The New York Times: It's Not Really About Spending

[flpoljunkie]

April 7, 2011
It’s Not Really About Spending

If the federal government shuts down at midnight on Friday — which seems likely unless negotiations take a sudden turn toward rationality — it will not be because of disagreements over spending. It will be because Republicans are refusing to budge on these ideological demands:

• No federal financing for Planned Parenthood because it performs abortions. Instead, state administration of federal family planning funds, which means that Republican governors and legislatures will not spend them.

• No local financing for abortion services in the District of Columbia.

• No foreign aid to countries that might use the money for abortion or family planning. And no aid to the United Nations Population Fund, which supports family-planning services.

• No regulation of greenhouse gases by the Environmental Protection Agency.

• No funds for health care reform or the new consumer protection bureau established in the wake of the financial collapse.

Abortion. Environmental protection. Health care. Nothing to do with jobs or the economy; instead, all the hoary greatest hits of the Republican Party, only this time it has the power to wreak national havoc: furloughing 800,000 federal workers, suspending paychecks for soldiers and punishing millions of Americans who will have to wait for tax refunds, Social Security applications, small-business loans, and even most city services in Washington. The damage to a brittle economy will be substantial.

Democrats have already gone much too far in giving in to the House demands for spending cuts. The $33 billion that they have agreed to cut will pull an enormous amount of money from the economy at exactly the wrong time, and will damage dozens of vital programs.

more...

[bluethruandthru]

1. Big K&R! It's never been about spending.

R's are the biggest spenders of all...as long as they're spending on no bid contracts for their cronies, non-stop war and tax cuts for the rich.

This is the message that needs to be repeated over and over until it wipes out the republicans blatant lies about reducing the deficit.

[flpoljunkie]

2. The NYT's says Republicans have chosen extortion to get what they want.

I agree. Also, the defunding Planned Parenthood rider is being driven by the likes of Rep. Mike Pence and his social conservative ilk. They care not a whit for women's health.

[liberal N proud]

3. Someone finally printed it

The whole thing has been about killing social programs in favor of corporate welfare.

[flpoljunkie]

5. Morning Joe is now questioning whether the holdup is really about these ideological riders.

However, Jon Meacham, former Newsweek editor, just said these 'riders are a gift to the Democrats.' And, now, Joe says the government should not be shut down over defunding Planned Parenthood.

[fugop]

8. *head exploding*

Huh? What? Really? Scarborough said that? If the GOP is losing Scarborough, they really must be toast.

[bdamomma]

4. ................

stupid repigs never stopping to screw the american people.

[flpoljunkie]

6. Schumer just said the EPA rider is out. The holdup is the Planned Parenthood Rider.

It's not the freshmen demanding Planned Parenthood be defunded, though. It's the despicable ideological zealot, Mike Pence,

[paparush]

7. Ah..the Christo-Taliban at its finest.

[canoeist52]

9. "No funds for... the new consumer protection bureau. " thats the reason

It's always about the money. Shut down is about slowing down or stopping SEC investigations.