[UPDATE]: Welcome, Instapundit readers.
I mean, I get the central message: “Fine. You want me to cut spending? I’ll cut spending! I’ll show you! I’LL SHOW YOU ALL!”
The Obama administration stunned New York’s delegation Thursday, dropping the bombshell news that it does not support funding the 9/11 health bill.
The state’s two senators and 14 House members met with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius just hours before President Obama implored in his speech to the nation for Congress to come together and deliver a government that delivers on its promises to the American people.
So the legislators were floored to learn the Democratic administration does not want to deliver for the tens of thousands of people who sacrificed after 9/11, and the untold numbers now getting sick.
…but I have to point out – like Dana Loesch – that not all programs are created equal, either. This is like something out of an 80s sitcom:
– Bringing Up Barry! (Tuesdays, 8 PM EST): When Barry gets in trouble at school for splurging the Chess Club’s entire budget on a pizza party, it’s up to John to talk to him about spending wisely. But Barry goes too far and hides with the school’s fuses to save money. Wacky hijinks ensue as Sarah tries to talk him out of the furnace room in time to save the Valentine’s Day dance!
Special Guest Star: Erik Estrada, as hip ‘rap’ DJ Ricky Mark.
Or something like that.
Moe Lane
PS: Really. This is how it’s coming across.
Crossposted to RedState.
That’s our Berry!
Or maybe it should have been, Love that Barry. Leave it to Berry. That Berry Show. Get Berry. Berry Troop. Cavalcade of Berry. Berry Knows Best. Barry Miller. The Berry Hour.
Is it possible that he’s intentionally choosing programs no one would ever vote to cut, just so he can later say to the voters, “Well, see, I tried to cut the budget. It was that mean old Congress that was to blame, because they didn’t go along with the program”?
Is it also possible that part of the strategy of this path is that it sends the message to the American people that all cuts will be terribly personal and unfair. Therefore, they will rebell against the very idea of cutting anything.
Or so this strategy assumes.
Our legislature/governor in Tennessee tried this some time back, when we were experiencing a terrible budget crisis. Since the taxpayers refused to vote for a state income tax, the governor (or legislature, can’t recall who was responsible) decided to start cutting things which directly affected the lives of voters — like the hours and locations of DMV offices suddenly cut. State parks closed.
We still don’t have a state income tax in Tennessee; so, clearly, it didn’t work. Imagine: a bunch of dumb hicks in flyover country were smart enough to see the strategy for what it was! I think the American people will, too.
I get the message … you push me on the KSM trial, I’ll push you on 9/11 funding …
Thats alot of unfunded medical expenses you got there NY, sure would be a shame if nobody helped you out with that. Maybe we could fund it as part of the NYC KSM funding bill ?
The sad thing is that its all a bluff by Obama. He could fight his way out of a wet paper sack. Remember the open threats to cut of funding to Governors who didn’t play along with the Stimulus ? Alot of threats with no follow thru.
He floats like a butterfly and stings like a …. butterfly.
Obama depends on you blinking.
They do this yearly in California during the annual budget agonies. The prison guard factions threatens to start releasing hardened criminals on the population if they don’t get their way.
Ugh. I wish the words honest politician wasn’t an oxymoron.
Katherine
This happens every budget year in California. Every politician and reporter says the first cuts will be to firefighters, cops & teachers — as if that’s the only places they can think of to cut. Their second line is to say they’ll have to lay off guards and open the prison doors. No one (since Reagan) brings up the 1000s of commissions, boards and bureaucrats populating the state payrolls. Pathetic!
Elaine, I remember that. I traveled from my home in Atlanta to Knoxville to be at my mother’s deathbed. Trying to make good time, I was waiting to stop at a rest area, but your soon-to-be ex-governor had closed them. F’n SOB, I went on the side of I75. He had campaigned on a promise not to seek an income tax, piss on him!
The only message the voters need to derive is to vote against any democrat be it at the local, state and federal level.
Let me echo again on CA. No cuts to the Blueberry Commission, where they park out-of-office legislators (OK, Dem legislators) so they can continue to live in the manner accustomed.
No cuts to gilded pensions.
No, it’s directly to schools, prisons, fire, …
To follow up on Elaine’s point. It is a common practice among all politicians. When faced with repudiation of a desired tax increase the first order of business is to cut that which affects the greatest number of people the most.
For example, when local school boards have a tax levy voted down the first thing they cut is busing.
Funny, the reason Tennessee was in a big budget mess was… wait for it… Universal Health Care! TennCare was a debacle that the State is still digging out of.