cuts, frustrating Republicans who see themselves as making hard, substantive proposals with no corresponding effort in the Senate.” (Carl Hulse, “Obama Signs Two-Week Budget Extension,” New York Times, 3/3/11)
This is despite the fact that billions of dollars in government waste and overlap have recently been found in a GAO report:
“With Congress and the White House set to debate the merits of massive spending cuts, federal auditors have identified hundreds of overlapping government offices and programs that if merged or eliminated could save taxpayers billions of dollars.” (Ed O’Keefe, “Government overlap costs taxpayers billions, GAO reports,” Washington Post, 3/2/11)
Although the debt burden on middle-class families continues to reach record levels and small businesses are still wondering when the government will get its expenses under control, Jim Matheson’s Democrat leaders are currently avoiding decisive action. Since we are on the verge of making serious and meaningful fiscal reform, when will Matheson get serious about cutting spending and pressure his Senate Democrat colleagues to act?
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