Matheson Silent & Stubborn as Democrat Leaders Attempt to Preserve Big Spending Binge

March 7, 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)

Matheson Silent & Stubborn as Democrat Leaders Attempt to Preserve Big Spending Binge
Utah Democrat Fails to Step Up as Party Leadership Ignores Voters and Fiscal Reality

Washington — The Democrat leadership in Washington continues to stubbornly reject the comprehensive budget cut plan that voters are demanding, and Jim Matheson seems content to follow along in their fight to maintain the big-spending status quo. For instance, even with recent non-partisan reports detailing billions of dollars in waste and duplication within the federal government, Matheson has not broken with Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin who said yesterday that Democrats are done cutting after their minimal reductions proposed last week. Will Jim Matheson finally speak up and lead, or will he simply continue to follow along with Washington Democrats who are refusing to accept the reality of our record deficit and spending levels which continue to create economic uncertainty and hamper recovery?

“If Jim Matheson truly believes that government should live within its means, he should speak up and urge his Democrat leaders to stop rejecting comprehensive plans for downsizing our bloated federal budget,” said NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay. “In following along with Democrat plans to block serious attempts at fiscal reform, Matheson is instead signaling his belief in the status quo that includes billions of dollars in documented government waste and a projected $1.65 trillion deficit which continues to hamper economic recovery.”

On Sunday, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin said Democrats were drawing the line at their minor cuts proposed last week:

“The proposed $10.5 billion in cuts to non-defense, non-discretionary spending in the continuing resolution, which would keep the government operational through Sept. 30, are as deep as Senate Democratic leaders will go, the Illinois Democrat said on ‘Fox News Sunday.’” (Daniel Newhauser, “Durbin: Senate Democrats’ CR Pushes Domestic Cuts to the Limit,” Roll Call, 3/6/11)

This is despite the fact that non-partisan government reports detail many billions in waste and redundant programs:

“Memo to the folks on Approps: We’re broke. The Dick Durbin press conference we’d like to see: The one where he announces he will lead the charge to eliminate every case of federal program duplication identified last week by the General Accountability Office. Republican Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma estimated that the GAO report could save $100 billion.” (Editorial, “‘We need to cut, but …,’” Chicago Tribune, 3/5/11)

And voters overwhelmingly understand the importance of fiscal reform:

“A full 95 percent of likely voters believe that lowering the debt is either very or somewhat important, the poll found, with only 2 percent finding the issue not at all or not very important.” (Bernie Becker, “THE HILL POLL: U.S. future depends on cutting debt, voters say,” The Hill, 3/7/11)

Voters want their leaders in Washington to get serious about cutting spending, and the facts support both the capacity and necessity for serious fiscal reform. Will Jim Matheson call upon his Democrat leaders to step up and stop rejecting comprehensive plans for cuts, or will he continue to disappoint his constituents in Utah who are tired of seeing the big-government status quo continue toward economic and fiscal disaster?

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